TERM BY TERM BREAKING INTO THE WORLD OF FRAGRANCES 

Going to the mall to buy a product for yourself might be easy but, when it comes to choosing out of the thousands of options that are available, it can be head-spinning. Perfumes are no different! It can be mind-boggling to choose a particular fragrance for yourself amidst the varied descriptions on the bottles. 

Thus, before getting on board on the journey to the world of fragrances, it is of prime importance to get a hang of some of the keywords that are highly prevalent in this domain and we, just made this task a whole lot easier for you. 

Note

In layman’s terms, a note is similar to an additive which is categorized into 3 groups- top, middle and base. A fragrance is constituted as a combination of all three of them. The first smell that heightens your senses when you pick up a fragrance is the top note. As that dies down a bit, you smell a hint of the middle note, or in other words, the “heart and last but not the least, the base note, the one that stays put on your skin.

Drydown

The final stage where the top note and middle note makes way for the base note in the process of evaporation; is the drydown. Drydown hits different for every individual. It is also the reason behind the same fragrance smelling different on different individuals. Quick fact check, isn’t it?

Accord

Did I hear Honda Accord? Nah! Who knew that we had something called an “accord” in fragrances too? In simple words, accord is when either two or more than two notes are fused together to bring a completely different scent into existence. (Is it just me or even you have started wondering that there is magic in every sphere of fragrances?)

Gourmand

One of the most widely used categories of perfumes is Gourmand. It replicates the sweet smell of things like chocolate, vanilla, caramel and so on. Dior Miss Dior Cherie, Prada Candy and Britney Spears Fantasy are some of the examples of this category of fragrance. 

Aldehydes

To put it across in simple terms, aromatic constituents that are found in our natural surroundings such as flowers. However, these day with an advancement in technology, synthetic version of it can also be brought into existence. Their accompaniment brings in a sense of fervour and uniqueness to a scent. 

Chanel No. 22 is one of the popular examples in this category. 

Concentration

Concentration essentially means the ratio between perfume- oil- to- alcohol in a single bottle. Parfum, eau de parfum, eau de toilette and eau de cologne are the four categories in which strength concentration of fragrances are divided into. 

Higher concentration and lasting effect of the fragrance on your skin are directly proportional to each other.

Oriental

This domain of fragrance is blessed with being the most long-lasting, exceptional and intense scent as compared to the others. Rich and warm notes are the distinguished features of this category of fragrances. Some of the popular examples are Fever Eau Da Parfum by Jimmy Choo and Black Opium Intense Eau De Parfum by YSL.

So, our dear perfume enthusiasts, what are you waiting for? Go get yourself one with the help of your newly acquired knowledge. Sparkle away and make people come your way!