How to make your perfume last longer

Niamh Ryan

Someone telling you that you smell good is probably the best compliment you could receive

But it’s extremely frustrating using all the right products, only for the scent to disappear as soon as you leave the house.

It seems counterproductive to spend so much money on designer perfumes for them to do this.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways we can make our perfumes last longer.

Prepping the skin

Perfume lasts longer on hydrated skin, so applying moisturiser will help the fragrance stick and last all day.

Use a thick, moisturising lotion that will keep your skin hydrated all day.

If you want an even stronger scent, use a matching scented lotion that will complement your perfume.

Where to apply

We all know the trick of spritzing perfume on pulse points, but did you know why this works?

Pulse points are areas of concentrated heat, which help to activate the perfume molecules, making them last longer.

Spray behind your ears, wrists, inner elbows, chest, and back of the neck.

According to Charlotte Tilbury, it’s important to let the perfume fully dry down. Once it dries down, you get the full scent as the base notes are brought out with time.

This is why the experts say to never rub your wrists together, as it can disturb the notes in the perfume.

Spray liberally

Although they say less is more, sometimes more is better. We can be intimidated by a powerful scent and spray a tiny amount, but this isn’t going to disappear within a few hours. Don’t be shy!

Even spraying a little bit on your clothes or in your hair will ensure that you’ll smell nice all day.

Store properly

If you collect perfume, you probably enjoy having a display of perfume bottles in your room. However, how and where you store the bottles can affect the quality of the fragrance.

It’s best to store the perfumes out of direct sunlight, as the light can break down the oils in the fragrance and make it weaker.

It’s also best stored in a dry room, as humidity and heat can affect the quality. Avoid storing your perfume in a place like the bathroom.

Invest in a long lasting perfume

As sad as it may be, sometimes our favourite scents just aren’t capable of lasting all day. If it’s something that’s really important to you, try a stronger scent, preferably an eau de parfum rather than an eau de toilette.

But, if you’re loyal to your scent, it helps to bring a mini version around with you to reapply. You can find a rollerball version, or use an atomiser that can carry 5-10ml at a time.

This way you can reapply throughout the day, without having bulky or delicate perfume bottle in your bag all day.

(As someone who had a bottle of Daisy Love by Marc Jacobs leak and spill everywhere in their tote bag, an atomiser is the way to go!)