Generally oily skin, since the natural oils act a bit like a fixative, helping fragrance molecules bind and slowing their evaporation compared with dry skin, which offers nothing for the perfume to hold onto.

Why this isn’t universally true, though

Oily skin holds fragrance longer, but it can also change how a scent smells, often amplifying warmth and sweetness in a way that shifts the balance a perfumer intended. Dry skin, meanwhile, tends to let fragrance evaporate faster and can make a scent feel thinner or fainter than expected, but it doesn’t distort the character in the same way. Neither skin type is “better”, they just behave differently, and it’s genuinely one of the biggest reasons the exact same bottle smells noticeably different from person to person.

Working with your skin type

If you have dry skin and want more longevity, moisturising first and choosing a richer eau de parfum or oil-based fragrance helps considerably. If you have oily skin, a lighter concentration or a scent that leans clean rather than deeply sweet can stop things tipping into overpowering. Our perfume longevity guide and complete guide to perfume go into more depth on this.