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Display It, Don't Spray It
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Quite accidently and quite happily, I stumbled on this fascinating essay on Japanese culture and the way they regard fragrances and perfumes. Really interesting read. (Especially if you're a perfume and sociology nerd like I am.)



Fragrance Concentration

Most people know that fragrances come in varying degree of strength, but just what is the difference between Eau de Parfum, Eau de Cologne, After Shave, Eau de Toilette, and other strengths and descriptions?

These terms all refer to the strength of the fragrance, or more specifically, to how much high grade alcohol and/or water has been added to the fragrance oils. Parfum (generally the most concentrated form you can buy) has 15-25% perfume oil dissolved in alcohol. Any mixture with a lower proportion of oil to alcohol is an eau (meaning water).

In order of strength:

Perfume oil or Pure Perfume lasts 6+ hours (15%-30% perfume oil in an oil rather than alcohol base) - Rare. Few fragrances are commercially available in this concentration, and those that are tend to be extremely costly.
Parfum or Perfume lasts up to 4 to 6 hours (15% - 25% -- also sometimes referred to as extract or extrait) - Uncommon. Not many fragrances are commecially available in this concentration, and those that are available are quite costly.
Soie de Parfum lasts 3 to 6 hours (15% - 18% perfume oil) - Not common in commercial release, as above.
Eau de parfum lasts 3 to 5 hours (8% - 15% perfume oil) - Fairly common. Price depends on the brand, the fragrance, etc., but will be more expensive than less concentrated fragrances, naturally. Currently very popular.
Eau de Toilette lasts 3 to 4 hours (4% - 10% perfume oil) - Common. Generally the strongest concentration available in men's fragrance.
Eau de Cologne lasts up to 3 hours (2% - 5% perfume oil) - Common. Was once a very popular concentration, but not as much now, at least in women's fragrances. Still fairly popular in fragrances for men.
After Shave lasts 2 to 3 hours (3% or less perfume oil) - Common. Also note that after shave often has aloe or other balms in it to sooth the skin after a shave, and the alcohol can help close pores.
Eau Fraiche lasts 1 hour or less (3% or less perfume oil) - Not very common. Sometimes referred to as "perfumed mist" or "splash". Often alcohol free.
These terms are commonly seen abbreviated, such as EDP for Eau de Parfum, EDT for Eau de Toilette, etc.

Occasionally we also see the term, Parfum de Toilette, which most companies use to describe a concentration that is either the same as Eau de Parfum, or between Eau de Parfum and Parfum. Other companies use the term to describe an Eau De Toilette concentration. (Yes, it can be muddled; we generally only deal in EDP, EDT, EDC, After Shave, and EF, to avoid our own confusion and that of our customers!)

Some fragrance houses also produce deodorant body sprays (very light and mostly alcohol; these fragrances last only a couple of hours or less, but can be nicely refreshing, especially when chilled), perfumed creams and lotions, perfumed body powder (usually a talcum base), and so forth. These can be useful for "layering" fragrance in order to make it last longer and create a stronger impression (see below).

Making Fragrance Last on Your Skin

Generally speaking, perfumes evaporate more rapidly from dry skin, so the best way to make fragrance last longer is to use a relatively heavy body lotion or cream prior to applying the perfume. Some people like to buy the "matching" cream for their fragrance, but you can also use an unscented cream or try almond oil or jojoba oil.

Don't spray fragrance in your hair. It's sometimes believed that this will make the fragrance last longer, but in fact the oils in your scalp can change the fragrance in a way you won't like, and the alcohol in the fragrance can dry your hair.

Don't spray fragrance directly on your clothes. It sounds like a good idea and will certainly make the fragrance last, but as it's designed to be on skin, not fabric, it may quickly turn into a smell you don't want around you as it reacts with the fabric. Additionally, some fabrics can be damaged or stained by direct exposure to perfumes, and it can prove extremely difficult to get the fragrance out of the fabric.

Don't spray fragrance into the air and then walk into it. This disperses most of the fragrance into the air (which is a waste of the fragrance), and you may end up with it on your face (a big no-no if you're at all prone to breakouts because of the high oil content in the perfume), your clothes, in your hair, etc., and it's not very effective as far as making the fragrance last.

Do dab or spray fragrance on areas of your body where the heat will cause the fragrance to slowly release.

The "pulse points", i.e., anywhere you can easily feel your pulse:

Inside of wrists
Inside of elbows
Base of the throat
Temples
Below and slightly behind the ears
Behind the knees (generally only good if you're wearing shorts or a skirt, but can be effective with very lightweight trousers)
Ankles (again, usually only effective if your ankles are uncovered, see above)
Breast cleavage or the middle of the chest, above the heart
There are a few other strong pulse points (such as the top of the inner thigh in the groin), but you'll have to decide for yourself if you want to perfume them...

Another trick that works very well is to take a cotton ball and spray it with fragrance and then tuck it into your cleavage. This works surprisingly well and can keep the fragrance noticibly present for a very long time (just be careful with expensive bras that might become stained; this works best for women who have a fair bit of cleavage into which to tuck things.)

Caring for Fragrances, Shelf Life, Etc.

Some industry experts maintain that you should replace perfume after a year, some say two years, but perfumes can and should last much longer with proper care. Most perfumes will keep for several years, some will keep for many more years than that. (You can tell when a perfume has gone off by several means: when a perfume turns it tends to become more oily, the colour will often change and become darker, the fragrance changes, sometimes subtly and sometimes very noticibly. Note that using fragrance that has turned probably won't harm you, but it won't smell very good and may have unexpected results on your skin, due to the chemical changes in the solution.)

To store perfume so it will last, keep it away from heat and light. A dark closet, a seldom-opened deep dresser drawer, or a covered box will work well. It may look pretty to have perfume bottles all sitting out attractively on your dresser or a windowsill, but exposure to light is a sure way to send your fine fragrances round the twist, so don't give in to the tempation (if you really want pretty bottles for display purposes, fill empty perfume containers with colored water).

Don't keep fine fragrances in the bathroom, as the heat and humidity will hasten the breakdown of the chemicals.

Don't store perfumes in the fridge (a common myth), as the humidity and temperature can cause unhappy changes in the chemistry (if you like the feel of chilled fragrance, use cologne or a body spray).

Also avoid, as much as possible, direct exposure to air. Splash or pour bottles, which expose the fragrance to air every time they are opened, cause problems, so consider decanting perfume into a smaller atomizer for regular use (also convienient for carrying along with you when you go out).

If you apply perfume directly from a bottle stopper, wipe the stopper with a clean, lint free cloth before replacing it in the bottle, to remove any body oils that may contaminate the perfume (and cause it to degrade more quickly).

Treat good perfume with a little bit of care, and it should keep you smelling fabulous for a very long time!

Top, Middle, and Base Notes

Top notes refers to the first scent impression of a fragrance once it has been applied to the skin. They are usually lighter, more volatile aromas that evaporate quickly. Their scent usually lingers for 5 to 30 minutes.

Middle notes are sometimes referred to as “heart notes”, and refer to the body of the blend. They may be noticible from the start, but will usually take 10-30 minutes to fully develop on the skin. These are the notes that classify the fragrance family (floral, oriental, chypre, etc, see below).

Base Notes are the aromas in the blend with the greatest molecular weight. They last the longest, and are also important as fixatives (fixitives help slow down the evaporation rates of the lighter notes and bind the ingredients, giving the fragrance holding power). Common base notes include oakmoss, patchouli, woods, musk, tonka bean, ambergris, and vanilla.

A fragrance which does not have traditional top, middle and base notes is usually described as "linear". Chanel Allure is a good example of a linear fragrance, as is Estée Lauder White Linen. In a linear fragrance you experience all of the notes more or less at the same time. A linear fragrance doesn't "develop" the way a traditional pyramid fragrance does, but smells the same throughout and instead of having new or different notes appear, it simply fades away slowly as you wear it.

Fragrance Familes

Note that some people (even in the industry) differ on that nature of fragrance families. The concept is a very old one, and dates back to a time when fragrances were simpler and there were far fewer of them. This is a general guideline only; other lists of fragrance families may differ (such as the Olifactive Families list on Wikipedia). These days, there's a lot of cross over between the traditional families, and many fragrances can be very difficult to classify.

Chypre (pronounced sheep-er)
A Chypre fragrance has woody, mossy and floral notes in some combination. This family will also often contain oakmoss, sandalwood, patchouli, bergamot, and vetiver. The name comes from the French Chypre, which is the French name for the island of Cyprus, from whence came many of the notes that make up this fragrance. Coty produced a women's fragrance in 1917 which was called "Chypre", and it's from that fragrance that the family actually takes its name.
Examples of the Chypre family include:
Masculine: Givenchy Gentleman, Fendi Uomo, Vetiver by Guerlain, Aramis, Van Cleef and Arpels, Quorum by Puig, Antaeus by Chanel, 212 Men by Carolina Herrera
Feminine: Cuir de Russe by Chanel, Mitsouko by Guerlain, Chypre de Coty

Floral
The majority of fragrances for women are floral. Some are a bouquet of different flowers, with each flower complementing the others, while some use one main flower and complement it with other notes and accords. Others are very simple and can just be the scent of a flower alone (these are called single-note scents). In the past, floral scent was considered as very masculine. Nowadays, especially in the West, these are slightly less popular as maculine fragrance.
Examples of the Floral family include:
Masculine: Agua Lavanda by Puig, Insensé by Givenchy
Feminine: Chanel No 19, Anaïs Anaïs by Cacharel, L'Air du Temps by Nina Ricci, Charlie by Revlon

Fougère (pronounced foo-jer)
Fougere fragrances are one of the most popular in men's fragrances, and they will often contain lavender and oakmoss. The term 'Fougere' is French for 'fern', a name which is derived from a now discontinued fragrance by the venerable house of Houbigant called Fougere Royale (Royal Fern) which was the first fougere fragrance.
Examples of the Fougère family include:
Masculine: Polo Sport by Ralph Lauren, Platinum Egoiste by Chanel, Cool Water by Davidoff, Jazz by YSL, Paco Rabanne pour Homme.

Marine
The Marine fragrance family is relatively new and is used to describe scents that evoke a feeling of the sea air. These fragrances use an ingredient called calone to give the marine scent.
Examples of the Marine family include:
Masculine: Kenzo Pour Homme, L'Eau D'Issey pour Homme by Issey Miyake, New West for Him by Aramis
Feminine: Escape by Calvin Klein, Inis by Fragrances of Ireland, Aquawoman by Rochas.

Oriental
Oriental fragrances are common in both men's and women's fragrances. They are often warm, spicy and sweet, and contain ingredients such as vanilla and musk. Sandalwood and patchouli are also very common in these fragrances.
Examples of the Oriental family include:
Masculine: Obsession for Men by Calvin Klein, Joop! Homme by Joop!, Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier, Equipage by Hermes, Egoiste by Chanel
Feminine: Shalimar by Guerlain, Jean Paul Gaultier "Classique", Angel by Thierry Mugler, Opium by Yves Saint Laurent
Common Fragrance Ingredients

Aldehydes
Organic chemical compounds derived from natural or synthetic ingredients. There are many, many kinds of aldehydes, and more are being created. Aldehydes are used to alter, enhance, brighten, or soften perfume formulations. Chanel perfumer Ernest Beaux is credited with being the first to use aldehydes to give No. 5 a rich and brilliant sheen it would otherwise lack.
Amber
Processed from the fossil resin of the fir tree, and sometimes from the leaves of the cistus (rock rose) plant (see also cistus, below). Amber gives perfumes a warm, slightly smoky, burnished leather fragrance and is usually used as a base ingredient to add a mellow grow, as well as being an excellent fixitive to bind the other ingredients together. Extensively synthesised in many subtle variations of the basic amber scent.
Ambergris
A fatty/oily substance regurgitated from the stomach of the sperm whale. This substance has a disgusting natural smell, but when processed it takes on a warm, sensual fragrance which is used with great discretion in the base notes of very exclusive perfumes. Because it is now far too costly to collect commercially in its natural state, it is usually replicated synthetically with almost identical effect.
Balsam
A rich, gummy resin which is harvested from specific trees, shrubs, and plants usually found in northern Africa and Southeast Asia. Balsam is sweetly aromatic with a honey-like sensuality. It is used in the base notes of perfumes, usually of the Oriental family.
Benzoin (BEN-zjwahn)
A sweet, cocoa-like balsamic resin derived from processing the resin of the tropical Southeast Asian stryax tree (see also styrax, below). It is used in the base notes of perfumes (mostly Orientals) to give a deep, rich, chocolatey note, and it is an excellent fixitive.
Bergamot
An essential oil made from the peel of the small, sour, inedible bergamot orange. It is powerful, highly distinctive, and gives its bright, zesty, citrus scent to about one-third of all perfumes, usually in the top notes. (Essence of bergamot is also the distinctive difference in Earl Grey tea, just as a side note.)
Bulgarian rose
A special variety of rose, grown in huge commercial quantities in Bulgaria's "Valley of Roses". This flower yields the' finest rose absolu (rose essence), and is incredibly rich and heady. Because of its richness, potency, and desirability, it is extremely expensive and is used only the most luxurious of perfumes.
Cassia (kass-EES)
A richly scented and powerfully potent aromatic oil distilled from black-currant buds to impart a dark, deep, pungent fruity fragrance.
Cistus (also Labdanum)
Cistus is a fragrant oil distilled from the gum of leaves and twigs of the shrub known as the rock rose (also known as the cistus; see also amber, above), which is grown profusely around the Mediterranean. It has a warm, leathery amber scent and is also an efficient fixitive.
Civet
One of the most powerful fixitives still used in perfume. This ingredient was originally obtained from the genital glands of the Abyssinian civet cat. In its raw state the smell is absolutely horrible, but when processed and used in minute quantities, it creates a sensual, seductive fragrance note. Now obtained synthetically (as the animal is endangered).
Courmarin
Found naturally in tonka beans (see below), clover, and lavender, but today it is mainly synthestised for greater control in the base notes of perfume. Courmarin gives perfumes a rich almond/marzipan and slightly sweet-green note, similar to freshly mown hay.
Fixitives
The very strong ingredients in the base of the perfume's construction that bind all the other ingredients in the formula. Fixitives allow the perfume to fade gradually while remaining pleasant and fresh. They are usually gums, resins, and balsams.
Galbanum
A rare, extremely expensive gum resin derived from the sap of Asian ferula trees, found mostly in Iran. Used to give an intensely green, leafy, fresh note to perfumes.
Guaiac wood
An aromatic resin and oil derived from the heartwood of the South American palsanto tree. It is used as both a fixative and to impart an unusual floral/wood note reminiscent of rose, violet, and white tea.
Heliotrope
Sometimes called the "Cherry Pie Plant", heliotrope is a flowering shrub which bears clusters of intensely perfumed purple blossoms, from which is distilled an oil with a sweet vanilla/cherry fragrance.
Heliotropin
A chemical aldehyde which is extracted from sassafras. It has a floral/almond scent, similar to heliotrope.
Iris (also "Florentine Iris" also Orris)
An aromatic oil or butter somewhat reminiscent of violets, derived from the specially dried roots of the iris (a process which originated in the city of Florence and which is still carried out there). Some iris oils may have a woody smell with a fainter hint of violets, depending on the process used. This is one of the most expensive ingredients used in perfumes, and is commonly also known as orris.
Leather
Derived from certain birch and fir trees, or, more rarely, from the distilled essence of treated hides. Imparts a strong, animalistic, warm, smoky scent that gives a burnished note to many perfumes, particularly Orientals. Today, it is usually chemically synthesised for greater control of the fragrance.
Mimosa
Derived from the bark, wood, leaves, and fragrant blossoms of the mimosa tree (known sometimes as "wattle", particularly in Australia). This ingredient gives a sweet, fresh, warm, but light effect.
Muguet (MEW-gay)
French for lily of the valley, this scent is sweet, bright, and quite penetrating. Due to the difficulty of capturing the natural essence, it has for many years been synthetically but very convincingly manufactured.
Musk
An extremely strong but pleasantly sensual ingredient traditionally obtained from the musk glands of the Himalayan musk deer. Today, it almost exclusively synthetically manufactured and available in a considerably array of varieties and strengths (such as white musk, pink musk, amber musk, etc.). Musk imparts an instantly recognisable, warm, sensual scent, and is a strong fixative which is used in the base of a very wide variety of perfumes. Most perfumes use it sparingly, as it can be quite strong, and even "musk" perfumes are actually blends.
Myrrh
A highly arromatic gum resin derived from the shrubby tree known as the Commiphora myrrha, native to north Africa, although there is also a type of myrrh known as East Indian myrrh (derived from a similar shrub from a different region). This substance has been highly prized since ancient times and used in ointments, perfumes, incense, and other aromatic concoctions. In modern perfumes, mostly Orientals, it is used to impart an exotic, incense-like note.
Neroli
An intensely perfumed oil obtained from the fragrant, unopened buds of the Seville bitter orange tree, used as a bright, citrus top note in hundreds of perfumes. The opened buds of the same tree yield an orange flower absolute (essential oil).
Oakmoss
A smooth, woody ingredient derived from a particular lichen which grows mainly on oak trees in southern-central Europe. Commonly used in the base notes, it gives a dark green, mossy-damp, forest-floor scent to a perfume. It is an excellent fixitive.
Olibarnum (also Frankincense)
A highly aromatic resin derived from the boswellia tree, native to northern Africa. It adds a heady, spicy, and slightly smoky note, and is used in the base as it is also an excellent fixitive.
Opoponax
A gum resin with a sweet licorice/green scent, similar to myrrh. It is also an excellent fixative.
Orris, Orris Root
See Iris, Florentine Iris, above.
Patchouli
A natural ingredient derived from the leaves of the Southeast Asian patchouli plant. It provides an earthy-sweet note which, used discreetly, gives a huge number of fine perfumes a sensual note.
Petitgrain (PETTY-grahn)
A bittersweet citrus oil derived from the roots (and some sources include the leaves and bark) of the Seville orange tree (see neroli, above). It adds a light, sparkling, citrus scent to the top notes of perfume.
Rose de Mai (May Rose)
A powerful, precious essence distilled from the rosa centifolia, grown in southern France (especially in Grasse), and also in northern Africa. The scent is a piercing, memorable pure rose fragrance, and it is used in countless perfumes.
Rosewood
A precious oil obtained from the Brazilian rosewood tree (known in Australia as the jacaranda), and nothing at all to do with roses. This oil has a warm, rich, mildly resinous scent and is used to impart a stronger woody note than can be obtained from sandalwood.
Sandalwood
An extremely common and highly popular ingredient, very few fine perfumes are without this oil, which is distilled from the timber and roots of the sandalwood tree.
Styrax
From the bark of the Asian styrax tree is derived this oddly sweet aromatic oil, reminiscent of jonquils (the styrax tree also is the source of benzoin, see above). Styrax has an oddly sweet scent reminsicent of jonquils, and as it is an efficient fixitive, it is usually used in the base notes (primiarily in Orientals).
Tiaré (tee-AR-ray)
A relative of the gardenia, although with smaller flowers, native to Tahiti and French Polynesia. A gardenia fragrance can be distilled from the blossoms much more easily than from the classic gardenia (which is notoriously difficult to distil and is usually synthesised).
Tonka Bean
A powerfully fragrant oil extracted from the pods and seeds of the South American tonka tree. The oil has a unique sugar caramel/almond marzipan scent with a somewhat earthy accord. Used primarily in the base notes of Oriental perfumes.
Tuberose
A member of the lily family, and not a rose at all, famous for its fantastically powerful, sweet, heady fragrance. Used in hundreds of finely balanced floral bouquet perfumes.
Vanilla
Vanilla essence or absolute is extracted from the seeds and beans of the vanilla orchid. In perfume, vanilla both a warm, sensual, softly sweet fragrance and a fixitive, and is found in the base notes of hundreds of perfumes, many of them Orientals.
Vanillin
Vanillin is an excellent synthetic derived from the vanilla pod. It is somewhat sweeter and lacks the complexity and depth of the natural essence, but, like vanilla, is commonly used in the base of hundreds of different perfumes.
Vetiver (French: vetyver)
An essential oil extracted from the fragrant khuskhus grass, a native of southern India, Sri Lanka, Haiti, and the Caribbean. The fragrance of the oil is green/earthy, and is used in the middle and base notes of many fragrances, particularly of the fresh green variety.
Violet/Violet leaf
The scent of violet is almost impossible to extract from the blossom, itself, so the violet fragrance is usually synthetically reproduced or suggested by the use of Orris (Florentine Iris - see above). Natural violet leaves have a peppery, green, crispy sort of fragrance with a hint of the blossom's fragrance, and add natural cool freshness to perfumes.
Ylang-Ylang (ee-LANG ee-LANG)
"Flower of Flowers" in the Philippine language of Tagalog. This fragrant oil is extracted from the long, highly scented flowers of the Cananga odorata tree which grows across the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and in the Comoros Islands in the Indian Ocean. The scent is somewhat exotic, rich, heady, sweet, and slightly musky. It is a principla ingredient in a great number of Floral perfumes as well as Orientals.
Testers, Minis, and Vials

Fragrance houses produce and sell miniature fragrances and vials as a means of promoting new fragrances, or to generate interest in older ones. Since the early 1990s, the sale of miniature fragrances has blossomed into a multi-million dollar business world wide, partly because of their appeal as collectibles.

Fragrance companies are well aware of distributors and retailers selling miniature perfumes, but in some cases the traditional "sample" or "not for resale" labelling is still printed on the box or sometimes on the bottle, even though they're sold in volume to distributors to resell. (We guess that old habits sometimes die hard!)

These items ARE legal to sell (and a good many retail and wholesale sellers in Australia and around the world do, indeed, sell them!).

A tester is a fragrance house's own testing perfume, such as you would try at a department store. They are marketed for the purpose of allowing a retail outlet the ability to purchase a less expensive packaging of the full fragrance so that customers can try the fragrance. The fragrance and concentration is identical to the full retail package (else there wouldn't be much point in letting customers test it!).

Since packaging isn't an issue with testers, most are either unboxed or in a plain cardboard manufacturer's box and some come without caps. As you're not paying for unnecessary packaging, testers are offered at a considerable discount. Same fragrance, slightly different package, terrific bargain.