How to Make Your Perfume Last Longer

Fragrance clings better to hydrated skin than to dry skin, which absorbs and releases scent quickly. Apply an unscented lotion or a matching body product after showering, then apply your fragrance on top. Even a very thin layer of unscented moisturiser can make a visible difference.

Wrists, the sides of the neck, behind the ears and the inner elbows are warm areas where fragrance diffuses nicely. Spraying from about a hand's length away gives an even application, and one or two sprays in two or three spots is usually plenty.

Rubbing your wrists together is a common habit, but it mostly just warms the skin and spreads the fragrance unevenly. Letting it dry naturally, or gently dabbing, gives a cleaner result.

Hair and fabric hold fragrance for longer than skin, so a light mist on a hairbrush or the hem of a jacket can extend wear. Be careful, though: alcohol can dry hair, and some perfumes can stain delicate fabrics such as silk, so test on a hidden spot first.

Using a shower gel, lotion or deodorant from the same fragrance line builds a base the perfume can rest on. You can also layer two fragrances that share notes, for example a vanilla-based scent underneath a lighter floral, to add depth and staying power.

Light citrus and aquatic scents are naturally fleeting. Fragrances with a base of amber, woods, musk, vanilla or resins tend to last longer because heavier molecules evaporate more slowly. A higher concentration, such as an Eau de Parfum or an extrait, helps too.

Heat, light and humidity degrade fragrance over time and can change how it smells. Keep bottles in their boxes or in a cool, dark drawer rather than on a sunny shelf or in the bathroom, and keep the cap on.

After a while your nose adapts to a smell and stops registering it, so you may think a fragrance has faded when it's still perceptible to others. Ask someone you trust, or reapply sparingly, before you assume it's gone.

Longevity depends on skin, climate and the fragrance itself. A scent that lasts ten hours on one person may last four on another. Community-submitted performance reports can give you a more honest picture than marketing claims, which is why ScentWeave collects them.