It doesn’t matter if you’re a primly-dressed office assistant or a rough-and-tumble construction worker: Everyone needs tape at some point. But how do you know which kind will successfully get the job done? If you’ve only ever dealt with duct tape for DIY repairs, how are you supposed to tell the difference between polythene and polyester? Here are four common types of tape and how they might help you.

1: Polypropylene Tape

Also known as “packing tape,” polypropylene is shiny, sticky and transparent. It works well in professional settings because of its clear appearance and flexible design; you can apply it to the bottom of a fax machine and no one will ever know. On the other hand, it isn’t very strong, and it loses its elasticity fairly quickly. Polypropylene is best suited for medium-level jobs where presentation is more important than durability.

2: PVC Tape

A favorite of builders, carpenters and craftsmen, PVC is a pressure sensitive adhesive tape that applies without fuss and peels away clean when the job is done. It’s also quite flexible, capable of twisting and sticking to awkward surfaces without breakage. If you’re looking for something to hold your project together and not leave a sticky residue afterwards, PVC tape is the one for you.

3: Gummed Tape

Gummed tape is made of sticky, tacky material from a starch or animal base. In its smallest form, it’s available everywhere as scotch tape; in its largest, you’ll only find it in specialty stores as drywall or gaffer tape. Whether or not you’ll appreciate gummed tape depends on your purpose in using it. If you just need something quick and convenient, gummed tape is easy to use and apply. If you require something that can hold up underwater or take a pounding, you might prefer a stronger brand.

4: Polyisobutylene Tape

Not to be confused with polypropylene (PP) tape, polyisobutylene (PIB) tape is strong and mighty, the kind trusted on construction sites and in auto shops. It doesn’t offer the most attractive look, but it won’t stop sticking until the temperature reaches 200°F, and it’s also waterproof, ozone-proof and UV-resistant for protection against all the elements. It can even throw off high voltages from electrical currents!

These are just four of the most common tape varieties you’ll find in hardware stores. Hopefully, this guide will help you make an informed decision the next time you need to order work supplies.

This is a guest post by Tim Aldiss

Out of all of our senses, scent is the one most strongly connected with memory. A mere whiff of a familiar fragrance is enough to evoke a first kiss, our childhood home, an exotic vacation or being held in our mother’s arms. Scents are an intrinsic (and not always pleasant!) part of life, but the creation of scents is also an art-form all of its own.

There are six major olfactory groups or families into which perfumes can be categorised. Perhaps the most popular group are the floral perfumes, based on flowers such as rose, iris and jasmine. Fruity perfumes include strawberry, peach, apple and cherry, and incorporate the distinctive citrus subgroup of perfumes: orange, lemon, grapefruit, bergamot and mandarin. Oriental perfumes are sensual, warm and comforting. They are usually based around vanilla or musk and often include “gourmand” (edible) notes such as caramel, honey and candy. Aromatic perfumes are herbaceous or spicy, smelling of plants such as sage, lavender, cumin and rosemary. The fresh, clean scent of Aquatic perfumes evokes watery characteristics of the ocean, rain or ozone. Finally, woody perfumes are warm and balmy, and may include sandalwood, cedar and resin.

Perfumers (also known as “noses”) combine natural and synthetic essences in intricate, often unexpected ways to create masterpieces of scent. Some of the most famous perfumers include Pierre-François, Aimé and Jean-Paul Guerlain, Ernest Beaux (who created the iconic Chanel No. 5), Jacques Cavallier, Jacques Polge and Maurice Roucel. Whether or not you know it, chances are that you have smelled their creations before!

Perfumes may be applied to one’s own skin either as Eau de Cologne, the stronger Eau de Parfum, or solid perfumes, in which the scent is blended with a waxy or creamy base. They can also be used to scent hair, linen and clothing. Home scents are another way to use perfume, in the form of room sprays or scented candles. Scented candles not only release fragrance but create a cosy, inviting atmosphere in your home. Popular scented candles include Diptyque, whose cult favourite “Feu de Bois” smells like a burning log fire, and Yankee Candle, who offer candles with fun and nostalgic scents such as Baby Powder, Christmas Wreath, Home Sweet Home and Margarita Time.

While perfume is an art, it is also deeply personal, and there’s only way to find your perfect perfume: smell it for yourself! So get sniffing.

Tim Aldiss Writes for Yankee Candle UK