How to make your favourite perfumes and fragrance's last all day!
There's nothing worse than leaving your house smelling absolutely amazing...and coming back smelling like AIR! After all of your hard work: money you've spent; searching far and wide for your signature scent (or maybe just something you really like), i'm sure you want it to last all day. Surprisingly, theres more to making your scent last than rubbing some vaseline on your wrist and calling it a day.
Concentration
The concentration of a scent alone will ensure it lasts all day. Eau de Toilette's are the most common concentration but also the weakest. You'll find yourself smelling like absolutely nothing after just a couple hours, and spending more to compensate. If you've read 'Finding Your Signature Scent', you'll already know that Eau de Parfums and Parfums are my top recommendation! These are the strongest of any scent, and a few spritz' will last all day and sometimes even into the next day.
Hygiene
Every good scent, starts with a shower! What you may think is an obvious rule of thumb, surprisingly passes a lot of heads, but masking body odour - even with the best perfume- is never a good idea.
Starting in the shower, I actually wouldn't recommend a fragranced soap for your shower routine. This should be the step that you strip back and create a blank canvas. Scented soaps have the potential to dry out your skin extra, and also compromise the rest of your routine. If you MUST use something scented, let it be a fresh linen scent at most! Proceed with a scented moisturiser AND body oil. They act as a base layer but also help provide a really nice glow! Two I absolutely adore at the moment are, Dior J'adore body milk paired with the body oil. I'm not suggesting you spend your entire salary on moisturiser every month, but ensure the two have the same or pairing scents.
Layering
Layering probably makes the most sense when needing your fragrance to last. Many people focus on spraying pulse points (neck, ears and wrists), which is great, but I like to take it a step further. Whilst spraying directly on clothes isn't recommended due to possible oil staining, pouring some of your chosen fragrance into the water of your iron or steamer is totally safe! I know this sounds...absurd, but trust me. This way, you're literally locking the scent into your clothes; creating another layer. Doing this with a dupe fragrance will make this step less heart breaking as you're spending less but spraying way more!
Solid perfumes in the form of balms, gels and oils, are a great for layering as they last long in comparison to liquid perfumes. This is the same concept as applying Vaseline before spraying your perfume but even better! It works best when applied to your pulse points, like the wrists and neck. The warmth of your body in those spots will help the scent to diffuse throughout the day for long-lasting wear.
Hair perfumes and scented oils are a great investment, especially for those who straighten their hair! They're basically normal perfumes, just designed with less alcohol to avoid damaging your hair. This is a great layer to add to your routine (although a little extra!), but it's very easy to go wrong by choosing the wrong scent. Like your body oil, choose a scent that is either the same, or compliments the one you're already wearing. Stick with something neutral like vanilla or fresh linen that practically goes with everything!
On The Go
For when you're out and about, top up throughout the day with a travel sized perfume bottle that you can slip into your bag.
With all the tips and tricks available to you, leave your home smelling great and come back smelling just as amazing!