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Valentine’s Day is the sexiest holiday of the year.  To celebrate properly, read below and benefit from the sexiest beauty insight from Victoria’s Secret expert and fragrance developer: Mark Knitowski.  Mark Knitowski is the in-house fragrance expert for Victoria’s Secret.  He’s been developing fragrances for Victoria’s Secret for over 10 years and knows a thing or two about creating sexy, memorable scents.  Mark’s newest creation, Sexy Little Things Ooh La La, launches just in time for Valentines Day.

Q: Where is the sexiest place to apply fragrance?
MK: The sexiest, new place to apply fragrance is below your belly button.  It’s a “hot zone” in more ways than one because the skin’s warmth there allows the fragrance to radiate through out the day…and, it’s a very sensual place to apply fragrance.

Q: How do I find the fragrance that’s sexiest for me?
MK: A woman’s sexiest fragrance is one that makes her feel confident so she can project her sexiest self.  We’ve discovered that fruity floral fragrances like our new Ooh La La scent makes our customers feel sexy because it balances the sparkling energy of light florals with the sensual mature of forbidden fruit with a hint of warmth.  That combination is flirtatious and seductive, which works with a broad range of fragrance preferences.

Victoria’s Secret Ooh La La Eau de Parfum Spray

When sampling fragrance in a store, find a scent that you like in the bottle, but make sure you spray it on your skin.  Then wait a few minutes-go shopping for some lingerie or makeup and smell the fragrance on your skin again.  That’s when the deeper, warmer notes have adhered to your skin and you can determine truest rendition of the fragrance.  It’s so important to try fragrance on the skin because scents vary when in contact with different body chemistries.  It’s the same thing with makeup-try it before you buy!

Q: What scents do men like the most on women?
MK: Men respond to women’s fragrances with vanilla in the background, wither fruity floral or a vanilla oriental.  They like scents that are not too overpowering and have a sense of femininity and sensuality to them.  We’ve seen from research that there is something about the “comfort factor” of recognizable scents like vanilla and apple that resonates with men.  I created our new scent Ooh La La with these idea in mind, combining Cherry Blossom, Apple and Vanilla for a fragrance that I know will be very alluring to men! 

Victoria’s Secret Ooh La La shimmering Body Mist

Q: How do I make fragrance last?
MK: a fragrance should last for about 4 years, but if not stored properly, its lifespan can be only 2 years.  The biggest mistake people make is storing their fragrances on the bathroom shelf in direct sunlight.  This causes the lighter, top notes of the fragrance to evaporate and your fragrance will deteriorate quickly.  the best way to make your fragrance last is to store it in a cool place out sunlight.  A refrigerator at 60 F is truly the ideal place to store your fragrance.

Victoria’s Secret Ooh La La Shimmering Body Powder

Q: Any rules for applying and reapplying my fragrance?
MK: We all have our rituals for applying fragrance, whether it’s few direct sprays or walking through ”the cloud”.  No matter where you spray, always target at least one warmer zone like below the belly button, back of the neck, or cleavage to make the scent last.  the number of sprays of fragrance needed depends on the concentration of the scent. Three to four sprays od eau de parfum and five to six sprays of a body mist are my general guidelines.  The timeline to reapply also varies; two hours for a fruity or citrus fragrance, and four hours for a deeper, oriental fragrance.

Q: When is it time to find a new fragrance?
MK: We always have our long-term favorites. Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels Heavenly has been the number-one selling fragrance in America for several years now, and I’m thrilled with the response.  In addition to your “signature scent,” I suggest adding a new scent to your repertoire, in the fall and/or the spring.  This will give you a fresh feeling of renewal and will likely preventing you from OD’ing on your signature scent.

Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels Heavenly 
Eau de Parfum Spray

Q: Why is fragrance a good gift for a man to give a woman for Valentine’s Day?
MK: Fragrance is a very intimate gift.  It’s the closest thing to your skin, which make it a good companion to lingerie.  Or, it’s the perfect alternative when he’s not sure of sizing.  It’s a gesture that says that he wants to be close to you on Valentine’s Day, which is a very seductive message! (Source: Victoria’s Secret PR).