Every fragrance has characteristics, but scent trail, longevity, projection, and sillage are among the basic ones. We use these terms to describe every perfume or cologne, to give an idea of what’s happening after you put a few sprays on your skin.
We can’t expect every fragrance to be the same. Some brands are dedicated to longevity for fair value, and others aim to use quality ingredients, even though it means moderate sillage and moderate to weak longevity. But, some brands try to put all the best characteristics the customers prefer. And we must say, every guy wants a long-lasting scent without spending a fortune on it.
As one of the greatest examples nowadays, we can take the popular Missoni Wave – and if you haven’t heard about it, find here more useful information. But, is that enough for you? Can you do something to make any perfume last longer on your skin?
Table of Contents
Ultimate Tips for Modern Men
Here are some tips every guy should know before applying their favorite fragrance:
1. Layer it with fragrant cosmetics products
Layering your cologne with other scented products, such as aftershave or body lotion, can help to prolong the scent. This is a very common practice that even ladies use to extend the longevity of their perfume.
You can often see that perfumes come in sets with body lotion, body wash, and/or spray, so you can layer the fragrance with the same scent profile. But, you aren’t limited to it.
As we mentioned Missoni Wave at the beginning, we will use the same example again. You can use aftershave and deo-spray, and then spray the cologne a few times all over your body. This way, you capture the scent molecules and make your cologne last longer.
2. Moisturize your skin first
Skin moisturizers are a must, especially if you have dry skin. Dry skin absorbs the perfume oils quickly, so it seems like your perfume isn’t durable. Moisturizing your skin before applying cologne can help the scent last longer.
When the skin is properly moisturized, you can enjoy a long-lasting scent, even if you use a weak perfume that doesn’t project much. Apply unscented body lotion, so its scent molecules won’t mix with your fragrance.
Even ladies use this trick, and you can indeed trust them when it comes to using fragrances and other cosmetic products.
3. Don’t skip the pulse points
Pulse points like behind your ears, on the neck, wrists, inner elbows, and even inner knees. Pulse points mean the vessels are closest to the skin, making you warmer there. And warmth releases the scent molecules better than anything. It is important to note that while these are common pulse points, fragrance can be applied to any area of the body as per personal preference.
Many apply fragrance to their clothes, because textile encapsulates the scent, making it last longer. But, be careful, because some fragrances can leave yellowish spots on brighter clothes.
4. Ensure you care for your fragrances properly
Fragrances are made of scent oils, alcohol, and scent molecules. Manufacturers use alcohol to keep the formula stable for longer. Once you open your fragrance and spray it for the first time, a little air gets inside the bottle and mixes with the liquid part. Yes, that means your perfume starts spoiling, but the good thing is that you can stop this process, and ensure it lasts longer on your skin and in your drawer.
Avoid throwing out the box when you open the perfume. The original box protects the bottle from direct light and heat. If you don’t keep the boxes, ensure you store your perfume in dark places, where no sunlight or any other type of light reaches it.
Scent molecules and oils are pretty unstable, and heat and light can speed up the spoiling process. But, if you store your fragrance properly, you can have it for more than a decade, while it keeps getting better because of the maceration process.
You will be surprised how better your perfume performs on the skin, even when it’s a few months old (but still stored properly).
5. Apply perfume on a clean skin
Good hygiene is a must when it comes to using any fragrant product. That means, using cologne right after you were at the gym before you have a shower, is a big no. Can you imagine how sour would you smell if you mix your perfume with sweat on your skin?
You can use a deodorant to mask any unpleasant smell until you go home for a shower, but don’t apply any perfume until then.
Every perfume smells better when applied on clean and moisturized skin. It doesn’t matter if your sweat doesn’t have a strong and unpleasant smell, because your skin isn’t clean and perfume mixed with some dirt is a recipe for a horrible smell.
6. Use fragrances with more perfume oils
Eau de parfums and extrait de parfums have higher concentration of fragrant oils and dry materials. On the other hand, eau de toilette is usually a fresher and weaker version of your favorite scent. Eau Fraiche and eau de cologne are the weakest concentrations, and you can’t expect much longevity from them.
Body mists can enhance the smell of your perfume, and you can make it last longer too. But the choice is up to you because everyone has different preferences on how strong you want to smell.
Conclusion
As you can see, you need to follow simple rules to make your fragrance last longer. You can focus on more expensive brands and hope for the best, or you can experiment with more budget-friendly scents, and find the best one for your money.
We must say that these tips won’t do any miracles for weaker perfumes. Still, you can use them to try and get the best from your new fragrance.
In the end, it’s more important to always maintain good hygiene habits. That’s more important compared to any cologne you plan on using and its longevity.
