Fragrances basically acted
as a “gateway drug” into the world of cosmetics for me. I was very much a
tomboy growing up (I pretty much only wore my brother’s hand me downs and spent
all day outside) but perfume was always the one cosmetic that I held in high
regard, and of course, it was all because of my mother. I remember how even
when my family were dirt poor and couldn’t afford anything at all, my mother
would always have one good perfume. She would save up for a year and buy a new
perfume annually. I was never allowed to
spray them since they were worth so much to her but this exclusivity of the
perfume was so alluring to me, and so it started this lifelong interest in
fragrance. When I turned 12, my mother decided it was time for me to get my
first perfume. She chose one of her own favourites to pass down to me, Estée
Lauder’s Pleasures. Of course, I was
delighted to receive this present and wore it daily until I ran out of it.
Perfume is such a subjective part of beauty and can really speak volumes about
a person. A smell is just as descriptive of personality as fashion sense, music
taste, and political association is. Therefore, it’s important to choose a
scent that speaks not only about yourself, but shows the world what you want to
represent and what you like.
How Does Perfume Work?
Without getting too
technical and scientific, I shall try to explain the basic way that perfume
works.
Perfumes are made from a combination of three things: essential oils (the
strongly scented “oil” extracted from
plants), alcohol (that multipurpose liquid which, when varying the
concentration, can be either quite lethal, anti-bacterial, or a yummy social
lubricant) and synthetic products, which help the perfume be long lasting, and
perhaps, depending on the product, produce a stronger scent.
Perfumes work by reacting
with your body’s natural heat and personal chemistry. Your body naturally emits heat due to many
reasons such as us being homeostatic creatures, and needing to get rid of unnecessary
energy. Through the process of heating, the perfume, which lies on your skin,
starts to evaporate and so, you begin to smell the lovely fragrances of the
perfume. Chemical reactions (you + the perfume à new fragrance) give the perfume a multidimensional angle and this, in
particular, is what makes perfumes such a subjective and personal statement. No
two people, wearing the same perfume, will ever smell the same. The smell that
is emitted on your body from the perfume also depends on what type of climate
you are in. Perfumes will smell different on a hot summer day than on a cold
winter night.
What is the Difference Between Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, and Others?
The concentrations of
aromatic compounds determine the type of perfume. Aromatic compounds are the
parts of the perfume that give off an aroma. The rule of thumb is the higher
the concentration of aromatic compounds, the stronger the smell (this is
because more of the compounds will interact with your skin and your personal
chemistry).
From strongest to weakest
smell:
- ·
Strongest: Perfume
(aka extract or extrait perfume, if it’s French): 15-40% aromatic compounds
- ·
Eau de parfum:
7-15% aromatic compounds
- ·
Eau de
toilette: 1-6% aromatic compounds
- · Eau
de cologne, a type of eau de toilette:
Woody
citrus type perfumes with 3-8% (typical ~5%) aromatic compounds (usually considered “manly” smells and
therefore most colognes are male fragrances)
The percentages of
aromatic compounds are just guidelines since it all varies depending on the
fragrance itself.
Note: some perfumers make
this very confusing by diluting
different amounts of oil to their perfumes and so; sometimes their eau de
toilettes are more potent than their eau de parfums. Most though do stick to
these general concentrations and so, it’s usually safe to assume that eau de
parfum will be a stronger smell. In any
case, test out both types on your skin to see what works best for you.
Perfume is Multidimensional: Fragrance Notes
You may have noticed that the perfume you applied first thing in the morning
will smell completely different within the hour. This is because perfumes are
made of 3 distinct components, (top notes, middle notes, and base notes), which
peel like an onion throughout the day, revealing new hints of fragrance as the
old layer diminishes. Your fragrance will undergo a “metamorphosis” throughout
the day as it lingers from the top notes, to the middle notes, to the base
notes.
The three sets of notes
work in conjunction with each other to create the overall effect of the
fragrance. Usually within the span of an hour, the perfume will showcase each
of the sets of notes, starting with the top (aka head notes), and ending with
the base notes.
There are distinct types
of aromas used within each type of note that help create the fragrance.
Top notes:
These are the smells you
perceive the instant that you spray the perfume. This is generally what lures a
person in to purchase the fragrance. Top notes consist of small, light molecules
that evaporate quickly. The scent in
the top notes is also very much determined by the middle and base notes.
Depending on the middle and base notes, the top notes can smell very different
to another fragrance with the same top notes but different middle and base
notes.
Typical top notes: citrus
and ginger
Middle notes:
At the end of the top
notes’ “performance”, the middle notes emerge and take over. The middle notes
are known as the heart of the perfume, since they work in conjunction with the
top and base notes to create the overall pleasant and rounded smell. They interact with the top notes and also help
to make the base notes more pleasant and mellow, since base notes are very rich
and can be slightly overpowering at first.
Typical middle notes:
lavender and rose
Base notes:
Overall, the base and
middle notes are the most prominent part of a perfume. After the dissolution of
the top notes, the middle and base notes are what persist and therefore are
very important because they are the essence of the perfume. Base notes are just
like what the name suggests: the foundational base of the perfume. Perfumes
need a rich, deep, solid, strong base in order to be long lasting, prominent
and pleasant. Base notes are made of heavy, long-lasting molecules which means
that they last for a very long time. You will smell base notes last when the
perfume fades away. You will smell base
notes after the top and middle notes have faded away.
Typical base notes: musk,
amber, sandalwood, leather, ambergris, patchouli
Types of Scents
Perfumers have organized scents into groups called
“fragrance families”. These are organized by similarities in their overall
essence, and similarities in the use of certain notes.
There is slight controversy about exactly how many
fragrance families there are but I shall go by the system invented by Michael
Edwards since it’s heavily used in Sephora and many department stores.
Edwards first divided fragrances into 4 general
categories: floral, woody, oriental, and fresh. Each of these categories have
their own subcategories which make up 14 basic categories, and of course, there
are even more subcategories underneath those… The category “aromatic fougere”
is in the center of these categories since it is one of the main families by
which modern perfumes are classified. It has notes of warm lavender, citrus,
sweet spices, and oriental woods. Aromatic fougere is the basis of many male
fragrances.
The fragrance wheel is used
to help you understand what fragrance family you like so it is easier to shop
for new perfumes and find your perfect scent.
The main groups of the
fragrance wheel are:
- ·
Floral: Main
notes consist of flowers. Different
types of flower scents are often blended together to create a distinct bouquet,
if you like, of scents. This fragrance family is excellent for young girls and
women but can also be sophisticated and sexy for an older generation. Floral
scents are obvious excellent choices for the springtime. Common flowers used in
perfume are roses, orange blossoms, gardenias, jasmine, and carnations.
- ·
Oriental: A warm and exotic fusion of spices, amber,
balsams, and resins. These are excellent for the autumn and wintertime.
- ·
Woody: Woody
scents are due to the richness of the notes used (such as leather and the
obvious…wood). These smell very natural and outdoorsy but have an element of
elegance and regality to them. These are very commonly used in many male
fragrances due to the masculinity and richness of the notes. Woody scents are
excellent for the wintertime and autumn.
- ·
Fresh: These
are very bright and clean notes, which are reminiscent of things such as a day
at the beach, or freshly cut grass. This
category includes the scents of citrus, water, and the ocean. Fresh perfumes are excellent for springtime
and summertime.
My Personal Taste
Likes: Oriental, Chypre
(woody, musky), Floral (with the exception of most Rose scents), Spicy
Dislikes: Citrus,
Aquatic/Oceanic, and Gourmand (dessert type scents), Green
Note: Just because I
dislike a certain type of perfume doesn’t mean that I don’t think it smells
nice on other people. I just personally think that those scents either don’t
match my personality or don’t integrate well with the chemistry of my body.
I shall do another post on
just my personal preferences since there will be a lot to talk about!
Love,
Alona
x
