The Right Way to Apply Perfume

Last Updated on January 24, 2023 by Ellen Christian

Have you ever walked into a room or stood behind someone in line and been totally overpowered by their perfume? I don’t mean you notice it. I mean you’re almost knocked over by how strong it is.  That’s because they haven’t discovered the right way to apply perfume.

The Right Way to Apply Perfume

Traditional wisdom has always said that perfume should be applied at your pulse points – wrists, behind the ears, behind the knees and ankles. Depending on the situation, adding a bit at your decolletage may be appropriate as well.

While choosing one or two pulse points is certainly appropriate, choosing them ALL is too much and will likely overload those you come in contact.  You want your perfume to be a subtle scent, not an overloading blast of fragrance that’s annoying to others.

Sometimes, you accidently apply too much. Or, you apply a perfume that you realize is much stronger than you initially thought. If you do apply too much perfume, a quick swipe of a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol will fix the problem and remove some of the perfume.

Ideally, only people in relatively close contact with you should be able to smell your perfume. To prevent perfume overload, you can apply lightly to one or two of your pulse points.

If you want a more subtle scent, the right way to apply perfume is to mist it gently in the air in front of you and then walk slowly into the mist. This will let the scent settle on you in a light pattern rather than when you spray it all in one place. As the day progresses, you may want to reapply. Heat releases the scent of a fragrance, so if the day is particularly warm, the scent may fade quicker than on another day.

How do you apply your perfume?

Ellen Christian

Ellen believes you can feel beautiful at any age and size. She shares healthy beauty and fashion information geared toward women over 40. She is a direct sales rep for several fashion and beauty businesses.