By Josephine Agbonkhese

What’s not to love about fragrance? From the way it sets your mood for the day to how it changes the atmosphere around you, draws compliments and boosts your confidence.

So, it only makes sense to want a perfume you truly like, to last a lifetime if possible.

Here are mistakes to avoid, from choosing a perfume to applying and storing it, if you don’t want a frustrating fragrance experience.

Applying perfume on dry skin

If you feel your perfume doesn’t last as long as you’d like it to, it could be because you applied it on dry skin. Fragrance stays longer on hydrated skin. So, make sure to lotion up before applying your perfume. A fragrance-free lotion is best so there is no counter-interaction between both.

Storing perfume in bathroom

Storing your fragrance in the bathroom is a no-no even though it may feel convenient. Experts say humidity breaks down the scent faster than if it were stored somewhere dry. Avoid this and your fragrance will last twice as long.

Applying perfume throughout the day

Do you find yourself spritzing yourself with more perfume throughout the day because you feel you can no longer smell your fragrance on yourself? Experts say that’s because your brain has processed the smell as normal and nose stopped detecting it. By re-applying throughout the day, you risk applying too much and emptying your bottle faster.

Buying perfume without testing

Are you buying without testing? Nothing replaces smelling perfume on your skin, no matter how accurate the description of it is. Ensure to always sample perfume on your skin before any purchase if you don’t want to end up frustrated.

Testing different perfumes

Most people are guilty of this— testing different perfumes within a short time frame. Sniffing different blends in a small time frame can mask previous fragrance and affect how your brain computes the smell of a new fragrance. Give your nose a reset before testing the next perfume.

Storing your perfume in the sunlight

You probably didn’t know this. Whether you’ve opened the bottle or not, sunlight and even artificial light can damage your perfume by breaking down its sensitive components. Fragrance exposed to light will only last three to six months at most. Instead, store in a cool drawer.

Having just one signature scent

You may have a favourite fragrance but it only makes sense to have a few you can alternate, especially as scents can help set the mood for the day. Anyway, you don’t wear the same outfit every day, so why do the same with scent?