Spraying perfume onto your armpits poses as another potential cause of irritation. The interaction between your perfume and your armpits' sweat glands could result in itching and burning.
“Don't cover it up with your clothing,” he says, and instead target areas exposed to the air: the pulse points of the neck and the wrists or inner elbows, if you're wearing a sleeveless blouse. The only exception, however, is if you're in an intensely hot climate—then it's best to not apply scent directly to your body.
When applying perfume correctly, you want to hit all the right spots. "It's important to select the areas of the body that are naturally warm and moist, like the insides of the elbows, back of the knees, chest, and the sides of the neck," says Milèo. "These areas allow the perfume to be truly enjoyed.
How can perfume negatively affect your skin? "Sprayed directly onto skin, perfume is so aggressive that it undermines skin's ability to protect itself against UV damage. That means that perfume-covered skin becomes more vulnerable to sun damage and ageing pigmentation."
"Your ankles are always in motion, so it helps project the fragrance wherever you go," says Claisse. "It continues the scent from head to toe." Claisse recommends applying your scent on your body before putting on your clothes, so that the fragrance can absorb into your skin.
Apply immediately after you shower
Your open pores will soak up the scent and leave your skin smelling fabulous all day long. However, don't apply the perfume while your skin is still wet as it will only rub off when you dry yourself!
It's places like the inside of your wrists, inner elbows, below your belly button, behind your ear lobes, and the back of your knees. These warm spots on your body emit extra body heat, which helps to naturally diffuse a scent.
Olfactory adaptation
The fact that we no longer smell our perfume is part of a physiological process of olfaction. With our own scent, the stimulation of our olfactory sensors is permanent. This is also the case with the smell of our home, or a perfume that we wear very often.
Put on Pulse Points
Your neck, wrists, backs of knees, and other pulse points emit more heat than other parts of your body. And that heat actually activates and maximizes your perfume.
Behind the Ears
Like your wrists, the areas behind your ears are considered "pulse points," where the veins are closest to the skin, thus generating more heat and amplifying your scent.
If the scent has a high alcohol content, it's best to apply it on the skin. If the fragrance has a low alcohol content, it can be sprayed on clothes for a more subtle and long-lasting effect. Remember, a fragrance is an extension of your personality, so wear it wherever you feel most comfortable."
YOUR NECK. You probably already know that you should spray perfume on your neck, but it's still worth mentioning! Beyond simply spritzing your skin, you may also want to consider wearing a necklace that contains a fragrance. These are specially made to contain an aroma and leave your neck smelling good all day long.
The answer has to do with hormones—specifically, pheromones. “Pheromones are chemicals that animals and humans produce, which change and influence the behavior of another animal or human of the same species,” says Erica Spiegelman, wellness specialist, recovery counselor, and author of The Rewired Life.
Eating healthy and whole foods rich in antioxidants can help keep you smell good without cologne. Foods like berries, nuts, seeds, dark leafy greens, and citrus fruits are all excellent sources of antioxidants that help keep the body clean from the inside out.
The short answer is yes. How long perfume lasts depends on the chemical composition and how the perfume is stored. Many perfumes don't have a set expiry date and can last between 1-10 years. Perfume shelf life depends on how it's stored.
Spray your fragrance towards your pulse points: wrists, neck, décolleté, behind the ears. Concentrated areas of heat will diffuse the perfume and help it linger longer. Maintain some distance between the perfume's vaporiser and your skin.
When spraying the perfume make sure to distance the sprayer 4-6 inches or 10-15 centimeters from the skin. The reason for this is because that way you will cover the bigger surface on the skin and perfume will work much better as it's not oversaturated on a single spot.
Moisturize First
"Fragrances will 'stick' to moisturized skin longer, and you will smell the scent throughout the day." For best results, shower, pat dry, then moisturize before spritzing.
Studies show that fragrance has the power to significantly affect your mood, reduce stress, and relax your muscles—all things that you want before hitting the sheets. It's the same reason why hotels and Airbnb hosts use bedroom-specific scents to help guests achieve a better night of sleep.
Too little will go unnoticed, and too much will attract attention for all the wrong reasons, as well as getting up your own nose – but how many sprays is too many? We recommend no more than 5, no less than 2 and space them out (wrists, neck and body) to make the scent even.