Every day can feel like a special occasion when you indulge in luxurious perfumes and body lotions. But how do you keep the scent of your favourite perfume intact from day to night -- especially if you are planning to go for drinks or dinner after work? One solution is to layer your scent, creating a subtle building block of fragrance that will last for a longer period of time.

Most fragrance lines include shower gel, talcum powder, moisturizer and eau de toilette or perfume. Although it may seem overzealous to use all of these products at once, you can devise a combination that will work for you.

Dianne Sullivan, co-owner of Potions Fine Toiletries and Perfume Bar in Toronto, says taking the time to layer your favourite scent is almost like assembling a fine perfume. "It's like an art -- you start with the basics and create from there," she says.

Here are Sullivan's tips for applying the perfect amount of fragrance to last throughout the evening, and at the same time not offend your fellow revelers.

Shower gel
Start with a shower gel and use it all over your body. "It's like a base -- once you wash it off you really can smell only a trace of the scent," Sullivan says.

Moisturizer
Add a scented moisturizer. Sullivan says most moisturizers have a very light fragrance, and are the next layer to building your fragrance.

Scented talc
Sprinkle some talc in areas where you might perspire. Sullivan recommends using talcum powder under your bra line and around your bikini line. Make sure to keep the talc away from areas that could stain your clothing.

Perfume application
There are a few general rules for applying fragrance.

• Dab your perfume on pulse points like wrist, neck, under breasts and behind the knee -- these are all areas where blood flow is strongest and prompts the scent to waft away from the body.

Page 1 of 2 -- Find tips for adding light scents to your hair and choosing the right fragrance for special occasions on page 2

Perfume application
• To lightly scent your hair, spritz the fragrance directly onto fingers and run lightly through your tresses.

• Never dab wrists together after applying perfume. "This can crush some of the layers of the perfume," says Sullivan. Instead dab or spritz each wrist and let it dry.

• Never apply your fragrance after putting on your clothing. "It's not good for natural fabric, and the perfume may take on a different smell on your clothing," Sullivan says.

• For special occasions, try a fragrance that contains silver or gold dust to add a subtle shimmer to the skin.

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