Perfumes

Hello ladies :)

Today I wanted to post a little something about perfumes before I soon head out to do my bf's mum's nails.

Each one of us has her favourite smell/s... to me it's Vanilla and Lavender. I like Vanilla-based scents because they are sweet and I find them uplifting. They remind me of good times. Consequently, Velvet Hour by Kate Moss is my fave perfume :) On the other hand, Lavender calms and relaxes me after a hard day.



Here is some information about perfumes (the photos are all the perfumes I own):

The word ‘perfume’ originates from the Latin term ‘perfumum’ and means ‘through smoke’.

Perfume in the general sense, ensures the longevity of the scents produced from the natural oils found in flowers, fruits, herbs, leaves, spices and woods by combining them with stabilizing ingredients such as alcohol and water.

A perfume is composed from three layers: a top note, middle note (often called the ‘heart’ or centre fragrance) and a base note.

The top note contain powerful oils that create the most powerful scent of the perfume. This layer is the most fleeting and short lasting. Floral and citrus scents are frequently used for the top note.

The middle note is the ‘heart’ of the perfume, which reacts with the skin to create a defining character. Containing gentle smells such as carnation, daffodil, honeysuckle, jasmine, lilac, snowberry, magnolia, orchid, peony, rose, hyacinth, violet and lotus.

The base note determines the longevity, character and success of the perfume. The base note scents outlasts the top and middle notes due to the interaction with the skin. Amber, balsam, benzoin, cedar wood, musk, oak, pachouli, sandalwood and vanilla are some scents used.



Fragrance Types

FLORAL – In primarily floral perfumes, one or more flower kinds are used. Perfumes created from only one type of flower are called soliflore. Floral scents are the most numerous and diverse. Some examples are rose, jasmine, snowberry, carnation, daffodil, peony and violet.

ORIENTAL – One of the largest fragrance types utilized in the perfume industry. Containing powerful scents such as cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, ginger, vanilla, vetiver, sandalwood, cedar wood, musk and amber.

FRUITS – One of the oldest fragrance families and contains tangerine, bergamot, peach, lychee, lime, papaya, apple, apricot, melon, purple passionflower and pineapple. Fruity scents are clean, happy and soft. Perfumes with strong fruit scents tend to have many citrus tones through them.

FRESH – In this collection of scents are predominantly pine, juniper, rosemary and hyacinth.

SCENIC – A new group of fragrances that is comprised of synthetic oils and bring the smell of the ocean and mountain air.

CHYPRE - "Chypre," in French, refers to the island of Cyprus, birthplace of Venus, the legendary goddess of love. The perfume Chypre de Coty set the standard for a new type of fragrance, a category which we now refer to as "mossy-woody." The "mossy-woody" comes from oakmoss, which comes from the island of Cyprus. The scent was first created in 1917 by François Coty. Also in this grouping of scents are pachouli, lavender and oak.

LEATHER – The middle and base notes of a perfume contain honey, tabacco and wood scents, which suggest a smell of leather.

FOUGÈRE – meaning "fern-like", the name is derived from the perfume ‘Fougère Royale’ formulated by the perfumer Paul Parquet. The class of fragrances have the basic accord with a top-note of lavender and base-notes of oakmoss and coumarin. Aromatic fougère, a derivative of this class contain additional notes of spice and wood.

ALDEHYDE – The family of chemical substances utilised to create the basis of a perfume and are essential in arranging the different scents within a perfume. Sharp, attractive and curiousity awaken notes are found.



Choosing a perfume

You may like a perfume that your friend is wearing. However, every person has a unique scent generated from their skin. Without trying a perfume on your own skin, you cannot be sure of the success of perfume.

The real scent of the perfume occurs once the scents have interacted with the scents produced by the body and skin. There is more to a perfume than it’s smell from the bottle. Apply a little of the perfume on to your wrist and allow for the scent to interact with your skin for 10 minutes before judging the suitability of the perfume. During this time, the alchol will evaporate, the fragrance of the perfume will settle on to the skin and the real impact of the perfume will reveal itself.

Do not try more than three perfumes at the same time. After three perfumes the nose loses it’s ability to differentiate between smells. When choosing perfumes, it is advisable to pick scents that are compatiable with your bodily scent. It is worth noting that temperature and humidity effect the longevity and effectiveness of perfumes.



How to apply perfume

The first rule of correct perfume application is clean skin. To improve the longevity of a perfume it is best to apply straight after a shower or bath because the pores of the skin are open at this point and are better able to absorb the perfume. Using related products of your chosen perfume (shower gels, soaps, etc) will increase the impact of the perfume.

By applying perfume to parts of the body with a strong pulse, such as wrists, neck, between the breasts, behind the ears, elbows and the back of knees, allows for effective spread of the scent.

A young woman once asked: “Where should one use perfume?” Coco Chanel replied: “Wherever one wants to be kissed.”

Skin type is closely related to the endurance of the perfume. Oily skin types hold fragrances with more ease. Dry skin types need to apply more perfume than usual.

Hold the bottle at least 15 cm away from the skin and spray the perfume

How to store perfume

Keep your perfume away from sources of direct light and heat. Strong lighting, both natural and artificial, will cause for your perfume to lose it’s potency and colour. Heat is also a factor that can decay the quality of your perfume.

Bottles that have spray caps are preferable to those which do not. Bottles that use the cap as a means of application to the skin allow for bacteria from the skin to enter the perfume bottle itself and therefore contaminate the perfume.


And you sweeties? how did you like this info? which is your fave scent and perfume?