1. Spray onto skin you have looked after
Fragrance molecules cling to oil. On dry skin the scent has literally nothing to hold on to, so it fades faster. Apply an unscented body lotion before you spray and you will notice the difference straight away.
If you have a body lotion in the same scent, even better. That is called layering.
2. Put it on after your shower
Warm, slightly damp skin takes on fragrance better than cold dry skin. Just after a shower is the best moment, when your skin is still warm but dry on the surface.
3. Spray on your pulse points
Where your blood flows close to the surface, your skin is a little warmer. That warmth carries the scent all day. Think wrists, neck, behind your ears and the inside of your elbows.
4. Do not rub
This is the mistake almost everyone makes. Rubbing your wrists together after spraying breaks down the top notes and disturbs the way the scent unfolds. Just let it dry in the air.
5. Keep 15 to 20 centimetres of distance
Spraying too close gives you a wet patch instead of a fine mist, and then the alcohol evaporates unevenly. From a short distance the scent spreads far more evenly across your skin.
6. Do not forget your hair and your clothes
Hair holds fragrance remarkably well. Do not spray straight onto your hair, because alcohol dries it out. Spray your hairbrush instead and brush it through. Clothes hold scent longer than skin too, although some fabrics can stain. Test on a hidden spot first.
7. Store your bottles properly
Light and swings in temperature break perfume down. That makes the bathroom about the worst place there is, however logical it feels. Keep your bottles in a cupboard or a drawer, at room temperature and out of direct sunlight.
Stored that way, an opened bottle stays good for years. In a warm bathroom you notice a difference within six months.
8. Choose the right concentration
If nothing helps, it might not be you. An eau de toilette simply lasts less time than an eau de parfum, which in turn lasts less time than an extrait. The fragrance family matters too: citrus and fresh notes evaporate faster than vanilla, wood and musk.
Want to know more about that difference? Read our article on eau de parfum, extrait and eau de toilette. Or go straight to the full range at perfume.
In short
- Look after your skin before you spray
- Put it on after your shower
- Aim for your pulse points
- Do not rub, let it dry
- Keep 15 to 20 centimetres of distance
- Use your hairbrush for extra staying power
- Do not keep your bottles in the bathroom
- Pick a higher concentration if you really want to smell it all day
Tip: bewaar je parfum niet in de badkamer. Licht en temperatuurschommelingen breken de geur af, en dat merk je na een halfjaar al.
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