You're Probably Wasting Perfume—Here's Where to Spray for It to Last the Longest

Bottles of perfume are an investment these days, with many easily going for several hundred dollars. Obviously, you want to make sure you’re getting the biggest bang for your spritz. One of the biggest mistakes people make is spraying perfume in places where it evaporates quickly, or where the scent molecules break down more easily. So where should you spray fragrance for it to last the longest amount of time? We asked pros for answers.
Where to Spray Perfume So It Lasts Longer
To get the most out of your fragrance, you’ll want to apply it in strategic spots. “For longevity, spray your hair, apply in the navel, nape of the neck, cleavage, behind the knees, and wrists—basically anywhere where you are prone to sweating,” says Bettina O'Neil, fragrance expert and executive vice president at Scentbird. “As you sweat, the scent becomes reactivated and alive.”

The navel sounds like a weird place to spritz, but this area is warm and slightly concave, which helps trap and slowly release fragrance throughout the day. O’Neil adds that hair and textiles also holds onto fragrance longer than skin. Ever noticed how your hair picks up smells from the environment you’re in? This is due to its porosity and absorption, and also because there's less evaporation occurring. A similar thing happens if you spray a scarf or any article of clothing, O’Neil says.
Best Places to Apply Perfume
To recap, here’s where to spray fragrance if you want it to last for an extra long time.

Nape of your neck
Navel
Hair (mid to ends—not scalp)
Cleavage
Wrists (but don’t press them together)
Elbows
Clothing
5 Common Fragrance Mistakes
Along with spritzing your perfume in the wrong places, avoid these common fragrance application and storage mistakes.

1. Rubbing Your Wrists Together
While applying fragrance to the wrists helps the scent linger longer, rubbing your wrists together is a big no-no. “The friction can crush the fragrance’s delicate top notes and disrupt the natural development of the scent on your skin,” says Kelly Kussman, fragrance expert and founder of Cayla Gray.

2. Applying to Dry Skin
As mentioned above, layering is your best friend when making fragrances last longer. “Start by using a lightly scented or unscented lotion on your skin to create a hydrated base, then apply your fragrance of choice,” Kussman says. “Dry skin won’t hold scent as well as moisturized skin.”

3. Spritzing on Your Neck
This technically isn’t the worst spot to spray perfume. However, because this skin is exposed to air and movement, the fragrance might not last as long as it would elsewhere. The skin on your neck is also thinner and more sensitive, which can lead to irritation from the alcohol content.

4. Storing in Hot/Humid Environments
Always store perfume in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight in order to increase its shelf life. Heat and humidity break down the delicate chemical composition of fragrances, causing them to degrade faster and lose their intended scent profile. This alters the scent so it smells rancid, slightly off, or diluted.

5. Applying Only to One Spot
Fragrance works best when applied to multiple areas. This helps diffuse the scent evenly and, should one area fade more quickly, you’ll still have some working for you elsewhere. Just don’t over do it; a light spritz on two or three areas ensures the scent lingers without teetering into “that’s too much” territory.