It’s one of the greatest beauty injustices: when the weather’s hot and you need your perfume to really perform, it sweats off faster than ever. But while everyone seems to have some secret tip that helps their scent stick, which of the supposed hacks actually work?
To settle matters, Perfume Direct has compiled five tried-and-tested tips backed by fragrance experts, that go far beyond the usual ‘spritz your wrists’ advice. Here are five methods of getting your perfume to last longer and work harder in the heatwave.
Make-up primer
A favourite trick of Gen Z Tiktokers, applying a small amount of a make-up primer (a particular favourite on social media is e.l.f.’s Power Grip) is a low-cost and surefire way to make your fragrance last longer.
Since primers are designed to grip and hold make-up in place, they help anchor your perfume to your skin. It’s basically a neater, non-greasy alternative to when people realised that Vaseline could make their perfume stick around longer – and we’re so here for it.
Inside-out trick
The ‘inside-out trick’ is such a great tip because it requires nothing except the clothes and perfume you already have. According to PerfumeDirect.com’s fragrance expert Jonny Webber, by ‘turning your clothes inside out and misting the lining’, you prevent the scent from dissipating quickly into the air.
‘It works especially well with blazers, cardigans, or the lining of trousers,’ Webber suggests. ‘Fabric holds scent even longer than skin, but spraying directly can stain delicate materials. With your scent in your clothes’ lining, you create a lasting scent ‘halo’ around yourself without dousing your skin or risking fabric marks. And it leaves a subtle trail of luxury as you walk by.’
Science hack
This next trick sounds a bit weird: but it’s been proven your perfume actually settles better if you chill it for a few minutes before you spritz.
‘Pop your perfume bottle in the fridge for 10–15 minutes before you apply it on hot days,’ says Webber. ‘The cold helps stabilise the fragrance molecules, especially citrus and floral notes that tend to disappear fast in heat.’
‘More generally, perfume is not a fan of sunlight or heat, so always store your favourite in a cool, dark place to preserve the formula.’
Gen X’s go-to
This time-honoured hack has been passed down for generations – but while it might be an oldie, it’s certainly a goodie.
Create your own fragrance balm by gently melting a mini pot of Vaseline (or scrape out old, unused lip balms decanted into a small travel pot), adding your favourite perfume, and chilling it in the fridge. The result? A bespoke longer-lasting solid perfume balm that you can easily carry around with you all day and night.
