If we told you that you have been applying your perfume wrong your entire life, you probably wouldn’t believe us. Just because it’s the way you have always seen it be applied – in countless movies, advertisements and inside every fragrance store – doesn’t mean it’s actually right. But if you are spritzing your fragrance onto your wrists than pressing them together, you are actually applying your perfume all wrong! By rubbing your skin together, you will disturb the top notes of the fragrance, which means it won’t last as long and the scent will be altered. Mind-blowing, right?
We know how much time, money, and effort it can take to find your perfect signature fragrance, so you really do not want to waste a single drop.
Here are nine hacks that’ll help your fragrance last, and keep you smelling hella fresh all day long. And for the record, just spray your fragrance and let it sink on your skin – whatever you do, DON’T DAB.
Here’s a quick debrief on the basics…
When it comes to fragrance one of the most important things to note (no pun intended), are the layers each perfume is made up of. Usually, every fragrance contains three notes, a top note, which is the first fragrance you smell (this disappears after 20 minutes), an intense middle note (known as the heart note), which becomes noticeable after 15 minutes, and a base note (the strongest scent) that lingers for up to four hours. Of course, this is all dependent on whether you follow any of the following hacks:
1. Moisturize first
Fragrances last longer when they’re applied to oily complexions, so make sure your skin is prepped and moisturized before you douse yourself in perfume. Just make sure you apply an unscented lotion, otherwise, the lotion will mix with the notes of your perfume and the scent will change.
2. Know where to spritz
If you apply your perfume to warmer areas of the body, it’ll be more intense and be fragrant for longer. More specifically, apply it to your pulse points – where the blood vessels are at the surface on your skin (your wrists, elbows, neck, chest, the back of the knees, ankles, and calves). Your pressure points naturally radiate heat, helping the fragrance evaporate from the skin.
3. Apply Vaseline To Your Pressure Points
As we mentioned, perfume lasts a lot longer if you apply it to oily, damp skin. So we like to rub some Vaseline onto our pulse points as it helps to lock in the scent.
4. The lighter the scent, the less time it’ll last
Lighter aromatic scents like citrus or jasmine will evaporate faster as they have a smaller molecular structure, whereas scents like wood and musk will linger longer on your skin. It’s important to remember this when you’re purchasing a new scent.
5. Apply Your Perfume After You Shower
If you apply your perfume to your body when it’s still damp, the moisture will lock in the scent so it’ll last a whole lot longer – plus you won’t stain any of your clothes with spray marks!
6. Spritz Your Hairbrush
Spraying your brush with a couple bursts of perfume will disperse the scent through your hair. Your hair will retain the fragrance all day, but it won’t cause damage or drying like it might if you spray it directly onto your hair.
7. Make Your Own Lotion
To create your own signature moisturizer, put a couple drops of your perfume into an unscented lotion and shake well. You’ll basically be creating the scented lotion equivalent of your fragrance, but for a fraction of the cost – it’s a total bargain! Plus, it’s the ideal lotion to apply before you spritz, for long-lasting sweetness.
8. Décor Hack
We’re obsessed with this super easy hack, and it’s such a cute deco feature: Spray tissue paper with your fave scent and then line your drawers with the paper. It’ll make your clothes smell great, and you’ll be remembered for your signature scent everywhere you go!
9. Store your fragrance in a cool dark place
If you keep your perfume bottles in warm, damp places, the heat will damage the molecular structure and damage the quality of the fragrance. So make sure they’re not in the bathroom or in direct sunlight. Instead, keep them safely in the box in a cool dark place.
