It’s amazing how the fragrances we love the most never seem to last long enough. Can you relate? Well, now’s the time to change that, ladies! Below are a few easy tips and tricks to make your fragrance last longer:

Apply your fragrance before dressing:
Fragrances are activated by heat and chemical reactions. So, it is more effective when in contact with your skin rather than your clothing. In fact, it can stain and damage some fabrics because of its alcohol content.

However, fragrances can be indirectly applied to fabrics to safely scent your wardrobe. For instance, you can sprits fragrance on padded clothes hangers or add a few drops of essential oils to the water when you rinse lingerie, or to the water in the iron to steam press handkerchiefs.

Apply your fragrance to your pulse points:
Literally found from head to foot, pulse points are places on the body where the heart rate can be felt through blood vessels lying close to the skin. The warmth of the blood makes them prime targets for applying fragrance. The most strategic ones for application are located at the temple, just below the ear lobe, at the base of the throat, inside the wrist and elbow, and behind the knee. Choose points from different areas, but not every point in every area, to spread the fragrance evenly.

Simply spray your fragrance about 20 centimetres from the skin to cover a wider area for greater effect. Do not dab or rub the area after applying the fragrance. Rubbing breaks down the molecules, sometimes called “crushing the fragrance” causing the scent to morph into something different or disappear completely.

Choose a fragrance with strong base notes:
Perfumers use notes as musical composers do; building and layering them for an overall pleasing effect. As in music, some fragrance notes are light and lilting, while others are heavier and resonate longer. The order in which notes are released is an important consideration in formulating fragrances.

Top notes or head notes are the first notes you smell. They smell fresh, fruity and slightly sweet. They also evaporate first, so their impact is fleeting. Lemon, apple, melon, and berry are popular head notes, with the occasional “sea breeze” or “ocean air.”

As top notes fade, middle notes become prominent. Middle notes, also called heart notes, are richer and longer lasting. They include pleasantly pungent herbs and spices such as rosemary, nutmeg and cardamom, as well as headier florals like jasmine and gardenia.

Middle notes take centre stage for about one hour. Then they blend with bottom or base notes. Base notes are the most dramatic and longest lasting. They carry the fragrance for up to four hours. Notes like cedar, pine and musk are called woodsy. Patchouli, frankincense and vanilla are termed oriental’s for evoking Asia and the Middle East.

Most fragrances include all three ranges of notes, but some favour the lower end of the spectrum. So, do your research first. Check the list of fragrance notes and experiment to find what you enjoy and what smell good on you.

Match the application to the concentration:
Fragrances go by a number of different names: perfume, eau de parfum and eau de toilette, among others. Each one indicates a ratio of perfume oils to alcohol, which makes a huge difference in how long a scent lingers. A perfume is highest at up to 40 percent perfume oils by volume. An eau de parfum is about 15 percent and an eau de toilette may be as little as 5 percent.

Having a variety of concentrations lets you match the form to the need. For example, you can refresh a perfume for an hour or so by layering it with its eau de parfum version.

When deciding what form to buy or apply, remember that a fragrance’s concentration is different from its lightness or heaviness. A fragrance composed mostly of light, citrusy notes may need touching up sooner than an eau de parfum with a strong cedar or mossy base.

Apply your fragrance according to the season:
The temperature of the environment affects how a fragrance wears and how long it will last. Heat energizes the chemical reactions that release fragrance, resulting in a stronger scent. Therefore, in warm weather, you’ll need a lighter application or a less concentrated form of whatever scent you wear.

At the same time, heat speeds evaporation. If you go with lighter scents, you’ll need to reapply them more often in warm weather due to their low concentrations. Also, be careful of what you wear outdoors. Certain unwanted creatures may share your taste in fragrance. Bees are attracted to sweet, floral scents. Beetles prefer spicy ones. Bats are partial to musky notes.
 
The same principle applies in reverse in cool weather. Chemical reactions are more sluggish at lower temperatures. Therefore, fragrances emanate gradually with less intensity. However, if you’re wearing a warming winter scent, consider the heartiness of the bottom notes. Adding an extra sprits could also solve the problem and add to the ambiance.

Use the right amount for your skin type:
Take your skin type into consideration when choosing a fragrance. Fragrances react differently on different skin types. The alcohol base in a fragrance evaporates more quickly on dry skin than on oily skin. Each layer of notes is released in quick succession and the scent fades sooner. Having oily skin is an advantage when it comes to making fragrance last longer.

If you have dry skin, you may already use a moisturizer. Look for a moisturizer with the same scent you plan to wear that day. This will help stretch the fragrance as well as soften your skin. You can also try using a fragrance-free moisturizer before applying your fragrance.

Layer your fragrance:
Layering involves using different products having the same fragrance to sustain the scent through the day. For example, you might start with an eau de toilette in the morning, smooth on some lotion in the afternoon and finish with a dusting of powder for an evening out, or start with a scented moisturizer and mist on your fragrance later in the day. You could add a few drops of scented bath oil to a warm bath, or apply to pulse points while the skin is still damp after showering.

The beauty of layering is that it lets you vary the concentration of the fragrance according to the situation. With a little experimentation, you can find a combination that gets you noticed, but doesn’t overwhelm anyone, or waste expensive fragrance. It’s also a good excuse for a leisurely soak in the tub.

Change your fragrance with changing skin chemistry:
Chemically speaking, you may not be the same person you were last week. Any number of factors can trigger a change in body chemistry, which can alter the skin’s chemical environment. That in turn can affect how your skin responds to your favourite fragrance. Everybody’s body chemistry is unique, so the triggering factors and their effects will vary from one person to the next.

For example, the hormones androgen or progesterone affects oil production in the skin. Some foods and medications, not to mention pregnancy, can raise or lower androgen and progesterone levels. Because oily skin carries a scent longer than dry skin, a change in diet or maternity status could mean more or less frequent applications.

Sweat can also impact skin chemistry. Heat-related sweat deposits salt and other minerals on the skin. Stress-induced sweat carries fats that are broken down by bacteria. The process can change the body’s natural odor. In both cases, the fragrance compounds may react differently to their new chemical neighbors.

Trust your nose:
A fragrance is not meant to announce a coming attraction or act as a souvenir of your visit. It should arrive and leave when you do. It should brighten the overall impression of your presence.

If a scent is just noticeable to you, it’s agreeable to others. Remember that fine fragrances are effusive; they travel well through air. Excessive application is not only wasteful, but can also make you unwelcome. You should always keep in mind that some people are sensitive to strong scents.

In some cases, your nose lets you down. You may have a sinus infection or age may have dulled your sense of smell. You can also become so accustomed to or fond of a fragrance that you don’t notice when you’re overdoing it. When in doubt, ask a friend. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Store your fragrance properly:
Fragrance compounds are degraded by heat and light, even before you open the bottle. Off aromas may develop, turning that special occasion into an unpleasant affair. Lighter scents and less concentrated forms are most susceptible. Depending on what chemical compounds are formed, a fragrance could leave you red and scratchy. If something has been irritating your skin lately, it may be your fragrance.

To keep your fragrance in its prime, protect it from its enemies. Keep it in comfortably cool and dry conditions, away from heat sources and direct sun. Don’t keep your fragrance in the bathroom where humid air can infiltrate the bottle. If heat and humidity are inescapable, keep it in the refrigerator. It’s also a good idea if you need to put an open bottle in storage for a few months – for example, to keep a summer fragrance during the winter.

Also, buy fragrances in spray bottles, if possible. They let in less air than ordinary bottles, which reduces evaporation, contamination and chemical reactions.

And, there you have it, girls! Leaving your personal mark unique and inimitable through your fragrance is easy. Just follow these principles and you won’t go wrong.

Article by: Kelly Abrahams

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