A few considerations often come to mind when shopping for a brand-new scent, but perhaps the most appealing virtue, and by far the trickiest one to get right, is its longevity. This is especially true for fragrance lovers living along the equatorial line, where a combination of scorching heat and sweltering humidity can often dissipate most perfumes and colognes into fine ether under a few scant hours. In that case, which are the long-lasting perfumes that you can depend on?
Typically, the longevity of a perfume’s scent on your skin depends on a few key factors. The first and most obvious one lies in its formulation, which brings us back to the eau de parfum vs eau de toilette discourse. Often priced at a premium, the former contains higher concentrations of perfume oil (between 10% to 20%), making it considerably stronger smelling and consequently, longer-lasting. By default, an average eau de parfum should linger for up to 8 hours.
Eau de toilette, on the other hand, tends to contain about 5% to 15% of perfume oil, with the remainder of its volume consisting of water and alcohol dispersant. Predictably, this reduced measure of perfume concentrate correlates to a weaker endurance when applied to the skin. In most use cases, eau de toilette scents tend to falter after four to seven hours of wear.
The scent profile also plays a considerable role in determining its performance, with spice-forward or amber compounds such as sandalwood, musk, oud, and patchouli, outlasting lighter florals or citruses owing to their inherent projection.
Lastly, external factors such as heat and humidity, as mentioned before, will alter your scent’s lifespan throughout the day. Warmer climates tend to bode less favourably for perfume longevity as heat can increase a scent’s volatility (how quickly a substance evaporates), while humidity triggers the body to sweat, diluting the fragrance’s potency even further. If you want to prolong your scent’s longevity, applying an occlusive moisturiser such as petroleum jelly on your skin before spritzing can help.
But ultimately, picking out a scent that is most likely to last from the get-go will still be your best chance at smelling fresh throughout the day. In this case, we’ve narrowed down ten long-lasting perfumes to consider.
Feature and hero image credits: Kilian Paris, Lelabo
10 long-lasting perfumes that can outlast the Malaysian heat
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Lelabo Santal 33
50ml for RM 890
Once an incredibly elusive niche scent that was only known to beauty insiders, Lelabo’s signature sandalwood blend, Santal 33, has since become the default fragrance for those new to the brand. Famed for its rich, creamy sandalwood-forward profile, Santal 33 was conceived by perfumer Frank Voelkl to complement the original launch of the Santal 26 candle and room spray. Deeply evocative of the Midwest, its projection and above all, longevity, is legendary.
Fragrance notes: Sandalwood, leather, amber, cedarwood
Longevity: Upwards of 10 hours
100ML for RM 766.11
Debuting in 2014, Rien Intense Incense by Etat Libre d’Orange imbues an almost spiritual composition of spices and florals, easily assuming the guise of its name boldly brandished on its jet flacon in gold. Upon the first whiff, you are likely to identify it through a mixture of pepper, aldehydes, bergamot, and tarry leather notes. This is especially key to a fragrance formulation that is most likely to tolerate the equatorial heat, which Rien Intense Incense does par excellence. Just be sure not to go ham with the nozzle, as this is strong with a capital ‘S’.
Fragrance notes: Aldehydes, bergamot, tarry leather, incense, pepper.
Longevity: Upwards of 12 hours.
30ML for RM 479
Conceived by Sandy Wong in 2021, Slow Wood from Chasing Scents stays true to her repertoire of experimenting with tea-based notes and contains strong accords of pu’er tea from the moment you breathe into it. Inspired by the genteel art of tea serving on still mornings, when time appears to trickle in a more languid pace, the scent is tantamount to an earthy, woody hug that suffuses the air around you.
Fragrance notes: Pu’er tea, malt, saffron, sandalwood, musk, vanilla bean.
Longevity: Upwards of 8 hours.
30ML for RM 551.42
In literature, the Black Knight represents an ominous enigma, one who masks his identity and intentions under the cloak of anonymity by refusing to display his heraldry. Similarly, the fragrance that bears its name by Francesca Bianchi bears similar depth and mystique, coated in intense, complex notes of leather and orris root, bolstered by the resonant echo of honey, vetiver, and cedar. This earthy scent while imposing, betrays a mellow sense of comfort and security when it dries down.
Fragrance notes: Leather, honey, beeswax, vetiver, patchouli, oakmoss, cedar
Longevity: Upwards of 12 hours.
60ML for RM 1007.3
Primordial is the word that springs to mind when basking in the scent of Zoologist Perfumes’ ode to the vicious might of the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Just as formidable as the beast that it takes its name after, this animalic fragrance leads with an explosive combination of black pepper bay leaf, and neroli, intermingling with a floral bouquet of ylang ylang and osmanthus, followed by a touch of cedar and civet for an amber weight that lays heavy on the skin. One spirtz can easily take you across the length of a day but be warned, it may not be to everyone’s liking, especially around genteel company.
Fragrance notes: Black pepper, bay leaf, ylang-ylang, osmanthus, civet, leather
Longevity: Upwards of 12 hours.
Kilian Paris Smoking Hot
50ML for RM 1475
What better way to counteract the heat than to be smoking hot yourself? That logic applies when you dab on French perfumer Kilian Hennessy’s sultry, smoky number, Smoking Hot. While relatively new to his concise Smoke Collection, this addition adds a dimension of saccharine sweetness alongside the ash tobacco, achieved by masterfully blending a viscous velvet caramel and bourbon Vanilla with orotund Kentucky tobacco.
Fragrance notes: Smoke, cinnamon, tobacco, moss, bourbon vanilla
Longevity: Upwards of 8 hours.
Dior J'adore L'Or
50ML for RM 885
The most esteemed of fragrances to be released by Christian Dior turning the turn of the millennium, J’adore continues to remain as the brand’s most instantly recognisable scent, boasting a jasmine-forward amber bouquet that has become almost synonymous with early 2000s high society. Of course, a few iterations have debuted since 1999, with one of the most concentrated versions taking the form of J’adore L’Or. Maintaining the amber floral nature of the original, Francois Demachy has infused it with rose absolute and jasmine petals sourced from Grasse, while the tonka bean and vanilla notes further add to its potency.
Fragrance notes: Jasmine, rose absolute, vanilla, tonka bean, amber, patchouli.
Longevity: Upwards of 8 hours.
75ML for RM 690
While many of the entrants on this list are likely to be spiced or woody fragrances by default, House of Oud’s fruity floral Grape Pearls will surprise you with its enduring sillage and longevity. First introduced in 2016, many have described it as akin to candied fruits or even bubblegum, which is no surprise given its prominent use of blueberries, roses, and vanilla as main accords. The addition of white musk and amber helps in retaining its strength well after it leaves the bottle.
Fragrance notes: Blueberry, rose, grapes, vanilla, white musk, amber.
Longevity: Upwards of 10 hours.
Guerlain Tobacco Honey
100ML for RM 1889.59
Kilian aside, legacy Parisian beauty house Guerlain has also released a similarly smoky-sweet fragrance in 2023 that should also be in your consideration, if you’re looking to add a domineering body of perfume to your olfactory rotation. Rightfully dubbed Tobacco Honey, it was launched as part of the label’s L’Art & La Matière collection and leads with the syrupy enticement of honey and a deep amber tobacco note, further echoed by tonka bean and vanilla.
Fragrance notes: Honey, cloves, anise, tobacco, tonka bean, vanilla.
Longevity: Upwards of 10 hours.
Dusita Oudh Infini
50ML for RM 1889.59
Growing up under one of Thailand’s most eminent poets, it’s no surprise that perfumer Pissara “Ploi” Umavijani understands beauty beyond the context of what the eye can see. This has been thoroughly expressed through her perfume label, Dusita, and their library of bottled wonders, each taking inspiration from a chapter of joy in her life. Among these gems include Oudh Infini, which has been blended to inspire a sense of daring exploration and rich adventure, with top notes of Laotian Oud and May Rose petals, cushioned on Indian Sandalwood and Siamese Benzoin. However, do note that this leans with a more animalic edge and may not be for everyone.
Fragrance notes: Laotian Oud, Rose de Mai, Sandalwood, Civet, Musk
Longevity: Upwards of 12 hours
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Written by
Benjamin Wong
Senior Editor, Fashion and Dining
Armed with an Advertising major from Lancaster University, Benjamin is a senior editor who has spent his time oscillating between the social media and digital media landscape since 2018. With a keen interest in haute fashion and gastronomy, he has written for publications such as ERROR Digital, WORLD OF BUZZ, and KL Foodie. Beyond the keyboard, you can find him arms-deep in a thrift pile.
