Some fragrance formulations like Eau de Toilette don’t last as long as an Eau de Parfum would. This has to do with the amount of perfume oil in the formula. An Eau de Toilette typically contains less perfume oil and more water and alcohol than an Eau de Parfum and therefore does not last as long when sprayed onto the skin as an EDP.

Of course this also means that an EDT is considerably cheaper than an EDP, and there are ways in which you can ensure your scent lingers longer on your skin, irrespective of which formulation you select.

Spray Onto Clean Skin

The best time to spray on your perfume is when you are right after a shower or bath and your skin is warm, dry and clean. After a bath or shower your clean pores will open in the steam, making it the perfect time to apply your perfume, just be sure to towel dry yourself first.

Layer On Your Body Lotion First

Before applying your fragrance, moisturise your skin. We usually pair it with a cream or lotion that is similar to the perfume we plan to use, alternatively, an unscented lotion would make things that much easier. But the ultimate way to make your scent last the whole day is to layer it with its accompanying body lotion. This is a much pricier but effective method, and one that we save for special occasions, rather than everyday wear.

The reason why moisturising your skin is important is because dry skin does not hold on to fragrance as long as moisturised skin does.

Spray Your Pulse Points

For even longer staying power, spritz your fragrance onto your pulse points. These areas include your wrists, the nape of your neck, behind your knees, behind your ear, and inside your elbows. These areas react with the natural fluctuations in your body temperature and gently emit your scent throughout the day.

Give Your Hair A Bit Of A Spritz

Perfume permeates through your hair strands and lasts throughout the day, but to prevent damage to our hair, we like to mist the air above our heads several times and let the scent cloud slowly drop onto our head. We suggest opting for a hair scent if you can as they are made specifically for the hair and less concentrated and usually formulated with additional oils to nourish hair.

Stop Rubbing Your Wrists Together

Rubbing your wrists together after you spray it with perfume not only diminishes the quality of your fragrance notes, but it can disrupt the overall fragrance profile. The right way to do it is to spray and let it air dry.

Fragrance expiration dates vary, but on average a perfume can last between two to 10 years. If your perfume smells funky, has changed colour, or looks different, then it’s time to bin it. To prolong your fragrance’s shelf life, keep it out of your bathroom. The light and humidity will alter the scents of your perfumes, so keeping your perfume bottles somewhere cool and dark, like your wardrobe, is ideal.

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