This new perfume trend is taking off, and it’s set to save you money and keep you smelling gorgeous for longer
Fragrance has always been a little luxury many of us are happy to spend on, but when you’ve splashed out £100+ on a designer perfume only to find its scent completely fades by lunchtime, you begin to wonder if your money could have been better spent.
However, there’s one buy changing that: hair perfume. Instead of spritzing skin and watching the scent vanish within hours, applying fragrance to hair can make it last up to six times longer, according to fragrance experts.
The science is surprisingly simple. Skin is warm and produces natural oils that break perfume down quickly. Hair, on the other hand, is cooler and more stable, which means it locks onto scent molecules and releases them slowly throughout the day. Every time hair moves, a little ‘scent cloud’ is released, giving that freshly sprayed feeling for hours without endless top-ups. It’s a smarter way to wear fragrance– and a cheaper one.
Unlike traditional perfumes, which can dry strands out, hair perfumes are formulated to be lightweight and hydrating. They smooth the cuticle, add shine and help mask everyday odours from pollution, smoke or cooking, leaving hair smelling freshly washed even on busy days.
For anyone watching their beauty budget, the longer-lasting effect means fewer spritzes and far less waste, saving money without sacrificing the luxury of a favourite scent. Even better, hair perfumes often cost considerably less than a designer EDP does. Some designer brands have even started to bottle their iconic skin scents into hair perfume form. Take YSL, for example. A bottle of Libre hair mist will set you back £40 for a 30ml bottle, while the Libre EDP costs £72 full price for a 30ml.
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Our top pick, however, is Sam McKnight Hair’s latest launch, The Fragrance with Benefits, £44, which is putting the spotlight firmly on hair fragrance. With a salon-level scent and formula designed to enhance the look and feel of hair, the result is a mist that lingers beautifully, adds a little gloss and gives you a ‘fresh from the hair salon’ swish.
For those who like the idea of perfumed strand but don’t want to spend heavily, there are plenty of affordable options available on the high street. Boots’ own-brand of Habi mists, priced from under £10, is being called ‘sophisticated’ and ‘long-lasting’ by buyers.
Then there’s Gisou’s offering. The Honey Infused Hair Perfume Wildflower Honey, £34, combines nourishing Mirsalehi honey and oils with a gentle fragrance so strands are cared for and scented.
Hair perfume may sound like an additional indulgent step in your haircare routine, but it’s quickly becoming a money-saving hack. By clinging to hair rather than skin, the scent lasts far longer, meaning bottles stretch further and favourite fragrances don’t need to be replaced so often.
With options ranging from salon-quality launches to budget-friendly mists on the supermarket shelf, there’s now a version for every taste and every budget.
