Tracy Kreck of Photographic Passion asked “what to do about being in the presence of someone who is slathered in fragrance?”

This is where some people get confused, scents are used to attract people not repel them. One of my first management positions was as the Cosmetic Department Manager for a large department store chain so I can’t help but discuss how fragrances work.

Perfumes are made up of essential oils which intensify with heat, hence the reason to either gently spray or dab once or twice your fragrance on your neck, back of wrists, or behind your knees and let your body heat do the work. These are called your body “hot spots” in perfume language. Where some people go wrong is in the amount of fragrance they apply. Less is better; the idea behind scents is to attract someone. You want people to be able to approach you and get close. If you have slathered yourself in the scent then it prohibits others from being close or intimate with you because the scent becomes too overwhelming bringing the exact opposite reaction you were probably hoping for.

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Karyn Khoury, Vice President of Fragrance Development for Estée Lauder Cosmetics also suggests moisturizing your skin before applying your scent to help hold the fragrance longer.

When in the company of someone that has just over done it with the fragrance it is best to pull them aside or whisper in their ear (if you can stand it) and say something like “the scent you are wearing is nice however fragrances trigger headaches for me, so I’m sorry to trouble you but would you mind just wearing a little less and see if that helps?” Some people are just unaware how far their scent travels. When coming from a place of contribution in asking someone to change a behavior the outcome is more likely to remain in a positive vein.

In the movie “Scent of a Woman,” Al Pacino plays a blind man who understands how scents can attract as well as be intriguing. It’s always a good idea to leave a little mystery and let others do the discovering.

I hope this helps!

In the age of the World Wide Web it is important to know what is being said about you, good or bad. It not only has to do with information you may have posted on Facebook, My Space or other social media sites, it also has to do with what others have posted.

There really is not any such thing as privacy anymore. A recent survey showed more than 80% of recruiters “google” applicants, and 45% of these recruiters stated they had dropped candidates that would have been in the running if not for some photo or derogatory information found on the web. Recruiters believe “googling” someone is a great way to discern someone’s lack of judgment or their ability to express their capabilities.

A recent article on the “10 Job-Search Mistakes”, Tim McIntyre, President and CEO of The Executive Search Group suggests to follow the ‘three B’s’ (beer, bongs, and bikinis) by getting rid of any pictures or videos that have either of these images in relation to your social media sites.

An article dated June 1, 2010 posted on CNN.com, “Divorce Attorneys Catching Cheaters on Facebook”, discusses attorneys looking to the internet to find the information they need. Recently Ken Altshuler, an attorney in Portland, Maine found the evidence he needed about a clients spouse on Facebook, which lead him to win his case. Don’t underestimate the power of the web.

To see what is being said about you on the internet the easiest place to start is by “googling” yourself. It’s the first few pages that really matter, generally people do not go beyond page 5 however depending on what you find on page 1-4 should help to determine just how deep you go. For me with a name such as Merry Lynch when I am googled people also find information on the financial company Merrill Lynch. So making sure I have current information up is important.

Next step is to set up email alerts for your name so you can see who is talking about you. This will keep you abreast of the good, the bad and the ugly before it gets too out of hand. You can set up alerts at http://www.google.com/alerts or www.trackle.com.

Should you happen to find anything that has a negative connotation or has an inappropriate photo or video make sure to delete them. You can also check your privacy settings which will allow you to share information with those whom you choose. If someone else has posted inappropriate information, photos or videos that you do not approve of you have every right to ask that person to take it down. If for some reason they do not comply and you feel strongly that you need some help in dealing with the situation you can hire a paid service such as Reputation Defender (reputationdefender.com).

To put an extra twist on things, purchase your name as a domain (if it is available). (i.e. joesmith.com) By purchasing your name as a domain or URL, you are then able to set up a personal email or create a website. Should you decide to create a website it could act as your on-line resume, you can think of this as a promotional tool. I use http://www.godaddy.com for domain searches and domain hosting however there are many companies to choose from.

The next step would be to set up all of your social medial sites with your name as the ID or user. You essentially are creating your own brand so be careful not to create funny or cute ID’s such as funtime@partygirl.com or sizzle@cox.net, you certainly would not want to be responding to a potential employer with an email address like that. Creating flattering on-line images and profiles in the age of technology is not only important it is vital to your professional growth and by all means never talk about your employer, past or current on-line. Big brother is watching.

Bradford, You’re Fired!” by William W. Woodbridge is a timeless classic about being the boss of yourself.  This is a story of the super self inside each of us than can be harnessed for the purpose of accomplishing great things. What is it that you want, what is stopping you, maybe all that is needed is for you to FIRE you.

When dressing for success in the work place be aware of the difference between professional and provocative when it applies to the length of your skirt. It is a good rule of thumb to keep your skirt length no higher than 1 to 2 inches above your knee. Keeping your skirts at this length will still allow you to cross your legs or your ankles and still retain some dignity. Dress for the job you want not for the job you have and success will follow.

Ladies, sexy is in the details when wearing sandals make sure your nail polish is not chipped and callused heals are smoothed over. You’ll feel more confident if you take the few extra minutes to finish the details. Your comfort level will be projected to those around you, what do you want them to remember; your chipped nail polish or your captivating smile? You have 15 seconds to make that impression happen, put your best FOOT forward.

First Lady Michelle Obama is changing the face of fashion and etiquette daily. Everywhere we turn people are talking about her form of dress, her hair, her accessories and now her arms. I love having the opportunity to see things from a different vantage point. Is it right for the First Lady to show her arms, what is wrong with it, why shouldn’t she, did she do something wrong? So much to discuss but what would we be discussing if the First Lady had hair under her arms and or if they were not in such good shape. If etiquette is about being confident, secure and welcoming of  others then the First Lady has it down. The problem comes into play when other women not as in quite good shape as the First Lady attempt to pull the same thing off. HMMMM, not such a good idea. How do you express to someone the difference between good taste and bad when it comes to something that is such a delicate topic?

Living in Phoenix, Arizona where the summer days reach over 100 degrees on a daily basis and cools down to the mid 90’s in the evenings, bare arms are an every day occurrence. The issue that comes into play is being seductive, if you are showing your arms what else might you be showing. Which for some women here in this valley seems to be a contest as to who can show more of their bodies without it being a crime. Yicks! 

Other areas that come into play here are the dress code guidelines of other countries. As we travel around the world or have foreign visitors, etiquette tells us to be keenly aware of others around us in making them feel comfortable. A women showing her arms may not be appropriate for some visiting foreign dignitaries, religious leaders or when in other countries, so make sure you understand the edicts of every place you travel. Also, in America it is more common for women to shave both their legs and under their arms. It is not this way in every country.

Be conscientious of others and you will truly be successful in all of your endeavours.

Where do “loogies” come from?

 There is a male phenomenon called Hucking a Loogie which seems to be some kind of primeval attempt at manly hood. I know many of you men out there will disagree with me but I must ask, WHY? I’ve been told it’s something they just have to do, stuff that gets logged in their throats, an irritant.

This term has been spelled many different ways: Hucking a Loogie, Huk a  Loogie, Hawk a Loogie; it doesn’t really matter how you spell it, it’s wrong, what’s up with spitting on the street? Not only is it unsanitary, it’s disgusting to see something that looks like a projectile missile coming out of someone’s mouth. And, how actually does someone learn how to Huck a Loogie. It seems easier for men to learn than women. Why is that?

I was recently sitting the window of a new coffee house in Bonita, California sipping on a fabulous latte when a young man walked by and yup you know it, he hucked a loogie right there. Whoa! What a way to ruin a great coffee moment.

After that experience I set about to find out more about what these “loogies” are all about. Where do they come from and why in the world do you have to “huck” at a moments notice. I asked men on the street, if they “hucked” and why. The answers were all the same, “because we just have to get it out.”

Well to start with the word “huck” means to toss or spit. The word “loogie” refers to mucus or a booger. Blah! Guys, let me tell you, I don’t know of any woman that finds this act attractive. It’s a booger for gosh sake.

So, I understand that mucus running down the back of your throat can be annoying but can you take it somewhere else? Here is the etiquette piece of it, don’t do it in public. If you simply must “huck a loogie” get to the nearest rest room and do it in the urinal or toilet, if that is not possible then at least walk around the corner or a place where other people are not. I know that the sports figures seem to have made it okay to “huck,” sorry I’m not falling for it. Spitting boogers in public is nasty.

 My final word on hucking a loogie, if it really is mucus then that means you have allergies or something else that you need to tend to, which hopefully doesn’t have to do with chewing tobacco which his a whole other topic. So figure out the root cause and take care of it. Not every person or man has to huck a loogie, why?