Your Fragrance Questions Answered

Signature Scents and More

Q. How long can I expect my perfume to last?

A. Generally speaking, a bottle of fragrance should remain fresh and aromatic for up to a year. If you're vigilant about keeping it away from direct sunlight and in a room that's dry and cool, you might be able to squeeze even a few more months out of it. You'll know it's lost its potency if the color or aroma changes (it might get a shade darker or take on a funky or ammonia-like tinge).

Q. Help! I fell in love with a scent that my husband hates. Can it be toned down?

A. You can wear it full-throttle away from home, but when you're with him, tone it down by dabbing an unscented body lotion over the perfumed areas to dull the scent's potency. Or place a neutral single note (an individual, nonblended fragrance sold by itself), such as a soft musk, vanilla, or sandalwood, over the fragrance, which should help soften the aroma as well. "Another fix is to try a lotion version of your favorite perfume, which will be more diluted than the perfume itself," says Sarah Horowitz-Thran, owner of Creative Scentualization, a fragrance company in Santa Monica, California.

Q. A woman is supposed to have one signature scent, right? But I just found two new ones that I love. Can I alternate wearing them?

A. Life's too short not to have as many fragrances as make you happy! Perfume, much like an accessory, can be changed depending on the season, time of day, or your mood. Just use soap and water to take off one scent, and you're ready for the next! Vive la difference!