For those of you happen to like perfume but do not know much about what it actually is, then this is the perfect place for you to look. By definition, a perfume is actually a mixture of aromatic compounds, fragrant oils, solvents and fixatives that are put together to allow the human body as well as objects to have a pleasant fragrance.
While perfume manufacturers outline many of the ingredients of a particular product, they do not let in on everything because there is a secret to the success of a particular scent. The main thing that you will perhaps want to know about perfume is the fact that it contains three layers of fragrances, otherwise known as notes in the perfume line.
The fragrance notes basically give an idea of which family of scents a particular fragrance belongs to. Here is a look at how the three notes are identified in any perfume or cologne:
Top notes – these are the fragrances that you immediately pick up once you spray perfume. The scent is usually lighter and it fades very quickly.
Middle notes – these are also called the heart notes and start to appear as soon as the top notes fade away. These notes are actually the main part of the body of perfume.
Base notes – once the middle notes start to dissipate, the stronger base notes start to appear. In fact, the base and middle notes work together to form the main fragrance behind the perfume. These are usually deeper notes that appear probably 30 minutes after the perfume is applied.
With this general knowledge about perfume, you can definitely carry out a conversation with friends if they happen to be analyzing specific scent. You can utilize the terminology and phraseology that you have learned and sound like a true perfume connoisseur!