Chong Mee Chun, the lifestyle division trainer of fragrance and cosmetics distributor Luxasia, tells you how to smell like a million bucks.

- Apply the scent directly onto your pulse points - your wrists, behind the ears and the crook of the arms and knees.

These are where the blood vessels are closest to the skin and thus emit more heat. The heat allows perfume to react with the body and evolve into a scent unique to the wearer.

- You don't want to smell like you bathed in a bottle of perfume. To avoid reeking, spritz the scent just once or twice about 20cm away from the skin.

Spraying it evenly over a wider area also helps the scent last longer than spraying a lot over a smaller area.

- People with dry skin may have problem finding a lasting scent as the natural moisture content in oilier skin helps fragrance adhere better to the skin.

Alternatively, apply fragrance-free body lotion - the moisture and oil content will allow the scent to last longer.

- Cologne, with a lower essential oil content of 2 to 5 per cent, is ideal for those who want a light scent.

If you want a scent to last longer, go for an eau de parfum, which is more concentrated and contains 8 to 15 per cent of essential oils.

- Another way to make fragrances last longer is to layer them.

Use a shower gel and body lotion of the same scent and follow up by spraying the scent onto pulse points.

- To ensure a longer shelf life for your fragrances, keep them in a cool, dry area and away from direct sunlight. Sun and heat exposure may cause the scent to change.

Generally, a fragrance lasts two to three years if kept in the right conditions.

This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times on May 8, 2008.