On this page you will find my (personal, non official) meanings and explanations of words used in the realm of perfumery, especially terms that you may encounter in reviews and brand’s descriptions on this website and elsewhere online.
I’ve included some categories and descriptors here, but for now I refer you to Kafkaesque’s Glossary for more on individual notes. You can read short impressions of specific perfume ingredients here.
#AD / PR
When websites, reviewers or influencers use #AD, ‘gifted’, PR or Paid Partnership it means the content is considered advertising. I often call it a collaboration with a brand and you will see #AD with explanation at the top of every review where it applies on this site. It usually means a fragrance is gifted, but it can include payment or commission on sales via a discount code. On scentadvice it never means that the content is dictated or pre-approved by a brand. In my experience (in hundreds of collaborations), brands rarely provide or steer the content & if so, I’ve always been free to deviate from it. I’ve never altered my opinion based on a brand’s feedback or request. However, one’s opinion may be swayed, for example by the prospect of more future collaborations, hence disclosing it is important. Note that many sites, reviewers & influencers fail to properly disclose this type of marketing, but it is very common in the online fragrance sphere.
ABSOLUTE
Absolute describes the extraction method of a (floral) ingredient. As opposed to Essential Oils, which are water – or steam distilled or cold-pressed, Absolutes are extracted with a solvent and consist of heavier molecules (which in theory last longer). Because of the differences in extraction, the smells can vary greatly. The term is sometimes also used as a concentration for a fragrance (see Extrait de Parfum).
ACCORD
An accord is a grouping of different ingredients to form part of the fragrance. For example many ingredients combined may form a ‘floral accord’. Note that, for example ‘rose’, will rarely consist of a single natural rose ingredient; it’s likely to include at least 10 mostly synthetic ingredients, so most notes listed are technically accords by themselves, yet the term is usually reserved for larger groupings.
ALDEHYDES
Aldehydes are a group of ingredients with scents ranging from fresh and soapy (C13), green (C7) to fruity (C16) and sweet (C18). It’s often used in citrus and floral fragrances and was made popular (although falsely claimed first used) by Chanel No. 5.
More on Aldehydes (via Alpha Aromatics)
AMBER
An often mistaken term (see the terms Ambergris, Ambroxan & Amberwoods below). Amber is an accord consisting of the resin labdanum and vanilla. Often paired with other resins like benzoin and more ingredients. It’s sweet and warm, sometimes smoky. It does not resemble ambergris, nor is it a fossilized amber crystal (in very rare artisinal perfumes, fossiled amber is listed as a note, but I’ve been told it practically has no smell).
More on Amber (via Kafkaesque)
AMBERGRIS
Ambergris comes from the digestive system of sperm whales after squid beaks damage it (it’s not sperm or vomit). It’s rare, expensive and after floating in the sea, it’s found on shores in the form of rocks The more time spent on sea, the whiter it gets. Sometimes graded as white, grey and black ambergris; white is the most desired, soft and sweet, whereas black is the most animalic. You will rarely encounter real ambergris in perfume, given its rarity and cost. I’ve not smelled it on its own, but I have in perfumes. The scent is said to be a mix of the saltiness of the sea (briny), with contrasting sweetness and a musky, animalic edge. Ambroxan is said to mimic Ambergris, but based on what I can make of it, ambroxan smells very different.
More on Ambergris (via Kafkaesque)
AMBERWOODS
A popular term in recent years, with many variants on the market: ambermax, ambrocenide, norlimbanol, amber xtreme etc. These are strong performing, ambery, but mostly woody and sometimes spicy ingredients. They tend to be quite harsh and dominant and can prolong a fragrance’s drydown. There’s perhaps some overlap with the amber accord, but not with ambergris and ambroxan, which often gets grouped in, despite being totally different.
AMBROXAN
Ambroxan or ambrox is one of the most well-known synthetic ingredients, in part thanks to the brand Escentric Molecules. It’s an ambroxide, which also comes as variants cetalox & orcanox. Ambroxan is derived from sclareol, which is a component found in clary sage. It’s said to mimic ambergris, but in my opinion, ambroxan lacks both the briny and animalic facets. To me, Ambroxan is sugary sweet, with a fizzy musky side that some say recalls ‘skin’, some call it metallic.
ANIMALIC
Animalic describes facets that correlate with ingredients derived from animals (ambergris, deer musk, civet, hyraceum); now often replaced with synthetic vegan alternatives. They tend to be more daring or challenging. Civet can have a urine-like acidity, deer musks can have a warm, furry facet, whereas hyraceum is used for lifelike leather scents. Fecal facets as can be found, for example in Indian Oud Assam, are sometimes also described as animalic or barnyard.
ANOSMIC / NoseBLIND
This describes when you can’t smell (your own) fragrance anymore. Our noses are designed to only pick up certain scents and ‘mute’ persistent smells. It wants to detect changes, and not be constantly making you aware of your own breathe, the scent in your living room or… your fragrance. Spraying more doesn’t help, if anything, it can make you go noseblind quicker; this is why many people complain about poor longevity of their fragrances, when in reality, it’s likely that their surroundings do in fact smell them.
AROMATIC / HERBAL
A family or facet to a fragrance that describes the scents of (fresh) herbs like lavender, sage, mint, rosemary & thyme.
ATOMIZER
The atomizer is the ‘sprayer’ on a bottle of perfume. They spray with different widths and lengths. In my opinion, by far the best atomizers are pressurized, meaning you can influence how much you spray by pressing softer or harder.
ATTAR / ITTAR / OTTO
A pure concentration of fragrance oils, without the use of chemicals (at least traditionally) and without alcohol. Ingredients like flowers or herbs are hydro -or steam distilled into oil, traditionally sandalwood oil. Ingredients distilled in this way without mixing them with sandalwood oil are also called ruhs, whereas attars blended with other ingredients (without alcohol) is also called a mukhallat.
More on (Indian) Attars (via Kannauj Attar)
BALSAMIC
Often used to describe texture: soft and smooth, oily, maybe even sticky. Also associated with sweet. To be honest, I still struggle with this term as its exact meaning is too vague and unknown. Especially for sweeter woody scents, I prefer the term resinous.
BARNYARD / SKANKY
Quite literally the scent of being near a barnyard or farm land. Often used to describe ouds with a fecal facet. Sometimes also earthy, hay-like, grassy, but usually meant to indicate a level of ‘dirtiness’ or what I often refer to as skanky.
BASE NOTE / BOTTOM NOTE
A perfume consists of top notes, heart notes & base notes. This (arbitrary) pyramid is used to indicate the strength, depth and longevity of the notes and accords used in the fragrance. Base notes are the heaviest notes, meaning they will be more prominent in the drydown, last the longest and sometimes reveal themselves later during the wear. Here you will find for example woods, resins and musks.
BATCH
On (almost) every fragrance bottle and box you will find a batch code. Not to be confused with (re)formulation, which means the fragrance inherently changed it’s composition, a batch simply means a specific production run of the same formulation. Different batches can have the exact same formulation, however, due to (especially natural) ingredients changing over time and with every harvest, variations between batches can be noticeable. Batch codes can sometimes be used to track down the production date of a bottle.
BEASTMODE
A term used to describe fragrance with excellent or ‘extreme’ performance; long-lasting and/or projecting loudly.
BLEND
Every fragrance is a blend of ingredients. When I use sayings like ‘a good quality blend’, I mean that there’s a harmony between all the facets of the fragrance. That no ingredients stick out, are overpowering or harsh or clashing with the other ingredients.
BLIND-BUY
Blind-buying means buying fragrances (especially online) without having smelled them. I suggest always sampling fragrances before buying, but this is not always possible for varying reasons. Some people just enjoy the thrill of blind-buying; it’s like gambling. Do so wisely.
CHYPRE
A family of fragrances mostly centered around oakmoss. Often in combination with a citrus like bergamot, sometimes fruity (fruity chypre) as top notes. The base generally consists of oakmoss, patchouli and/or labdanum for a warmer, earthier drydown.
CLONE / DUPE
Clones, dupes or sometimes disguised as ‘inspired by’ are copies of (popular) fragrances. Usually cheaper. There’s a lot of grey area, as many brands have overlapping fragrances, but there are brands that specifically or only make copies of other fragrances as their business model. Sometimes the presentation (bottle, box) will try to mimic the original fragrance it copies, but clones/dupes will be distinguishable and often carry a different name (a fragrance composition can’t be copyright protected, but the name can be). Buyers are aware that they are buying a copy. When a fragrance is trying to look exactly like another fragrance, tricking buyers into thinking that it’s the original, it’s called a fake or counterfeit.
CLOYING
A term used to describe excessive sweetness. This is a very personal boundary. I, for example, love very sweet fragrances, with rich vanilla or chocolate. However, when it’s too sugary, or when it’s a sweet fruity cocktail, I often find it cloying.
CO2
An extraction method for ingredients, whereby gas is turned into a liquid state and is used as a solved to extract the oil out of a material (similar to absolutes). By turning the liquid back into a gas, there’s no solvent left to separate from the final product.
More on Co2 extraction (via Sylvaine Delacourte)
COLOGNE
A cologne is another word for fragrance. More often used to describe men’s fragrances. Linked to the Eau de Cologne concentration, but sometimes used to describe a style (fougere, barbershop, fresh, masculine), more so than the concentration.
COMPOSITION
The overall combination of all the components in the fragrances; the sum of its parts. When talking about the composition, I talk about how a perfumer made components work together and how pleasant (or not) the final result is.
CONCENTRATION
The amount of perfume oil in a fragrance, versus solvents (mostly alcohol). It’s good to note that the concentration terms are arbitrary; the percentages are an indication, but brands are free to name the concentration however they want.
Approximately the concentrations are:
Aftershave: 1-3%
Eau de Cologne: 2-5%
Eau de Toilette: 5-10/15%
Eau de Parfum: 10/15-20%
Extrait de Parfum: 20+%
There are many additional names used, sometimes as indication of the concentration, but sometimes as a style, for example: Eau Fraiche can mean a fresher scent, but actually be in Eau de Parfum concentration. There is Parfum Cologne, Cologne Forte, Parfum de Toilette, Elixir, Absolue & more. The actual concentration percentage should be indicated on the packaging.
A common misconception is that a higher concentration makes for a stronger fragrance. While perfume oils are higher and those carry the scent, it’s only half of the truth. Lower concentrations contain more alcohol, therefore it evaporates from your skin faster, making for louder, stronger projecting fragrances. In theory, higher concentration = smoother, denser and longer lasting. Lower concentration = more diffusive and loud, but shorter lived.
DABBER / SPLASH BOTTLE
A perfume bottle or vial without an atomizer / sprayer. Sometimes with a stick attached to the cap, to apply to the skin that way (most attars have this), sometimes as splash bottle where you apply directly from the botttle to the skin (most seen in vintage men’s colognes).
DECANT
A decant is a certain amount of fragrance ‘decanted’ into a different bottle or vial. Usually to be able to test fragrances cheaper and in smaller quantities. Used often in the online second-hand market places.
DESIGNER
Designer (as opposed to niche) is a category of fragrances made by designer brands like Dior, Chanel or Prada; companies who’s first priority is not making fragrances. Its meaning is interpreted in many ways and it has become impossible to draw a clear line. I personally look at what the target audience is and argue that a Chanel Les Exclusifs at €250, that’s not readily available in most places, that may not have the most mass appealing scent profile, does not fit the designer category; it’s targeting a niche audience.
Check out my article ‘Everything Has A Price: Reflection On Niche’ for my extensive thoughts.
DNA
DNA speaks of a intrinsic, recognizable characteristic of a fragrance (or perfumer’s work, or brand’s aesthetic). DNA is brought up mostly when a brand releases a flanker or new version of a fragrance. For example, how much of what made the original fragrance what it was, it’s DNA, is noticeable in the new release?
DISCONTINUED
Discontinued… a dreaded term for many fragrance enthousiasts. Fragrances get discontinued and become unavailable for purchase (although many will be available on discount websites or second-hand, sometimes at higher prices).
DISCOUNTER / RETAIL
Discounters are (online) stores where fragrances are sold, often at a discount when compared to retail stores. Retail stores are legit sellers, with permission from the brands. Discounters usually sell fragrances without permission from brands. While there is a risk of fake perfumes being sold, some big discounters are safe to purchase from in that regards. However, they may sell older formulations, bottles of which the storage method can’t be controlled or tester bottles that were not meant to be sold.
DRYDOWN
I break up the wear of a fragrance into an opening (first minutes), mid (1-3 hours), drydown (however long the scent lingers after that). There’s no clear distinction; some fragrance seem to have more defined phases, while with some fragrances it feels like you go straight into the drydown, typified by base notes. Some last 4 hours, some last 24 hours. The opening is what mostly attracts buyers in stores, but the drydown is what you will spend most of the time with, hence sampling fragrances on your skin before buying is recommended.
DUMB REACH / VERSATILITY
A term coined online for a versatile, easy to wear fragrance. One that you can spray on, for almost any type of event, in any weather without having to think about it too much. A safe pick.
EAU DE COLOGNE (EDC)
Usually 2-5% concentration (not a fixed percentage). Reserved mostly for fresher, brighter, citrussy fragrances. The higher percentage of alcohol makes for a generally short longevity, but a sparkling, sharper and diffusive scent.
EAU DE PARFUM (EDP)
Usually 10/15-20% concentration (not a fixed percentage). Often a tad more full-bodied and smoother than the slightly more projecting Eau de Toilette’s, but the difference in my opinion isn’t always evident. Fun fact: It’s a relatively newer concentration, as originally Eau de Colognes, Eau de Toilettes and Extrait/Parfums were often the options among the big perfume brands in the early 1900’s.
EAU DE TOILETTE (EDT)
Usually 5-10/15% (not a fixed percentage). As mentioned with the Eau de Parfum, I often don’t find the difference with the Eau de Toilette noteworthy. It’s better suited for more brightness, so citrusses and warm weather fragrances may feel more vibrant in the Eau de Toilette concentration.
ELIXIR
This has become a very popular term again since the release of Sauvage Elixir. However, the term has been around (Guerlain released Elixir Imperial c. 1853 for example) and has been used to describe ‘higher concentration’ fragrances frequently. For more on those, see Extrait de parfum.
ENFLEURAGE
An extraction method for ingredients. Certain flowers that keep producing scent after they’ve been picked can transfer the fragrance onto a layer of odorless fat (there’s a cold and a hot method of doing this).
More on Enfleurage (via Wit & West)
ESSENTIAL OIL / ESSENCE
Essential Oils or simply put Essences are ingredients made via a water -or steam distillation or cold press. Because there is no residue from other solvents, these are seen as ‘clean’ and Essential Oils are often used in aromatherapy. In perfumery Essential oils tend to signify natural ingredients, but as relatively less strong (more volatile) when compared to the heavier absolutes. Because of the differences in extraction, the smells can vary greatly.
EXTRAIT DE PARFUM
Usually 20+ % (not a fixed percentage). Extrait de Parfum, other names used are: Parfum, Extract, Absolue, Absolute, Elixir, Pure Parfum & more. The higher concentration makes for a denser, more rounded and full-bodied fragrance. Fragrances with a lot of heavier, base notes usually benefit from the Extrait concentration, whereas fresher, citrussy fragrances may lose some spark and vibrancy. The higher concentration generally extends the longevity, but also makes a fragrance smoother.
People often are mistaken in thinking that an Extrait flanker will make a fragrance even louder or ‘more extreme’, when often the opposite is the reality. A great example is Amouage Interlude 53. The extremely rare high 53% concentration makes the rather ‘extreme’ Interlude Man DNA softer and more wearable.
FAMILY
The ‘genre’, category of style of a fragrance is referred to as its family. As often with classifications, things tend to overlap: Some of the popular families are: amber, gourmand, fougere, chypre, floral, woody, aquatic/marine, animalic, aromatic, fruity & citrus. A popular way of grouping fragrance is via Michael Edwards’ Fragrance Wheel, as shown below.
FEMININE / MASCULINE / UNISEX
A complex topic, so a long explanation. Whereas gender seems to be less and less relevant in niche perfumes (a lof of niche is not marketed towards a specific gender), the distinction is still strongly made in the marketing-heavy designer perfumes. Gender associations are also embedded in most people’s memories of perfumes growing up. Some people choose to avoid the terminology altogether and find making the distinction problematic.
I personally feel that no perfume should be viewed as ‘only for men or women’; I wear many perfumes marketed to women as a men myself. I see absolutely no boundary, but I also don’t see a big issue with using the terms as descriptors (more on this later).
I view feminine-masculine as a scale, admitting that this is completely fictional, different for each person and changing over time. Yet, I’m convinced that describing a rose as ‘very feminine leaning’ or ‘a masculine leaning’ anno 2023 can give most of my readers a better idea of the scent than most other descriptors; after all what I find too sweet or too strong, also differs per person and over time.
I don’t view one as better than the other and I try not to write in a way that excludes people. I chose to use ‘leaning’ to make it not sound like a boundary and I use ‘(traditionally) men’s or women’s marketed’ to refer to style that may be familiar to my readers. Granted that in x amount of years, things will have shifted and perhaps, in time, there won’t be a relevant frame of reference for what people perceive as masculine or feminine anymore.
It’s flawed. I’m aware that this is a chicken and egg story, where keeping the descriptors in the language may affect or slow down the change. I prefer to change the mindset, try to educate and ‘remove’ the boundaries, rather than remove the words, since that frame of reference is already there for most of us. Instead of taking offense to gender stereotypical terms like a ‘girly fragrance’ or a ‘traditional masculine cologne’, I say: Let anyone who wants to wear it, wear it proudly and overcome the words; the frame of reference will move in due time.
FLANKER
A flanker is a different, new take on a (usually popular) fragrance. It’s a way for brands to capitalize on a fragrance that is doing well and use the already familiar name and DNA to lure in repeat customers. Originally seen in designers, but this practice is getting more and more common in niche fragrances nowadays. Flankers sometimes mean a change in concentration, but more often than not, that also means changes to the formulation. Sometimes small changes, where the original fragrance is clearly noticeable, just tweaked a bit, but sometimes far removed from the original. Aside from concentration changes there are some popular ‘themes’ for flankers, like Summer or Winter flankers, a darker flanker, Sport flankers (especially in the 1980-2000’s) and Oud flankers (after 2010’s)
FORMULATION / REFORMULATION
The formulation is the exact composition of the fragrance; the ingredients and amounts used to make it. Formulations are sometimes indicated with a formula code on the box (not batchcode). As mentioned with batches, different batches can be produced with the same formulation.
However, sometimes a formulation itself changes; called a reformulation. In that case, a fragrance keeps the same name, but the fragrance composition has been tweaked (usually a bit, but there are some examples where it changed quite drastically). This can be done for many reasons: IFRA compliancy, availability of ingredients, lowering costs, working with a different perfumer or just wanting to change or modernize the scent profile. There’s often speculation about reformulations, although in some cases, batch variations and aging explain differences in scent. When reformulations happen, the consensus is usually that the older version is superior, so those can become more desirable for collectors.
While I’ve seen big changes and downgrades and I’ve sought out own older formulations of specific scents myself, I think the whole topic is largely overstated, especially when you’re not comparing two versions side by side. My advice would be to not worry about it; try the version you have access to and if you like it, enjoy your fragrance. In my experience, half of the differences have to do with aging, and in due time, your new version will change as well.
A small sidestep to the color of the perfume. Color differences are often named as a sign of reformulation or to indicate that an older, darker bottle is stronger. Be aware that only a few ingredients will make the fragrance naturally darker and this can happen in a short amount of time; specifically vanilla, but also an ingredient like jasmine will add color and will make a fragrance grow darker over time. Here as well, part can be true to say that darker and older can be better, but part comes down to aging and batch variations. And preference; for example, I have two versions of a fragrance (Fragrance du Bois Sahraa) and I definitely prefer the newer, lighter color one. Lastly, a lot of perfumes use colorants in the first place; for example Maison Christian Dior fragrance are de-colored by the brand and given their color with colorants; so an old version of Oud Ispahan may be darker than a new one, but this has nothing to do with ingredients. Some brands list the colorants used at the bottom of the ingredients on the box.
FOUGERE / BARBERSHOP
Fougere is a family of fragrance introduced by Houbigant Fougere Royale. It’s considered a traditionally masculine scent profile (and counterpart to chypre?) with a fresher opening and aromatics. A trademark for the style is the addition of coumarin; a sweetness found in tonka beans. Related to barbershop fragrances.
GOURMAND
Gourmand is a relatively modern family of edible (and drinkable) fragrances; especially sweet ones. Made popular with Thierry Mugler Angel by perfumer Olivier Cresp. Here you find fragrances with vanilla, chocolate, coffee, candy notes and more.
HEADY
Heady is a way to describe the intoxicating quality of a scent, in particular florals. Especially white florals like jasmine and tuberose can get quite heavy and narcotic. This opulent, rich scent can be quite overwhelming. For me this is not fully similar, but closely connected to indolic.
HEART NOTE / MIDDLE NOTE
A perfume consists of top notes, heart notes & base notes. This (arbitrary) pyramid is used to indicate the strength, depth and longevity of the notes and accords used in the fragrance. Heart notes are for the mid of the wear and usually last a maximum of a few hours. Notes like spices and florals are often named as heart notes.
IFRA
IFRA or the International Fragrance Association is a controversial (often misunderstood) body in the industry. IFRA consists of representatives from perfume and oil houses (IFF, Givaudan, Roberte, Symrise etc.). IFRA aims to self-regulate the fragrance industry and gives advice to governing bodies (IFRA itself does not make laws) about toxicity of perfume ingredients. This IFRA standard is updated regularly and has banned or restricted aroma chemicals, forcing perfumes to be reformulated as the EU legislators closely follow IFRA advice and perfumes must comply with IFRA standards to be legally sold within the EU.
The restrictions and the admittedly questionable conflict of interest is cause for much debate and criticism from the fragrance community. This is only half the story however. The European Commission has their own ideas, based on arguably less favorable research, about banning perfume ingredients. IFRA acts as a middle ground, where the industry self-regulates, so that governing bodies are satisfied. Take IFRA out of the equation and chances are that worse decisions would have drastically more impact on the perfume industry.
There’s an on-going discussion about banning vs. labeling. Why can cigarettes and unhealthy foods be sold with warnings? Peanut butter can be sold despite peanut allergies. But perfume ingredients get banned for an estimated 1-3% of the population that may encounter allergic reactions. I hope there will be a future where there is less restriction, in favor of providing information and letting customers make their own decision.
More about IFRA (via IFRA)
INDOLIC
Indolic is an interesting quality, found mostly in (white) floral notes. The indols responsible occur in nature where there is decay and decomposition. It’s found in feces, which is a connection often made, and while high doses of indols can smell a bit fecal, it’s given the material an unwarranted bad reputation. Indolic adds a facet that makes floral notes feel real, raw and rich; it gives them weight. At its most daring it can be a tad animalic, raunchy, sexual, dark, while in moderation it can be opulent, sensual, mysterious.
JUICE
Sometimes a synonym for fragrances in general. Often used as a description of the actual liquid in a perfume bottle. For example the juice level shows how much fragrance is left or the juice color is referenced.
LAYERING
Layering is the art (or some would say, crime) of wearing multiple perfumes at once. Some brands have played into this phenomenon by releasing perfumes that are meant to be layered (which sounds a lot like selling multiple unfinished products at once to the skeptical mind). I have layered perfumes, but rarely and usually with closely matching styles. Generally speaking, I’d say, experiment with it and wear whatever you like. That being said, chances of improving upon a composition made by a master perfumer, by mixing in a completely different complex fragrance are slim and I can understand why the practice is frowned upon by many a perfumer.
LINEAR
Describing the wear of a perfume as linear, means that there are few or only small changes between the opening, mid and drydown. Some fragrances go through big transitions, while others smell pretty much the same from start to finish; linear.
LONGEVITY
The longevity of a fragrance says how long it’s noticeable or detectable. Generally I’d say perfumes last from 4-12 hours on skin, with exceptions lasting longer. The final hours may be only detectable when really searching for it and smelling your skin up-close, but there’s a point where I consider the wear to be over.
I often get the question: ‘How is the longevity?’. In all honesty, longevity is the most overrated facet of perfumery to me. Not only is it hard to judge, it’s even harder to gage online. As everyone’s skin is different, weather conditions are different, bottles are different ages, different batches, they may be stored differently. There are countless factors that come in to play. At best you can surmise if a fragrance is generally considered to be strong or not that strong, but even then the experiences can vary to extremes. I sometimes remark on performance in my reviews, but rarely in concrete terms and it’s more opinion/experience than a factual statement.
I also want to remark on the purpose of the longevity. In most cases where there is a long drydown, that drydown is not that great. To extend the longevity either amberwoods or a vanillic or ambroxan sweetness is used. In some cases, this is fine and suits the fragrance. However, if I spray a citrus fragrance (notoriously hard and technically impossible to naturally last that long), because I’m in the mood for citrusses… then what’s the use of an extra 4 hour long vanilla drydown for me? I’d rather have it fade, so I can apply fragrance again.
MACERATION / MATURATION
Maceration is the process of letting the fragrance ‘rest’ under fixed circumstances by a brand, before releasing it to the market. Sometimes this is a couple of days, sometimes a couple of months. It’s said to improve the blend of the fragrance as well as removing potential sediment created by ingredients when mixed with alcohol. In theory it can improve performance, making for a better first impression upon release.
Somewhat similarly, you can mature, age or oxidize your fragrances at home… by using them. Once you use your perfume, oxygen will be introduced (in my experience more so with refillable bottles or decants). This will speed up the aging process, making top notes (citrus especially) fade or go flat over time and in theory, make the perfume feel a bit denser and darker. This explains why perfumes may smell different two years after you’ve bought them.
Technically, perfumes have an expiration date, although it varies strongly. Some fragrances go flat in years, some change a little, whereas well-stored fragrances, unopened ones and especially fragrances with a lot of base notes can smell great after more than half a century. For example: I have a bottle of Guerlain from 1967-1976 that smells great, but definitely sweeter and less bright than newer ones. However, I have a 1970 Dior that seems to smell as new.
MARINE / AQUATIC / BLUE
A family or style of fragrances that’s been very popular with some of the biggest sellers like Davidoff Cool Water and Armani Acqua Di Gio. Adjacent are what are now simply being called ‘blue’ fragrances like Bleu de Chanel & Dior Sauvage. Often evoking the sea or seaside.
MASS APPEALING
Mass appealing means that a fragrance is likely to be enjoyed or at least tolerated by a great majority of people. As opposed to challenging, daring fragrances. Often opposed to eccentric and unconventional fragrances, although sometimes a unique fragrance comes to market, that does have mass appeal (one of the biggest feats for a big release to achieve). It used to be that niche was seen as the opposite for mass appealing, but realistically, more and more niche brands (try to) release mass appealing fragrances.
MINERALIC
Mineralic is a quality often related to marine / aquatic fragrances. Generally fresh scents, with watery, airy or metallic facets. Often connected to a saltiness as well.
MUSK / WHITE MUSK
Musks are a big group of perfume ingredients. They are often used as a fixative; something that binds the fragrance and keeps it from falling apart and diffusing too quickly. While real deer musk as mentioned in animalics is rarely used (mostly by artisinal houses), artificial musks have taken its place.
There are a lot of ‘white’ musks prominent in perfumery. Until in the 80’s there were ‘nitromusks’ which have been partially banned for toxicity issues and not being bio-degradable. Followed by Polycyclic musks, which are popular (tonalide, galaxolide, celestolide), but are still sticking around in our bodies and environment too long. They are not banned, but some companies chose not to use them. Now Macrocyclic musks and linear musks are the modern standards (musk t, ambrettolide, muscenone, helvetolide).
Scents vary from slightly animalic, fruity, milky. Most of them are soft, powdery and clean; reminiscent of fresh linen or laundry detergent. They are among the ingredients used in the highest doses in perfume formulations.
More about Synthetic Musks (via Sylvaine Delacourte)
More About Synethetic Musks (via One Seed)
NATURAL
Natural perfumery has become a slippery slope. I’m no authority on the topic, so I won’t dive deep, but articles on ‘green washing’ apply to part of the perfume industry as well. While there are natural ingredients and there are great brands that either are all-natural or have a minimum percentage of natural ingredients, some use grey areas. And not without any reason. Because what is natural? Is the rose that contains a lot of molecules inherently better than those molecules that are now available as singular synthetics derived in a lab? Moreover there’s a false sense that anything ‘natural’ means it’s better for us, while there are plenty of toxins to be found in nature.
As far as fragrances goes, natural can be an acquired taste. At its best ingredients can feel elevated and richer. However, most perfumes contain more synthetics than people may realize and they help, among other things, with the performance. Synthetics are also more consistent, making for less batch variations in fragrances. Generally synthetics are much cheaper than naturals (although there are big variations in both), which should be good news, but unfortunately this isn’t reflected in the retail prices of fragrances, which is part of the critique on the use of massive doses of affordable synthetics to substitute what once were natural ingredients.
The impact on the environment and ethical matters are not black and white either, as in some cases natural harvesting of flowers and trees is far from sustainable and damaging to nature. Animalic notes have largely been replaced with synthetics for good reasons too. On the other hands, synthetics may come with their own issues, as I briefly touched on in Musks / White musks.
NICHE
Niche (as opposed to designer) is a category of fragrances made by brands who’s core business is selling perfumes. Anno 2023, there’s much overlap and some brands fall in grey areas. I personally look more towards what the target audience is, which can be niche or not with different products from the same brand.
Check out my article ‘Everything Has A Price: Reflection On Niche’ for my extensive thoughts.
NOSE / PERFUMER
The perfumer is also called the nose. Perfumers are the people creating the fragrance compositions. Some brands hire different perfumers each time, some have an in-house perfumer. Unfortunately, there are still quite a lot of instances where no perfumers are known, sometimes meaning that a brand is either using a hidden perfumer or may just buy ready-made fragrances from a factory.
ORIENTAL
Oriental was a common term and family until some years ago and has since started to phase out of the vocabulary. Oriental, once used to describe ingredients coming from ‘the orient’, includes spices, woods, leathers and resins, even though most of the ingredients came from other regions. Warm and sweet fragrances now called Ambers.
Although many people and also brands still use the term anno 2023, efforts have been made to remove it as it’s seen as offensive. Mostly Western brands used it to describe a wide and varying region in a single term and there are claims of fetishistic behavior.
Either way, oriental was a bad and incorrect descriptor of the wide range of scents that fell into a family, with amber being a much more logical nomenclature. Despite admittedly not fully grasping the scope of the issues, I haven’t used oriental since I began reviewing fragrances and see no reason why others should.
More on why Oriental is problematic (via CBC news)
OZONIC
Describing a texture of a fragrance. Ozonic meaning airy, light, transparent. Some fragrances feel like they are very dense, thick and heavy, while others feel feather light, with room to breathe.
PANTY DROPPER
A term that you won’t unironically find on scentadvice besides here. Coined online as a way to say that a fragrance will attract the opposite sex and garner compliments (and more). A mostly mythical thing, that unfortunately gets the most views and attention (among presumably a younger, male audience), especially on YouTube fragrance channels.
PRESENTATION
The presentation of the fragrance includes the packaging and the design of the bottle and cap. It may go a bit further and include the concept, the marketing, the promotional material. But usually, it refers to the bottle and the box.
PROJECTION
Part of the performance metrics for a fragrance. Projection says something about how diffusive a fragrance is; how far does it project for others to smell. Fragrances with a lot of projection are sometimes referred to as ‘loud’.
RESINS / RESINOUS
Derived from resins. Ingredients like labdanum, benzoin, myrrh, frankincense and peru balsam. Resins are a thicker form than tree sap produced in the bark of certain trees. Sweet, syrupy, thick. Benzoin being harsher, labdanum can be a bit smoky, while frankincense has tones of honey to me. Resinous is describing the sweet, syrupy, sometimes sticky nature.
SIGNATURE SCENT
Describes ones favorite or most-worn fragrance. A fragrance that you can recognize someone by, because they often smell like it. For example, ever since I was young, my grandmother always wore Chanel No. 5. A lot of people have a signature fragrance at some point, however, once people get into fragrances more and build up a larger perfume collection, the idea of having a signature scent usually doesn’t hold up.
SILLAGE/ SCENT TRAIL
A metric of performance for a fragrance. Whereas longevity measures the length of the wear and projection measures how far away from you it reaches, sillage says something about how much of the fragrance sticks around. It describes how dense and noticeable the scent is in your immediate area and how much of it remains in the air after you have left the room. This is often referred to as a scent trail and is seen as an advantage of mostly higher concentration and heavier, darker fragrances.
SKIN SCENT
This usually doesn’t refer to the ‘scent of skin’, although sometimes that is used as well. Instead, skin scents are fragrances that you mostly smell close to the skin because they are light, soft and fleeting. They aren’t attention grabbers, but more intimate fragrances to wear.
I also use the term to describe the part of the wear when a fragrance is in its drydown and faded to the point where it has turned into a skin scent; only detectable from nearby.
SOLIFLORE
A fragrance consisting of or depicting a single flower. It can still have many ingredients and different florals to do so, but its end result is meant to recreate one type of floral, rather than a bouquet or mix with completely different notes.
SYNTHETIC
Synthetic ingredients play a big role in the making of perfumes. They are made in a lab (often derived from -or mimicking natural molecules). Contrary to what some people may believe, this is not a recent trend, with synhetic breakthtoughs at the heart of many timeless classics since the early 1900’s. However, synthetics have taken up more and more of the perfume compositions. For more on naturals vs. synthetics, check out Naturals.
TESTER BOTTLE
Tester bottles or simply testers are sold online at discounters or second-hand. These bottles often don’t come with a box (or an altered box) and may have the word ‘tester’ marked on them. Tester bottles are used in stores to let people sample the fragrances, but sometimes these bottles (magically, criminally?) find their way into discount stores. With some brands, you have to be careful with supposed tester bottles that are fakes.
TOP NOTE
A perfume consists of top notes, heart notes & base notes. This (arbitrary) pyramid is used to indicate the strength, depth and longevity of the notes and accords used in the fragrance. Top notes are the lightest, most fleeting notes, meaning they will fade first, sometimes withing minutes. These are often citrusses, with bergamot being a very common top note.
VINTAGE
I don’t think there’s a set age from when a perfume becomes vintage. About 30 years old seems to be the consensus. Vintage especially comes into play when fragrances are not available anymore (discontinued) or have changed drastically, with the older versions becoming rare and desirable. Some people seek out and collect vintages because the wider use of naturals and absence of certain synthetics (and sweetness) that are dominant in contemporary perfumery.