There are lots of emotions that go with buying a new perfume.
There is the excitement when you finally can afford the fragrance that has been on your wish list for as long as you can remember.
There is the feeling of anticipation of how it will wear on your skin and whether the people you are about to encounter will love it and hopefully compliment you on it.
And…sometimes, there is the frustration that most of you have probably experienced, when a perfume doesn’t live up to its hype and is long gone before you even get to brag with it to your friends.
As much as we would love the whole process of choosing, buying and wearing your new perfume to be an exciting experience all along, some perfumes just do not last as long as others.
So, why is it that some perfumes do not last as long?
Below you will find some of the major culprits for your perfume’s fragile longevity.
The type of your fragrance
Fragrances are made of fragrance oils, called perfume essence, dissolved in alcohol with water. There are different types of fragrances, depending on the concentration of perfume essence in them.
The difference of concentrations in fragrance oils in some of the main types of fragrances is as follows:
– Parfum extract: Has the highest concentration of all with 15% to 40%
– Eau de Parfum (EDP): 10% to 20% (usually about 15%)
– Eau de Toilette (EDT): 5% to 15% (usually 10%)
– Eau de Cologne (EDC): 2% to 4%
The higher concentration of perfume essence makes a perfume last longer, which is why EDP have a longevity of about 6 to 7 hours, as opposed to EDT, which usually lasts between 2 to 4 hours, or an EDC, the longevity of which is up to 2 hours.
The way you wear your fragrance
Believe it or not, but there are certain things you can do to make your fragrance last longer on your skin.
Here are some tips you can use to enjoy your favorite scent for longer:
– Moisturise: Make sure your skin is moisturised before you apply your fragrance, as oilier skin will retain the fragrance for longer. For best results, use a shower gel and lotion from the same series of your fragrance.
– Do not rub your wrists together: The friction may cause the top notes to fade away faster.
– Put some vaseline on your pulse points: The moisture from the vaseline will help lock the scent for longer.
Your skin’s chemistry
You probably know that what smells good on one person doesn’t necessarily mean that it will smell good on you too.
The reasons behind it have to do with your skin’s chemistry, and more specifically your pheromones, also known as your ‘sex scent’. Your new fragrance may or may not be compatible with your natural scent derived by your pheromones. .
The same applies for fragrance longevity. If your skin is dry, then fragrance oils cannot fully penetrate your skin and will evaporate easily, as opposed to if you have oiler skin.
Sweat is another factor that affects the way a fragrance smells on you. Some lighter, citrusy notes, found in fragrances that are perfect for the summer will react pretty well with perspiration. On the other hand, heavier notes, found in fragrances, suitable for the cooler months, such as musk and wood do not do well when mixed with a person’s sweat.
The quality of ingredients and authenticity of your fragrance
Last but not least, comes the authenticity factor. And as the saying goes: “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”, the better and the more expensive designer perfumes get, the more will be the attempts to copy them.
As time passes by, companies producing vague imitations of the original fragrance become better masters at it, but there are a few things that can still help you differentiate between the copy and the original:
1. Make sure you buy from verified sellers: If you are buying online, do not trust just any website that has the word ‘perfume’ in their domain. Always check the website and the reviews they have, which can give you an idea whether you can trust them or not. It is best if the online seller has a physical store in addition to their online one, so you can touch and feel the perfume yourself. If they do not have one, make sure you get to know their return policies.
2. Do a research on your chosen fragrance: Check the manufacturer’s website and get to know the fragrance of your choice – how the perfume bottle looks, what sizes it comes in, where the barcode is placed, where it was made, and so on.
3. Check the packaging: The cellophane needs to be tightly wrapped around the box of your perfume. Pay attention to the print on the box – any blurred letters or grammatical errors are a telltale sign that the product is not authentic. The barcode should be placed on the lowest back of the box and not on the sides.
4. Check for batch and serial numbers: There should be a clearly printed batch number on the box, as well an expiry date and information about where the perfume was made. If any of the above information is missing or is poorly printed, then you are most probably dealing with a counterfeit product.
5. Check the information about the product: On the back of the box, there should be detailed information about the type of fragrance (EDT, EDP etc.), whether it is intended for men, women or it is unisex, expiration date and where it was made.
6. Feel the perfume bottle: Designer brands treat the perfume with the same attention to detail as the perfume itself. The perfume bottle should be made of high quality materials, with a tightly closed cap that is spill proof.
7. Take a sniff: When you first spray a counterfeit fragrance, it usually comes with a very strong smell of alcohol, which should not be the case if you bought an authentic designer fragrance. Fake fragrances are made of low quality raw materials, which will not only vaguely resemble the scent of the original, but will evaporate rather quickly and may cause skin irritations as well.
All of the above factors can affect the longevity of your perfume, so if you are looking for a fragrance that can last you till the next morning, spend some time to do your research, so you can spend your money wisely on a product that you and the ones around you can enjoy for longer.
Do you have any tips for increasing the longevity of your fragrance that we haven’t mentioned above?
If so, share in the comments below, we would love to hear them!