MAKE YOUR PERFUME LINGER LONGER
Want your fragrance to trail you through the day? Follow these simple tricks and you’ll be smelling divine all day.
The category a fragrance belongs to is defined by how much of the pure essence or aromatic compound is used in the product. So the first and most important thing to remember when you buy a perfume is to make sure you pick the right concentration – Eau de Parfums usually has 15% to 25% of aromatic compound in them and is said to last 12 hours. Very recently I picked up a fragrance that my best friend had been raving about, it had notes of cherry blossom and of course it was heavenly. But I was extremely disappointed when after a couple of hours the scent would fade away. I later found out that it was an EDT (Eau de Toilette). The fragrance only lasted me just a little over a month because of the number of uses. Lesson learnt: While I wouldn’t mind buying an EDT from sat a Marks & Spencer or The Body Shop; I would stick to EDPs for luxury buys. I do want luxury to linger longer.
India’s pioneering aromatherapist, Dr Blossom Kochhar says, “Try layering your fragrances”, and adds that “how you wear perfume is just as important as the fragrance you choose”. Here are some expert tips on how to make a scent live longer:
Notes are layered one on top of the other to create unique fragrance blends which have a long-lasting effect. For layering your perfume, start simple
Choose vanilla, amber, coconut based scents as they are easy to layer (and they tend to go well with everything).
Understand your fragrance family.
Pick your bath & body products to match your fragrance. Again, it layers the fragrance and locks it in longer.
Think of the shower gel as a foundation. It doesn’t last, but affects the way you wear perfume. Shower gel leaves a refreshing fragrance on the skin, so choose one that matches your fragrance exactly or starts as a light neutral scent. Whether you pick a fragrance-free version or you choose a body lotion that will enhance your perfume is up to you.
I’ve seen one too many people spray their perfumes in the air and then walk into like it’s automatically supposed to cling on to your skin. Hate to break it to you ladies but all it does is create an air of fairytale, giving your room a good fragrance for some time. Let’s please restrict your Miss Dior to your skin.
Go the vintage way. My grandmother always smells good, I love her hugs or just being around her. Her trick to making the perfume last for the entire day is to dab some on a cotton ball and stuff it in her clothes.
Keep your skin moisturised. The more moisturised you are, the longer a fragrance will last on your skin.
For the longest time, I’ve had friends laugh when I sprayed perfume on my hair. But I swear by it! I have no logic or science behind it. It just works for me (a) my hair smells great when I, well, toss it around. And (b) on my hair the perfume lasts longer.
I would love to own the entire bath and body range of Chanel Coco Mademoiselle, but well, it would be heavy on my pocket. So since I can’t afford that, whenever I choose to wear a distinctive scent like Coco Mademoiselle then I use shower gels, lotions or body oils that are unscented to maintain the signature aroma.
Try spraying some perfume on your neck and then cover it with a scarf. This keeps the scent encapsulated and when you casually take it off when you are with friends, the surprise whiff of your fragrance can create a stir and perhaps a signature of you that will live well past the scent’s lifespan.
