Hold that scent!

Fragrance primers have begun capturing mainstream attention. But, do you really need one?

- Tejashee Kashyap

For many of us, the rituals of wearing perfume have largely remained the same: choose a scent (or several), mist the pulse points, dab a little on the wrist, and hope the fragrance carries through the day.

There have always been hacks to make your perfume linger, but the market is now evolving toward a new category altogether: the fragrance primer. They're meant to function the way primers do for foundation, but does that translate into longer-lasting perfume?

Once limited to backstage tricks and industry insiders, fragrance primers have begun capturing mainstream attention. Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty launched four gender-neutral scent-boosting balms designed to be worn alone or layered with the brand's debut eau de parfum. Gabrielle Chanel introduced its own Fragrance Primer, infused with ylang-ylang, jasmine, and orange blossom to amplify the floral signature of Gabrielle Chanel Eau de Parfum.

What it is

"A fragrance primer is a deliberately neutral, skin-compatible pre-treatment formulated to alter the skin surface so perfume molecules stay near the skin longer and evaporate more slowly," explains Shehzad Mulla, perfumist and founder, Parfumerie Maison.