Ever bought a fragrance that smelled great, but you could only experience it if you were right on top of it? Now, sometimes that may be just what you’re looking for, and other times, you want your fragrance to subtly scent the air around you. But how do you know what to expect out of your perfume?
Learn the fragrance performance indicators below, to know just what questions to ask before you buy your next fragrance. You’ll be happy you did.
DIFFUSION – When a fragrance has the ability radiate from the wearer, intermingle with the nearby air molecules, and lightly scent the surrounding environment.
DRY DOWN –This is the scent that blossoms several hours after you first apply your fragrance. It is the final phase, the bottom note of a perfume. This is the scent we all remember. And it plays a huge role in shaping how you feel about a fragrance. Perfumers will evaluate the tenacity of a fragrance during this stage.
EVANESCENT – When a note is fleeting and vanishes quickly. Top notes are the notes that vanish the fasted and are known to be evanescent.
INTENSITY/STRENGTH – The degree of forcefulness, power, and potency a fragrance has.
LASTINGNESS/ LONGEVITY – The length of time a fragrance can retain its character.
PROJECTION – The distance a fragrance can radiate from the wearer into the surrounding environment.
SILLAGE – Often referred to as the “scent trail.” This is the trail of scent left behind by a perfume. Fragrances with minimal sillage are said to wear close to the skin.
STABILITY – The lifespan of a fragrance. It is the length of time a fragrance will last in the bottle, or when it is exposed to and affected by raw materials, light, heat, and air.
TENACITY – How long a perfume retains it characteristic scent when worn.
VOLATILITY – The ease at which a fragrance is vaporized and diffuses into the atmosphere at low temperatures.
Now that you’ve got that under your belt. It’s time to tackle Part IV – Understanding Perfume Characteristics.
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