How to Make Perfume Last Longer: 8 Practical Tips

Few things are more disappointing than a perfume you love fading by mid-morning. How long a scent lasts depends on the fragrance itself, your skin and the weather, but a few simple habits make a noticeable difference. Here are eight that actually work.

1. Spray on moisturised skin

Dry skin absorbs fragrance quickly, which makes it fade faster. After a shower, apply an unscented lotion or a light moisturiser, then spray. The scent has something to hold on to.

2. Use your pulse points

Spray where the skin is warm: the wrists, the inner elbows, the sides of the neck and behind the ears. Warmth helps a fragrance open up and project.

3. Do not rub your wrists together

It feels natural, but rubbing creates friction and heat that can break down the delicate top notes. Spray, then let it dry on its own.

4. Spray from a proper distance

Hold the bottle about 15 to 20 centimetres from your skin so the mist spreads evenly. Too close and you get a wet patch. Too far and most of it lands on the floor.

5. Add a spray on your clothes or hair, carefully

Fabric and hair hold scent for a long time. A light spray on a scarf or the inside of a jacket collar can last well beyond what skin allows. Test on a hidden spot first, because some perfumes can mark delicate or light-coloured fabrics, and keep sprays on hair light because alcohol can dry it out.

6. Layer with a matching body mist

A body mist from the same scent family builds a base that your perfume can sit on. Our body mists are made for exactly this kind of everyday layering.

7. Choose a richer fragrance for longer days

Scents built on base notes such as amber, oud, sandalwood, vanilla and musk are generally slower to fade than light citrus scents, which are made of quick-evaporating top notes. If you need something to carry through a long day, try an oriental or woody scent such as Sahara Oud or Altared.

8. Store the bottle properly

Heat, sunlight and humidity break fragrance down over time. Keep your perfume in a cool, dark place, such as a drawer or wardrobe, and avoid leaving it in a hot car or on a sunny bathroom shelf. Keep the cap on between uses.

What does not help

• Spraying far more than you need. It does not extend how long the scent lasts, it just makes it overpowering.
• Keeping your perfume in the bathroom, where heat and steam are the enemy.
• Expecting any fragrance to last unchanged all day. Notes evolve and your nose adapts, so you may stop smelling it before other people do.

A simple routine

Shower, moisturise, spray two or three pulse points, add one spray to clothing if you like, and store the bottle in a drawer. That is all it takes.

Looking for a new scent to try? Explore the Designer range and the Dubai range, or start small with our 50ml Exclusive range.