The people who always smell incredible in the middle of summer are not necessarily wearing more perfume. According to fragrance experts, content creators and perfumers, the difference usually comes down to preparation, placement and layering rather than the scent itself. Below are nine techniques professionals in the fragrance industry rely on to make a scent last longer and read as more personal.

1. Exfoliate underarms before applying fragrance

Using an exfoliating toner under the arms helps keep the area fresh and also preps the skin to hold fragrance more effectively. Smoother, cleaner skin absorbs scent better than skin covered in dead cells or product buildup, which helps a fragrance last through the day rather than fading within an hour.

2. Use a solid fragrance on the ends of your hair

Fragrance expert Lee Howes recommends applying a small amount of solid perfume, formulated with moisturizing ingredients like jojoba oil and candelilla wax, to the ends of hair rather than relying on a traditional hair mist. The solid format releases subtle bursts of scent whenever hair moves, without overwhelming the space around you.

3. Layer a matching body wash and body mist

Fragrance content creator Habiba Suleiman-Adejoh recommends layering products that share similar scent notes, such as pairing a shower oil with a body mist in the same scent family. This creates a fuller, longer lasting scent cloud than a single product can achieve on its own, since the two layers reinforce each other throughout the day.

4. Apply fragrance to less common spots

Perfumer Cherry Cheng suggests moving beyond the wrists and neck to apply scents behind the ears, on the back of the neck and along the inner thighs. These less common application points create a more intimate scent experience, one that feels personal to the wearer rather than broadcast to everyone nearby.

5. Spray perfume behind your knees in warm weather

Howes recommends applying fragrance behind the knees during hotter months, since the natural warmth in that area helps release scent gradually as you move throughout the day. The effect is a subtle trail rather than an overpowering cloud, which works well in warm weather when stronger application points like the neck can feel too intense.

6. Wear fragrance to bed

Cheng also applies a light spray to her collarbones before sleep, treating it as a small nightly ritual rather than a practical scent strategy. She said the habit adds a sense of luxury to her routine and lets her catch faint traces of the scent as she falls asleep.

7. Try a scented dusting powder after showering

For a lighter alternative to spray perfume, Howes points to scented dusting powders as an affordable way to add fragrance to dry skin after a shower. The effect is softer and more diffuse than a traditional spray, making it a good option for those who prefer a scent that stays close to the skin rather than projecting outward.

8. Start building fragrance in the shower

Linda G. Levy, president of The Fragrance Foundation, said a lasting scent begins with a fragranced body wash rather than the perfume applied afterward. Following with a matching lotion or cream on damp skin helps lock in that base layer, giving any perfume applied later something to build on rather than starting from bare skin.

9. Look for fragrances built around Iso E Super

Many scent enthusiasts favor a molecule called Iso E Super, which reacts differently depending on individual skin chemistry and tends to produce a clean, musky scent. It works best applied to pulse points, where body heat helps carry the scent throughout the day. Several scent brands have built entire product lines around the ingredient because of how differently it can smell from person to person.

Scent experts generally agree that a great scent is less about a single product and more about combining several of these habits, layering, application spots and skin preparation, into a routine that suits your own body chemistry.