To think that scent/perfume is for spraying on the skin not clothes?

[LaRaclette]

I took my teenage DD to the John Lewis in Oxford Street today, with a view to buying her some perfume as part of her Christmas present. She expressed an interest in Dior perfumes and we asked the assistant for some help in choosing/suggestions etc. My DD, when asked, said she liked 'sweeter' perfumes, so the assistant suggested a floral based one. She sprayed several perfumes onto pieces of card, some of which my DD didn't like, but some she did.

Until then, all was fine. I then suggested that before making a decision, my DD should try a little of the favourite perfume on her skin and wait about half an hour to see how it developed, as perfume develops and smells differently on different people.

The assistant gave me a Paddington 'death stare' and said that whilst a few people might spray themselves with perfume, the majority didn't and just sprayed it on their clothes.

We said that we would come back later, but we didn't, and I felt that the assistant had missed an opportunity for a sale and the possibility of gaining a lifelong customer, if she had been more encouraging towards my DD, who was a bit intimidated by the approach.

I had also expressed an interest in trying one of the more classic fragrances and held out my wrist for a spray which was studiously ignored and another piece of sprayed card was handed to me.

I am wondering whether or not John Lewis have a company policy not to spray perfume direct onto customers' skin, on health and safety grounds, in case of an allergic reaction.

However, surely I am not being unreasonable to think that perfume is primarily for spraying on the body, not the clothes?

[futureponyclubmum]

I'm allergic to perfume, I can wear it sprayed on clothes but not directly on my skin so I use the cardboard tester things. But my mum always said spray it on your skin and leave it to settle before deciding if you like it. If I wasn't allergic I'd do that.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I don't think she should have given you a death stare, LeRaclette - that was rude (and not a good way to get people to spend their money), and I have always thought you put perfume on your skin, so your body heat warms and diffuses it.

That said, I do sometimes out a bit on my clothes too, because I think it lasts a bit linger on fabric.

But the bottom line is that it can safely be sprayed on either,,and if you have paid for it, you can do whatever you want with it!

[Salmotrutta]

As someone up thread already said aren't you supposed to spray it into the air in a mist and walk through it?

I'm sure Debrett's says that...

[RoundRobinSparkles]

"I don't think moat places are allowed to spray into skin due to h&s"

If I was allergic to a perfume I'd rather find out with a tester in the shop than spend £40 on a perfume that I'd sprayed on to a piece of paper, to get home and realise that I couldn't use it!

[marne2]

I don't really wear perfume as it usually reacts with my skin, if I was to use any I would probably put it on my clothes.

[shaska]

Perfume is designed to change over time - you'll get top notes which are the first thing you smell and are normally fresher, then a sort of transition phase, sometimes including other elements, then a base note, which is traditionally slightly earthier or a bit musky.

If you don't put perfume on skin, this process will happen much more slowly, or sometimes even not at all. They also will stay much more true to their bottle scent, rather than combining with your personal odour. So if you love a perfume but hate how it smells on you, definitely feel free just to wear it on clothes. Ditto if you love the initial scent but not how it develops over time.

However, the traditional intention is for them to be worn on skin.

Some modern perfumes are made quite cheaply, and you can sometimes smell this in their lack of depth - they will fade quickly or decay to something quite chemical smelling. However I doubt the sales assistant was trying to avoid this - tbh she just sounds a bit mad and not very well trained. But then I spose it's christmas and likely she was temp staff, and maybe that's what she thinks!

[BertieBotts]

I thought this was going to be about that really dark shop that you have to use your nose to navigate in, that teenagers love and anyone over 30 is baffled by

[beginnerrunner]

I always spray it onto my clothes. I'd rather have chemicals on my clothes than on my skin.