Beginner's Guide to Fragrance #10: How to Make your Perfume Last Longer

For our tenth Beginner's Guide to Fragrance, we share our best kept secrets on how to make perfume last longer on your skin. From careful storage to fragrance layering like a pro, there are multiple ways to maximise wear time... including some you may not have considered. 

Keep it in the dark

Did you know that how you store your fragrance can affect its longevity in the bottle?

Tempting as it may be to display your beautiful bottles on a dressing table or bathroom shelf, fragrances break down and lose quality and intensity when exposed to heat, light, and humidity.

Instead, store your favourite perfume in a cool, dry place away from natural light - a closed cupboard or drawer in a cool, dry area is ideal.

Spritz shower-damp skin

Moisture molecules on your skin help grip fragrance and hold onto it for longer, so try spritzing scent on warm damp skin, fresh from the bath or shower.

Layer for longevity

Take things up a notch by adding the bonus step of moisturising your damp skin before applying perfume.

Fragrance molecules cling better and longer on well moisturised skin. Apply body lotion to damp or dry skin - and then add perfume to prolong its scent, reducing the need for reapplication throughout the day. 

Layer matching scents

For the ultimate lasting power, we recommend layering your perfume with body products in a matching scent... the very reason we designed our Hand & Body collection. Both the wash and lotion have a delicate hint of our fragrance, perfect for layering with our Eau de Parfums.

A scented body wash will enhance the layers that follow. Prep skin with a matching moisturising body lotion to keep it well hydrated and lock in your scent, then add perfume as the final step of your scented ritual.

Pick an Eau de Parfum

The ratio of perfume to alcohol determines how long a smell lasts on your skin. Made with between 8-15 % base oil, Eau de Parfum has superior stickability and will linger around five hours or more.

This is the fragrance that will be as strong as you need it to be... apply lightly for daily wear or more liberally for a special occasion or evening wear.

Perfume pulse points

The warm, fine skin of pulse points helps diffuse fragrance across your body, enveloping you in a beautiful scented aura.

For added longevity, apply your perfume directly on pulse points:

• behind your ears
• on base of your throat
• cleavage / heart
• inner elbows
• inner wrists
• behind your knees.

Resist wrist rubbing

Resist the temptation to rub your wrists together as the friction makes your perfume evaporate faster and disperses its notes in the wrong order, disrupting its creative composition.

Spritz your garments with scent

Perfume often lasts longer on clothing than skin, so try a fine mist on a scarf or neckline for a lingering scent every time you wear it. Do test a small amount somewhere inconspicuous first and avoid spraying delicate fabrics.

How long does your perfume last on your skin? Let us know if you try any of these tips and if they help...  we love to hear from you.