What’s the Difference Between Hair and Body Perfume?

If the first principle of good hair is looks, then the second is scent. My husband automatically notices when I’ve given my locks a fresh wash, but unlike him, I don’t (and can’t) wash my hair every day unless I want my curly hair to become dryer even faster.

So while we have dry shampoo to keep our roots oil-free between washes, there’s actually a product that tackles this niche need for a clean, fresh smell.

Say hello to hair perfume

It may sound gimmicky, but hair perfume—sometimes called hair mist—has been on the market for many years, promising hair-specific perks and scents that vary from floral to musky. Many hair perfumes incorporate ingredients like hyaluronic acid for hydration, salt balanced by lavender to give texture, citrus oil to nix odor, and wintergreen and cinnamon bark oils to give your hair protection from UV rays that can otherwise dry and damage hair.

Body perfume vs. hair perfume

It may sound more cost-effective and faster to reach for your regular body spritz, but eau du toilettes and eau du parfums have a high alcohol content that can dry out your strands. (Fun fact: eau du toilette typically contains 5–9% alcohol, while eau du parfum has 8–14 %). You could get away with misting a hair brush with body perfume and running it through your mane, but you won’t get any of the hair-specific benefits.

How to use hair perfume

To optimize your hair perfume routine, spritz about five inches from dry (not wet) hair. And keep in mind that it’s not just the types of fragrances that can vary—potency can, too. Do a little trial and error to figure out if it’ll overpower your regular body perfume or is subtle enough to wear at the same time. Some hair perfumes have even been formulated as a 2-in-1, so you can tag-team one bottle for both hair and body.