Perfume 101

What is perfume made from?

Perfume is a blend of essential oils and alcohol. There are 2 types of essential oils, natural (derived from plants, flowers, fruits, bark, roots, and animal secretions such as musk) and synthetic. (created in laboratories). Synthetic essential oils are used either to reduce cost or to increase the longevity of the fragrance. While some perfumes contains a single essential oil, most often a perfume is a combination of essential oils. Such fragrances typically contain top, middle, and bottom notes (see below). Alcohol is included to increase the range in which the fragrance can be smelled.

What are the different categories of fragrances?

There are 7 categories of fragrances:

Floral: This is the largest and most popular category of women’s fragrances. These fragrances are composed of one or more flower based notes such as rose, jasmine, orange blossom, gardenia, and carnation.

Fougere: French for Fern, Fougere is commonly used in men’s cologne. Fougere fragrances are composed of fern or other woodland notes.

Chypre: The French term for the island of Cyprus, Chypre is a blend of fresh notes, (mainly Citrus) with the rich woody-animalic characters of Patchouli and Labdanum and Oakmoss.

Leather: Leather fragrances have pungent animal smokiness characteristic of the ingredients used in the tanning process of leathers.

Woody: Woody fragrances have elements of freshly cut wood (ie Cedarwood, Virginian, or Sandalwood) or notes such as of Vetiver or Patchouli.

Oriental: Oriental fragrances are the heaviest category and are composed of musk, spices and exotic flowers and wood notes. These fragrances are well suited for both warm and cool weather.

Citrus: Popular among both men and women, citrus fragrances are derived from citrus fruits such as Grapefruit, Orange, Lemon, Pomello, and Bergamot,. Citrus fragrances are sharp and tangy.

What are fragrance notes?

Fragrance notes are the many scents that constitute a perfume. Fragrance notes also explain the evolution of a perfume’s smell since the different categories of notes identify when a scent appears and how long it lasts.

Top notes are the first scents to emerge and are very light, lasting only several minutes after application.

Middle notes take from 10-15 minutes to become apparent and then generally last for about an hour. This is because middle notes only emerge after it dries on the skin and begins to interact with the chemicals of your body. These are the notes that determine a fragance’s category (see above).

Base notes take about 20 minutes to become apparent. They are the heaviest ingredients and last for several hours. Base notes also prevent the evaporation of lighter notes allowing them to last longer than they otherwise would.

It is also important to remember that a perfume will not smell exactly the same on different people. The chemistry of each person’s body affects how different notes react when applied. The skin’s chemistry is determined by many factors, including genetics, diet, stress, hormonal changes, environment and medication to name a few.

What is the difference between Perfume, Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, Eau de Cologne, Aftershave, etc.?

The difference is generally the concentration of oils in the fragrance. However some companies use different notes or different ratios of notes depending on the form of the fragrance. In addition, some companies reserve costly fragrance oils for more concentrated products and use synthetic substitutes in lighter concentrations.

Classification	% of Fragrance Compound	Duration	Method of Application
Perfume Oil (perfume oil in an oil base rather than an alcohol base)	15-30%	~6 hours	Apply sparingly at pulse points
Perfume (aka Parfum, Extrait or Extrait)	15-25%	~6 hours	Apply sparingly at pulse points
Soie de Parfum	15-18%	~5 hours	Apply sparingly at pulse points
Eau de Parfum	8-15%	~3-5 hours	Smooth or spray all over the body from the feet up just before dressing.
Eau de Toilette	4-8%	~2-3 hours	Smooth or spray all over the body from the feet up just before dressing.
Eau de Cologne	2-5%	~2 hours	Smooth or spray all over the body from the feet up just before dressing.
Aftershave	1-3%	~1-2 hours	Splash liberally over the face.
Splash Cologne or Eau Fraiche	1-3%	~1 hour	Used to refresh a scent. Splash liberally all over the body. It is not a long lasting fragrance application.

What is shower gel?

Shower gel is simply a type of soap. You apply it by first foaming it up and then applying it to your skin. Using a shower gel will enhance the cologne or perfume and cause the fragrance to last longer. Shower gels are made for both men and women.

What is a tester?

Testers are 100% original fragrances made by manufacturers in order to promote their products, but often come without the decorative packaging of products produced for retail sales. All testers are sold fresh, unused, and with the original amount in the container. However, because they lack the decorative packagin, testers are a great way to save money when purchasing a fragrance but may not be appropriate as gifts.

How should I store my fragrances so that they last as long as possible?

In order to preserve a fragrance as long as possible caution must be taken when the fragrance is applied in addition to when it is stored.

Once a perfume bottle is opened, exposure to air causes the fragrance to begin to fade. Splash bottles, by exposing the fragrance to air every time they are opened, are particularly susceptible. In this case, it is advisable to decant the perfume into an atomizer. Also, if you use a bottle stopper to apply the perfume, wipe it with a clean, lint free cloth before replacing it on the bottle.

When not in use, it is advisable to store bottles in a cool and dark place. Refrigirators are not ideal as the temperature is too cold. Exposure to sunlight and extreme temperatures can alter the chemistry of a perfume and change its scent.

How long can I use fragrances before they need to be replaced?

Fragrances should last several years at a minimum if properly stored, and often much longer than that.

How should I apply my fragrance?

Layer your fragrance and apply from the ground up. Because perfume evaporates more quickly from dry skin, if dry skin is an issue, it is best to apply a body lotion or cream to your skin before applying the fragrance. Where available it is most effective to use the layer the fragrance by applying the matching bath gel, cream or lotion before the Eau de Toilette, Eau de Parfum, Eau de Cologne or perfume, but you can also use an unscented product. Additionally, because fragrances rise, fragrances should be applied to the skin from the feet to the shoulders. Applying a fragrance just to the face or the neck will cause the fragrance to disappear more quickly. Spraying the hair lightly can also help hold the fragrance longer into the day. However, it is important to not over-apply a fragrance. Everyone has a "scent circle" that extends one arm’s length from their body. A fragrance should not be detectable to others unless they enter your "scent circle."

If you are going to spray a fragrance on your hair, make sure it is freshly shampoed. Oils and dirt accumulate on hair and scalp and this causes fragrances to intensify and become distorted. Also, applying a fragrance can damage extremely dry or brittle hair.

Don’t apply fragrances to clothes. Fragrances are designed to interact with the chemicals produced by our skin. Applying a fragrance to fibers can change the scent of the fragrance as well as stain the fabric.

How does skin effect the fragrance?

Fragrances interact differently depending on your skin. Not only do fragrances evaporate more quickly from dry skin, but oils on the skin cause fragrances to create a more intense scent. Dry skin requires the user to re-apply the fragrance more often. Heat and perspiration cause fragrances to intensify.

Do season and temperature matter when applying your fragrance?