Are You Applying Your Fragrance Correctly?
Surprisingly, there are wrong and right ways to wear your fragrance. Man For Himself has all the top tips right here.
We use pleasant smelling fragrances to form part of our identity. It becomes part of our everyday style and morning routine.
We also spend rather a lot of money on fragrances, so you want to make sure you are using it properly and prevent wasting a drop!
Types of fragrances
It is worth understanding what type of fragrance you use, before knowing how to actually use it.
The most commonly used fragrances are the eau de toilette and Eau de Parfum.
You might be confused when it comes to the concentration of a fragrance as they contain a certain essential oil to solvent ratio. See below for the concentration and definition of each one, starting with the strongest.
- Perfume (Parfum – in french) – 20-30% concentration – should last up to 8 hours
- Eau de Parfum – 15-20%
- Eau de Toilette – 5-15%
- Eau de Cologne – 2-4%
- Eau de Fraiche – 1-3% – it will last less than 2 hours
If you use a high-quality fragrance it will contain three layers (top, medium, and base). The top layer tends to be the more citrus and aromatic notes and the base, more woody.
After spraying, the scent will gradually disappear through the layers, meaning your scent will change over a period of time. This is known as a non-linear fragrance.
A linear fragrance will probably be made using synthetic oils and will not contain the above three layers. This means the smell will remain the same until it is washed off at the end of the day.
Where To Apply It
Apply your fragrance to parts of the body that omit the most heat. It will activate the molecules within the product. The areas below will be the most effective when it comes to making your fragrance last:
- Wrist
- Inner elbow
- Top of the shoulder
- Chest
- Forearm
- Neck
- Lower Jaw
(N.B. Avoid the crotch! – due to the amount of sweat and it can enhance unwanted scents.)
The Do’s & Don’ts
Do’s
- Spray it 5 inches away from the body.
- Moisturise after showering, before you apply, so the fragrance sits on the skin.
- Target pulse points / warmest parts of the body.
- Focus on two areas of the body (wrist and neck are most common).
- Reapply if you feel it has worn off. That should be after a few hours at least.
Don’t
- Spray it directly onto clothing, as it can stain. Fragrance needs to mix with the natural oils of your skin.
- Rub the fragrance into the skin.
- Spray it too closely.
- Spray it into the air and walk through it – it won’t last.
- Use too much (how much you apply does depend on what type of fragrance you are using i.e eau de toilette will need more sprays than an eau de parfum).
