Our Guide to Fragrances
Fragrances consist of a concentration of perfume oils in a solvent
(normally alcohol).
The amount of oil in the scent dictates whether it is an EDP (Eau de Parfum), an EDT (Eau de Toilette),an EDC (Eau de Cologne) or an Aftershave.
The type of scent chosen decides how long the fragrance last on the skin, and also its price.
Here is the guide:
| Type | Concentration of perfume oil | Scent to evaporate |
| Perfume | 15-30% | 6-8 hours |
| Eau de Parfum | 8-15% | 5-7 hours |
| Eau de Toilette | 4-8% | 4-6 hours |
| Eau de Cologne/ Aftershave | 3-5% | 2-3 hours |
The price of a product will depend on several factors; the type of scent (EDP, EDT, EDC), designer brand and, of course, the size.
The most expensive are the pure perfume products, followed by EDP, EDT and EDC/Aftershave.
The chemical make up and balance of our skin also defines how long a fragrance actually lasts, therefore it is common that some fragrances smell differently and last longer on some people's skin.
Fragrance Categories
Emotions play such a large part in the sense of smell, because of this people assume there is no logic in their choice of fragrance.
It is highly likely that at least two of their favourite fragrances belong to the same "family."
There are four major groups of fragrances defined by perfumers: Floral, Oriental, Woody and Fresh. Each of these groups is then split between three "categories."
Aromatic Fougere is a universal fragrance family that includes elements from all the other families -
the freshness of a citrus, floral notes of lavender, the spicy-sweetness of floral oriental, the ambery depth of an Oriental, and mossy wood notes of oakmoss and sandlewood.
Here is a table that correctly categorises each fragrance:
| Group | Blend | Family |
| Floral | Fresh Cut Flowers | Floral |
| Aldehydes Powdery Notes | Soft Floral | |
| Orange Blossom Sweet Spices | Floral Oriental | |
| Oriental | Incense Amber | Soft Oriental |
| Oriental Resins Vanilla | Oriental | |
| Sandlewood Patchouli | Woody Oriental | |
| Woody | Aromatic Woods Vetiver | Woods |
| Oakmoss Amber | Mossy Woods | |
| Dry Wood Leather | Dry Woods | |
| Fresh | Bergamot Citrus Oils | Citrus |
| Galbanium Green Notes | Green | |
| Marine Aquatic Notes | Water |
Stages of the Fragrance
Perfumes and aftershaves develop in 3 stages and this does alter the scent:
Top Note - The initial smell of the fragrance which lasts between 8-15 minutes.
Heart/Middle Note - This smell remains constant when using the scent and develops after the top note.
Base Note - This is the final stage of development and helps attach the fragrance to the skin.
Woodier notes become more prominent once the fragrance has been on the skin for a while.
Storage
Fragrances should be kept away from extreme heat and light and stored in a suitable location.
Storing fragrance in fluctuating temperatures (such as a bathroom) will cause the scent to degrade very quickly.