Classic fragrances are constructed on a framework of high, middle, and low notes. What you first experience in a perfume when applied to the skin is known as the top note or the “initial impact”. Top note oils are the most volatile ingredients. They are also the most stimulating and energizing oils, and have a fresh, immediately apparent quality that is intense, but fleeting, due to their fast evaporation rate.
2. What are Heart (Middle) Notes?
Their scent emerges shortly after the top note's first impression. Middle note oils, also known as “modifier”, usually form the bulk of fragrance blends, and the dominant notes will appear to classify the fragrance family. They are strong, lasting and potent - not as bright as the top notes, or solid as the base notes.
Often referred to as the “fixative”, base note oils are the slowest to evaporate. Their rich, heavy scents emerge slowly, linger, and are therefore responsible for the perfume lasting quality. A fixative is a natural or synthetic substance used to reduce the evaporation rate, increase perceived odor strength, and improve stability when added to more volatile components. This allows the final product to last longer while keeping its original fragrance.
4. How long can your fragrances last on my skin?
Our fragrances can linger on your skin for about 8 to 24 hours. Yes, a whole day, evaporating naturally during the course of the day, depending upon your "smell fingerprint" or body chemistry, your skin type (dry, oily, mixed) and … season.
5. Is it true that each person has his or her own individual “smell fingerprint”?
Yes, each of us has our own unique odor identity which is the sum of our heredity (genes), skin type (dry, oily), hair, diet, medications, are under stress, the environment in which we live, etc…
6. Do skin types have an effect on the strength of a Scent?
Yes, the amount of acidity - mixture of chemicals among which there is water, fat, fatty acids, salts, sugars, proteins, fibers and hair - in our skin varies from person to person. Thus, aromas will react accordingly, sometimes seeming to make the fragrance smell differently. Furthermore, your skin’s natural moisture will normally retain the fragrance for longer; therefore, people with dry skin will find that fragrances will not tend to hold as well as those with oily skin. It is a case of trial and error to find the fragrance to suit both you and your skin type!
7. Do the seasons of the year have an impact on the strength of a perfume?
Suppose you put a drop of fragrance on two pieces of glass, expose one in a room with the air conditioning on, and later, the second one in the same room with the heater on. Which of the two will have a stronger smell and dry faster…? You got it. The second one of course, heat increases the impact of odor. So does the summer time to the perfume. In hot weather, each fragrance application has a shorter but stronger scent than cold weather.
8. What is the shelf life of your fragrances?
Light and heat are the enemies of all fragrances. Keeping your fragrances away from direct sunlight and extreme heat or cold will extend their life for many years, as long as they are kept in a cool and dry area. Extreme weathers can upset the delicate balance of the oils and change their scent
9. I can’t smell my perfume any longer. Is this normal?
Yes, this is normal. If you have been wearing your fragrance for several years, your sense of smell gets accustomed to it and you start to lose its odor. Although you may not necessary smell your perfume, others around you can smell it. Thus, there is no need to reapply it just because you cannot smell it on you. Instead, switch to another fragrance, and after a few weeks, you will start missing your old fragrance.
10. Why is it important to test no more than three fragrances at one time?
The sense of smell quickly develops odor fatigue if it is exposed to too many sensations in a short period of time
11. Where should I apply my fragrances?
Fragrances should be applied to pulse points such as the folds in the crook of your elbow and back of knees, wrists, neck, behind your ears, crease of your arm and cleavage area. Your pulse points give off more heat than other parts of the body due to the closeness of blood vessels to the skin. Make sure you do not rub wrists together as this crushes the smell. Do not simply apply to the neck. Always work up the body as the scent rises.
12. Should perfumes be applied to clothes?
No, perfumes are formulated only to be applied to the skin. If applied to fabric, the fibers could change the character of the fragrance. The scent might also stain the fabric.
