Perfume Pyramid
get to know your perfume
Perfumes are composed of three layers of notes:
Top Notes: The initial scent you experience, lasting for 15–30 minutes.
Middle (Heart) Notes: The main character of the fragrance, lasting for a few hours.
Base Notes: The long-lasting, deep scents that linger on the skin for hours.
Concentration Levels
Perfume comes in different concentrations,
affecting the intensity and longevity of the scent:
Perfume (Parfum): The highest concentration (20-30% oil), lasting 24+ hours.
Eau de Parfum (EDP): A bit lighter (15-20% oil), lasting around 6–8 hours.
Eau de Toilette (EDT): Lighter still (5-15% oil), lasting about 4–6 hours.
Eau de Cologne: The lightest (2-4% oil), lasting 2–3 hours.
Scent Families
Fragrances are categorized into different families, including:
Floral: Often featuring flowers like rose, jasmine, or lily.
Woody: With notes like sandalwood, cedar, or patchouli.
Oriental: Warm and spicy, often with vanilla, amber, or cinnamon.
Fresh: Crisp and clean, featuring citrus or green notes.
Perfume Application Tips
For a longer-lasting scent, apply perfume to pulse points, such as wrists, neck, and behind the ears. These areas produce heat, which helps diffuse the fragrance. It’s also a good idea to moisturize your skin before applying perfume to make the scent last longer.
Perfume Doesn’t Smell the Same on Everyone
Your unique body chemistry, skin type, diet, and even the environment can alter the way a perfume smells on you. This is why a fragrance that smells great on someone else may smell different on you.
Perfume Aging
Perfumes have a shelf life. Exposure to heat, light, and air can cause a fragrance to degrade over time, especially if it contains natural oils. Store your perfumes in a cool, dark place to extend their life.
Perfume and Skin Reaction
Some perfumes can cause allergic reactions or sensitivities, especially for those with sensitive skin. Always test new perfumes on a small area of skin before applying them more broadly.
Perfume in Modern Times
The perfume industry continues to innovate with sustainable and eco-friendly practices, such as cruelty-free testing, recyclable packaging, and clean ingredient sourcing, to meet consumer demand for ethical beauty products.
These facts show the rich history, science, and artistry that goes into every bottle of perfume.