Where to Spray Perfume for a Longer-Lasting Scent, Per Fragrance Pros

Where to spray perfume is pretty straightforward—once you find a scent (or scents) you love, you can feel free to spray in a cloud and walk through, mist on your pulse points, or give your hair and clothes a spritz. But if you want to start hearing more compliments on your perfume’s sillage (that’s the scent trail that people around you can smell) or have a longer wear time, we spoke with experts about a few perfume application and layering methods you should keep in mind.

Apply to pulse points

The first, and most obvious way to make your perfume last longer, is applying it to your pulse points. “Perfumes—whether alcohol, oil, et cetera—work through evaporation, so the heat of your body at the typical pulse points is always a safe bet for wear,” says Michael Nordstrand, owner and perfumer of Mythologist Studio, an independent atelier specializing in fragrance creation. “Try behind the ears, nape of the neck, [and] inner wrists.” Try not to rub your wrists together after you apply, especially if you’re looking to make your scent last; this disrupts the perfume’s top notes and can make them fade faster, says Nordstrand. The collarbone and inner elbows are spots that you can also rely on for absorbing your favorite perfume, too.

Spray on hair and clothes

If you struggle to make your scent last throughout the day, try spraying in your hair and on your clothes. “Fibers trap scent better and have the advantage of not being innately warm like the human body, so that is always the best bet to get more mileage out of a fragrance,” says Nordstrand. This is especially helpful if you live in a warm climate, he explains, as the heat of the atmosphere and your skin combined can quickly cause your scent to dissipate.

Just make sure to test the fragrance in an inconspicuous area of your clothing, especially if you opt for a natural formula, like the Orebella fragrances, or a deep-colored juice to avoid staining. If you apply perfume to your hair, note that the alcohol can be drying, which is where hair perfumes come in. “Hair perfumes are formulated to give hair a double dose of fragrance and nourishment. They may or may not contain alcohol but come with a lot of benefits, from moisturizing to nourishing your strands with ingredients such as vitamins or oils,” says Linda G. Levy, president of The Fragrance Foundation. These scents are often lighter than your typical eau de parfum and specifically formulated for the hair, so it won’t dry out your strands, but it will last long. For this, we love the Sol de Janeiro Hair & Body Perfume Mist or the Parfums de Marly Delina Hair Mist.