Grooming
Where to spray fragrance so it lasts
When to apply it, where to spray it, how much to use, and how to choose a scent worth wearing.
The same bottle can last two hours or twelve. Most of the difference comes from when you apply it and where.
Apply after a hot shower
Warm, clean skin takes fragrance best. After a hot shower, pat dry, apply an unscented moisturiser, then spray. Hydrated skin holds scent far longer than dry skin, which lets it evaporate within hours.
Where to spray
Sides of the neck: one spray, held 15 cm from the skin.
How much to use
Three to five sprays of an eau de toilette, or two to four of an eau de parfum. Within about twenty minutes your nose stops registering your own scent. Other people still notice it, so resist the urge to reapply.
Spray your clothes too
Fabric holds fragrance longer than skin. A light mist on a scarf, jacket lining or knit lasts into the next day. Test on an inside seam first, as some oils can mark silk and pale fabrics.
Choosing a fragrance
Concentration sets longevity. Eau de toilette is lighter and suits the office; eau de parfum lasts longer and projects more in the evening.
Build a wardrobe of two. A fresh scent, citrus, aromatic or aquatic, for daytime and warm weather. A deeper one, woody, amber, leather or spice, for evenings and winter. Always test on skin and wear it for a few hours before buying, because a fragrance changes as it dries down.
The preselection trick
Some men add a single spray of a softer, sweeter fragrance, often one marketed to women, beneath their own scent. The idea comes from dating psychology: preselection, the theory that a man who appears to have recently been close to a woman becomes more interesting to others. One spray, on the collar or chest, never more. It should read as a trace, not a second fragrance.
