With the UK hitting temperatures of 30oC this week now is the time to revamp your beauty routine to stop your favourite fragrance fading by midday.
These five ‘perfume power moves’ are all you need to keep your fragrance lasting longer in the warmer weather.
Gen Z’s Genius TikTok Hack
According to TikTok, there’s a clever fragrance hack that’s a sure-fire way to make a fragrance last longer: applying a bit of makeup primer to your pulse points (like your wrists and neck) before spritzing on your perfume. Since primers are designed to grip makeup, they also help “anchor” your fragrance to the skin. It’s a neater, non-greasy alternative to using Vaseline, and popular options like the e.l.f. Power Grip Primer or NYX’s Face Glue Primer are proving especially effective at a low cost.
The Money Saver’s Hack
“If you don’t want your expensive fragrance to go to waste when you’re wearing it in warm weather, but don’t want to fork out for extra products, then there are cheap and free hacks you can adopt,” says Jonny Webber from PerfumeDirect.com
“A great money-saver’s hack for making your fragrance last longer is to turn your clothes inside out and mist the lining – especially blazers, cardigans or even the lining of the current trending wide leg trouser. Fabric holds scent even longer than skin but spraying directly can stain delicate materials. With your scent in your clothes’ lining, you create a lasting scent ‘halo’ around yourself without dousing your skin or risking fabric marks. And it leaves a subtle trail of luxury as you walk by.”
The Fragrance Expert’s Hack
Here’s one the French swear by. Using discovery sets are great for lots of reasons, says French-born perfumer Aude Asklöv, but she says to think about how the different notes work in a perfume or when fragrance layering. “Think of perfumes as a wardrobe with different options for different occasions. Discovery sets or collections of complementary scents are ideal for this purpose, offering variety while maintaining harmony within a brand or fragrance family.”
She adds: “Today’s fragrance enthusiasts curate collections tailored to their daily lives, and this also ties into the rising trend of fragrance layering, allowing individuals to build personalised scent profiles. For example, a zesty citrus for energising mornings, transitioning to a romantic floral for daytime elegance or an afternoon outing, and finishing with a seductive woody note for evening.”
The Science Hack
Chill Your Fragrance Before You Wear It. This may sound weird but there’s science behind this hack! “Pop your perfume bottle in the fridge for 10–15 minutes before you apply it on hot days,” says Jonny. “The cold helps stabilise the fragrance molecules, especially citrus and floral notes that tend to disappear fast in heat. Perfume is not a fan of sunlight or heat anyway so always store them in a cool, dark place to preserve the formula.”
Gen X’s Hack
This time-served hack has been passed from generation to generation. Create your own fragrance balm by gently melting a mini pot of Vaseline (or scrape out old, unused lip balms decanted into a small travel pot), add your favourite perfume, chill in the fridge and voila! A bespoke longer lasting solid perfume balm that you can easily carry around with you all day and night. Fragrance clings better to oily or well-hydrated skin, so this creates a sort of base that slows down evaporation – meaning the scent lingers for hours longer without you needing to reapply.
Bonus tip: spritz perfume on your hairbrush too – fabric and hair hold scent better than dry skin alone.
There is an ‘art’ in wearing perfume well, says PerfumeDirect.com’s Jonny. “Pulse points are classics for a reason. But in hot weather, try spritzing behind the knees or around the ankles. These spots warm up more slowly, releasing the fragrance gradually throughout the day. Genius, right? A subtle waft every time you cross your legs or kick off your sandals.
“And don’t rub – spritz and let it settle. We’re all guilty of that automatic wrist-rubbing move post-spray, but rubbing breaks down the perfume’s top notes, shortening the scent’s lifespan and altering the intended fragrance.”
For more fragrance advice and the latest perfumes and aftershaves visit www.perfumedirect.com