HOW TO APPLY PERFUME: 20 TIPS AND TRICKS TO MAKE YOUR PERFUME LAST LONGER
- Sophia Ubadinobi-Ebili
- Jun 28, 2022
- 5 min read
I hate to break your heart, but you're probably applying your perfume wrongly. Yes, that's right, there is a right and a wrong way to spritz on your fragrance. I mean, there's a reason why your fragrance lasts for about two hours max before it starts fading. The problem and solution is all in the application. Calm your nerves, you're in good hands. As a perfumer who has had years of spraying, spritzing, and smelling perfumes, I've accumulated quite a few tricks and tips on how to get the most from your perfumes and make it last longer. We have a hot climate over here, so read on for 20 easy tips that will have you smelling good all day everyday.
1: Use perfume with unscented deodorant
Now this is for lovers of floral scent. The floral scent of your deodorant paired with your favorite musk-scented perfume is not such a great combination. When you're spritzing on your fragrance, go with an unscented deo to prevent an attack on your nostrils or that of others (who are at the receiving end of your love for floral scents) with a mix of weird smells.
2: Concentration matters
When it comes to perfumes, the concentration matters. By concentration I mean the ratio of perfume to alcohol. In perfume production, alcohol is used to dilute fragrances and ultimately determines how long the scent will last on your skin. Eau de perfumes are more intense because they contain more perfume (they last about five hours),while Eau de toilettes have less and are therefore lighter (they last about three hours).
3: Use an unscented body oil before applying your perfume
Skin type matters when it comes to perfume application. Dry skin doesn't hold perfume as well as oily skin does, the oil/moisture present in oily skin helps hold scents better or longer as against dry skin. It's advisable to layer on an unscented body oil if you have dry skin to add a glow, and then apply your perfume. It'll hold the scent better and you'll have to reapply less often.
4: Spray your clothes with perfume
I know the common practice is to spray perfume on your body but have you tried spraying it on your clothes? Don’t just stick to spraying perfume on your body, spray it all over your clothes too. Have you ever sprayed perfume on your clothes and it lingers on them even after washing? That's right, clothing fibers are able to retain/hold in scents for a very long time.
5: Spritz not mist
Some people apply perfume by spraying a bunch of perfume into the air and then walk through it. As weird as it sounds, it does happen. My advise is to stop, don’t do that. It's a complete waste of product and the scent will evaporate after a short amount of time. A direct spray to bare skin and clothes is all you need to make that fragrance last longer.
6: Top of your ears or earlobes?
As weird as it sounds, it does work. The oiler your skin, the better it holds fragrance. The top of the ears is more oily than behind your earlobes. A little spray there therefore, will help your perfume last longer.
7: Proper storage Avoid storing your perfumes in your bathroom or close to a heat source. Heat, light, and humidity breaks down the perfume and lessen the quality and intensity of the fragrance. Rather, store your perfume bottles in a cool, dry place, like on the vanity in your room and away from windows.
8: Vaseline et pulse point
Smooth a little Vaseline on your pulse points like your inner wrist before spraying your perfume to make the scent last longer. Vaseline helps to hold the fragrance to your skin longer as compared to when sprayed onto dry skin. Refer to tip 3.
9: Unscented lotion before applying perfume
Rub a bit of unscented lotion on your skin before you apply your perfume. As earlier mentioned, oilier skin retains fragrance longer. So the use of an oil-based moisturizer first will help lock in the scent.
10: Apply perfume immediately after taking a shower
The moisture on your skin will help lock in the fragrance. This will also prevent the scent from staining delicate clothes such silk, white fabrics or jewelry.
11: Avoid rubbing your wrists together after applying perfume
This is a very common mistake when it comes to applying perfume but that's alright, it happens to the best of us. Don’t dab the fragrance on your wrists after spraying. If you rub your wrists together, you interfere with the perfume potency and forces the scent to disappear faster than it would naturally. 12: The joys of pulse points
To get the most out of your perfume and get it to last longer, apply a little to a couple of pulse points. These are warm areas of the body that will help diffuse the fragrance across the entire body. Applying a little to your ankles and calves allows the scent to rise throughout the day. Pulse points on the body includes:
The wrists
Inside the elbows
The neck
Below the midriff
Behind the knees
13: Apply perfume on your hair brush
Yes you read right! Spraying an alcohol-based fragrance directly onto your hair will dry it out and eventually damage it. However, a little spray on your hair brush before running it through your hair, will get the job done nicely. Your hair will be lightly scented and undamaged.
What are you waiting for? Get that lightly scented hair today!
14: Use hair fragrance
Do you still have reservations about applying perfume to your hair? That's perfectly alright, grab a fragrance made specifically for hair to make it smell better and keep it fresh in between salon visits.
15: Common perfume terms
A quick study of common fragrance terms, so you know exactly what you’re signing up for when next you want to buy a new perfume:
Top notes: The first scent you smell after spraying the perfume, it fades quickly.
Middle/heart notes: Like a second scent, it the scent that develops after the top note fades.
Base note: The heaviest scent that lingers the longest.
Comments