PERFUME 101: Fundamental Knowledge of Fragrance

Perfume is like a form of art—charming, fascinating, and mysterious. If we look around, we find that many objects and atmospheres have their own unique scents that help us remember and fully absorb experiences. Every time we close our eyes and think of a specific place or thing, we can often recall its smell vividly, such as the atmosphere after rain, the scent of home, or the smell of a fresh bed.

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The Fragrance Wheel

This article covers the basics of perfume, starting with the Fragrance Wheel. This tool categorizes scents based on their primary components, each evoking different emotions:

• Woody Tone: Provides a feeling of warmth, strength, and masculinity.

• Floral Tone: Evokes sweetness, elegance, and femininity.

• Aquatic Tone: Feels comfortable, approachable, modern, and airy.

• Aromatic (Herbal) Group: Offers a sense of relaxation and natural surroundings.

• Greeny Tone: Provides a clean, fresh sensation, like crushed leaves or freshly cut grass.

TIPS:

*How to Store Perfume: Keep it at room temperature and avoid direct sunlight and heat. It is not recommended to store perfume in the refrigerator, as certain aromatic compounds can crystallize at low temperatures.

The Importance of the Fragrance Pyramid

Perfume ingredients are classified by their scent dispersion based on molecular size. For example:

• Citrusy Group: These molecules are small, leading to high evaporation and strong initial dispersion. These are categorized as Top Notes.

• Woody Group: These molecules are large, causing a slow evaporation rate and lower dispersion. These are categorized as Base Notes.

Perfumers use these principles to structure a fragrance so it unfolds exactly as intended over time.

TIPS:

Fragrance communication often uses musical terminology. In crafting Fine Fragrance, between 40 to 100 ingredients are composed to perform together like a symphony. This is why scents evaporating at different times are called Notes (Top, Middle, Base), and a perfumer's workstation is called a Perfume Organ.

What are EDP, EDT, and EDC?

Perfumes are classified by the concentration of fragrance oil, which indicates how long the scent will last. Users can choose a type based on the occasion:

• EDP (Eau de Parfum): Ideal for workdays or long events to ensure the scent lasts all day.

• Body Mist / EDC: Perfect for a light, refreshing scent after a shower.

TIPS:

Eau De = Means "Water of..." For example, Eau de Cologne translates to "Water of Cologne," which is the origin of the popular Cologne formulas today.Eau de Toilette: Literally translates to "Water of the Grooming," originally intended for hair and body freshening before getting dressed.Eau de Parfum: Literally means "Water of Perfume." Because it is "watered down," it indicates a lower concentration than pure Parfum.