Fragrance 101 from LuckyScent.com
You surely know by now how much of an inferiority complex I have when it comes to the fine art of fragrances - they are like fine wines - I have always felt, and probably always will, that there is a big secret to it that I just am not privy to. However, I do know what I like (still in love with Armani Code!), and I know enough to know that what smells good on me, might not be so hot on you (and vice versa, of course).
So - I get these emails periodically from LuckyScent.com that I love, as they always give me a little bit of fragrance insight that I didn’t have before. Not enough to make me feel like a connoisseur, but just a little “heads up.” I like it. This is the latest one, Fragrance 101… Everything You Need To Know About Finding Your Perfect Fragrance:
Body Chemistry
Each of us has our own unique body chemistry—our skin type (dry vs. oily), hair type and even the environment we live in will determine how a particular scent will react on contact. A fragrance will also wear differently on someone based on their general diet (spicy/oily foods vs. light/healthy foods). So it’s true that some scents may smell great on your best friend, but not so on yourself. The best thing to do is when trying a new fragrance, give it about 10 minutes to ‘settle’, let the notes open up and the alcohol/water to evaporate, then you can make a true judgment of the scent.
Applying Fragrance
Everyone has their own method, whether they spray a cloud and walk into it, or dab it on their pulse points, or spritz their cleavage. A recent trend is applying fragrance to your hairbrush and using it to add fragrance to your hair, which actually holds the scent for quite a long time. What’s most important is that you don’t over apply a fragrance. A scent should be enjoyed by oneself, and those who are in close proximity to you. Your fragrance should not be detected from more than a few feet away. As a simple rule… less is more!
And keep in mind, there are some places you should not apply fragrance! For example, keep scents (and oils) away from leather, suede and jewelry. Fragrances can stain and it will dull jewelry. And try to not to apply fragrance if you are in the sun for long periods of time, as it can cause skin irritations.
Top, Middle, and Base Notes
“Fragrance notes” is a way to describe the olfactory composition of a fragrance, and is separated into three categories: Top, Middle (sometimes called Heart) and Base.
Top notes are generally what we sense first; they are the opening ingredients to the scent and often reveal the first impression of the fragrance. From this impression, one can determine if the fragrance is floral, citrus, oriental, aquatic, woody, etc. Generally, top notes will dissipate anywhere from a few minutes to an hour.
Middle notes (or Heart notes) emerge once the top notes settle. They are the main body of the composition, and ultimately give the overall lasting impression of the fragrance. Middle notes are more rounded and usually nose-friendly, as they consist of popular extracts like gardenia, vanilla, lavender, etc. Top notes work in concert with the Middle notes in what creates most of the foundation for a fragrance, often referred to as the Head note.
Base notes are the foundation of a fragrance and consist of more concentrated, heavier type of ingredients such as patchouli, amber, musk, etc. They often give the fragrance lasting power and depth, and are typically not noticed until the dry-down stages of the scent application, generally 30 minutes to an hour.
For more info about fragrances, read Scentzilla, PerfumeSmellinThings, and Bois de Jasmin - they all have a rather intimidating knowledge of fragrances, and if you are interested, you can learn an awful lot from them. They will scoff at my limited knowledge and how I rely on the popular scents, but they inspire me to do better and keep smelling, and maybe someday I can be a real connoisseur. Doesn’t someone offer a class for this somewhere???
Tags: FragranceRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Fragrance
3 opinions for Fragrance 101 from LuckyScent.com
Katie
Aug 29, 2006 at 6:22 pm
Aw, no, the best test for any fragrance to pass is the “does it smell good” one, anyhow. If it smells good to you, isn’t that really what counts? I like a number of popular scents, too, because they smell good. Us perfume bloggers are all terrible obsessives when it comes to perfume, so, you know, we just happen to smell a lot more stuff than the average person ;)
And also: Hi, Christina!
Christina Jones
Aug 29, 2006 at 6:39 pm
LOL Katie - that is what I would like to think, but somehow I always feel like I am waaaay behind on something. :) Nice to see you ’round these parts, Katie - I sure have the utmost respect for you, and the other perfumers, you have great insight and amazing noses!!!
Chris
Sep 4, 2006 at 9:24 pm
Skin type, and application are very important in fragrance selection. One thing that should be mentioned is the type of fragrances nad when to wear them. For example it is usually inappropriate to wear a musky fragrance to work or for casual wear generally considered to be to strong. Conversely wearing a light citrus fragrance for other than a casual summer night out usally isn’t appropriate for evening wear as it generally isn’t strong enough to be picked up by the nose.
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: