Perfumes help Kerry Washington to adapt characters

New York: Actress Kerry Washington says she changes her perfume every time she gets a new role as it helps her to get under the character`s skin.

"Whenever I play a different character, I change my scent. Perfume can really set a tone or a mood in a room. Olivia (her character in political thriller `Scandal`) needs to be neutral in the workplace," people.com quoted the 36-year-old as saying. Washington was recently chosen as the new face of skincare brand Neutrogena and she believes that the role is perfect for her because her acting work has given her a real understanding of makeup. "I live and work in makeup, so I have a perspective on how a lip colour works after eight hours on the set or an hour on the red carpet...I`m so grateful for the hairstylist and makeup artist on `Scandal`. I roll out of bed at 4 a.m. and sit in the chair at 4:30 and they transform me into that person," she said.