When it comes to longevity not all perfumes are created equally. “The length of time a perfume lasts will depend on a number of things,” says GH Beauty Editor Fleur Fruzza. “Firstly, the concentration of fragrant oils. If it’s eau de cologne, you’re looking at roughly 4-6%; eau de toilette, 7-15%; or eau de parfum, which is (15-20%).”
It’s worth noting that pure parfum/extrait de parfum is around 20-30% perfume concentrate and would be considered an ‘intense’ version of a fragrance. Note that some brands, however, just add more base notes to their eau de parfums to create their ‘intense’ editions.
Less commonly known though is that the blend of base, heart and top notes will also impact how quickly your perfume fades. “If it’s top-note heavy, these tend to be more volatile and evaporate more swiftly, whereas a perfume with many complex base notes is likely to last longer,” Fleur explains.
And interestingly, where you live or the time of year is a factor as climate affects scents fading. “Hot and humid environments encourage fragrance molecules to evaporate more quickly, while cool/colder climates allow them to unfurl more slowly, meaning the scent is likely to last linger,” says Fleur. Take note for your next holiday perfume pick.
For a fragrance with staying power, she recommends those with plenty of fixative base notes like musk, woods and resinous notes.
How to make your perfume last longer
While all of the above can help guide your selection, it doesn’t restrict it. If your choice doesn’t tick those boxes, or you’re looking for ways to make perfumes you already have and love last longer, there are clever ways to slow down your perfume fading.
We spoke to Jackie Duignan, national training manager at the Clarins Fragrance Group, to find out her top tips…
Know the right places to spray perfume
If you normally just spritz your perfume aimlessly in the direction of your neck or chest then you might not be helping it to smell its best for longest.
“Heat is key in activating fragrance, so I would always advise applying your perfume to pulse points such as behind the ear, the bottom of your throat or your wrists” says Jackie. “This is because your pulse will stimulate the scent perfectly.”
Don’t rub your wrists together when putting on perfume
It’s something we’ve watched women do for years, but it turns out rubbing wrists together after applying perfume to blend the scent isn’t a great idea.