How to smell scentsational this summer

Jet, June 30, 2003

The sun is out, the weather's hot and without a doubt, you want to smell sweet despite the heat. But before you spritz on that same-old same-old, update your fragrance wardrobe this summer.

Your perfume should reflect your personality, your attitude, even your mood, which means your scent may switch from day to day or from dawn to dusk. Light, soft and sensual notes make good summer picks, but the only true rule for choosing a scent is that it smells good on you and to you.

Check out these "scentsational" tips for finding a fragrance that fits you:

* PRINCESS BRIDE

You're the roses-and-candlelight type. Silk, satin and lace adorn your place and you count Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty as your favorite fairy-tale heroines. Therefore, floral scents are perfect for you. Rose, gardenia, lily, freesia and iris evoke romance and embrace your inner princess.

* MS. LAID BACK

Peace, be still and chill is your life philosophy. You're an easygoing spirit who likes to sit back and relax, so you need a fragrance to match. Vanilla, lavender, jasmine, watermelon, peach and chamomile scents calm the senses.

* ON-THE-GO GIRL

A mover and shaker is what you are and you need a high-octane scent that can keep up with your energy flow--fresh, clean and mostly green. Try fragrances with cucumber, green tea, rosemary, rhubarb, peppermint and bitter orange.

* DRAMA QUEEN

Bold and bodacious, you are the life of every party. In fact, you are the party! Divas like you need a scent with a bit of spice, like nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, ginger, lavender, mandarin, cranberry or cardamom. Not too much, mind you, because you could never allow your perfume to upstage you.

FRAGRANCE DOS AND DON'TS

Now that you've settled on a scent, remember these tips for wearing it well:

* Do put on perfume right after your shower. Your pores soak up the scent, making it last longer. Start from the ankles and move skyward since fragrance rises. Pulse points (inside the wrists and elbows, behind the knees and ears, the cleavage) are the best spots, since scents linger in these areas.

* Don't bathe in perfume. Spray sparingly. You can always add more, but it's impossible to tone down if you spray too much.

* Do layer your scent. Boost your perfume's staying power by combining it with a matching shower gel or body lotion.

* Don't keep perfume near heat or light. Bright light and heat affect the potency of perfume. Prolong the shelf-life of your fragrance by storing it in a cool, dark place. Pop it in the fridge for a cool, refreshing spray on a hot day.