Fragrance Experiences: The Composition of a Perfume
How are luxurious and high-quality fragrances created? From top note to heart note, from Eau de Toilette to Eau de Parfume - the most important terms explained.
Cinnamon, citrus, vanilla, rose or patchouli: the world of fragrances is incredibly diverse, there are countless scents, natural and synthetic ones. When various of these fragrances are combined with each other, unique scent compositions are created, known as perfumes. Learning more about perfumes not only enhances general knowledge, but can also turn out to be amazingly helpful the next time you visit the perfumery.
What do I need to know about perfumes?
What many people are not aware of is that a perfume changes over time after you apply it. A perfume consists of a top note, a heart note and a base note. The top note refers to the volatile components, such as citrus components - they evaporate first, after about 15 to 30 minutes. The heart note describes the floral notes, which usually last a few hours. The longest lasting fragrance notes in a perfume are earthy, woody ones, such as cedar, sandalwood or musk. These can last from hours to several days. So the fragrance experience that a perfume offers evolves over the course of the day.
But it is not only the top, heart and base notes that influence the fragrance experience. The intensity of a fragrance also depends on what kind of perfume it is. If a perfumer creates a perfume, the result of this is a high-quality one hundred percent perfume oil. However, the final product we buy in a beauty store is perfume oil dissolved in water and alcohol. Depending on the type of product, the concentration differs. For a perfume it is about 25-30% perfume oil, for an eau de parfume about 20% and for an eau de toilette 15%. These terms therefore describe the concentration of the perfume oil and thus also the intensity of the product.
How do I find a perfume that suits me?
The most important thing when buying a perfume is: take your time. It would be best not to make a purchase decision right away. First test the perfume on a perfume strip, then also on the skin (because the scent changes on the skin). Then carefully observe how the scent changes during the day. If you are still enthusiastic about the fragrance in the evening, then you can think about making a purchase decision - as then you will have lived through the complete fragrance experience of top, heart and base notes once.
