If you’re the kind of person who sprays their perfume or aftershave 11 times a day, we’re here to help you make fragrance last longer so you can get the most out of your bottles.
People are often pointed straight to rollerball minis and easy-to-carry atomisers of their fragrance when they ask for help but you do not have to spray more frequently. There are some longstanding myths about fragrance (do! not! rub!) that we need to debunk, and some lifesaving tips that will help you feel fresh without having to spritz 40 times a day.
1. Wear a Stronger Fragrance
When it comes to choosing fragrance for the day, think of what you’re doing and remember what you’re spraying. The length of time a fragrance lasts is largely dependent on its concentration levels, a.k.a if it’s an Eau de Parfum or Eau de Toilette.
Eau de Toilettes – like Eau de Colognes and body sprays – have lower concentration levels compared to Eau de Parfums, and so won’t last as long. An EDT will last around 3 hours whereas you’ll generally get 5 hours from an EDP. With this in mind, think of how long you’ll be out for when choosing your scent that morning or evening.
2. Apply to Hydrated Skin
You might not know this but fragrance lies longer on hydrated skin.
That’s why we recommend to either moisturise your skin first or apply immediately after your shower. A lot of people spray as the final step in their getting ready routine, however this is the least effective. By applying your perfume or aftershave to still wet or freshly moisturised skin you will get more out of it.
Pro tip: Do not put clothes on immediately after so your skin has a few minutes to soak in the fragrance. This will also save you from the panic of staining those gorgeously delicate satin shirts, by the way. You’re welcome.
3. Don’t Miss Your Pulse Points
Neck? Check. Wrists? Done. And the rest? Do them!
Most people spray their neck and wrists but don’t think to cover their other pulse points, which is a big ‘ole mistake, dear friend. We have 9 common pulse points on our bodies, so why only use two of them? You’ll notice a difference when you spritz the others:
- Inside the elbows
- Below your midriff
- Behind your knees
- On your ankles and calves
By spraying across more areas of the body, you’ll find the fragrance actually travels up the body, as odd as it might sound. Also, pro tip: If you’re in a rush, put some Vaseline on your pulse points to quickly moisturise the spots you’ll spray.
4. Don’t Store In Your Bathroom
Fragrances are broken down by heat, light and humidity, so where they’re stored plays a big part in how long they’ll last.
Given heat and humidity are a no-go, the bathroom is out of the question. You may think light wouldn’t be harmful but the sunshine can break down fragrances due to the light and heat, so please don’t have a window display of your bottle collection if you want to make fragrance last longer.
Pro tip: We know it’s nice to have your favourite bottles on show but experts recommend keeping fragrances in their packaging because they provide a cool, dry place. You might lose your aesthetic but they won’t lose their intensity…
5. Don’t Shake Your Scent
We cannot stress this enough. Do not shake your fragrance bottle. It’s supposed to be still, so shaking it will only mix the notes and eventually weaken their desired combined effect.
6. Don’t Rub It In
We know the ’90s were a great time but we’re almost certain the (very wrong) cultural belief of rubbing your scent in dates back to one of its rom-coms.
Are you someone who sprays their wrists then rubs them together? Nip it in the bud right now, please. Rubbing your fragrance actually kills the top notes and therefore dilutes it completely.
Pro tip: If you think you’ve sprayed too much, use a make-up wipe then spray again. Or just let it soak in and enjoy the extra va va voom, it won’t last forever.
7. Use a Matching Moisturiser
To keep the essence of your chosen fragrance, use a moisturiser or body lotion that matches your fragrance to double up on the scent and make it last as long as it possibly can. There’s a reason they exist! Alternatively, use an unscented moisturiser or lotion as mixing your fragrance with another scent will weaken it, and might even change it slightly.
Pro tip: Treat yourself to a fragrance and lotion gift set to upgrade your routine to new levels of luxe… You know you want to.
8. Spray It On Your Hair Brush
If you have long hair then this one is for you. Directly applying perfume to your hair will dry and damage your hair because of the alcohol, so avoid doing that and instead spray your hair brush then brush through. This will leave your hair completely undamaged but deliciously scented.
Pro tip: You can completely avoid the risk of alcohol-based fragrances damaging your hair by adding a hair mist to your collection and routine. With bestsellers like Mugler’s Angel and Givenchy’s L’interdit now available as hair mists, you can make your scent last longer. (They’re especially good for those days you really should have washed your hair but haven’t gotten round to it, but we didn’t tell you that.)
9. Spray It On Your Clothes
Like the ’90s rom-com wrist-rubbing myth, we also don’t know who is responsible for people spraying the air then walking into it. What in the waste is this?
Not to be groundbreaking or anything but directly spraying your clothes will actually last longer. Wild, we know. It’s especially beneficial to spray heavier materials like winter coats, scarves, jumpers and what have you.
There you have it! Make fragrance last longer and get the most out of your purchase so you can enjoy it as it was intended to be.
