We did some tests and a popular trick to make perfume last longer actually does the opposite

IF you’re tired of your favorite scent fading quickly, here are some surprising tricks from a perfume expert that can help make your fragrance last longer.

The proof of this is that perfume lasts longer.

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Lisa Hipgrave, chief perfumer at Diem Scents and director of the International Fragrance Association, aims to debunk a popular trick.

“At Diem, we did a lot of testing and found that Vaseline actually inhibits the odor of perfumes,” she said.

She also realizes that not everyone reacts to products in the same way.

“But everyone’s skin is different, so maybe it works for some!” she added.

Hipgrave, who has been in the industry for 25 years, also knows that some things in life are all about timing – and that includes applying perfume.

“The best time to spray is after you shower and moisturize your skin. I actually recommend waiting until just before you leave the house,” she said.

There was a method to her madness.

“Ethanol is a great carrier and helps perfumes evaporate, but it does dry out the skin, so make sure you’re well hydrated,” the dermatologist said.

SPRAY ALL DAY

To get the best scent, the pulse points are also important.

“Pulse points tend to be warmer and it’s the heat of the skin that affects evaporation the most. The hotter you are, the faster it will dissipate,” she said.

This is because natural body heat ensures that the ingredients of the perfume are slowly released.

Other factors that affect scent longevity include weather and the amount of clothing and air a particular area is exposed to.

“For example, if you put perfume on your neck, it’s quite warm there, but also quite sheltered. You can smell it when you lean in to kiss!” she said.

If you want the scent to last longer, you can apply several layers.

“You can do this by using a body wash, lotion, or oil with the same or similar scent before applying your perfume or cologne,” she says.

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“Not only does this make the scent last longer, it also means you are enveloped in a scent with more dimensions,” she added.

According to Hipgrave, evaporation is what makes scents smell. The more you use, the stronger the scent remains.

“Where you apply it will make the scent last longer or evaporate faster,” she says.

“If you apply a fragrance correctly, it evaporates optimally and you can smell the scent for much longer,” she continues.

However, how you use perfume is a personal choice.

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“Some people apply the scent by spraying it on their head, shoulders and chest, so they are surrounded by the scent,” she says.

“But because it’s applied so thinly, it may not last as long as if it were applied to, say, the forearms or wrists.”

She said there is no right way to spray yourself.

Please note that nothing can go wrong if you reapply.

You may not even be aware of how well others can detect your scent.

“Remember that your brain is actively blocking out the environment, so you may not be able to smell the scent while others can,” she said.

This is comparable to when you enter someone’s home and smell an odor that they are probably immune to.