At KDJ, studying perfume is vital for us in order to create the best products on the market. This article hones in on how weather can affect fragrance functionality. Read on to learn more about this interesting topic.
Perfume performance is mainly driven by evaporation and diffusion. You smell a fragrance because its aromatic molecules evaporate from your skin/clothing and into the air. When the temperature rises, a liquid’s vapour pressure increases, which usually increases evaporation rate, so more scent enters the air faster. The weather also changes your skin via oil, hydration and sweat, and studies show that skin properties measurably affect how fast fragrance molecules evaporate from different people.
Hot Weather
In hot weather, higher skin temperature accelerates evaporation. In the real-world, that often means a stronger opening (top notes jump out) but shorter overall wear, because the most volatile materials burn off sooner. Heat can also amplify how loud a scent feels in close proximity. So, what should you do about this? KDJ recommends fewer sprays, more targeted placement, and making sure to avoid rubbing.
Cold Weather
In cold weather, evaporation slows, so longevity can improve. However, projection often drops because fewer molecules are volatilising into the air at any moment. Humidity matters too. At very high relative humidity, evaporation is inhibited in general physics terms, while real-world fragrance can feel heavier because moisture and warmth keep scent closer to the skin and slow the dissipation process. There is also airflow to consider, but if you want to know what to do about all this, KDJ recommends applying your fragrance to warm pulse points and lightly on clothing/scarves, and consider one extra spray compared to summer, so the scent has enough lift to make it through your layers.
