Finally, consider how you spray your perfume. The biggest mistake people make, says Eckels, is the common “mist and walk” technique. “The ‘mist and walk’ is not a thing,” she declares. “You’re wasting far more fragrance than what is actually landing on your skin and clothes.”

While you may know to apply on your pulse points (as that’s where the skin is thinnest, which means it’s closer to your blood and body heat), you might be surprised to find out that you shouldn’t vigorously rub it into your skin. 

“Rubbing your wrists together, for example, causes the top notes of the fragrance to dissipate and so you never really get the full scent experience (top, middle, and bottom notes) of a fragrance,” says Eckels. “Instead, just tap your wrists together to disperse the fragrance.”

To elevate your fragrance longevity even further, you may even want to spray your strands: “Spraying on your hair as well is a great place for fragrance to stick and last throughout the day because the strands hold fragrance well and leave a trail of scent as you move from place to place,” Eckels explains.

Especially if you have high porosity hair, your strands have an easier time absorbing and latching onto products—perfume included.