If you’re as perfume-obsessed as we are, you know that one of the biggest letdowns in life is finding the perfect scent, only to have it fade completely in what seems like minutes. While lasting power is somewhat dependent on the type of fragrance you pick, there are also a few tricks of the trade to keep perfume fragrant longer. To share the expert take on the matter, we caught up with David Suffit, AVP of Fragrance Development, L’Oréal Luxe for his tips. 

Choose Wisely

“No fragrance will last all day, so expect to have to reapply your fragrance at some point during the day, no matter what type you choose,” Suffit says. That said, “the base notes of a fragrance are the ones that last the longest, so fragrances that are more background-heavy, such as oriental or chypre scents, generally have more staying power than, for instance, citrusy scents (citrus notes evaporate quickly),” he explains.

Moisturize First

Once you’ve picked your perfume, prep work can help you keep it fresh. “Well-moisturized skin retains fragrance longer than dry skin, so you can either apply an unscented body lotion before you apply your fragrance, or, to give it an extra boost, use a body lotion with the same scent as your favorite fragrance. Either way, this should help it to last longer,” Suffit says.

Spritz Strategically

“Coco Chanel once said, ‘A woman should wear perfume wherever she wants to be kissed.’ But more scientifically speaking, apply fragrance to pulse points (inside of wrists, elbows, behind the knees, to the décolletage) because the blood vessels are more elevated beneath the skin, which makes your skin warmer at these points, facilitating the diffusion of your fragrance. Apply in the morning and reapply in the afternoon or evening to refresh the notes,” Suffit suggests.

Don’t Go Overboard

“Most of us become used to the fragrance we wear over time and may find it more difficult to perceive, which can cause you to use too much. It’s best to figure out the perfect number of sprays to use when you first begin wearing a scent, then stay with that amount, even if you later find you can’t smell it as you used to.

If you do apply too much fragrance, you can tone it down by rubbing the fragranced area with a facial or baby wipe to remove some of the fragrance,” Suffit advises.

And now, go forth and… smell good.

 

Do you have any fragrance questions you’d like us to answer? Comment below so we can tackle them in an upcoming post!

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