Facts about Fragrance

Let's talk scents. Scents are a very powerful part of our lives. They can transport us back in time to a memory as a child, or perhaps the whiff of a particular flower can remind you of a special memory or meal that you once enjoyed. They hold so much power. They comfort us, they excite us, they can trigger feelings and emotions. Think back to the last time you purchased a fragrance at the store. What was it that caught your attention? Scents can smell different from one moment to the next. They are actually categorized in three notes, top notes, middle notes and bottom notes. Top notes are the scents that you smell first, they are the ones that are very important and often attract us to purchase that particular perfume. They often consist of citrus, fruity, and green aromas. They often evaporate quickly leading to the middle notes. The middle notes comprise the heart or main body of the perfume. They are usually florals, and oriental notes and take about 10 to 30 minutes to fully develop, they lead into the bottom notes which add the depth to the fragrance. Think wood notes, vanilla, musk and patchouli. They hold the fragrance together and are the notes that linger on the skin and carry the fragrance. They often slow down the evaporation of the top and middle notes and act as fixatives. The next time you find yourself shopping for a fragrance notice the stages of the perfume as it develops. What will attract you to the perfume the most? For me it is often a rich amber, or vanilla scent. My all time favorite scent is Dior Addict. I love the sexy musky notes that last all day and it is always the one I reach for first.  Some other favorites of mine are, Gucci Guilty, Viva la Juicy, (great for summer) and Stella McCartney, Stella. I also love Calvin Klein's Obsession and Burberry Brit.