Fragrance has been around for longer than we can imagine. Nowadays, it’s a staple part of most people’s morning routines, with many of us not leaving the house without a spritz of our favourite scent.
However, people often make mistakes, without realising it, when it comes to wearing or looking after our beloved fragrancescorrectly.
Check out some of the most common errors below, and don’t worry, we’re here to show you what to do instead.
1. Do not rub
It’s easy – all we do is spray the fragrance on our pulse points and rub it in, right? Unfortunately not. Whilst fragrance should be applied to pulse points (inner wrists, inner elbows and behind your ear lobes and knees), it should never be vigorously rubbed in.
Rubbing perfume on your skin causes the top notes to evaporate before they can settle in. Instead, spritz the perfume on to your pulse points and allow it to sink in naturally. We know this can be a hard habit to break, but you’ll find the fragrance hangs around for longer.
2. Don’t spray onto your hair
It’s a common misconception that spraying your fragrance directly onto your hairwill make you smell of the good stuff for longer. While the smell might be stronger in the short term, it can actuallycause a lot of damage to your locks.
Perfume contains a high amount of concentrated alcohol. This can dry out your hair, irritate your scalp and sometimes cause dandruff. The smell also won’t last as long as you think, so rather than wasting your favourite scent, it could be worth looking at hair mists instead.
3. Store it properly
While perfume bottles look lovely on your dressing table, it isn’t the best place to store them. Ideally, your fragrance should be kept somewhere dry, cool and dark, away from direct sunlight and changing temperatures. This means that the bathroom isa no-no, as the humidity and ever-shifting temperatures can cause your fragrance to react badly.
Surprisingly, the fridge is the perfect place to keep your fragrance bottle due to its consistent temperature and the avoidance of heat, light and humidity. Who knew!
4. Moisturise before use
To keep your fragrance lasting as long as possible, moisturise your skin before applying it. Adding a fragrance to dry skin can cause the scent to evaporate into the air quicker, whilst moisture helps your skin absorb the scent. It can also help to apply a fragrance just after taking a shower, as your skin is moister.
If you don't have time to moisturise fully, apply Vaseline to your pulse points before applying your fragrance. This has the same effect, holding on to the fragrance for longer.
5. Don’t judge too soon
When searching for a new fragrance, don’t rush the process. The first spritz of perfume smells differently from when all the notes are released, which can take a few hours. We recommend leaving your chosen fragrances on your skin for at least 24 hours rather than making a decision straight away.
The most common perfume mistakes people make
Words: Kirstie Fleming
Fragrance has been around for longer than we can imagine. Nowadays, it’s a staple part of most people’s morning routines, with many of us not leaving the house without a spritz of our favourite scent.
However, people often make mistakes, without realising it, when it comes to wearing or looking after our beloved fragrances correctly.
Check out some of the most common errors below, and don’t worry, we’re here to show you what to do instead.
1. Do not rub
It’s easy – all we do is spray the fragrance on our pulse points and rub it in, right? Unfortunately not. Whilst fragrance should be applied to pulse points (inner wrists, inner elbows and behind your ear lobes and knees), it should never be vigorously rubbed in.
Rubbing perfume on your skin causes the top notes to evaporate before they can settle in. Instead, spritz the perfume on to your pulse points and allow it to sink in naturally. We know this can be a hard habit to break, but you’ll find the fragrance hangs around for longer.
2. Don’t spray onto your hair
It’s a common misconception that spraying your fragrance directly onto your hair will make you smell of the good stuff for longer. While the smell might be stronger in the short term, it can actually cause a lot of damage to your locks.
Perfume contains a high amount of concentrated alcohol. This can dry out your hair, irritate your scalp and sometimes cause dandruff. The smell also won’t last as long as you think, so rather than wasting your favourite scent, it could be worth looking at hair mists instead.
3. Store it properly
While perfume bottles look lovely on your dressing table, it isn’t the best place to store them. Ideally, your fragrance should be kept somewhere dry, cool and dark, away from direct sunlight and changing temperatures. This means that the bathroom is a no-no, as the humidity and ever-shifting temperatures can cause your fragrance to react badly.
Surprisingly, the fridge is the perfect place to keep your fragrance bottle due to its consistent temperature and the avoidance of heat, light and humidity. Who knew!
4. Moisturise before use
To keep your fragrance lasting as long as possible, moisturise your skin before applying it. Adding a fragrance to dry skin can cause the scent to evaporate into the air quicker, whilst moisture helps your skin absorb the scent. It can also help to apply a fragrance just after taking a shower, as your skin is moister.
If you don't have time to moisturise fully, apply Vaseline to your pulse points before applying your fragrance. This has the same effect, holding on to the fragrance for longer.
5. Don’t judge too soon
When searching for a new fragrance, don’t rush the process. The first spritz of perfume smells differently from when all the notes are released, which can take a few hours. We recommend leaving your chosen fragrances on your skin for at least 24 hours rather than making a decision straight away.
If you’re looking for a new scent, see more tips on how to choose the right fragrance for you..
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