If You Want to Really Wow People With Your Scent, You Should Know This Quick, Hot-Spotting Technique

There I was, perusing Loewe Perfumes's first U.S. pop-up store, an immersive visionary garden and welcome respite from the ever-congested Rockefeller Center. As I meandered through the self-guided labyrinth, sniffing my fair share of eau de parfums and candles along the way (FYI: Black Sesame is divine), I picked up a conversation about "fragrance hot-spotting" as a surefire way to smell delectable. Immediate halt. I had to know more.

It turns out, this quick technique is more common than you think, and after trying it out for the last few weeks, I can confirm it takes your scent to an 11/10. Scroll ahead to start dabbling.

What Is Fragrance Hot-Spotting?

Quick perfume lesson: Your pulse points are your hot spots—literally, as they're where your blood vessels are more prominent and thus emit more warmth. Heat amplifies an aroma, which is why applying directly on these pulse points (wrists, neck, and behind the ears and knees) will help your fragrance linger for hours. "These react with the natural fluctuations in your body temperature and, in turn, emit your scent throughout the day," Vince Spinnato, cosmetic chemist, perfumer, certified nose, and CEO of Turnkey Beauty, previously told WWW about applying fragrance.

Now, to give your scent more depth (and help it last longer, while you're at it), experts recommend layering your go-to perfume with one that features complementary notes. "For instance, pairing a vanilla-based gourmand scent with a floral or woody fragrance can enhance depth without overwhelming the sweetness," DSM-Firmenich perfumer Nicole Mancini once shared about fragrance layering. Usually, you'd apply the heavier fragrance first—in this case, the vanilla—then follow up with the lighter spritz to brighten the overall equation.

But you don't necessarily have to layer one perfume right on top of the other. Instead, you could apply different perfumes on distinct "hot spots" (one on your wrists and another on your neck, for example) to ensure each blend stands on its own but still mingles throughout the day. And there you have it: fragrance hot-spotting.

While the "heavier first" rule doesn't necessarily apply here, you can and should be strategic with your picks. See, the fragrance on your wrists will be more "public facing" than the one settling on your neck, as your hand movements will cast out the aroma for others within reach. The scent on your neck, however, will have a more subtle projection—just for you or whoever you choose to invite into your orbit. One scent invites people in, while the other provides an olfactory surprise for those who come close. In a way, it's like gatekeeping your most treasured blends for your innermost circle.

I've relied on this technique since the holidays, and honestly, I've never received more compliments on my scent, especially from friends and family members. A perfume that causes strangers to stop you on the street is one thing (a very impressive thing at that!), but it feels like even more of a win when a loved one you see regularly gives you a hug and immediately says, "Oh, wow, I must know what perfume you're wearing." Even if I don't embrace anyone all day, catching whiffs of myself makes me feel undeniably chic—like I have a little scent secret.

Shop My Favorite Hot-Spotting Combinations

Loewe 001 and Iris Root

With notes of jasmine, linen, and musk, Loewe 001 is a clean, understated blend that never fails to make me feel elegant. I practically douse my limbs in the floral musk (it's light, so you won't have to worry about overwhelming your senses), then follow up with a spritz of Iris Root on the sides of my neck. The latter has a similarly soft composition thanks to, of course, iris, which has a creamy, powdery projection many compare to a luxurious red lipstick; but it also comes spiked with spicy angelica seed and Timut pepper, plus neroli, clary sage, cashmeran, and tonka bean, which always surprises others who lean close. The $485 price tag is certainly nothing to scoff at, but trust me, the fragrance feels like such a treasure.

Lake & Skye 11 11 Vanilla and Phlur Afterglow

For a sweeter combo, Lake & Skye and Phlur make quite the sizzling pair. The former features the brand's signature 11 11 musk with a touch of vanilla créme and marshmallow, adding a delicious facet to the crisp "skin scent." Phlur's Afterglow has a similar splash of sweetness by way of coconut and lavender milk, but the sparkling citrus and apricot skin provide such a stunning contrast. Perfumer Clément Gavarry
had "the spark of a first connection" specifically in mind when creating this blend, so of course I must add an extra spritz to my neck on date nights.

Perfumehead Cosmic Cowboy and Canadian Tuxedo

The whole WWW beauty team is certifiably obsessed with this Perfumehead combo. You can totally layer them on top of each other, but recently, I've been playing around with Cosmic Cowboy—a warm, spicy blend of cinnamon bark, orris butter, Whiskey a Go Go, tobacco leaf, amber, and musk—on my wrists and Canadian Tuxedo—a woody concoction featuring coriander, orange flower, cumin, patchouli, cedarwood, and tonka bean—on my neck. The former is playful and a little dangerous (in the best way), while the latter adds a comforting, laid-back touch. Try it—you won't be sorry you did!

Victoria Beckham 21:50 Rêverie and Cyklar Cedar Supreme

When I find myself in a fragrance rut, I grab Victoria Beckham's 21:50 Reverie. It's at once warm, earthy, and sweet with a combination of tobacco leaves, plum, vanilla, tonka bean, and cedarwood, making it a universal crowd-pleaser; I swear, I receive at least three compliments every time I wear it. Recently, I've been rolling Claudia Sulewski's Cedar Supreme oil behind my ears as a last-minute touch, and the aroma somehow becomes even more alluring. It also features cedarwood and tonka bean at its base, so rest assured the two elixirs effortlessly mingle on the skin.

Byredo Alto Astral and D.S. & Durga Pistachio

Byredo's Alto Astral is the coconut perfume that made me fall in love with coconut perfumes. With incense, jasmine petals, milky musks, sandalwood, cashmere, and amber, the dry-down is earthy and sophisticated—a far cry from the "summer in a bottle" vibe you might associate with a coconut-forward blend. Given that seductive edge, it makes a fabulous year-round fragrance that reads spicy in the summer yet cozy and mysterious in the colder months. Pistachio has a similar creaminess to coconut that has such an addictive quality, so I recently decided to pair Alto Astral with D.S. & Durgo's pistachio-infused perfume. I initially worried the two bold blends would be way too overpowering, but somehow, it just works!