Perfume, or parfum, is a concentrated blend of oils and chemicals that contains from tens to hundreds of ingredients. Generally, perfumes consist of essential oils (oils extracted from flowers, fruits, leaves, roots or bark) and synthetic aromatic chemicals (which may be created by chemically combining natural aromatic substances). Other ingredients include fixatives (natural or synthetic materials that reduce the evaporation rate and increase perceived odor strength) and solvents (which dissolve and carry the perfume oil).
The first step in making perfume is to gather the fragrance ingredients. Depending upon the perfume, this might involve anything from fragrant fruit peels to a variety of different plants and flowers. The plant oils are then separated from their other parts and extracted using a variety of techniques, the most common being distillation. Steam distillation uses boiling water to separate the oils from the other components of the plant. Other methods of oil extraction include expression, enfleurage (pressing the plant parts to squeeze out the oils), and maceration. Once the oils are obtained, they must be mixed with a solvent such as ethanol to form the perfume.
Once the perfume has been composed, it must be tested for wearability. A single test is often insufficient to determine how a particular perfume will smell on a person, however. Perfumes tend to change on the skin over time, as their molecules evaporate at different rates. As a result, perfumes that are pleasing at one point in time might not be so appealing an hour or two later.
Testing perfumes on a person also requires assessing the way they interact with each other. The interaction between top notes and middle notes is important, but the relationship with base notes is equally significant. As a general rule, a perfume’s base notes are heavier and more opulent than its middle notes. The interaction between these notes and the other parts of a perfume is what gives the fragrance its final character.
A perfume’s composition is described as being in a certain family, such as Floral, Oriental, Woody, Aromatic Fougere or Fresh. These perfume families are further subdivided into different groups based on the scents of the individual compounds. The groups are arranged around a pyramid-like structure. The pyramid classification is a useful guide, but it is not completely objective. Many perfumes, even those whose fragrance notes are listed as belonging to the same family, will have hints of other scent groups.
The olfactory system is highly complex and has a strong influence on personal judgment and perception. As a result, there is no perfect formula for creating a perfume that will please everyone. Those who wish to become more proficient at selecting and wearing perfume should experiment widely and learn to recognize the nuances of the fragrances they are evaluating. In addition, they should read reviews and descriptions of perfumes written by other people. This will help them develop their understanding of the nuances of a perfume and how it might work on them.