Perfume is more than a quick spritz before stepping out; how you apply it can determine how long the fragrance lingers. If your scent fades within a few hours, your application technique may be the culprit. 

Experts say applying perfume to the right areas and using the correct method can help the fragrance last longer. Instead of spraying randomly, focus on pulse points such as the wrists, neck and behind the ears. 

Refrain from rubbing your wrists together, as this can alter the scent. With these simple tricks, you can enjoy your favourite fragrance for longer.

Apply to your pulse points
There’s actually a functional reason why we tend to apply perfume to our pulse points (like the insides of your wrists and elbows, behind your ears, on your neck, the back of your knees, etc.): The skin is the thinnest at those points, which means it’s closer to your blood and body heat. As you apply it, the fragrance warms; the warmth helps to diffuse the fragrance. Your fragrances smell stronger and last longer.

Keep your skin hydrated
Before applying (or reapplying) your fragrance, moisturise your skin (especially your pulse points) with your favourite unscented oil-based body lotion, but if you want to mix and match your scents, then feel free to use a fragranced moisturiser. The oil-based lotion serves as a fixative on your skin, which in turn helps your fragrance stick to your skin and project more. Dry skin will not hold on to your fragrance as long as moisturised skin will.

Avoid rubbing your wrists together or rubbing on your pulse points
Once you apply on your pulse points, it may feel natural to rub them together to blot the fragrance, especially if your skin feels pretty damp. Rubbing on your skin after applying a fragrance will break down the structure of the perfume. It makes the top notes burn off a little quicker and messes with its longevity.

Spray on clothes
Ever thrown on a sweater to discover it still smells like last week’s perfume, or borrowed a loved one’s scarf and notice how it carries their signature scent? Fabrics hold on to fragrance and the memories tied to it, especially fabrics like silk, wool and cotton.

Know your ingredients
There are perfume ingredients that are Natural fixatives, which help a perfume last longer. Most fragrances have top, middle and base notes. Top notes are the first you smell in a perfume. They quickly evaporate. The middle notes are the “body” of the perfume and take longer to develop on the skin than top notes. The base notes are the final scent to develop and last the longest. They are the fixative that slows down the evaporation of the fragrances on the body.

You have to store your perfumes properly
Store your fragrance in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight. Exposure to sunlight over a long period of time will definitely lead to a deterioration in the quality of your fragrances.