6 Ways to Make Your Fragrance Last Longer
If you’ve ever sprayed your perfume only for its scent to disappear shortly after, these tips are for you!
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Here’s the truth: We all get nose-blind to our scent. You get used to wearing a favorite perfume, and suddenly, it’s hard to smell it on yourself. But sometimes, it does wear off too soon, and it may be what you’re applying and how you’re applying it. How well your fragrance wears can depend on your skin type, body chemistry, formulation, and where you use it.
To help you get more out of your scent, I compiled 23 years worth of fragrance reporting into a recent segment on Be Well, the morning show from News12 and Cheddar, hosted by Elizabeth Hashagen. Here are some of the scent-saving tips I shared with her.
1. Go for the most potent formulation
Most people assume that eau de parfum is the most potent fragrance you can get, but there’s something stronger: a solid perfume. These balms have the highest concentration of fragrance, and they may evaporate more slowly on your skin. One to try: Fenty Beauty Solid Perfume, $68, a warm and spicy floral. The chic compact makes it easy to toss in your bag for reapplication and is also travel-friendly.
Speaking of formulations, eau de toilette is one step below eau de parfum, followed by body mists.
2. Apply fragrance to clean skin
Do it before you get dressed. Don’t spray your scent on your clothing. Fragrance is designed to work with your skin’s chemistry to develop, and it can ruin delicate fabrics.
3. Add a base layer of hydration
Fragrance likes moisturized skin. A scent won’t last as long on dry skin. The fragrance molecules need something to stick to. So before you spritz or dab on your scent, apply an unscented moisturizer as a base. You can also add a layer of Vaseline on your pulse points, then layer the fragrance over it.
4. Don’t rub your wrist together
We put fragrance on pulse points, like wrists, because skin is warmest in these areas, intensifying the scent. But don’t rub your wrists together once you apply. Perfume experts say this crushes the fragrance molecules and the scent doesn’t develop properly.
5. Layer your fragrance
Boost your fragrance with accessory products such as body mists or scented lotions. Layering your fragrance will help it last longer without being too overpowering. Fine’ry from Target makes matching body mists for all their scents. The eau de parfum is $29.99 and the mists are $14.99.
6. Don’t forget your hair
You don’t need a separate hair perfume (although those exist). Spray your usual fragrance on your strands. Hair holds onto scent even better than skin, so give your strands a light spritz before you head out the door.
Check out @Prettylocal.li on Instagram for more Be Well segments.
