Understanding the fragrance pyramid.
A fragrance formulation can contain over 100 different ingredients and each of those ingredients evaporates at a different rate. A fragrance unfolds in three stages that are defined by the top notes, heart notes and base notes. These notes, or ingredients, are categorized into various fragrance families, as shown in the pyramid.
How a fragrance is structured.
The composition of a fragrance is very complex; each of the notes evolves over time and dissipates at a different rate. Analyzing how these 3 components work together and create harmony helps to understand what makes a particular scent unique or long-lasting.
Different types of perfumes and concentrations.
The concentration of fragrance oils in a solution of ethanol (or ethanol and water) is what makes up a fragrance and determines its longevity. The concentrations generally fall into these categories but are loosely adhered to in the industry. For instance, different perfume houses may have higher or lower concentrations for each type of fragrance, meaning that one perfume house could have an EDT with a higher concentration than the EDP of another perfume house. Nevertheless, the higher the percentage of fragrance oils, the more strength and sillage it has.
Fragrance Families.
Michael Edward’s Fragrance wheel is a great tool for understanding the intricacies of fragrance families and how they are related. He originally created this tool to help retailers give consumers better and more efficient suggestions in the fragrance space.
There are 4 main families: Fresh, Floral, Amber, and Woody, each having its own subfamily. Every scent family has a distinct olfactive profile that leads individuals to gravitate towards certain scents. The scents are categorized based on their similarities and differences. Those that border each other share olfactive similarities, while scents that are farther away have less similar olfactive profiles.