Perfumes And Colognes - Balance And Notes
By: Jade Honeywell
Do you know why perfumes smell so different from each other? It's not just because of the ingredients they contain but also because of the balance of those ingredients.
Perfumes and colognes are created from a mixture of alcohol and essential oils. When the scent is applied to the body, the alcohol evaporates and the essential oils are absorbed by the skin. The difference between a perfume and an eau de toilette depends upon the concentration of essential oils found within them.
The main perfume categories are:
* Perfume - also sometimes referred to as extract or extrait perfume. This, typically contains 15-40% perfume concentrates. So, not only do you need to use less, but also, depending upon skin type, the scent lasts longer - typically for up to 6 hours.
* Eau de parfum - is lighter than Perfume and has an 8-15% concentration. It is usually less expensive but still has long lasting characteristics - typically from 3 to 5 hours.
* Eau de toilette - has around 8% to 15% essential oils and so has a lighter fragrance. It doesn't linger as long as the more intense products and was originally intended to be a refreshing body splash.
* Eau de cologne - is sometimes used interchangeably with the term eau de toilette. It was made popular by Napoleon and referred to a fresh, light, fragrance mixed with citrus oils. Nowadays it refers to fragrances containing 2-5% essential oils.
There are many other products that use perfume concentrates as well as those above. The more obvious examples include soaps, cosmetics, bubble bath, lotions, creams and aftershaves.
Another way to describe the differences from one perfume to another is in terms of their fragrance notes.
They are commonly referred to as:
* Top notes - also called head notes - are the scents that are perceived immediately a perfume is applied. They are small, light molecules that evaporate quickly and form a person's initial impression of a perfume. Top notes can be described as "assertive", "fresh" or "sharp." Ginger and citrus are common top notes.
* Middle notes - these compounds form the "heart" or main body of a perfume and can be smelt as the top notes fade away. They have a mellow fragrance and include such scents as lavender, spearmint and rose.
* Base notes - as the middle notes fade the base notes become noticeable and fragrance give the fragrance its "signature". They are often experienced and as musky, woody tones. Since they are the heaviest, the base notes tend to leave the longest lasting fragrance on you.
The combination of these notes, the particular ingredients and their relative strength are what give a perfume its distinct fragrance.
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