When and How Should I Apply Fragrance?

Once you've found the perfect fragrance, you want to be sure that you make the most of it.

Below are some of our top tips to make sure that you get the best from your precious scent, without extra purchases!

 

Spray Skin & Clothes, but NOT Hair

Perfume is designed for your skin. This is where it performs best, develops in the way the perfumer intended and blossoms over time. 

Spraying your clothes is also a great option for added longevity, as most materials cling onto scents for longer than your skin will. Just be careful if your perfume is dark in colour (some fragrances are naturally very dark) that you're not spraying onto clothing of a lighter colour, as it may stain. A bit of common sense goes a long way here.

When you have lovely flowing locks, freshly coiffed by the hairdresser it's tempting to spritz them with your favourite scent. However, most perfume has a high alcohol content and whilst this is non-harmful to your skin, it can dry your hair or damage it if used excessively. Best avoid it for safety, as you should get all the sillage (fancy name for how far your perfume travels away from your body) that you need from your skin and clothes.

Top Ups are ok.

Generally speaking, a good 'Eau de Parfum' will last around 6 to 8 hours on your skin.

However, perfumes are comprised of Top, Middle and Base notes. This shows you how a fragrance will evaporate over time, with the top evaporating first (usually, in under 2 hours) and the base evaporating last. 

This means that if you've sprayed your fragrance on before work, then by the time you finish work it will smell pretty different, as the top and middle notes will have disappeared.

So if you're heading out for drinks after work, don't be afraid to re-apply your fragrance and get a second round of those delicious top notes.

How much do I spray?

There is only one correct answer for this; it depends.

Think of it a bit like seasoning a meal. The only real way to know how much is enough is by slowly adding to the dish, tasting and judging it.

Start out with 3 or 4 sprays, gauge the reaction from other people and adjust accordingly.

Don't Rub

This sounds a bit silly, but rubbing your perfume into your skin can dull its beautiful top notes and have an effect on the fragrances longevity. Just spray it on and let it settle by itself.

What distance do I spray from?

Most perfumes contain 'Denatured Alcohol', which is there to carry the oil and (very handily) evaporates extremely quickly, so that you don't notice its scent.

However... spraying it closely doesn't give the mixture as much space, so the alcohol will take longer to evaporate and you'll be able smell it or a minute or so.

Alcohol has a numbing effect on your olfactory system, so if you take a big sniff of it your nose will tire much quicker.

So if you're testing fragrances, it's best to spray from a bit of a distance (approx 20cm or so) so that the alcohol disappears quickly. That way you don't have to wait to try it and your nose won't tire as fast.

If however, you are wearing the fragrance we'd recommend to spray it a little closer and this is simply so that you don't waste it by spraying it partly on yourself and partly into the air around you.

Find The Right One For You.

Fragrance isn't a one size fits all and your personal taste has a deeply complex structure.

Click here to explore your personality and find the perfect fragrance for you.