How to apply perfume: 10 tricks to make fragrance last longer

Don’t freak out, but you have probably been applying your perfume the wrong way. Yes, there is a right and a wrong way to spritz on your fragrance. There's a reason why your perfume scent lasts for only two hours maximum when it should last longer, and the solution is all in the application. No worry because you're in good hands. Our experts have come up with transformative tricks and tips to help you get the most out of your fragrances.

1.Apply on your pulse points.

There's actually a functional reason why we tend to apply perfume on our pulse points (like the insides of your wrists and elbows, behind your ears, on your neck, the back of your knees, etc.): The skin is the thinnest at those points, which means it's closer to your blood and body heat. As you apply, the fragrance warms, the warmth helps to diffuse the fragrance. Your fragrances smell stronger and last longer.

2.Keep your skin hydrated.

Before applying (or reapplying) your fragrance, moisturize your skin (especially your pulse point) with your favorite Unscented oil based body lotion, but if you want to mix and match your scents then feel free to use a fragranced moisturizer. The oil based lotion serves as a fixative on your skin, which in turn helps your fragrance stick on to skin and project more. Dry skin will not hold on to your fragrance as long as moisturized skin will.

3.Don't rub your wrists together or rub on your pulse point. 

Once you apply on your pulse points it may feel natural to rub on them together to blot the fragrance especially if your skin feels pretty damp. Rubbing on your skin after applying a fragrances will break down the structure of the perfume. It makes the top notes burn off a little quicker and overly messes with its longevity.

4.Spray on your hair too

Have you ever mistakenly sprayed perfume on your hair, you might have noticed that the scent lingers far longer than it does on your skin. This is because the fragrance will permeate your strands and last throughout the day. You don't want to totally douse your hair with fragrance because it can be potentially damaging and too strong, a light misting is smart or spray on your airbrush.

You can shop for perfume gift sets with hair fragrances/mist and scented shampoos, which are usually slightly less concentrated and formulated with additional oils to nourish hair.

5.Layer you fragrances

Layering your fragrances ensures your perfume lasts longer on you. It's the process of applying fragranced products of the same scent or a different scent to enhance the effect of the perfume and make it last all day. When different scent notes hit together, then you have an even more robust collection of top, middle, and bottom notes. That definitely helps to make the fragrance last, and stand out.

6.Spray on clothes. 

Ever thrown on a sweater to discover it still smells like last week's perfume, or borrowed a loved one's scarf and notice how it carries their signature scent? Fabrics hold on to fragrance and the memories tied, especially fabrics like silk, wool and cotton.

7.Know your ingredients.

There are perfume ingredients that are Natural fixatives which helps a perfume last longer. Most fragrances have top, middle and base notes. Top notes are the first you smell in a perfume. They quickly evaporate. The middle notes are the "body" of the perfume and take longer to develop on the skin than top notes. The base notes are the final scent to develop and last the longest. They are the fixative that slows down the evaporation of the fragrances on the body. Examples of fixatives are vanilla, amber, ambergris, castoreum, coumarin, aldehydes, musk, agarwood, patchouli etc.

8.Know when your perfume expires. 

Yes, perfume expires. And if your bottle is past its prime, that means most of the fragrance has evaporated and it won't last as long on your skin. Also it is not safe using an expired fragrance.

9.Take advantage of fragrances concentrations.

Fragrances have different concentrations depending on the formulation. Generally, higher concentrations (EDP and PARFUM) have a high perfume oil ratio, a will last longer, and a little usually goes a long way, while fragrances with lower concentrations like body mist, deodorant stick, deodorant spray and EDTs can be sprayed more liberally.

10.Store your perfumes properly.

Store your fragrance in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight. The exposure to sunlight over a long period of time will definitely lead to a deterioration in the quality of your fragrances. 

By using these tips you can prime your fragrance to last as long as possible. Start the process by buying the correct type of perfume and other scented products on essenza.ng. Then store your fragrances correctly and avoid doing anything that might cause the fragrance to decompose. If you’re using perfume application best practices, you’re sure to get the very most out of your signature fragrance.