How to Make Your Cologne Last Longer
If you invest in a great fragrance, it’s natural to have certain expectations. You want it to smell great on your skin for as long as possible, but you also want to know that the last spritz will smell just as enjoyable and memorable as the first. In both senses of longevity, it helps to know how to make fragrance last longer, and there are a few tips and tricks to realize maximum potential.
Not all colognes are created equal, in terms of their projection, sillage, or longevity—and that’s by design. It’s not necessarily a good thing to have the loudest and most attention-grabbing scent in the workplace (or even on a date), so it’s important not to equate a more robust cologne with superior performance. “There’s a time and place for all types of scents, sillage, and projection levels,” says fragrance expert Emma Vernon, host of the Perfume Room podcast.
More from Robb Report
This New N.Y.C. Hair Growth Center Wants You to Treat Your Scalp Like a Garden
How to Style Your Curly Hair, According to A Professional Stylist
Ultimate Homes: Inside a $58 Million Bel Air Estate That Comes With Its Own Designer Fragrance
First things first, though: Let’s go over the key ways a fragrance “performs”.
Fragrance Concentration Levels, Explained
In any fragrance, its performance is often dictated by the level of perfume oils that it contains—not always, but typically so. If you buy something labeled “cologne” or “eau de cologne”, then it has a fairly low level of perfume oils, thus it may not last as long throughout the day or pronounce as loudly. Below are the most general percentages that are used in each classification; different brands will play loosely with these concentration levels, so just be aware of the sliding scale here.
Eau Fraiche: 1 to 3 percent
Cologne / Eau de Cologne / EDC: 3 to 5 percent
Eau de Toilette / EDT: 5 to 8 percent
Eau de Parfum / EDP: 8 to 15 percent
Extrait de Parfum / Extrait / Parfum: 15 to 40 percent
Still, an EDP could have 8 percent or 15 percent concentration. None of the above says anything about the quality of raw materials used. These are all of the things that dictate the price of a scent. So, again, just use the above as a framework when setting your expectations on how long something will last.
Sillage and Projection, Explained
Aside from longevity, a fragrance’s strength is often attributed to its sillage and projection. Here is what both of those things mean, with some helpful context from Vernon.
Sillage: “This is the odor trail that a perfume leaves in its wake,” says Vernon.
Projection: “This is how far a fragrance diffuses in a space while on someone’s skin,” she explains.
Vernon adds that in some ways, projection and sillage are interchangeable because sillage can be classified as a type of projection. But to differentiate the two, she offers this anecdote: “I live in a large apartment building. I knew that someone on my floor was wearing [a specific fragrance] because I’d get out of the elevator and its aroma would fill the hallway. And yet there would be no one there. That’s sillage—a scent’s ability to linger in the air. Then one day, I finally found the culprit; I got in a crowded elevator and could smell the scent wafting from a specific corner. Despite being on opposite ends of the elevator, I could smell that this person was wearing that fragrance because of its projection.”
How to Make Fragrance Last Longer on Your Skin
As for a scent’s longevity on your skin, and maximizing the morning’s application all day (or all night), it all starts with applying the scent properly. Target your pulse points, ideally the wrists and neck, or dabbing from the wrists onto the neck. The idea here is that the pumping of blood through those veins helps warm up the scent and in turn creates better projection. However, just because this is the proper way to apply cologne doesn’t mean it’s the only way to insure longevity throughout the day.
Here are Vernon’s suggestions. She does add one piece of framework, though, which is supported by the stuff we already outlined above: “Unfortunately, every fragrance is different, as is everyone’s skin.” So, while the below tips can help, sometimes a scent’s longevity might boil down to a dozen unique variables that we can’t ultimately control.
Moisturize more: “Moisturized skin holds fragrance better than dry skin,” she says. So, double down on that body lotion after your shower and before bed.
Apply the scent after showering: Adding on to the above tip…“After you shower is when your pores are most open, and your skin is most hydrated,” Vernon explains. So strike while the proverbial iron is hot, so those fragrance molecules can nestle in.
Consider other scented products: If your go-to scent is also available as a body wash, lotion, bar soap, or even laundry detergent, incorporate those products into your routine. You can “extend your fragrance by wearing it in all forms,” says Vernon.
Carry a travel size: The most reliable way to keep a scent performing well all day? Reapply it, of course. “Sadly, some fragrance, regardless of how you apply it, simply will not last all day long. If you love your scent, meet it where it’s at and accept it for who it is,” says Vernon. “Fill a travel-size atomizer to carry with you and re-apply throughout the day.”
Try a Fragrance Primer
One specific longevity tip to call out is the recent trend of using “fragrance primers.” Just think of this as a base layer that you apply to the skin before you spray on the scent itself—their ingredients and formulas promise to help magnify the scent’s performance. But it’s worth taking with a grain of salt.
“I’m wary of claims [from primers] with guaranteed increased efficacy percentages, or x amount of hours promised. For me, a good primer just makes a fragrance better than it is without it.”
If you want to hedge your bets on a primer, Vernon suggests Future Society.
Future Society Optimal Habit Fragrance Extending Primer
“What I have noticed and enjoyed about this product in particular is that it extends the top and heart notes (typically the first to dissipate) of certain fragrances,” she says. “It’s had no negative impacts—only either positive or neutral, so why not use it?”
How to Maximize Your Cologne’s Shelf Life
Most scents, no matter their concentration, should last five years or longer if you follow these two core rules. (And when a scent “goes bad” it usually just means that it flattens or doesn’t perform well at all.) But the best ones, when cared for properly, can smell every bit as wonderful decades after you’ve purchased them.
Keep out of direct sunlight: Letting a fragrance roast in the sun is the fastest way to ruin it. Please don’t.
Store it in a cool, dry place: In fact, treat your scent like a nice wine, says Vernon. No, you don’t need a separate cellar for it, but keep it at room temp and avoid leaving it in the bathroom. “Bathrooms have fluctuating temperatures and humidity, both of which drastically impact shelf life,” she explains.
Best of Robb Report
Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
