Fragrance Buying Guide

Fragrance Families

Emotions play a large part in liking or disliking a fragrance. The Fragrance Wheel, created by Michael Edwards in 1983, organizes fragrances according to the way they smell. The wheel is divided into four families — Floral, Oriental, Woody and Fresh. Within those notes subcategories carry specific character scents. The relationship between each fragrance can be understood by using the Fragrance Wheel. Thus proving to be a useful tool in picking fragrances.

Floral

• Floral Oriental:A feminine and sensual combination of orange flower, vanilla, white pepper, and sweet spices.
• Floral:The most popular fragrance family. These scents can contain one or more floral notes such as jasmine, rose, peony, gardenia, and tuberose, and are often used in women's fragrances. Main notes include fresh-cut flowers.
• Soft Floral:Classic floral notes such as gardenia, tuberose and jasmine combined with less powerful florals create these elegant scents. Main notes include aldehydes and powdery notes.

Oriental

• Soft Oriental:Overtones of incense, amber, and musk are blended with subtle flowers and spices to create a Soft Oriental scent. Main notes include incense and amber.
• Oriental:Oriental fragrances are rich and sensual blends of spicy notes of clove, musk, and cinnamon combined with sweet vanilla and chocolate. Main notes include oriental resins and vanilla.
• Woody Oriental:Sensual notes of sandalwood and amber mixed with rich patchouli and spices give Woody Orientals an exotic appeal. Main notes include sandalwood and patchouli.

Woody

• Woods:Classic woody notes like cedar, patchouli, pine, and sandalwood get a modern infusion from new, exotic wood notes. Main notes include aromatic woods and vetiver.
• Mossy Woods:Mossy Woods contain the elements of a forest. Oak moss and rich soil plus a hint of fresh citrus or crisp green notes give these scents an earthy, inviting feel. Main notes include oakmoss and amber.
• Dry Woods:These scents contain typically contain cedar, tobacco, and burnt wood notes. Main notes include dry woods and leather.

Fresh

• Citrus:From the zest of lemons, mandarins, bergamot, oranges, and grapefruit comes the citrus oils that lend these fragrances their distinctive, tangy aroma
• Green:Green fragrances capture the sharp scent of fresh-cut grass, green tea, herbs, and galbanum. Gives the perfume a vibrant scent.
• Water:Dewy, aquatic notes are often used as a fresh accent to enliven florals, Orientals, and woody fragrances. But watery notes can also stand alone in soothing, cooling scents.
• Fruity:These bright scents contain familiar fruits such as peaches, pears, apples, and berries, usually excluding citrus fruits.

Tones

The tone is the intensity of each fragrance. Each fragrance has only one tone.

• Fresh: Fresh notes are clean, light, and subtle.
• Crisp: Crisp notes are lively, invigorating, and effervescent.
• Classical: Classical notes are pure, elegant, and subtle balanced.
• Rich: Rich notes are warm, spicy, and opulent.

Notes

The summary (or sub group) fragrance descriptor that capture the dominant notes characterizing the fragrance

• Top Note: The first scent you smell when a fragrance is applied. These are usually lighter scents that evaporate readily.
• Middle Notes Make up the body of the fragrance. These classify the fragrance family and usually appear 10-20 minutes after the perfume is applied.
• Base Notes Have the greatest molecular weight. They last the longest, serving as an anchor for the lighter notes and giving the fragrance holding power.

Fragrance Types

• Perfume: 20% concentration
• Eau de parfume / Eau de perfume: 10-15% concentration
• Eau de toilette: 5-15% concentration
• Eau de cologne: 2-5% concentration (men's cologne usually has 5-8%)
• Scented lotions, powders, splash perfumes and aftershaves: 1-3% aromatic compounds (good for layering)

How to Layer

• Fragrances last longest when layered, so it's helpful to pair your eau de toilette or eau de parfum with its matching body lotion, deodorant, or body wash.