Saw an article recently in Allure about how mega-influencer Huda Kattan likes to spritz some perfume before she goes to bed.
I’m wondering… Do very many other people do that? Is that a thing here in the United States, or wherever you happen to be in the world? Do you do a spritz before you drift off to slumber?
I do. Wearing perfume to bed has become a habit/tradition I accidentally fell into last summer. It all started with the Great Mosquito Incident of 2019… We had an unusually intense mosquito season ? here in Novato, so every evening when I stepped out of the shower, before I put on my PJs, I doused myself in this Victoria’s Secret body splash because I’d heard it was supposed to be a potent mosquito repellent (I think it worked!).
Because of that, I just kinda got used to smelling nice for bed.
What about you? Do you ever put on perfume before you go to bed? Inquiring minds want to know.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Sarah says
Not unless it’s sexy time ??
Noemi Margit Bako says
Not at all.
Savannah says
Er no. But a natural, scented body lotion or oil after a nice shower- yes. I can’t really wear fragrance at work (at least the ones I like- since boss has an aversion to vanilla) so now that I hardly wear the stuff it seems that much more noticeable when I put it on. I typically only use it if I’m going out with my boyfriend.
Sabrina says
Nope. It’s not a thing here in Brazil. But I do use lotion/moisturizer after I shower before bed
Karen says
I love scented lotion, Sabrina.
If you have access to the line Fresh you should try their Fresh Life Body Lotion. So yummy!
Sabrina says
Alas, no Fresh here 🙁
Karen says
Ahh, too bad. It’s a fantastic scented body lotion. If you ever get the chance to try the line give it a go!
Denise S says
I use a lavender pillow sleep spray every night to help with my post menopausal insomnia. I love falling asleep with the relaxing scent around me. Occasionally I’ll get a whiff of a perfume I wore during the day during bedtime. Sometimes if I shower before bed I’ll apply a scented lotion.
Karen says
Oh, your spray sounds lovely, Denise!
FaeFrau says
I prefer to smell clean from a shower, just washed sheets, the rain, or plumeria-hinted evening breeze. Lucky to be able to sleep with the windows open all year round.
A long time ago my best friend in junior high school had a foreign exchange student from France and she expressly applied perfume before going to bed.
Karen says
I love that about Hawaii. When my in-laws lived in Kaneohe, the back of their house was literally a jungle, and the scent of the morning air through the windows was amazing!
P.S. I’ll be there for Thanksgiving. 🙂
FaeFrau says
November is such a great time to be here. If you’re ever downtown or in the Kaka’ako area. I know they’re EVERYWHERE but the Whole Foods Queen Street is quite nice, a great place to meet up, and filled with lovely Hawaiian omiyage and the best pao de queijo I’ve indulged in! 😉 Oh, you would also LOVE South Shore Market at Ward. It just screams KAREN & CONNOR CLAIRE!! 😀
Karen says
I’m making a note of all these things, thank you!
Oh, and if you have any yummy places you like to eat please let me know. 🙂
FaeFrau says
I am carnivore so I pretty eat what my local meat/fish lady sells. ;D
But I think you’d like Scratch Kitchen and/or Nalu Health Bar & Cafe (both at South Shore Market–along with sweet clothing boutiques and MORI by Art + Flea). Piggy Smalls at Ward Village is also delicious! A Japanese stationary store is also down the sidewalk from Piggy Smalls. This is all across from Ala Moana beach park so you can make it an afternoon. 😉 I am often there chilling at the S’bucks or Whole Foods on Saturdays while my husband teaches drums near SALT (also a great spot with good food & shops!).
Karen says
Writing all these things down. I’ve heard of Piggy Smalls! My friend Fern goes there often. 🙂
Jennifer Osborn says
Always, always, always.
Unless I’m really, really sick–like the flu or recovering from surgery, I’m wearing perfume to bed. Even when I’m going to bed alone, I spritz on perfume before I climb between the sheets. I’ve done this for years and years and years–probably since my late teens and I’m going to be 50 in January.
I like to smell good. Plus, I like the way I smell in the morning after wearing perfume to bed–there’s like a very faint perfume scent that’s alluring.
Karen says
Oh, la la la! Which ones are your current favorites, Jennifer?
Jennifer says
I’m still married to Elizabeth and James Nirvana in white even though it doesn’t seem to be available anywhere anymore. However, one of my gal pals at the mothership says she heard that it’s going to be relaunched at Kohl’s this fall.
However, I am flirting a bit with a Tom Ford fragrance, can’t remember the name.
I also like Jo Malone’s peony and suede
Maricar says
I wear fragrance to bed on the evenings I shower. It makes me feel good. Many years ago, I heard that Marilyn Monroe said she spritzed perfume before bed because it gave her sweet dreams! (I’d better fact check myself, but that’s my recollection! Lol )
What fragrance do you like, Karen?
Also, your hair and makeup looks gorgeous in this post!
Karen says
Aww, thanks Maricar!
I think I remember reading somewhere that Marilyn only wore Chanel No. 5 to bed and nothing else, ooh la la.
For fragrances, for the longest time (I’m talking YEARS), I was all about Byredo Gypsy Water. It’s only recently that I’ve started switching it up. Lately I’ve been bouncing between MAC Creme d’Nude Shadescent, Chanel Coco Mademoiselle (old fave) and Maison Francis Kurkdjian Paris Feminine Pluriel (pricey but nobody else I know wears it, which I love).
Which ones do you like?
Janet Shepherd says
Nope, I actually associate perfume with being out of the house, so I prefer to just shower & use a nice smelling body lotion before bed.
My current favourite perfume is Molecule 01 from Escentric Molecules
Maricar says
Hey Karen,
I’m currently switching between Kabeah’s Lily Cherie and Philosophy’s Baby Grace. I’ve loved baby colognes for the longest time. I’m tempted to stop into Victoria’s Secret and sniff the Heavenly perfume!
Your hair looks so thick! Any secrets to your gorgeous hair?
Thanks Karen!
Karen says
LOL, have a baby?! I think I took this pic when I was pregnant or shortly after I gave birth. My hair got crazy thick. But then it all fell out… It’s never been the same since.
Seriously though, I used to take prenatal vitamins, and when I was taking them regularly, my hair was in great shape. I think they definitely make a difference.
Linda says
I always shower before bed and spritz on a tiny bit of perfume – always, every night. I also bought that Victoria’s Secret perfume to repel mosquito’s and it does work!
Karen says
Isn’t it crazy how ell it works?! I’m surprised that I ended up loving the scent. I hope that they’re not discontinuing it because when I was there I bought the last two bottles, and those were tucked away in a drawer.
Eileen says
I always do a quick spritz. Spring and summer, I’m particularly fond of scents like orange blossom, jasmine, etc. In other words, scents that remind me of a warm summer’s eve. Autumn and winter, I like something warm and cozy.
Chelsea says
Oh God my husband would hate it. No!
Anne says
No. But I am lucky if I remember Perfume throughout the day, I am not much of a scent loving girl.
Adeliana says
I do if I feel like I need to indulge a certain emotion, whether it’s nostalgia or I want to go to bed feeling sexier than I did in the day so that I wake up with more of a spring in my step – I like to wear it. If I just want to be enveloped in scent then I spray my pillows and bed linen with my perfume instead.
Kim says
I never do but I can see the appeal. Perfume can definitely affect your mood so I’m sure it could be a great sleep aid. I use Downy scent booster when washing my bedding and love the fresh scent when I get into bed. I’d guess perfume would give a similar result. And, unless you wash your sheets every day, it probably lingers faintly from the night before. 🙂
shinae says
Yes. Just a tiny bit. It will be something very quiet and light, and generally I will dab rather than spray. I put it in places where it will get to my nose, but not to my husband’s if he doesn’t want it to 🙂
SJ says
Wow I have never heard of this!I have chemical sensitivities so I can’t wear perfume often, and can only wear certain ones when I do, so nope. Usually I’m frustrated with how much perfume people wear, since it can trigger me, but this is clearly not going to affect strangers. Seems odd to me but huh I get the appeal.
Natasha says
I do it all the time! However, I usually use a roller-ball perfume or perfume oil so I can control the amount better. It’s a little bit of self-pampering that makes me happy.
Sarah Lowes says
My husband would hate perfume in bed, so no. I do use a lavender oil on my wrists, though.
i love perfume – have you tried anything by Annick Goutal? Her Grand Amour is a favourite floral of mine and her Eau Du Sud is lovely and lemon-y.
Valentina Chirico says
What a smart thing about perfumes!!!
I wasn’t aware of this unusual property and I thought it was a purely luxurious habit! I’ll make sure I have my fave with me when I head back to my mosquito-friendly country.
xoxo