Whether it’s for a date, job interview, or just because you want to feel confident in your own skin, smelling great can be an important part of feeling confident. Smelling good starts with using the best deodorant for sweating and preventing body odor. However, if you spend top dollar on an expensive perfume like Chanel, Prada, or Valentino perfume, you want to ensure the fragrance lasts throughout the day. Some helpful tips to make scents last longer, include the following:

1. Start with exfoliated and moisturized skin

Priming your skin to accept and absorb your perfume helps it to lock in the scent and give it staying power. Some good skin hygiene tips include avoiding harsh bar soaps that can cause skin dryness, itchiness, and flakes. Instead, opt for a moisturizing soap or body wash that keeps the skin moisturized. Also, abrasive washcloths can actually eliminate the skin’s natural oils leaving your skin feeling extra dry and thirsty for moisture. After bathing, pat your skin gently with a towel and allow the skin to absorb any excess moisture.

2. Spritz your hair brush and clothing

Another top-notch tip for making scents last longer is to spritz your hair brush and clothing with a few sprays of fragrance. This can help you smell good all day long without having to reapply your perfume later on in the day. This tip works especially well if you’re planning on going out for dinner or something special after work. Just give yourself an extra spray before heading out! This helps move any natural oils around so that they absorb better into the skin. It also allows more surface area coverage throughout your body, spreading the fragrance out.

3. Don’t rub your wrists together

One of the mistakes that many people make when applying fragrance is rubbing their wrists together after spraying perfume or cologne. While you might think this helps the perfume absorb into the skin more effectively; this practice actually breaks down the molecules of the scent and makes them much less likely to linger for long. Instead, gently tap your wrists together, which will help distribute an even amount of fragrance without breaking up or destroying those precious scent molecules.

4. Apply petroleum jelly on your pulse points

Petroleum jelly is a great way to make scents last longer. Simply apply a touch on your pulse points and then spray perfume or cologne over the jelly covered area. You will find that this keeps your scent strong for much longer without the need for reapplication throughout the day! The secret b is that petroleum jelly helps seal in the scent molecules, so they don’t break down as easily.

5. Know different types of perfume and they’re staying power

Different types of perfumes last longer than others. For example, an overpowering musk scent will be long-lasting and strong, while a citrus-based scent may fade within an hour or two. Also, fragrances are often sold in eau de parfum and eau de toilette forms. The name differentiates between the amount of perfume oil in the formula. For instance, an eau de toilette contains less perfume oil and more water and alcohol; while an eau de parfum contains more perfume oil versus water and alcohol, thus tends to last longer. In addition, oil-based scents just last longer, in general.