How to make your fragrance last longer

A fragrance is a blend of materials that do not all evaporate at the same speed. The lightest, such as citrus, fly off first: these are the top notes. Then come the flowers and spices of the heart, then the heaviest materials, woods, resins, musks, vanilla, which form the base and stay the longest. Our guide Top, heart and base notes details this evolution.

Longevity therefore depends first on the composition. It also depends on the concentration of fragrant materials, on the skin (more or less dry, more or less warm), on the temperature and the surrounding air, and of course on the amount applied. That is why the same fragrance can seem to last on one person and fade quickly on another.

Look at the concentration. An eau de Cologne or an eau de toilette contains fewer fragrant materials than an eau de parfum or an extrait. At Tom Ford, for example, Tobacco Vanille exists as an eau de parfum and, under the name Tobacco Vanille Parfum, in a more concentrated, reworked version. Our guide Eau de toilette, eau de parfum, extrait compares the two.

Look at the base. A fragrance built on woods, resins, musks or vanilla keeps these materials longer than a composition made almost entirely of citrus. Our selection Niche fragrances known for their longevity presents several, without ever promising a duration.

Accept the nature of fresh fragrances. An eau de Cologne such as Acqua di Parma's Colonia is made to burst out and then fade: that is its very purpose. Rather than asking it to last, it is happily renewed during the day.

Moisturise before applying fragrance. It is one of the most widespread pieces of advice among professionals: dry skin holds fragrant materials less well than moisturised skin. Apply an unscented cream or lotion, so as not to mix smells, a few minutes before putting on your fragrance.

On clean skin. The best moment is just after a shower, once your skin is dry: the fragrance settles there without mingling with the previous day's smells.

Keep to the same family of smells. A strongly scented shower gel, deodorant or cream competes with your fragrance. Choose neutral products, or the ones the house offers in the same scent when it does.

On warm areas. The base of the neck, the nape, the inside of the wrists, the crook of the elbows: the warmth of the skin there helps the fragrance diffuse. Spray from a few centimetres away, without pressing the bottle to the skin.

Without rubbing. Rubbing your wrists together achieves nothing: the gesture warms the skin and rushes the top notes, the most fragile ones. Let the fragrance dry on its own.

On fabric, with care. A fragrance often lingers longer on a scarf or a garment than on the skin, but it does not evolve in the same way there. Some coloured fragrances can stain pale or delicate fabrics: try a hidden area first.

In the hair, barely. Hair holds on to smells well, but the alcohol in a fragrance can dry it out. A light mist sprayed from a distance, or onto your hairbrush, is enough.

Take a small size with you. To renew a fragrance during the day, a travel spray or a small bottle offered by the house saves carrying the large one. A single spray around midday revives the fragrance without making it heavy.

A damaged fragrance first loses its top notes, then changes character. Three enemies lie in wait: light, heat and air.

Out of the sun. Keep your bottles in their box or in a cupboard, never on a windowsill.

Away from changes in temperature. The bathroom, warm and humid, is one of the worst places to store a fragrance. A bedroom or a temperate room suits it better.

Tightly closed. Put the cap back after each use, and avoid decanting the fragrance more than necessary: every contact with air wears it down a little.

“The more you apply, the longer it lasts.” A larger dose makes the fragrance more present, for you and for others, but it does not turn a light fragrance into a tenacious one: its top notes fly off just as fast. A measured gesture, renewed if needed, is better.

“An expensive fragrance necessarily lasts longer.” Longevity depends on composition and concentration, not on price or on the house's reputation. A prestigious eau de Cologne is still an eau de Cologne.

“If I can no longer smell it, it has gone.” As our tip above explains, the nose gets used to its own fragrance. The people around you often notice it long after you do.

To choose a fragrance that stays with you all day without bothering anyone, our guide Discreet niche fragrances for the office offers suitable ideas and habits; for a first purchase, see Your first niche fragrance: where to start?, and to try before you buy, How to test a niche fragrance.