Are you ever fully dressed without smelling like a million bucks? Out of all our senses, the sense of smell exhilarates feelings of passion the most as well as brings back memories we thought we had forgotten. Perfumes date back to the Egyptians who loved beautiful fragrances. The rarity of perfumes made it a product fit for the gods only. The Egyptians burned powdered scents to appease the gods and seek favor in their eyes. It later became an everyday necessity that both men and women used for therapeutic effects and its seductive power. But in this modern-day age, how do you make your perfume last longer?
History of Perfumes, the Lotus Flower, and the Egyptians
But before we let you in on the secret to making your perfume last longer, did you know that Nefertum, the god of beautification and healing is commonly depicted as a beautiful young man holding water lilies or as one donning the lotus flower on his head, an ingredient common in perfumes? One of his many talents was his expertise in making perfumes used for holistic purposes much like modern aromatherapy. It is said he used a bouquet of the sacred blue lotus to ease the suffering of the aging sun god Re.
Recently I was lucky enough to land my hands on a 15ml bottle of blue lotus essential oil and I kid you not, I had an out-of-body experience from the first whiff. Egyptians knew what they were doing when they came up with these fragrances.
Whether you are into floral, oceanic, citrus, or gourmand scents like honey and vanilla, the market for this cherished luxury product is vast enough to cater to your every need. The problem comes in when you douse yourself in your favorite fragrance in the morning but after a few hours, you are back to smelling like your laundry detergent. Is there a way to make your perfume last longer? Keep reading to find out.
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Types of Perfumes
Before we get into the details of how to make your perfume last longer, it is important to know why some stay on all day long while others fade quickly.
In ancient times, Egyptians (again) made perfume by infusing natural ingredients with non-scented oils. For example, they would tie a scented cone made from animal fat to their heads, which would give off a good aroma as it melts. Thank heavens for technology as today’s perfumes are combined with ethanol and water because I don’t think I would have survived the ‘cone-era’. There are five unique types of perfume that differ in fragrance concentration. They include the following in descending order of perfume concentration:
1. Parfum
This has the highest concentration of fragrance of between 20%-30% with the least amount of alcohol which makes it suitable for people with sensitive skin. The scent can last all day when only a few drops are applied. Your senses will be treated to top notes of saffron and iris followed by middle notes of jasmine and cedar wood and finally a base note of ambergris. This right here is a top-shelf perfume that’ll have you digging a little deeper in your pockets.
2. Eau de parfum
This contains a 15%-20% perfume oil concentration. The top note and middle note scents usually fade after around 6 hours leaving the base lingering. It usually includes perfumes made from vanilla oils or jasmine. It is a more affordable option when compared to Parfum.
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3. Eau de toilette
Let’s get ready! The term is translated from the French expression ‘faire sa toilette’ which means to have a wash. It contains a perfume oil concentration of 5%-15% and usually lasts for about 3 hours and leaves a lingering base note of citrus.
4. Eau de cologne
I admit it, I too thought any perfume slapped with the label Eau de cologne was a guy’s only zone. Turns out there are female options in the market as well. This perfume contains a perfume oil concentration of 2%-4% that will last you only about 2 hours which means you’ll have to keep it close by to reapply all day long.
5. Eau Fraiche
The term translates to fresh water. Not only does it contain a low fragrance concentration of 1%-3% it is also low on alcohol which irritates the skin. The low perfume oil concentration allows it to be packaged in bottles. Think of your favorite big bottle of body mist is it Eau Fraiche? Use it after a shower for that fresh (pun intended) feeling.
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Next time you go to buy your perfume use the terms above. Don’t you sound a whole lot smarter now? Let’s now get into how to make your perfume last longer.
Make Your Perfume Last Longer With These Tips
1. Spray the perfume on your body
Imagine this, you’ve been invited to an all-white party that you are sure your clean-freak crush will attend. You spend days planning your OOTD and fantasizing about how cute your kids with your crush will be. Day gets here, you dress up, spray your alluring seductive Eau de Parfum and head out to the beginning of your love story. You lock eyes with your soon-to-be lover and the first question out of their mouth is “What’s that yellow stain on your dress?” Cringe much?
The best time to apply perfume is after moisturizing your skin after your shower. For a perfume to be effective it needs heat, most importantly body heat. This helps activate the scent and makes it last longer. Synthetic fabrics like polyester repel liquid ingredients which result in the yellow stains that remain when you spray perfume. Other fabrics such as silk degrade over time due to contact with alcohol in the perfume. If you really can’t help spraying your clothes, try spraying perfume inside your closet where the scent will diffuse into your clothes without direct contact.
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2. Prep your pulse points with Vaseline
Pulse points are places on our bodies where we can feel our heart rate due to the blood vessels that lie close to the skin. As we now know perfume reacts to heat and the warmth from our blood in these areas will intensify the scent when you apply perfume to these points. Pulse points include your neck, wrists, inside your elbows, back of your knees, and ankles.
Applying a little Vaseline to these points before the perfume will make your perfume last longer as oil holds fragrance. A little trick I also learned was to spritz perfume at the top of my ear as it is naturally oilier than behind my earlobes.
3. Know your skin type
Did you know that your skin can determine whether your perfume lasts or fades quickly? Before buying that coveted bottle of Chanel No.5 ask yourself, is your skin dry, oily, or normal. In the beauty industry, oily skin is frowned upon but when it comes to the fragrance industry, oily skin could prove to be your biggest asset. This is because as we now know oil holds fragrance for longer. If you have dry skin moisturize first with an unscented lotion or lotion with a scent that suits your perfume as this will make your perfume last longer. The alcohol in your perfume tends to fade faster on dry skin.
4. Select perfumes with strong base notes
Just as how multiple colors fuse together to create a painting, so do various fragrance notes blend to create a perfume. A perfume is comprised of 3 notes that is the top, heart, and base notes. Top notes are what lure you in or completely turn you off on the first spritz. They have a light molecular structure which makes them fade away fast.
Heart notes can be detected once top notes evaporate. They usually comprise floral and soft scents like rose and lavender. They last longer than top notes and provide a base for transitioning into the base notes.
Base notes to me are the most important as they are what linger as the day goes by. They solidify the perfume’s scent as well as boost the strength of the fading top and heart notes. Look for perfumes with base note fragrances such as vanilla and frankincense for a subtle scent or cedar wood or sandalwood for a muskier scent.
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Other simple tips include storing your perfume in cool and dry conditions away from the sun, avoiding rubbing your wrists together after spraying as it messes up the layers, and spritzing a little on your hairbrush before brushing to make your perfume last longer.
Who wouldn’t love to smell fantastic all day? Trust your nose to pick the right scent for you and remember not to spray too much. Remember we want to leave people craving for more and not overpower them with our scent. Take perfume quizzes online to determine what perfume suits your personality. Are you going for dark and mysterious, floral and friendly, or a seductive and glamourous persona?
In the words of the great Gianni Versace “Perfume puts the finishing touch to elegance. A detail that subtly underscores the look, an invisible extra that completes a man and a woman’s personality. Without it, there is something missing.” The fragrance world is your oyster and it’s ready for exploration.
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