Wearing perfume or even aftershave can be a huge part of your outfit, no matter the occasion. Whether you often spritz yourself every day, or save it for an evening event, it’s a very personal purchase. With that in mind, we bet you haven’t given much thought as to how you put your favourite fragrance on, or where you store it.

Both of these factors can have an impact on how your perfume lasts on your skin and in its bottle. So, if you’re an avid perfume user and you’re hoping to get a little bit more out of your must-have fragrances, read these handy tips.

How to apply your perfume correctly

Many people will apply their perfume by spraying it on their wrists, before rubbing both wrists together in order to transfer the perfume on to both sides. The rubbing technique can actually change the smell of your perfume, because it creates friction which can heat up your skin.

When your skin is heated, it produces enzymes and it is these enzymes that can affect the perfume’s scent. If you’re spraying perfume on to your wrists, simply give each wrist a spritz and let it sink in naturally to your skin!

If you often spray your perfume last before you head out, it’s likely you’re spraying it over your clothes. Instead, try targeting areas of your skin that will be exposed; this is why the wrists are often a popular choice.

Applying perfume on holiday can be a different matter entirely. If you are visiting a hot climate, try to avoid spraying perfume on to your skin and instead spray it lightly on your clothing. This is because your perspiration can alter the perfume’s scent on your skin.

Storing your perfume correctly

Perfume is very sensitive to its environment, so it’s important to store your perfume in the right place! Temperature can wreak havoc with a fragrance, particularly if your perfume goes from cold to hot. This can age the perfume quicker and affect its beautiful original scent.

Exposure to sunlight can result in your perfume going from amber to green, so don’t leave your perfumes stacked up on your windowsill! The most recommended place for storing your perfume is in the box it came in, in a place that stays at room temperature.

While buying a large bottle of perfume may seem like the most cost-effective thing to do, it’s important to note that perfume should generally be used quite quickly. A half-full bottle of perfume sat on your shelf for a long time will allow oxygen to start breaking down the scent.