I’m a beauty editor, so it’s no surprise that I love fragrance… and I mean it Love. I own more than 25 bottles of perfume. They now sit on my dresser and paint the wall behind it in different shades of gold, amber and pink depending on the color of the liquid inside. My little perfume apothecary brings me joy and allows me to change my scent according to the situation and season I am in.
There’s only one thing I don’t like about fragrances, and that’s the fact that some of them simply don’t last long. I spray them on my pulse points in the morning, and they don’t even linger until lunchtime. No matter how sweet, sultry, or intoxicating a perfume smells, it’s just not worth it if it doesn’t last, especially if that scent comes with an expensive price tag.
So, what’s a girl to do? Well, there’s always a scent primer. Yes, you read that correctly. There is a fragrance primer, and like a makeup primer, it is designed to prepare the skin for subsequent products (in this case, your favorite perfume) and make them last longer. The latest to launch promises to keep the scent on your skin for up to 24 hours. So it was clear that I had to try it.
Future society
Optimal Habitat Odor Enhancing Primer
Here is the product in question. It is formulated by Future Society, the fragrance brand known for creating scents using the DNA of extinct flowers. Like the brand’s other products, this fragrance primer is based on biotechnology. It contains ingredients that hydrate, soothe and prepare the skin’s natural microbiome to create the optimal pH for fragrance to bloom. The brand promises that it can extend the wear time of your favorite scent up to 24 hours. That’s impressive, but is it true?
The ingredients include standard moisturizing and skin-soothing ingredients such as glycerin and squalane, as well as biotech ingredients. These include:
Economy: a marine ingredient that hydrates and soothes the skin, reduces oxidative stress and supports the microbiome.
Ceramide NP: an ingredient derived from olive oil that plays a crucial role in the outer layers of the skin.
Sr-Hydrozoan polypeptide-1: an ingredient similar to marine collagen that supports the skin’s moisture and antimicrobial barriers.
How’s that for high-tech? Together, these ingredients not only prepare the skin for fragrance, but extend the life of the fragrance and even intensify it upon application. In other words, it promises to enhance your favorite perfume and prevent you from having to reapply it throughout the day, saving you money in the long run.
I was curious how this product would feel and smell. At first glance I thought it would be a bit syrupy thanks to the milky white color, but when I sprinkled it on my wrists it felt light and pretty much disappeared after a few seconds. There was virtually no residue and it felt more like a hydrating mist than anything. As for the smell, there was none.
I applied it to my wrists and neck, let it dry for 30 seconds and then applied perfume.
Experiment #1: Body mist
Flur
Vanilla Skin Body and Hair Mist
Fragrance notes: Pink pepper, pink apple, sugar, lily, jasmine petals, cashmere wood, vanilla, sandalwood, agarwood
I wanted to test this fragrance primer on all different types of scents, and I started with body mist. This one from Phlur is one of my all-time favorites. I’ve been wearing it non-stop for months and I know how long it lasts, so I felt like it was a good starting point. It usually lasts about four hours before I need to reapply it. When I applied it on top of the fragrance primer, it lasted about six hours. I sprinkled it on in the afternoon, and at dinner, when my friend asked, “Why do you smell so good?” Good luck.
Experiment #2: Eau de Toilette
Dior
Miss Dior Eau de Toilette
Fragrance notes: Grasse rose, lily of the valley, patchouli
Next was an eau de toilette. I reached for a classic: this traditionally feminine scent. Usually this lasts about four to five hours before I feel the need to reapply it. As with my first experiment with the body mist, the wear time was extended by a few hours (somewhere around six or seven). I could still smell it very clearly on my wrists while eating. Again, good luck.
Experiment #3: Eau de perfume
Yves Saint Laurent
Libre Eau de Parfum
Fragrance notes: lavender, orange blossom, musk accord
Now the main event. Eau de perfume usually contains 15-20% fragrance and should last between six and eight hours. For me it only takes about five times. But when I sprayed this sultry scent over the fragrance primer, it lasted for about eight hours. I know because I sprayed it on at noon and got a compliment on my perfume at 8 p.m.
Bonus experiment: Cologne
Jo Malone London
Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne
Fragrance notes: Ambrette seeds, sea salt, sage
Did you know that cologne usually only has a 2-5% fragrance concentration, so it only lasts 1-2 hours at a time? Even though I’m completely obsessed with Jo Malone scents, they really don’t last long on me. If I spray one on my wrists and neck, it usually lasts maybe two hours if I’m lucky. That’s why I wanted to try one of my favorites on top of this fragrance primer.
Spoiler alert: it increased the wear time (somewhere around three or four hours). While this wasn’t the 24 hour lifespan I was hoping for, it was still an improvement.
The verdict
(Image credit: @kaitlyn_mclinock)
While I can confidently say that this fragrance primer extends the life of my favorite perfumes, there is no hard and fast rule about how well it works. Based on my experience, I think it depends on the specific scent you pair it with. Still, I understand how this can come in handy, especially when paired with lighter, fresher, and more ephemeral scents.
It’s worth noting that some dermatologists say that petroleum-based products, such as Vaseline and Aquaphor, can work as fragrance primers because they lock in perfume and extend its life. While these don’t contain the same moisturizing, soothing, and microbiome-supporting ingredients as the Future Society Fragrance Primer, they are inexpensive and accessible. Personally, I stick to the actual fragrance primer to avoid thick, greasy residue on my wrists and neck.
Vaseline
Vaseline 100% pure Vaseline, original skin protector
Aquafor
Healing ointment
Buy more of my favorite scents
Ellis Brooklyn
West Eau de Parfum
Shinier
Glossier You Eau de Parfum
Valentino
Donna Born in Roma Eau de Parfum
Chanel
Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum
Flur
Tangerine Boy Eau de Parfum