“I never face the day without perfume.” - Elizabeth Taylor
If you’re anything like Elizabeth Taylor, your perfume is synonymous with your identity. You want everyone you cross paths with to remember your unique scent: prominent, enchanting, exuding confidence — without being overpowering. That’s why we have a proven method of applying perfume so that the fragrance stays with you from dusk until dawn.
Here are some useful tips and tricks to make your scent last all day while maintaining the integrity of the fragrance.
Where To Put On Perfume
First of all, you need to know the best spots to apply perfume to make it last as long as possible. Two words: Pulse Points. These are the points where the arteries are closest to the surface of the skin, and where you can feel your heartbeat.
The pulse points are also called warm points. Applying perfume to the warm points will make the fragrance smell brighter and last longer, as the scent will be activated each time your body heats up.
The main pulse points that you don’t want to miss are:
- Around Your Neck
- Inside the Elbows
- Behind Your Knees
- The Middle of the Chest
- On Your Ankles
Want to turn heads? Hoping to draw your partner near? Here are some less common places to spray that we’ve found to be delightfully effective!
- In Your Hair
- In Your Belly Button
- Down Your Calves
- On Top Of Your Ears
How To Put On Perfume
You’ve probably seen your mom, grandmom, or friends dabbing perfume on their wrists and then rubbing them together. But did you know that rubbing perfume into your skin in this way actually causes the fragrance's top notes to fade and evaporate before they can settle?
That’s why we’ve put together this list of 8 Perfume Golden Rules that will keep you smelling amazing all day and all night long!
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Apply Perfume To Damp Skin After Showering
Be sure to apply perfume directly to your skin. It is best to apply it right after showering because damp skin locks in fragrance all day and prevents you from staining your fabrics. Wait a few minutes for the scent to dry before putting on clothes. If you get dressed too soon after applying perfume, the scent will go away.
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Moisturize Your Skin
Apply a small amount of moisturizing lotion to your skin and focus on your pulse points before spraying the perfume. Moisturized skin creates the ideal environment for scent molecules to bind to, making your scent last longer. You can also use an unscented moisturizer to trap the scent so that the lotion’s scent won't compete with your perfume.
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Do Not Rub Your Wrists
There are two reasons you’ll want to avoid the “spritz and rub” method. First, it can instantly dull the top notes of the perfume. Fragrance needs to sit on the skin in order to mix with your natural oils. When wrists are rubbed together, top notes fade and evaporate. Secondly, rubbing your wrists can make your body’s natural oils mix with the perfumes too much, changing the smell of the perfume.
Instead, try spraying the back of your hand twice whilst respecting the correct spray distance (about 4-6 inches from the skin). Leave to dry naturally and do not rub it in.
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Store Your Perfume In The Right Place
Did you know that perfumes also have an expiration date? For best results, you’ll want to keep your perfume for 2-5 years at the very most.
Ideally, keep your perfumes in a cool, dark place (the refrigerator is perfect for this, especially in hot climates) and make sure that your perfume bottles are far away from direct sunlight. To avoid damaging your perfume bottles, you may opt to keep the perfumes in their original boxes.
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Apply Perfume To Your Hairbrush
Hair retains fragrance better than skin. You can apply a small amount of perfume spray to your hair, or better yet, a hairbrush, as the alcohol in perfume can dry your hair. This will give your hair a light and lovely scent!
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Do Not Shake The Perfume Bottle
Shaking the perfume bottle can shorten its shelf life and allow air particles to fill the bottle. This quickens the decomposition of the perfume molecules, which decreases the strength of the perfume.
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Avoid Spraying Perfume On Your Clothing
To avoid staining your clothes, spray perfume directly onto your skin. Perfumes will stay on your skin much longer than they will stay on your clothes, and certain types of perfumes can damage fabrics.
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Combine Two Different Perfumes
To make your fragrance last all day, you can layer up two different fragrances. Create your own unique signature scent by combining two of your favorites! But be careful which fragrances you decide to mix. To layer the right way, you’ll need to spray a heavier one followed by a lighter one. Keep in mind that top notes are usually fresh and light, while base notes are usually deep and stick around for longer.
Fragrances are sold in different concentrations, which means some fragrances will naturally last longer than others. If you want to dig deeper into this, you can learn about the ratio of oil to alcohol in perfumes. The particular note of a fragrance is also a factor in its staying power. For example, deep notes including leather, wood, musk, and vanilla are heavier and evaporate more slowly. On the other hand, lighter aromas such as floral and citrus fruits tend to evaporate faster.
Simply put, applying a fragrance the right way is an art. There are various techniques that we swear by to give you complete confidence in your signature scent. But it all starts with the right perfume. It should be clean and long-lasting, with an aroma that you adore. If you’re looking for a perfume that lasts longer and is even more intoxicating than most luxury perfumes, check out our intriguing collection of natural, cruelty-free, non-toxic, paraben-free, and phthalates-free fragrances! Our naturally-derived scents are made from plant-based ingredients and are inspired by some of the best-smelling botanicals the planet has to offer.
References:
https://www.byrdie.com/how-to-apply-perfume
https://www.southernliving.com/fashion-beauty/beauty-makeup/where-to-spray-perfume