Scentsational: 12 Hacks That Will Keep You Smelling Amazing All Day Long

1. Don’t Settle for the Cheap Stuff      

You know what they say — you get what you pay for. Well, when it comes to perfumes and colognes (by the way, the main difference between the two is perfume contains a higher concentration of perfume oils), one way to know if a smell-good is on the cheaper side is if it smells particularly sweet; another way is if the scent fades 2-4 hours after putting it on. Still, another is the more expensive stuff tends to not smell one-dimensional; it will literally have levels of scent to it.

Listen, all of us are trying to keep extra coins in our pockets. Still, if you want your perfume (or cologne) to last longer than the time it takes to walk into and then out of a movie, you’re gonna be better off investing in the stuff that comes with a bit of a higher price tag. There’s no way around that; that’s just the way it is.

2. Stop Shaking Your Bottles

Something that was my “something new for the day” is, it’s not a good idea to shake your perfume bottles. Whenever you do that, you bring air into the bottle, and that ultimately can compromise the way your perfume smells. So, if that’s always been your thing, it’s time to break that habit ASAP.

3. Keep in Mind That Perfume Actually Does Expire

If you’ve had some perfume bottles since, hell, you don’t even know when, it might be time to toss them. Although you may have never even considered this point, word on the street is that perfume does indeed expire. Some ways to know is if one of your perfumes has a sour or metallic smell to it, it changes color, or if you’ve had it for a decade or longer — if any of these boxes check off, get something else. It’s (past) time.

(By the way, if you were wondering, it would appear that muskier scents last longer than citrusy ones do. Just an FYI.)

4. “Seal Your Skin” After Getting Out of the Bath/Shower

It might surprise you to know that lotions and moisturizers are actually a pretty controversial topic when it comes to skincare experts. Some frown upon them because they make it difficult for dead skin cells to naturally remove themselves from your body. Others say that regular application of them can alter the chemistry of your skin and make hydration from the inside out more difficult.

Others say that the real key is to not moisturize excessively and to avoid products that contain ingredients like parabens, mineral oil, and artificial fragrances. Personally, I haven’t used lotion in years. I prefer to go the carrier oil route; they contain properties that are good for your skin, plus they are better at moisturizing your skin in a more beneficial way.

How I apply them is I put on my favorite carrier oil (currently, it’s plum oil) right after doing a final rinse in the shower. I let the oil penetrate my skin for a couple of minutes, and then I dry off. The moisture lasts all day, my skin feels super smooth, and I don’t have to worry about some random crazy products clogging up my pores.

Oh, and where does the scent come in? I have one bottle of plum oil that contains some of my favorite essential oils. Using that and then adding a bit of extra essential oil after? Chile, you will smell crazy good until the next time that you step foot into your tub!

5. Also, Put a Balm on Your Skin Before Adding Your Favorite Fragrance

Speaking of sealing your skin, did you know that fragrance doesn’t hold up quite as well when it’s on dry skin? That’s why a backup to sealing is to put some sort of skin balm on your skin before applying your favorite smell-good. The moisture that it will provide can easily give you a couple of more hours in the scent longevity department.

6. Apply Your Favorite Fragrance onto Your Pulse Points

Listen, I’m all about making the most out of our pulse/pressure points. That’s why I once wrote “Feelin' On These Pressure Points Will Give You The Best Sex Of Your Life” for the platform. As far as fragrance application goes, because your pulse points are the warmest parts of your body, putting perfume, cologne, or essential oils on your wrists, your neck, in the creases of your elbows, behind your knees, and/or even right below your belly button, this is another way to get the most out of them — if you want the scent to be as strong as when you first put it on hours later.

7. Put Some “Smell Good” in Your Hair

When it comes to what I personally do, I don’t leave the house without applying my favorite scent to my clothing and also on my hair. Now, I will say that since I use high-quality essential oils (more on that in a bit), I don’t have to worry about alcohol drying my strands out. However, if perfume is more your thing, you can still add it to your hair; you just might need to create a hair mist that contains some water and a carrier oil, too, so that you don’t end up damaging your hair (in the long run) as far as using your fragrance goes.

8. Believe It or Not: STOP RUBBING YOUR WRISTS TOGETHER

If you’re someone who applies your favorite scent and then immediately rubs your wrists together, it’s time to let that habit go. Although your wrists do qualify as being a pulse point, rubbing them together only weakens the scent of your smell-good. Plus, oftentimes, people do it before their perfume has any time to dry — i.e., penetrate their skin and that is super counterproductive.

9. Carry Some Scent-Filled Cotton Balls in Your Purse

Here’s a hack that is a true winner, especially if you’re using a fragrance that isn’t the highest in quality. If you know that you’re going to be out for a while and you want your scent to remain as potent as when you first put it on, pour (or spray) some of it on a few cotton balls, place them in a small plastic bag and put them in your purse. Then, you can just reapply the scent whenever and wherever you want to. Brilliant!

10. Strongly Consider Going with Essential Oil(s) Instead

I kid you not — there is a certain essential oil combination that I’ve been wearing for years now, and there is not one day when I am out that someone will not compliment me on it. Not only that, but people will tell me that I “linger” even after walking away. Yeah, I don’t think anything can get me back to using perfume, especially since I know that quality essential oils are made of all-natural ingredients, the scent tends to last longer, I don’t have to break the bank to get them, I can have a ball layering the scents, and they come with their own proven health-related benefits.

For instance, there is science to back up that essential oils can improve your mood, make you more productive, enhance your quality of sleep, relieve physical tension, decrease stress levels, and make it easier to focus — all this, and they can make you smell absolutely divine too? Yeah, if you haven’t tried essential oils as a perfume or cologne alternative…ain’t no time like the present to give it a shot.

11. BONUS: Always Keep the Seasons in Mind

Did you know that some fragrances work better in some seasons than others? For instance, when it’s hotter outside, the heat can cause lighter seasons to fade quicker. And during the cooler seasons, although scents don’t evaporate as much, drier skin can make some fragrances not as potent. This is why it’s a good idea to become a bit of an online student when it comes to seasonal scents.

Spring is great for citrus and floral smells. Summer is ideal for “airy” ones. Fall is good when it comes to earthy smells. Winter is all about intense and woodsy tones (think “fire”).

12. BONUS: Add Some Fragrance to Your Bedding Every Night

Hopefully, you bathe every day. Yet, who said that just because the day is over and you’re about to retire, you still can’t smell just as good as you did before the sun started to set? Adding fragrance to your bedding can also help you to smell wonderful, it can seriously entice whoever is in the bed with you, and, as we’ve already discussed, it can help you to catch a better level of zzz’s.

So, don’t forget to put a bit of it on your pillow and then relax — it could get something special started (cue Tony! Toni! Toné!’s “(Lay Your Head on My) Pillow” and then read what they had to say about the song here. You’re welcome). #wink

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