These two perfume experts always get compliments on how they smell. Here's exactly what they do.

This week I committed a 'perfume sin'.

After spritzing my wrists in copious amounts of my favourite perfume, my mother watched me as I began to rub said wrists together. Little did I know this was a grave error. 

And yet it feels like in popular culture, we constantly see images of people applying their perfume this way. Was my mother right? Why was she right? I needed to know. So I reached out to the perfume experts. 

Watch: Tried and tested, the 10-pump foundation hack. Post continues below. 

Australia is a hub for incredible fragrance houses, but there are two women in particular who are slaying the game - and therefore have some seriously handy insider knowledge.

Raquel Bouris is the Founder and Creative Director of WHO IS ELIJAH, an independent fragrance house built on cruelty-free foundations, known for its very popular scents and ethical approach to fragrance and beauty.

Nedahl Stelio is the Founder of RECREATION, a fabulous clean fragrance house based in Sydney's Bondi Beach. With over 20 years' experience in the beauty and fashion industry and as a former Cleo and Cosmopolitan magazine Editor, Nedahl certainly knows a thing or two.

With their industry expertise, we posed our burning questions to Raquel and Nedahl. From layering scents, storage, application and wrist-rubbing - here's what they had to say.

It's official - rubbing wrists is a perfume sin.

"Never rub wrists together, it crushes the top notes of the perfume and that is usually what attracted you to the scent in the first place," Nedahl explains. "Wave your wrists around to air dry instead."

This will then allow the top, middle, and base notes to settle and unfold in harmony. Delightful. You could try giving this application process from Nedahl a go instead.

"My fave way to apply perfume right now is a few sprays on the heart chakra, solar plexus and a few up each forearm. Your scent wafts upwards during the day and your brain doesn't get overstimulated - when we spray around our neck/ears/head we can stop smelling the fragrance more quickly because we're overstimulating our senses. You want to spray below the neck."

Moisturise and prep the skin.

"I personally apply moisturiser every morning anyway but not purposely for my perfume alone. It's just an added bonus that doing this creates a hydrated base for the fragrance, enhancing its longevity and projection," says Raquel.

Ultimately, perfume loves oily, hydrated skin. 

Of course though, if you have a good quality fragrance, this step shouldn't be an absolute must to maintain longevity - it's just a fun little extra. 

Know your perfume science.

Oftentimes, reading the labels and doing a bit of research before purchasing is a wise choice. Because not all scents are created equal, and many of us have definitely learned this the frustrating way.

Strong concentrations like perfume/parfum and eau de parfum will last the longest. Eau de toilette and eau de fraiche unfortunately have a lighter concentration, and that means it won't last super long on skin. 

"Personally I would always go for an eau de parfum over an eau de toilette unless it was a very overpowering scent," says Nedahl.

Raquel agrees, adding: "Choosing stronger concentrations, like parfum, means you get a scent that lasts longer and is more intense, making it a worthwhile purchase for your daily use and fragrance wardrobe."

Invest. 

With the above point in mind, sometimes investing in a good quality perfume, rather than a very cheap body spray, works out better in the long run.

"Fragrance is one of life's small luxuries. Smelling good is feeling good and if I feel good then I'm happier through the day! An investment in a good perfume bottle that lasts months and that you know is not doing any harm to your health is a great find and instantly brings joy," says Nedahl.

Layering perfume is a thing. Try it. 

It wasn't until I saw a TikTok video recently of a fabulous woman spritzing herself in two different scents - at the same time - that I realised perfume layering is a thing. 

"I've noticed layering is a growing trend," notes Raquel, saying it comes down to experimentation to figure out what unique fragrance blend works for you. It's the personalised element of this practice that she loves the most.

Nedahl adds: "I have learned that opposites attract - so try florals with musks, citrus with woods. You need the light and dark to make magic. You want to put the scent you like the most on the top layer, so spray one pump of one perfume and then on the same spot, spray the other perfume."

As for their personal recommendations... Nedahl's favourite combination is JOYEUX first, then AT NIGHT WE DANCE.

Raquel designed two of her scents to actually work perfectly together - REBEL ROSE and WALL STREET.

Storage. 

How should people be storing their perfume bottles? It turns out that this can improve the longevity of the product, and no one wants their favourite scent going to waste!

Raquel recommends storing your fragrance in a cool, dark place - with the lid of the bottle on. It's direct sunlight that can cause impact, as well as areas with high temperatures - such as the car, or also the bathroom given it's quite steamy.

Consider a hair fragrance. 

Interestingly, there are specifically made hair fragrances you can try, as well as scented hair oils. Just make sure they're labelled as such, as directly spraying a standard perfume on your locks has the potential to dry them out.

Nedahl tells Mamamia that she has put fragrance in her hair for many years, and currently swears by a hair oil of hers.

For Raquel, she says she is yet to try a hair fragrance but is very open to the idea.

How to find the perfect scent for you. 

The golden answer - try, test and you shall find. A red-hot tip though is that when you try each scent on your skin, give it a few hours and see how it develops. 

One option is to head to your local department store or perfume brand store of your choice and have a look around.

Another option is to purchase a discovery set. Plenty of brands offer these, including WHO IS ELIJAH and RECREATION, and the sets typically come with a series of 2ml spray bottles with the brand's most popular scents. A bonus in buying sets like these is that most retailers then have deals and/or discounts you can use if you find one of the mini bottles is definitely your signature scent.

At the end of the day, fragrance is personal. It's special. So pick something that brings you joy. 

As Raquel says: "Buying perfume is like getting a special accessory that fits your style every day."

Feature Image: Instagram @recreationbeauty / @whoiselijahparfum.

Calling all Beauty Lovers! Take this short survey now to go in the running to win a $50 gift voucher!