How to Make Your Perfume Last

how to make your perfume last longer

We’ve all been there; we’ve sprayed our perfume first thing in the morning, only to find it’s disappeared by lunchtime. Although we can’t promise that this won’t happen (it’s inevitable with fragrance), we can show you how to make your fragrance last longer with these simple tips and tricks.

1. Moisturise Your Skin

Before spritzing, moisturise your skin with an unfragranced lotion. Oilier skin tends to hold the fragrance for longer, whereas dry skin doesn’t retain the scent as long, requiring the wearer to re-apply the fragrance more often.

2. Layer Your Fragrance

For a long-lasting aroma, fragrance should be layered all over, starting with a fragranced shower gel and body lotion from the same line as your perfume; this will build a fragrance foundation to intensify your scent. Next, spray your matching fragrance all over the body to lock in the aroma for longer.

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3. Apply On The Pulse Points

If you apply on your pulse, your body heat will intensify your fragrance and help it diffuse. These include the cleavage, behind knees, inner wrists, the base of the neck, behind the ear, and the inner elbows.

4. Spray Your Clothing

Lightly spray your scarf, jacket or gloves with your favourite fragrance. Your clothes hold scent better than your skin, so not only will it make you smell good every time you wear your clothes but will make your aroma last longer. Be careful, though – some fabrics may stain.

5. Store Your Fragrance Correctly

Once a bottle of perfume is opened, it should be used. If it isn’t it will begin to fade or its character will change over time. Long exposure to strong sunlight or extremes in temperature will break down the perfume and alter its scent.

For more on how to store your fragrance correctly, read this edit.

6. Apply Fragrance Directly To The Skin

When you are testing new scents, you may not get a true reflection of the fragrance from the bottle or a blotter. Apply a few drops to your wrist. Allow the heat of the body to develop the fragrance on your skin for 1+ hour and then sniff. If you would like to test one or two additional scents, apply one to the other wrist, wait, and then apply the third to the inside bend of the elbow.

7. Do The 10-Minute Test If You’re In A Rush

If you’re in a rush and don’t have the recommended 1+ hour to test your fragrance, 10 minutes should do it. Spray and wait at least 10 minutes before passing your final judgement of the scent. By this time the alcohol has evaporated, and the fragrance has blended with your skin’s own chemistry.

8. Fill A Travel Spray

Rather than lugging your big fragrance bottle around with you all day, buy a travel spray or a refillable perfume atomiser. It’s an easy way to top-up your favourite scent during the day without fear of damaging your perfume bottle.

Come across a fragrance phrase or term you don’t understand in this guide? Take a look at our full glossary.

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how to make your perfume last longer

Updated by Keavy Slattery: 15/09/2020.