Concentration sets the clock

Eau de toilette is the lightest concentration most people wear daily and typically lasts three to five hours. Eau de parfum is richer and often lasts six to eight. Extrait de parfum is the most concentrated and can last through a working day and into the evening.

If you want one bottle that carries you from morning to dinner, an eau de parfum or extrait is usually the better buy than a stronger spray of a light cologne.

Base notes decide the finish

Top notes — citrus, light florals — are what you smell in the first minutes and they fade quickly. The base notes are what remains: woods, resins, musk, vanilla, oud, amber. A fragrance with a substantial base lasts noticeably longer than one built almost entirely on citrus and light florals.

Test on skin, not on paper

A paper strip tells you the opening only. Spray on the wrist or inner forearm, let it settle for at least an hour, and judge it then — that middle and dry-down is what you will actually wear. Test no more than two fragrances in one visit so your nose does not fatigue.

Warm pulse points — wrists, the base of the neck, behind the ears — carry a fragrance further than spraying fabric, and skin that is lightly moisturised holds scent longer than dry skin.

Store it properly and it will last years

Heat, light and air degrade a fragrance. Keep bottles away from bathroom steam and direct sun, keep the cap on, and buy a size you will realistically finish. A 30ml bottle you use up beats a 100ml bottle that fades on the shelf.