Smelling like a fresh floral bouquet all day is lovely, but is it even possible?
Perfumes are the unsung heroes of fashion. Although unseen, these products are considered one of the best accessories that can enhance an entire ensemble tenfold.
However, some people end up using more than they should after noticing that their perfume scent has already worn off by lunchtime. If you’re having the same experience, then you probably haven’t read these seven useful hacks to make fragrances last longer:
- Pay attention to what’s in your perfume.
When choosing your perfume, do you rely solely on how it smells from the bottle or when it’s applied to your skin?
While smelling the product is the best way to know whether it’s the right scent for you, it isn’t the only thing you should be doing if you’re looking for a fragrance that lasts longer. The most important thing to do is to read the label and know what to look for.
Besides the list of ingredients, you also need to zoom in on the concentration level of the perfume or the perfume-to-alcohol ratio. (Yes, alcohol is added to fragrances to dilute the scent.)
You see, the concentration of perfume ingredients affects how long the scent will last when applied to your skin. In other words, no matter how many hacks you follow, you won’t be able to smell great for long if you choose the wrong product.
To make sure you do, read about the different classifications of perfume and their respective concentration levels below:
Parfum
This perfume type has the highest concentration of fragrance oil, making it the most expensive of all. Of course, you’ll be getting exactly what you paid for. With the 15 to 40 percent of fragrance oil concentration these products contain, the scent can last an entire day or more.
Eau De Parfum
Eau de parfum has the second-highest fragrance oil concentration at ten to 15 percent. It holds quite a strong scent that can last up between six to eight hours, even with just a few dabs on your pulse points.
Eau De Toilette
Following eau de parfum is eau de toilette, which contains four to 15 percent fragrance oil concentration. It usually comes with a lighter scent and is packed in a spray bottle due to its relatively high alcohol content.
A spritz of eau de toilette offers a fragrance that lasts between two and four hours, so you may need to reapply it at some point during the day.
Still, this is the ideal kind of perfume for daily wear, office wear, or any other occasion that requires a non-offensive scent. It is also most suitable for warm weather conditions.
Eau de Cologne
With only two to five percent of fragrance oil, eau de colognes come with a lower price tag. These perfumes need to be reapplied after two to four hours and are great if you want to try out various scents during different days of the week.
Eau De Fraiche
Eau de fraiche – also known as fragrance water – is the least concentrated and least expensive of all the perfume types. It contains one to three percent fragrance oils and usually dissipates after just an hour or two.
Because it is very light and diluted, it is best used as a refresher after a trip to the beach or a workout. Some are also marketed as aftershave products for men.
- Apply your perfume right after you shower.
While you may need to reapply perfume sometime during the day, you must remember to dab some onto your pulse points after taking a shower to ensure it lasts the entire day.
- Use it with unscented products.
If you’re one of those people who uses other scented products after a shower, you might want to consider switching to unscented ones, especially if you want the scent of your perfume to stand out throughout the day.
The floral scent of some deodorants, for instance, may not pair well with your favorite musk-scented eau de toilette. The same goes for body oils, lotions, and other products you use before heading out.
Pro Tip: Did you know that dry skin cannot hold perfumes as well as oily skin? Make sure you apply unscented body oil before spraying your perfume. The oil will hold the scent better, which means you’ll need to reapply your fragrance less often.
- Spray on your clothes and specific parts of your body.
Aside from your body, spritzing perfume on your clothes also helps you smell great for longer. This is all thanks to the fibers of clothing that hold scents for a very long time – even after you wash it.
You may also want to dab on your favorite fragrance at the top of your ears, just behind your earlobes. Since this part of the body is oilier, it’ll hold the scent better.
- Spritz on your skin, not into the air.
Ever tried spraying perfume into the air before walking through it to help keep its smell on you better? Don’t do it again, as you’re only wasting the product.
Besides, applying perfume this way will only cause it to evaporate faster. It would be better to spritz or dab it directly on your skin and clothing to keep the perfume scent on you much longer.
- Pick niche perfumes.
Besides coming in more concentrated bottles, niche perfumes are known to hold greater depth. And with greater attention to detail involved in the construction and composition of its notes, you’ll surely smell better for longer.
An excellent example of this is Rose Rogue, a famous Van Cleef perfume sold online. Offering longevity and projection, the Rose Rogue is a powerful eau de parfum with a feminine fruity fragrance that comes with berry top notes.
- Store your perfumes wisely.
Besides the application, how (or where) you store your perfume also affects how long its scent will last. A number of factors break down the fragrance and lessen its intensity and quality, including heat, humidity, and light. This means that storing your perfume bottles in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight is the best way to preserve perfumes.
Enjoy Longer Lasting Scents
There are many ways you can smell good for longer. From choosing the right kind of perfume to proper application and storage, follow the tips listed here to enjoy longer-lasting scents.
