Hair Perfume Is the Luxury Item You Didn't Know You Needed

Perfuming your hair isn't an innovative concept. Just think of your everyday fragrance routine and odds are you're likely spritzing your perfume into the air and walking through its mist. This helps the scent spread across your skin, hair, and clothing — but when you think about all the alcohol used in traditional perfumes that may dry out your hair, spritzing it all over becomes less enticing.

Enter: hair perfume.

This is exactly what it sounds like — fragrance created specifically for the hair. Sure, you could continue to walk through your go-to perfume and take care of your hair with leave-in conditioners and mask, but this type of product allows you to kill two birds with one stone.

So, to better understand what hair perfumes are, how exactly they benefit our hair, whether or not they work for all hair types, and more, we tapped two fragrance experts. Their insights, below.

What is hair perfume?

Joan Tanis, the National Training and Events Director at Maison Francis Kurkdjian, explains that hair perfume is a fragrance formulated with scalp and hair benefits, such as keratin.

"The most significant difference is that a hair perfume is formulated with gentler ingredients and extra care ingredients to benefit hair care," furthers Kasper Heemskerk, the Balmain Hair Couture International Education Director. "[It] gives a pleasant fragrance and delivers protein and oils to the hair that help maintain hair health." 

What are the benefits of using hair perfume?

First things first, these are fragrances. Therefore, the primary benefit of using one will be the scent it releases. Brands such as Balmain Hair Couture, Maison Francis Kukdjian, Fréderic Malle, Diptyque, and Acqua di Parma all sell scents created specifically for the hair — so it's more a matter of finding a scent you're attracted to rather than looking for a brand that offers them as there are plenty of options. You may even be lucky and find a hair perfume iteration of your favorite scent. (Ahem, Baccarat Rouge 540.)

"Next to fragrance, the hair will be nourished by the hair perfume, which will improve the condition of the hair," says Heemskerk, adding that some formulas help tame frizz and flyaways. Plus, Tanis adds that they're activated kinetically, which means that scent is released when we move and touch our hair. "It’s the perfect finishing touch after styling your hair and easy to touch up when you want to extend fragrance," she adds.

And yes, both experts assure that hair perfume benefits all hair types. "[It's] not limited to a specific hair type or texture — hair perfume is created to compliment the hair care regime and is the final touch to feel and amazing smell," says Heemskerk.

How long does hair perfume last?

Tanis says that a hair perfume’s longevity varies on many things, such as length of hair and hair type. With that said, Heemskerk adds that hair is a good carrier of a fragrance as its PH level doesn't negatively influence the performance of the fragrance and hair can hold scent for a very long time.

In fact, he says it can last longer than the perfume you apply to your skin. "Hair can carry fragrances longer than the skin, owing to its porous characteristics and larger surface area, enabling the fragrance to cohere for longer," he explains.

What's the best way to use hair perfume?

Both experts say the best time to apply it is once you've finished your hair regimen. "Simply hold the bottle at arm’s length and mist it evenly throughout the lengths of your hair," says Tanis. "You can also flip your head upside down for a little extra lift and scent at the roots of your hair."