Choose a fragrance that works for you

Marlene Cambronero-Butkus' love affair with Carolina Herrera perfume began more than two decades ago.

The scent's sensual blend of jasmine and tuberose made her feel elegant and sophisticated, just like the designer.

"I wanted to be her," says Cambronero-Butkus, 46, of Tampa. In her 20s, "I imagined this fragrance made me smell like her."

But when she got into her 40s, the love affair began to sour.

"She was part of me for so long; but now when I smell it, it's just too much. I was very loyal for a long time, but I just can't wear it anymore. It doesn't smell the same."

Cambronero-Butkus, whose dressing table is lined with 20 fragrances at any given time, says she picks her perfume as she does her wardrobe; she has favorite scents for different moods.

When she dances flamenco, she prefers the strong, passionate scent of Salvador Dali perfume. For romantic dinners, she turns to the sensual Chanel Coco Mademoiselle. A night out with friends calls for the fun, flirty feel of Jean Paul Gaultier. And for every day at the office, she likes the self-confident and nonintrusive vibe of Princess by Vera Wang.

"I want my fragrance to reflect who I am now," Cambronero-Butkus says. "I wear fragrance that reflects what I'm feeling, what I'm going to be doing and the mindset I want to be in. As we grow older, we grow wiser, and we are more conscious of the fragrances we wear, our relationships and who we are."

For most women, perfume is very personal. The right scent can influence your mood and what people think about you. The wrong one can make you feel like Pepe Le Pew and leave people around you feeling angry and annoyed.

But finding the right scent can be tricky, especially when the scent can change from one week to the next because of diet, hormones, medications, even the weather.

"As you age, your body chemistry changes," says Patti Kapla, vice president of business development for www.fragrancenet.com, an online discount fragrance retailer. "And as you go through menopause, it changes the way fragrance smells on you."

If you suffer from hot flashes, you might want to avoid spicy or musky scents. When skin is hot and moist, a scent's lighter top notes tend to evaporate quickly, leaving you with only the heavy base notes, which can be overpowering.

Instead, stick to lighter, fresher fragrances, such as citrus scents or florals. Or try a weaker version of your favorite scent in a splash, body cream or solid. You also can layer a couple of scents from the same product line. It's a lot less likely to overpower you -- or knock out the person sitting next to you.

Just be careful: As you age, your sense of smell may diminish, and you don't want to overdo it. Three or four dabs or spritzes on a couple of pulse points should be more than enough.

Even if you're not experiencing hot flashes, hormonal changes can affect the way perfume smells on your skin.

Scents fade faster on drier skin. But instead of laying it on thick in the morning, try reapplying a couple of times a day.

"Your fragrance shouldn't be overwhelming," Kapla says. "You should be able to smell [your perfume] on you, but not to the point where it invades someone's personal space. And it shouldn't arrive before you do. An arm's length is about right."

Germaine Gibbs, owner of Awa Spa in South Tampa, custom blends her own scents using essential oils, such as sunflower seeds, sesame, sweet almond, eucalyptus and spearmint.

Not only do they last longer; they don't irritate her husband's sensitive nose, she says.

"I find it fascinating how much essential oils not only smell beautiful, but can enhance the mood and be incredibly healing," Gibbs says.

Kapla says switching to a more intense scent in the fall and winter can be a good idea because your sense of smell dulls in cooler months.

But, she adds, you absolutely can wear a summer scent into winter.

"And in today's recession, where everyone is trying to be a little frugal, you shouldn't have to change it. When you find the right fragrance, it becomes your red lipstick, your black mascara. It makes you feel so good."