The Art Of Applying Fragrance: A Guide To Mastering It

Applying fragrance may seem simple, but there are many factors that can impact how long a scent lasts on your skin and in the bottle. These include where you spray the perfume on your body, how much you spritz on, and where you store the bottle. For example, storing perfume in a steamy bathroom can reduce its shelf life. Additionally, rubbing perfume into the skin can cause the top notes to fade and evaporate before they settle. Instead, it's recommended to spray perfume onto pulse points, which are areas where veins sit closest to the skin, such as the inside of the wrists, inner elbows, and behind the earlobes.

Don't rub it into your skin

Rubbing perfume into your skin is a big no-no. This is one of the first fragrance habits we learn, and it's one of the hardest to break. But rubbing perfume into your skin causes the fragrance's top notes to fade and evaporate before they can settle. This means the notes that made you fall for the scent to begin with never truly translate onto your skin.

You want your perfume to slowly mix with your skin’s natural oils. This is what makes your scent last and what can make the same scent smell slightly different from person to person. Rubbing perfume on your skin causes friction, which can heat it up and change the scent.

Instead, spritz or dab it onto your pulse points (areas where your veins sit closest to your skin, so you can feel your pulse). These include the inside of your wrists, inner elbows, below your belly button, behind your earlobes, and the back of your knees. These warm spots on your body emit extra body heat, which helps to naturally diffuse a scent.

If you're using a stronger cologne, one or two sprays should be the maximum amount. If it's on the weaker side, you may need a little more.

Spray your pulse points

Spraying your pulse points is one of the most important steps in applying fragrance properly. Pulse points are areas where your veins sit closest to your skin, meaning you can feel your pulse. These areas include the inside of your wrists, inner elbows, below your belly button, behind your earlobes, and the back of your knees. These spots emit extra body heat, which helps to diffuse your scent.

To apply your fragrance to your pulse points, spritz or dab it onto a few or all of these areas. Avoid rubbing the fragrance into your skin, as this can cause the top notes to fade and evaporate before they settle. Instead, let the perfume slowly mix with your skin's natural oils, as this will make your scent last longer and smell unique to you.

You can also apply fragrance to your hair or clothes to make your scent last all day. However, be cautious when applying fragrance to your hair, as alcohol-based formulas can dry out your strands. Instead, opt for pure perfume oils or water-based formulas.

Store it in a cool, dark, dry place

Storing your fragrance in the correct place is essential to preserving its composition and ensuring its longevity. Here are some tips to ensure you store your fragrances correctly:

Firstly, avoid storing your fragrances in the bathroom. The steam from daily showers can interact with the perfume, altering its composition and reducing its shelf life. Water, humidity, and fluctuating temperatures can all negatively impact your fragrance.

Secondly, light exposure can also break down a perfume's composition. Therefore, it is best to store your fragrances in a cool, dark, dry place. A bedroom dresser or vanity drawer is ideal. Alternatively, you can store your fragrances inside their boxes, as these are designed to protect the perfume.

By storing your fragrances correctly, you can help ensure that their scent remains true and that you can enjoy them for longer.

Spray your clothes

Spraying your clothes with fragrance is a great way to make your scent last all day. However, be sure that the fabric you're spraying is not something that can stain easily, like silk.

Fragrance interacts with fabrics differently than it does with skin, so it will probably smell lighter or slightly different. To apply, try spritzing some perfume in the air and waving your clothes through it, or spritzing a bit on the inner lining of your coat or blazer.

You can also spritz some perfume on a handful of odourless body moisturiser and then delicately blend them together before applying to your clothes. This will help the scent to last longer.

Apply post-shower

Applying fragrance after a shower is a great way to make your scent last longer. The steam from the shower opens your skin's pores, allowing the fragrance to be absorbed better and reducing the rate at which it is released.

However, if you take hot showers, it is recommended to wait for your body to cool down to its regular temperature before applying perfume. This is because fragrance evaporates faster on warm skin, and you are likely to sweat after a hot shower, which will accelerate the fading of your fragrance. Waiting 15 minutes to an hour after showering will ensure your perfume doesn't disappear too quickly. If you have a cold shower, you can apply your fragrance straight away.

To further enhance the longevity of your fragrance, you can apply an unscented moisturiser or body lotion before spraying your perfume. This gives the scent something to stick to, and some sources suggest spraying again after getting dressed for unparalleled longevity.

Frequently asked questions