7 Tips for Applying Perfume like a Pro

Just as there is an art to choosing the perfect perfume, there is an art to applying perfume. Wearing your perfume like a goddess begins the moment you spritz.
Here are our top tips for applying perfume like a pro:

1. Applying perfume to your pulse points
Pulse points are the parts of your body where the veins are close to the skin, thereby making them warmer than the rest of your body. Applying perfume to these areas ensures that the heat from your body evaporates the perfume quickly so the scent is stronger. However, this also means it will not last for as long. as if it were sprayed on colder areas like clothes and hair. Pulse points are located on your wrists, behind your ears, at the bottom of your neck, in your elbows and behind your knees. 

2. Except in summer
Because you pulse points are naturally warmer than other parts of your body, They can also get sweaty. The extra heat and sweat can break down the fragrance and completely change scent – possibly even turning it into a bad odour! The mixture of your perfume and sweat can even cause skin irritation. Yikes!

In summer, try applying perfume to your clothes instead. Perfume bonds easier to fabric than skin. This will help your scent to last longer. It won’t be as powerful as when you spray on your skin so keep your perfume handy for a touch up spray during the day. Switch to a fresher and stronger perfume during summer to smell like a goddess all day!

3. Don’t spritz your jewellery
Applying perfume onto your jewellery can damage it. Pearls (natural or faux) and plated jewellery are especially susceptible to damage from the alcohol in your perfume. Stones that are soft and porous, like turquoise, can lose their lustre from direct exposure to perfume. 

To be safe, we recommend removing your jewellery first then, applying your perfume. Wait 10 minutes for the perfume to dry and rest on your skin before putting your jewellery back on. 

4. Applying perfume to your hair
Every goddess needs hair that smells divine. Applying perfume to your hair allows it to bond with the fibres of your hair and last much longer. When your hair moves about during the day, the scent that is resting on your hair is lifted off of the fibres of your hair. Who doesn’t want hair that automatically spritzes beautiful fragrance during the day?

Keep in mind that the alcohol in perfume can dry your hair out. Applying perfume to your hair brush, before brushing your hair, is gentler on your hair and will distribute the scent more evenly in your hair. Hold your hand about 30cms away from your brush and spritz once. Try to avoid spraying enough perfume to dampen your brush.

5. Don’t rub your wrists
It’s a classic move that every woman knows – spritz perfume on your wrists, rub your wrists together before dabbing the bottom of your neck.

As popular as this method is, it’s actually a terrible method of applying perfume. Rubbing your wrists together creates friction which causes quick heat. This quick shot of heat changes the enzymes in your perfume. Perfumes are extremely reactive to heat, some more than others. Floral scents, for example, can lose their crispness when exposed to too much heat.

Your perfume should settle on your skin by itself, it doesn’t need to be rubbed in. Perfumes are designed to evaporate at a specific rate to release the bottom, middle and top notes in way that delights the senses. If you rub your wrists together when applying your perfume you are speeding up the evaporation process and missing out on the beautiful olfactory journey that you paid for in the first place.

6. Spritz and swirl
There are some occasions that require a light spritz of perfume rather than a glorious dose. If you know you’re going to be in confined space you may not want to condense your fragrance and over power the space.

A great way to tone down a perfume, especially a strong one, is to spritz your perfume into the air in front of you and walk into it. It is lighter and more even than applying perfume directly onto your skin. When you walk into the perfume it will fall onto your clothes, skin and hair. Not quite enough to over power, but all-there enough to smell delightful. If you’re feeling especially playful, swirl saunter into your perfume rather than walk.  

7. Moisturise your skin
Perfume has a harder time sticking to dry skin than it does to moisturised skin. If your skin tends to be dry, moisturise before applying your perfume.

Allow your moisturiser 5 minutes to settle a little before applying perfume. If you love your fragrance and don’t want to interfere with it, be sure to use a non-scented cream. Or you can enhance the smell of your perfume and make it last longer by investing in the lotion version of your favourite perfume. We sell a range of perfumed lotions.

If you’re feeling adventurous, mix and match different moisturisers with different perfumes until you find your favourite combination!

Bonus Tip: Feel like a goddess
Take a moment to appreciate your perfume when you do apply it. Perfume is a delicious luxury that you deserve to indulge in. When you walk out the door, let your inner goddess out and let your fragrance remind her to exude her confidence.