Forget #BeastMode, Here’s How To Make Your Fragrance Last

1. It’s going to take a few attempts

Unless you’re an expert perfumer, or ‘nose’, you need to allow for some trial and error. “Each fragrance is its own tiny masterpiece and was created with enormous skill and passion to be one single sensorial experience. Getting the combination right is tricky and can be like pouring Claridge's Hollandaise Sauce over The Wolseley's Creme Brulee,” explains fragrance expert and journalist, Alice du Parcq.

There are some classic combinations that work well. If you’re a fan of sandalwood perfumes, adding something citrusy is usually a winner. For the gourmand perfume fiends out there, combining vanilla scents with woody fragrances can give the sweeter notes a warm, elegance that works perfectly in the evening.

2. Skin Scents Are A No-Brainer

If you want to take some of the guess work out of fragrance layering, we highly recommend investing in a ‘skin scent’. These are fragrances that promise elevate your natural scent. While it sounds like marketing spiel, the likes of Escentric Molecules Molecule 01 Eau de Toilette, Dedcool Milk Layering + Enhancer Eau de Parfum and Glossier You Eau de Parfum genuinely do smell different on everyone. We’ve written an honest Glossier You Perfume review which includes a nifty tip of layering.

When it comes to layering your fragrance, the beauty of these scents is that they can be layered with almost any scent and give them some oomph. In our humble opinion, these might just be the ultimate beast mode fragrances…

3. You don’t have to be literal with layering

Rather than spritzing a fragrance on top of a fragrance, experiment with giving each scent some room to breathe. “I love marrying two different-but-complimentary scents and spraying one on my wrist and the other on my neck,” explains Alice. “Sometimes I’ll wear one fragrance on one side of my wrist and neck and the second perfume on the other side.”

4. Keep your perfume palette varied

While PerfumeTok might have you stuck on extraits and elixirs, which absolutely have their merit especially during the winter months, don’t overlook body mists and hair perfumes. Coming back to Lisa’s artist analogy, it’s worth exploring different fragrance formats as layering your signature scent with a Sol de Janeiro perfume mist could give you a fun, fruity vibe.

Solid perfumes, like Diptyque Solid Perfume Do Son, £56.00, and rollerballs are very handy for layering and enhancing your scents on the go too.

Our Last Words On Fragrance Layering

There can be no doubt that extraits and stronger perfumes are the simplest way to ensure your fragrance lasts longer, especially if you have a signature scent, layering is a very fun way to experiment. Your choice of fragrance is often seen as a reflection of who you are and layering allows you to personalise it. Yes, you're likely to make a couple of questionable combinations, but you're even more likely to create something incredible.

With slow release fragrance molecules becoming more and more sophisticated, this time next year we'll be talking about another way to wear perfume and ensure it lingers for longer.