7 Weird Perfume Habits That Make Me The Best-Smelling Person In The Room
The best people are a little weird. Maybe you talk to your plants or swear pineapple belongs on pizza. Me? I have a few perfume habits that I’ve been told are pretty unusual.
While we’re taught to apply fragrance to our pulse points or spray a cloud and walk through it, I’ve always done things differently. Over the years, these quirky rituals — along with my work as a fragrance content creator and background in scent chemistry — have earned me compliments, helped me get more out of the fragrances I wear, and changed the way I experience scent.
Without further ado, here they all are for your perusal.
Having a “foundation” or a “base” scent
I’m convinced that a base scent — a fragrance used as a foundation layer before applying another over the top — acts like a tether for all my other perfumes, giving me a very specific, recognizable scent profile. Base fragrances can be worn at any time, for any occasion, either on their own or layered. Think of them as wardrobe essentials, like a tank top or a great pair of shoes.
The best foundational fragrance notes tend to smell light and subtle. Think citrus notes like lemon, mandarin, and bergamot, as well as aldehydes (molecules that lend a clean, soapy quality), and sandalwood, a warm, creamy, woody note. In my experience, these fragrance profiles rarely clash with bolder notes, like oud or florals, and they never come across as screechy.
One of my favorite foundational fragrances is BVLGARI Eau Parfumée Thé Vert Eau de Toilette, with zingy bergamot, refreshing tea leaves, and creamy neroli, an oil derived from the fragrant blossoms of the bitter orange tree. Then there’s Xerjoff Pikovaya Eau de Parfum, which mixes sandalwood, sparkling aldehydes, and citrus with the scent of retro soap shavings. It’s basically a white chiffon blouse in a bottle.
I also love Santa Maria Novella Freesia Eau de Cologne. Even though it’s a floral fragrance, it’s like smelling sweet, airy freesias from three feet away, thanks to the ozonic notes that give it such a fresh profile. Last but not least is Guerlain Samsara Eau de Parfum. I truly believe the sandalwood here can blend with almost any other fragrance profile, transforming it while emphasizing its best notes. Think of it as that one person who can charm and talk to anyone.
If you don’t want to buy an additional fragrance, look for a scented body lotion or body wash with these notes instead. It can be just as effective at creating a fragrance foundation.
Wearing perfume on the bottom of your pants
This might sound unhinged, but trust me — it’s the ultimate fragrance life hack. I can love a perfume, but once I apply it to my décolletage or neck, it can become overwhelming. A simple workaround is to spray the bottom of your pants instead; the calf or ankle area is the sweet spot.
There’s method to it. Linda Pilkington, founder of perfume brand Ormonde Jayne, recently told me that opening windows can actually help scent disperse when you’re burning candles or using diffusers, as the airflow helps circulate the fragrance. The same principle applies here. As we walk, the scent gradually scatters into the air, giving us occasional, enjoyable wafts rather than an overstimulating cloud of perfume. This trick works particularly well with stronger fragrances, such as ouds and ambers, as well as extraits — perfumes with a much higher concentration of fragrance oil than eau de parfums or eau de toilettes. Oddly enough, people seem to notice my fragrance even more this way.
Keeping bakhoor packets tucked among folded clothes
Scenting rooms with bakhoor — an incense made from wood chips soaked in fragrant oils blended with resins, spices, and musk — is a ritual that originated in the Middle East, where the wood is traditionally burned over charcoal to release its scent. The fragrant plume can be used to perfume almost anything, from damp hair and clothes to the entire house.
One day, I accidentally ordered far too many packets of bakhoor from Amazon, so I started storing them slightly open among my folded clothes. My clothes were lightly scented before I’d even applied my perfume. I love the subtle aroma, like oud-infused laundry detergent. Happily, bakhoor pairs well with most fragrances, but it’s always worth doing a quick test spritz before committing to a new perfume combination.
Fragrance shopping with friends — & testing scents on them
Luckily, my friends are just as fragrance-obsessed as I am and are happy to be my human guinea pigs (or my walking tester strips) when we go perfume shopping. Swapping samples and seeing how scents wear on each other is essential. I’ve often been “nose-catfished,” loving a fragrance at the opening only to dislike the dry down. Having my friends wear a scent and smelling it on them later lets me test it more objectively, without my own judgement getting in the way. Plus, it makes for a fun day out.
Not applying perfume to already worn clothing
Growing up, the mouth-watering scent of ginger, garlic, and spices was always present at home. As delicious as it was, I didn’t like those aromas clinging to me. I tried masking them with perfume, but the cooking smells always lingered in the background. Because of this, I now keep jackets and clothes I plan to wear outside far away from the kitchen to avoid absorbing cooking smells.
In restaurants, that’s harder to avoid, but if the scent on my clothes is particularly strong, I’ll apply Lush’s Dusting Powder to my arms and chest to quieten it. The powders can help mask or cover almost any lingering smell.
Spraying fragrance on book pages
Scent and memory are closely intertwined. At college, during exams, I would spray a specific scent on the pages of my textbooks while studying, and I would go into the exam wearing that same scent. I found I could remember almost everything.
I’ve really found scent to help with my studying and concentration, and it even works if you want to set the mood for reading for pleasure. For this, I would stick to eau de toilettes rather than extraits or perfume oils. You don’t want the scent to be too overpowering (it may distract you from reading if it’s strong), and you don’t want to stain the pages, either.
Avoiding fragrance at bedtime, except for one product
In theory, bedtime fragrance — especially soothing notes like amber and lavender — is a nice idea. The reality for me can be quite different. I avoid fragrance of any type immediately before bed because I want to rest and I know if I wear a fragrance, my mind will be constantly whirring.
If you’re intrigued by the idea of bedtime fragrance, opt for notes such as rosemary, lavender, or sage, which are known for their calming effects. Also, instead of spraying them immediately before sleeping, or onto your skin or pajamas, try spritzing them in the air or using a ceramic diffuser an hour or two before bed to get used to the scent, so the brain doesn’t register it as new stimuli and fixate on it.
That said, scented body wash is the perfect solution. When I shower before bed, it’s like my brain acclimates to the scent, helping me drift off.
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