INTRODUCTION
The word “perfume” derives from the Latin words per and fumus - meaning “through smoke”, which refers to man’s early ritual of releasing pleasing or masking odours into the air by burning or heating fragrant materials. Throughout the years we have evolved from releasing the fragrances into the air, to wearing them on our person in various forms.
SCENTS
Fragrances are classified according to the concentration of scent within the fragrance. Those fragrances with a higher concentration of scent (essential oils) have a higher intensity/longevity, which explains the dramatic differences in price between an eau de cologne and Perfume extract.
Perfume extract: 20-40% essential oils.
Eau de parfum (EDP): 10-30% essential oils.
Eau de toilette (EDT): 5-20% essential oils.
Eau de cologne (EDC): 2-5% essential oils.
Fragrances are often classified as belong to a particular “family”. The following is a breakdown
of traditional perfume family classifications, followed by some newer ones which have emerged in more recent years:
Amber: A vanilla basis with floral & wood scents.
Chypre: Fragrances containing undertones of patchouli, bergamot, oakmoss etcetera.
Single Floral: These fragrances are dominated by the scent of one particular flower.
Floral Bouquet: Scents containing combinations of two or more flowers.
Fougère: Scents with an underlying base of lavender, oakmoss and coumarin, providing a “herbaceous” woody fragrance.
Leather: These fragrances have the underlying scents of wood, tobacco and honey, suggestive of real “leather”.
Woody: These fragrances feature the scents of sandalwood, cedar, patchouli.
Citrus: A predominantly citrus-based scent.
Bright Floral: Combination of Single Floral and Floral Bouquet.
Green: A less heavy version of Chypre scents.
Gourmand: A scent which resembles particular food flavours including vanilla bean, strawberry.
Oceanic/Ozone: A fresh, light, clean scent, used in many scents available for him/her.
Along with the above scents, each perfume also contains three individual notes, which are detailed in the order in which they are appreciated:
Top (or Head) Notes: The initial impression given by a fragrance immediately after application. This evaporates after a few minutes and is no longer noticeable.
Middle (Heart) Notes: The second-stage scent which appears once the head notes fade, and the fragrance blends with the body’s own chemistry (and the reason why perfumes smell different on different people). This takes between 10-20 minutes to develop and lasts for several hours.
Base Notes: The remaining, lingering scent which remains once the perfume has dried, after the middle notes also fade. This is the lasting, staying power of the fragrance.
CONCLUSION
When buying a perfume, it is important to consider what occasion it is to be worn for, and choose from an appropriate “family”. Some of the lighter citrus or oceanic scents are perfect for summer days, whilst a heavier floral bouquet is more fitting for a winter’s evening. Most importantly, when testing a new fragrance prior to purchase you must take into consideration the three notes outlined above before placing your order with http://www.PerfumEssentials.com.
© Copyright Cathy Rideg 2007
Feel free to use this article if you give credit to http://www.PerfumEssentials.com.
Cathy Rideg is a freelance writer who specializes in home businesses. To find more about perfume: http://www.perfumessentials.com/perfumearticles
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