For thousands of years perfume has been an art form, a fragrance that can transform the way we feel about ourselves. Perfume is a combination of essential oils, water and alcohol that creates a unique scent. Perfume is a highly developed craft that is as much science as it is art.
There are many different types of perfume, and each one has its own purpose, whether it’s to enhance personal hygiene, mask body odor, create a feeling of confidence or evoke nostalgia. It is a highly complex process to create a perfume and it takes a skilled perfumer to make it perfect.
The first perfumes were made from natural ingredients like flowers, spices and resins. They were used in religious rituals and as part of embalming. Modern perfumers use a mixture of natural and synthetic ingredients to create a fragrance that reflects the person wearing it. The perfumer has to carefully balance all the elements in order to achieve a harmonious fragrance. The scent accord is described as a musical note progression, with the top notes (the first smells that you notice) leading into the middle notes and then the base notes. The perfumer must also be aware of the evaporation rate of each ingredient to create a balanced perfume that lasts longer.
Perfume is a very personal choice and should be chosen to reflect your personality, mood, activity and style. Choosing the right perfume will help you make a good impression at work, a romantic evening or even on a holiday.
Fragranced skin is a personal thing and some people might find the smell of a particular perfume irritating. It is recommended to wear perfumes with a low concentration, such as Eau de Parfum (eau means “water” in French), because higher concentrations can cause irritation and allergic reactions. Some people might have an aversion to certain chemicals used in perfume production, such as phthalates and nitrocellulose. These chemicals can cause contact dermatitis, which is a painful red rash that often starts around the nose and cheeks.
Another important factor in choosing a perfume is its projection and sillage, which are terms that the French use to describe how strongly a fragrance spreads. Sillage refers to how far the scent lingers and projection is whether you can perceive it when someone walks past you.
Perfumes with a stronger composition will usually have a better projection and sillage than perfumes with a lighter formulation. Perfumes with heavier (oriental) base notes tend to last the longest, whereas those with lighter (citrus) top notes will evaporate more quickly. The scent of a perfume can change over time, and it is recommended to keep the bottle closed when not in use in order to maintain its composition.