Scent Sense

If you wear a fragrance regularly, you probably have a very particular way you apply it. Maybe you spray it into the air, then walk into the mist. Maybe you splash a little on your wrists and pat them together. Or maybe you spray until you can barely breathe, then do another spritz for good luck.

There are many methods for wearing fragrance. Everyone swears their method is the right one. But odds are good that your way is… well, wrong. Many of our fragrance tips have been informed by the aesthetic appeal of the process rather than its actual efficacy. We’re here to tell you what works, what doesn’t and what you need to know about making your fragrance last as long as possible.

by Amanda Harper

Don’t: Rub It In

Many people think that rubbing their wrists together, then rubbing their wrist along their neck “heats up” the fragrance, making it project further. That’s true, but for the worst reason; this method nearly obliterates delicate top notes – and mashes it together with your skin’s oils – completely changing the way the fragrance smells. The entire point of an alcohol-based perfume is the top, middle and base note structure. The scent gradually changes as you wear it, giving you a different experience throughout the day. Intentionally bringing out the base notes is like skipping the entrée and the dessert to fill up on bread; you’d be better off just buying a less expensive fragrance that consists only of those base notes.

Do: Pulse Points

Rather than rubbing the fragrance around, simply apply it to one or two pulse points and allow it to air dry. This works on the same principle, warming the fragrance to encourage the scent molecules to spread. The key difference is that you’re not interfering with the way the fragrance is supposed to wear. Behind the ear, at the base of the throat, the inner elbow, wrists and behind the knees – more on that later – are popular spots for applying fragrance.

Don’t: Forget That It’s Alcohol!

Certain pulse points simply aren’t a great place to apply fragrance. The alcohol will irritate certain sweat glands and any mucous membranes. Don’t apply perfume near the eyes, nose, mouth, armpits or nether regions – or you will live to regret your choices.

Don’t: Douse

More is more, right? Some folks spray until their hands hurt, then do one more spritz just to be safe. You’ll know these folks by the cloud of scent that precedes them, then lingers hours after they’re gone – and no, this is never a pleasant reminder of their presence.

Do: Gentle Spritz

If your perfume is a spray, hold it roughly six inches away from your skin. The number of spritzes will depend on the strength of the perfume; a strong scent needs just two or three, while a more intimate fragrance can take up to six.

Do: Moisturize

If you want your perfume to last as long as it possibly can, apply an unscented lotion or petroleum jelly to the area you’ll be applying your fragrance. The scent molecules literally stick around a little longer when they have oil to cling to.

Don’t: Walk Into the Mist

This old Hollywood method looks so chic! You spray the fragrance into the air, then step into the mist as it falls. The idea here is that you can’t possibly over-apply, and the fragrance lands all over you rather than in any one spot. This means that the scent is so diluted it has no lasting power. If you’re in a delicate negligee and you’re about to fix up a Manhattan for your would-be suitor, fine, but as a daily practice? This ain’t it.

Do: In the Hair

One thing the mist method gets right? Applying fragrance to your hair is actually a wonderful way to get some staying power! Your hair is porous, so it can trap a lot of scent. Your scalp offers lots of heat to help the scent molecules do their thing. And your hair (hopefully) has some natural oils to hold onto the fragrance. Be aware that alcohol-based perfumes can be drying to your locks and scalp, and if your hair isn’t freshly washed, your natural oils can affect the scent.

Don’t: Stick to the Same Scent Forever

While we fully support having a “signature” fragrance, wearing the same scent for too long can actually be a problem; you can develop anosmia, or nose-blindness, to the scent. This means you’ll apply more and more of it to be able to smell it, wasting perfume and choking everyone around you. Instead, we recommend switching your daily fragrance seasonally and only wearing your signature scent for special moments. •

Scent Lingo

Longevity

How long a perfume lasts on your skin.

Sillage

The trail a perfume leaves in your wake. Generally, people use this term to refer to how long it lingers after you’ve left the room.

Projection

How far out from you a perfume can be smelled – even if you’re sitting perfectly still.

Top Notes

The most volatile scent compounds, which are the notes you detect in the first 10 minutes after the perfume has been sprayed.

Heart/Middle Notes

Longer-lasting scent compounds that tend to be the signature of a fragrance. These tend to appear 10-20 minutes after spraying.

Base Notes

The longest-lasting scents in a perfume, which offer depth and longevity to a scent.

Eau de Cologne (Cologne)

A scent with a 2-5% concentration of perfume oil to alcohol. This does not refer to a scent exclusively for men, though that is how we now think of them. How are many colognes so strong? The perfume oils used tend to be base notes!

Eau de Toilette (EDT)

A scent with a 5-10% concentration of perfume oil to alcohol.

Eau de Parfum (EDP)

A scent with a 10-15% concentration of perfume oil to alcohol.

Extrait

A scent with a 15-45% concentration of perfume oil to alcohol (or carrier oil).