14 Ways To Make Your Perfume Last Longer on The Skin

The first thing that comes to your mind when you do not get the most out of your perfume is that you might have wasted your money by not getting the most out of it. However, the poor performance or longevity of a fragrance is not always caused by the fragrance itself. Some people say that Dior Savage isn’t able to last more than three hours, but I assure you that as someone who has used over ten bottles of it, it lasts much longer than that. Can you tell me what the catch is here?

It is very common that the reason behind disappointing longevity in a fragrance can be traced to the fact that it was applied incorrectly in the first place. As a matter of fact, not all perfumes have the ability to serve you all day long, but there are many cases when people don’t know how to apply perfume properly to make it last as long as possible.

I have been a fragrance geek for years now, and even more years have passed since I have been testing the performance of fragrances when it comes to making your perfume last longer on your skin. Here are a few things you should know to make your perfume last longer on your skin.

There is no doubt that following any of these tips will make a difference to your perfume’s longevity, but can you imagine following them all? You will be surprised to find that some of your scents have a much better projection than you anticipated.

No good scent has to be thrown away, and no need to waste tons of sprays thinking you will be able to get better projection if you throw away any delightful scent. In addition to what you have already learned today, I have prepared a few more things for you to learn.

It is important to bear in mind that everyone’s skin reacts differently to perfumes – for instance, you may fall into the category of people who smell good for only a few hours after a single spray of perfume, or you may fall into the category of people who smell good for all day long. You may or may not be able to use these tips depending on your situation.

Here are 13 expert-backed tips on how you can make perfume last longer on your skin based on the advice of perfume experts.

1. Before applying a perfume, it is recommended that you take a shower or a bath

Whenever fragrance is applied to the skin, it is very important that the skin is clean and dry before it is applied.

The skin is constantly engaged in a battle against sweat, dust from the air, microbes, and the disposal of dead skin cells every minute of every day. Our skin needs to breathe so scrubbing those microbes is essential.

Whenever you shower, make sure that you use hot water as a result of which your skin pores will open up much better, which in turn means your skin will be much more receptive to the perfume that you are wearing.

You can apply the fragrance without showering first, but you will surely not be able to achieve the maximum performance and longevity of the fragrance.

By applying perfume on a clean and dry body (don’t forget to dry it well before you apply it), the skin will be more apt to welcome the scent and will be able to absorb the perfume much more effectively.

2. You should moisturize your skin on a regular basis

It is advisable that, after showering and before applying perfume, you should use an unscented lotion on your skin before spraying the perfume on.

The reason behind this step is that moisturizing (oily) skin will allow the fragrance to be retained and locked in for a much longer period of time after being applied.

In the case that you happen to have a moisturizing cream that has the same scent as your chosen perfume, that will be even better. As a matter of fact, the unscented will do just as well as the scented one. The perfume will not last as long on dry skin as it will on oily skin, since oily skin retains perfume better.

I would recommend that you do not use a cream that has a specific smell since the mixture you get will not smell very nice.

3. Use Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly)

You probably didn’t know that petroleum jelly holds the fragrance longer than dry skin when applied to pulse points.

As well as moisturizing your skin, vaseline ointment extends the life of the fragrance.

The perfume will also be protected from the wind and the possibility of coming into contact with your clothing.

You can definitely extend the life of a perfume by using Vaseline!

4. Concentration on perfume in the mind

One of these three labels will probably be familiar to you: EDT (eau de toilette), EDP (eau de parfum), and perfume.

Perfume fragrance contraction or EDP are the best options if you are looking for a stronger scent with a longer lasting fragrance.

In EDT perfumes, the fragrance oil is contracted by 5% to 15%, whereas in EDP perfumes, it is contracted by 15% to 25%, which gives them a stronger scent and may make them last longer as well. As a rule, EDT fragrances are lighter and airier; of course, they can also last for hours, but if you do not want to risk it, go for EDP.

Fragrances from perfumes have the highest contraction rate (30%+), but some people do not like the smell of perfumes because of how strong they can be in terms of their scent.

It is also important to keep in mind that the concentration of fragrance definitely affects the performance, but in this article, we are only talking about how long the scent lasts. There is no doubt that concentration will affect other aspects of performance (sillage and projection), but that is a completely different topic.

There is no doubt that EDP might perform better in terms of longevity, but not in terms of sillage and projection as these factors are affected by other factors as well.

Make sure to take a look at our full guide here if you want to learn everything about fragrance concentrations and how they differ from one another!

5. Dab or spray your fragrance, don’t rub it in

Rub the fragrances with bare hands is a common mistake.

Distancing the bottle from your body should be 5-7 inches. This will keep you from getting too much scent on your skin (larger amounts of scent are harder to open).

If you rub your fragrance in, it will damage the fragrance particles, which will cause it to perform bad and not open. Once you spray the fragrance, don’t touch it – let it dry down properly and you’ll get the most out of it.

6. Put perfume on your pulse points

It is important to apply your favorite scent to your pulse points to get the most out of it. It’s not necessary to spray your body with tons of sprays, just one spray per pulse point is all you need.

• Ears behind the ears
• You can feel it in the dip of your collarbone
• Head behind you
• You can wear them on your wrists

Perfume should never be sprayed twice at the same place because doing so will prevent the notes from opening up properly and expanding to their full potential.

Here is a guide you can use to learn more about how to apply perfume correctly for maximum performance, so don’t forget to check it out if you want to learn more!

7. Make sure you don’t rub your wrists

I’ve seen people do this a thousand times when testing a fragrance, and it’s so wrong.

The scent won’t spread on both hands by rubbing your wrists. As the opening notes fade, they will disappear much faster than they would at first.

Rubbing can also affect the fragrance drydown, and trust me, that’s not the way to go – let it dry naturally.

8. Take a small amount and apply to your hair

You can spray your hair as well for the ultimate experience.

Spray it on your hairbrush to keep your hair safe from alcohol and then just brush it softly. It’s a win-win since the perfume lasts longer on the hair than on the skin.

You should only apply perfume on fresh-washed hair, since the natural hair oil can ruin the smell.

Some brands sell hair perfumes that won’t harm your hair in any way, so you can use them too.

9. Make sure you don’t get perfume on your clothes

We’ve all done it at some point: sprayed perfume on our clothes. You need to stop doing it ASAP for several reasons.

First of all, fragrances are made for human skin, not materials. Putting it on clothes won’t let the fragrance open properly, so the clothes will absorb a lot of the scent (depending on the fabric).

Second, it can ruin your clothes, especially if you wear silk or cotton (the alcohol in a fragrance won’t tolerate it).

Additionally, you might have to deal with yellow stains on your shirt that don’t look good.

I think these reasons are enough to convince you to stop applying fragrance directly to your skin.

10. Keep the perfume bottle in good condition

Taking care of your fragrance bottle may sound silly to you, but it is important.

The first thing to remember is not to shake the bottle. It is possible for air to infuse the fragrance into the liquid, affecting the fragrance’s life expectancy.

Secondly, store your bottle somewhere dark and cool. The fragrance can be seriously damaged and broken down by high temperatures or humidity. You should avoid placing your fragrance in the bathroom and keep it in a cool drawer or somewhere else out of direct sunlight.

11. Combining fragrances is recommended

It might sound strange, or even unpleasant, but layering fragrances has become a new and interesting way to make something interesting.

My recommendation would be to layer it on the testing paper first to see how it works before layering it on the skin. You can apply it to your skin as well if it works well.

The heavier scent should be applied first and the lighter scent should be applied afterwards when layering scents. As a result, you will also be able to create the fragrance’s top, middle, and base notes.

It is possible to create your signature fragrance and smell sensual and unique with a little creativity and a sensitive nose.

Several fragrance houses recommend combining their fragrances, such as Jo Malone and Fragrance One.

Is there anything worse that can happen? There will be a bad smell… Until there isn’t one!

12. Don’t forget to reapply during the day

Some fragrances will never be as long-lasting as we would like them to be – and that’s fine.

You can always reapply your favorite scent during the day if it is not a performance beast. Don’t apply your fragrance more than twice a day if you notice that your fragrance is fading away.

We sometimes cannot detect our own smell, so it’s best to ask someone for help since you don’t want to reapply it if it’s still working.

In the morning, you can apply one fragrance (some daily-oriented scent) for work, and if you are running out of time after work and have a dinner coming up, you can apply the second fragrance (night-based scent). By doing this, you will smell beautiful all day and all night long.

13. Seasons are a good reminder to think about

The phrases “winter fragrance” and “summer fragrance” are probably familiar to you.

There are some fragrances that should only be worn during a particular season or in certain weather conditions.

Fresh, airy, fruity, citrusy, or similar fragrances would be perfect to wear during warmer, summer, or spring months. It is important to avoid winter fragrances at higher temperatures to prevent them from becoming sticky and warm.

It is best to wear woodier, smokier, and warmer scents on colder days, as the notes will open properly on lower temperatures, and you also want some balmy scents to keep you warm.

Overall,

Since getting into the fragrance world, I’ve probably made all of these common mistakes, and with the years of experience, I’ve learned a great deal about how and where to apply perfumes. Following these tips will ensure that your perfume lasts longer.

It is important to understand that even perfumes with unreal quality may come out as poor compositions if they are not applied correctly so you should save your money and liquid and enjoy every drop you have.