We’ve all been there…spritz on a bottle of your favorite perfume or fragrance before you head out for the day, only to discover that the smell is gone before you’re even out the door! Frustrating isn’t it? The fact of the matter is the way you apply fragrance can have a profound effect on its longevity and ultimately save you some dollars & scents in the future!
Forget what your mom told you about simply spraying on pulse points and rubbing your wrists together…that technique may actually speed up the evolution of the fragrance because of the warmth of the pulse points and may force top notes to “rub off” and your fragrance to disappear faster!(i)
Here are some tried and true tips from the fragrance experts at TerraNova that will help make fragrance last longer on your skin:
- Dry skin doesn’t hold fragrance well, so make sure your skin is hydrated! Use a lotion, cream, or body butter that has fragrance notes similar to the fragrance you’re wearing (i.e. floral, citrus, musk, etc.)
- It’s actually hair, not skin, that carries the smell best! We recommend a perfume essence that has a higher concentration of oils, but if you only have a cologne …that’s fine too. Cologne mists typically have a minimal amount of alcohol and shouldn’t dry your hair out or cause damage to your tresses. If you want an alcohol-free alternative to cologne mist, we also recommend a body mist or body splash.
Cologne Mists, like TerraNova’s Pikake Cologne, won’t dry or damage hair. - Know that certain scents tend to fade faster than others. If you want a fragrance that lasts longer, we suggest sticking with woodsy base notes like (Terranova’s Patchouli, with patchouli essential oil, or Ile de Santal).

- After bathing or showering (we recommend TerraNova’s extra gentle bath & shower gels or glycerine soap bars), it’s a good idea to apply scented lotions and perfumes immediately afterwards,when pores are open, to allow the scent to linger longer.

We hope these tips will have you getting the most out of your fragrances. If you’re looking for the perfect fragrance, make sure to check out Terranova’s entire line of authentic fragrances today!

(i) Daily Mail.com “Fragrance Hacks: How to Make Expensive Perfume Last Longer.” by Sarah Barnes