You have invested in a good perfume. It is time to avoid one of the most common perfume mistakes – applying perfume in the wrong areas where they are more prone to fading away quickly or causing discomfort or worse, breakouts.
None of the below-mentioned places are hard and fast rules, but #3, #8, #9 and #11 are a strict no-no. So if you feel like applying perfume to your clothes because you don’t care about staining or that works better for you, go girl. You do you.
11 Places Not to Apply Perfume
Applying perfume is part art, part science, and knowing where not to spray it can make all the difference. Here are seven places to avoid and why they’re less than ideal for fragrance application.
1. Behind the Ears
Behind the ears is considered to be a natural spot for applying fragrance. It is a suggested spot for scenarios when you hug someone casually while greeting them.
However, applying fragrance behind the ears can attract bacteria due to the natural oils in the area. This leads to a potential odor mix.
Avoid spraying cologne behind the ears particularly when you wear shades, glasses or jewelery pieces.
Moreover, using concentrated perfumes behind the ears can be a potential issue if you have sensitive skin.
2. Hair
Another highly recommended spot for using fragrance is your tresses. Who does not want the scent of the fragrance lingering from their hair with every flip?
Spritzing perfume directly onto your hair might sound appealing. I get it, it adds a subtle fragrance. But, the alcohol in most perfumes leads to dry and damaged hair.
This little beauty hack is great for certain situations when you are in dire need. For example, if you are rushing late for a date.
However, hair starts to get brittle and break easily over time on regular usage. It can even result in split ends, scalp issues like itchiness and hair thinning.
Instead, go for hair mists if you want hair that smells amazing. Currently, I like this Paul Mitchell Hair Moisture Mist.
Do you also face bad hair smell issues and use perfume to mask the foul smell? Check out this guide on why my hair smells bad and how to fix it.
3. Armpits
Armpits, the most obvious place to use your life-saving perfume. Armpits are responsible for most of, if not all, the body odor. Nope.
Armpits are a strict no-area for spraying chemical-laden fragrances. You don’t want to disrupt the natural pH level of your skin and cause irritation, itching, or worse, those little bumps. You should be extra careful after shaving.
Combining perfume with natural body odors and sweat can create an unpleasant scent that you are running away from in the first place.
Rather stick to deodorants and antiperspirants specifically designed for sensitive underarms. Native Vanilla Deo is one of my favorite deodorants. It doesn’t stain my outfits and works well throughout the day. Moreover, it is cruelty-free.
4. Hands
You might be thinking of wrists right now. While the wrist is one of the best places to apply perfume due to it being a pulse point, hands are not ideal for fragrance.
This is because frequent hand washing can quickly remove the fragrance. This could lead to frequent perfume application, and you don’t want this with your expensive fragrances.
5 Smart Hacks to Make Your Perfume Last Longer
The skin of the hands is also sensitive and thinner. Spraying perfume on the hands can lead to irritation. Moreover, hands often touch the eyes and face. So, it is best to keep perfumes away from them hands.
5. Clothes
Spraying perfume directly on clothing can cause stains. Some clothing fibers absorb much of the perfume while others don’t hold scents long. So, you can skip spraying onto your clothes.
But if staining is not an issue, you can still apply fragrance to clothes if that works for you.
6. Neck
Neck is another favorite spot for spraying perfume. Think again.
Using perfume directly on your neck is not recommended. It can irritate sensitive skin, especially since perfumes contain alcohol and other chemicals.
Not only that, applying perfume on the neck can lead to aging, fine lines, and wrinkles.
7. Belly Button
This may sound surprising as it is again, a suggested perfume spot.
But for this one, it is again more of a choice. Some believe it acts as a pulse point.
However, others believe perfume usage around the belly button is not the best choice because the area is highly sensitive. Using perfume here can lead to odor issues, especially if the fragrance mixes with sweat.
8. Private Area
The private area down there is another no-zone where you should not apply perfume. It is best to follow a good hygiene routine for this area to keep the pH levels checked.
The skin in this area is highly sensitive. Perfumes can cause itching, burning, allergic reactions and discomfort. Keep the harsh chemical perfumes away.
9. Near Eyes
Well, ain’t this one obvious. But when getting ready, sometimes we bathe in perfume spray and this scenario can occur.
Do not spray anywhere near your eyes or face. You don’t want a burning sensation or skin breakouts after following a strict skincare regime.
10. Chest
The skin here in this area is delicate and prone to aging and irritation. Avoid applying directly to your upper chest areas if possible.
11. Lips
Lips or mouth is another obvious place not to spray fragrance just because you don’t want to consume it. Fragrances contain chemicals that are best kept away from facial skin which is 20x thinner than regular skin.
By avoiding these areas mentioned above, you can enjoy your fragrance without risking irritation or discomfort.
Where to apply perfume instead?
Now that we know where not to spray perfume, you must be curious about the best spots for long-lasting fragrance. Got you covered – 7 Best Spots for Perfume Application.
Common Perfume Application Myths
Did You Know?
Many believe that rubbing wrists together after spraying perfume intensifies the scent. On the contrary, it fades the perfume quicker by breaking down the fragrance molecules.
Here are 8 Tried and Tested Perfume Hacks to Make Perfume Last Longer.
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