How to Make a Fragrance Last

Fragrance holds better on skin that is moisturised. Dry skin lets it evaporate faster. An unscented lotion after a shower, then fragrance a minute later, is the simplest way to add hours.

Apply to warm points: the inside of the wrist, the base of the throat, behind the ears. Warmth helps a fragrance open and keeps it moving gently through the day.

Rubbing the wrists together is a habit, but it warms and scuffs the top notes so they fade faster. Spray, then leave it to settle on its own.

If you want a fragrance to last into the night, a light spray on a scarf or the inside of a jacket helps, since fabric holds scent longer than skin. Test first on anything delicate.

Overspraying does not make a fragrance last longer. It makes the first hour louder and can tire your nose, so you stop noticing it and reach for more.

With an extrait, one or two points are enough. Reapply only once you've stopped noticing it for a while.

Heat, light and air change a fragrance over time. Keep the bottle in its box or a drawer, somewhere cool and dark, and away from a bathroom shelf or a sunny windowsill.

Stored that way, an extrait stays true for years.