Glossary of Perfume

Gents focuses

You may have heard perfume terms like sillage, accord, peer performance, dry-down and more, but what do they really mean?
It doesn't hurt to know the basics, so here's a little glossary to guide you.

sillage

When describing how far a scent trail spreads in the space around the wearer (like a scent aura), this is called "sillage" - sometimes also referred to as projection. Sillage is particularly important to consider when deciding where and in what context to wear the perfume; for example, if you are wearing it at work, a fragrance with a shorter sillage value may be recommended (see "Skin Scent").

SKIN SCENT

"Skin Scent" perfumes stay close to the skin and are not projected as far into the room. Thus low sillage value. Often common with pure oils or perfumes based on molecules. Good work perfumes or if you are in sensitive environments where you want to enjoy the perfume yourself without disturbing your surroundings.

notE

Term for the ingredients/scent references/aromas that make up a perfume's scent - such as vetiver, bergamot, liquorice, etc. A fragrance often has three layers of note groups - top note (the upper layer that enters and evaporates first), brain note (the main notes of the perfume that take over after the top notes) and base note (see "Dry-down").

ACCORD

When two or more notes are blended together to create a particular scent impression. A perfume scent can contain several different chords - the more layers of chords, the more different impressions and the more complex the perfume becomes.

dry-down

The final stage of a perfume's development when the base notes (those that enter last and remain longest) evaporate on the skin. Dry-down is always very individual from person to person both in time and fragrance character due to the fact that we all have different skin chemistry.

beast mode

Yes, it almost goes without saying - here we are talking about a perfume that is powerful and has extremely good sillage/projection and adhesion. Often requires only a few sprays depending on skin chemistry.

longevity

Kan även betecknas Hållbarhet. Hur länge en doft varar på huden från toppnoternas inträde till slutfasen på dry-downen. Skiftar oerhört från person till person.

performance

Can also be referred to as Durability. How long a fragrance lasts on the skin from the entry of the top notes to the final phase of the drydown. Varies greatly from person to person.

BALSAMIC

A scent or accord that gives resinous, often warm, soft associations with benzoin, amber (amber/resin) and incense.

ANIMALIC

Scent notes that give the impression of warm skin, leather or excrement, i.e. animalic associations Common ingredients that evoke this are certain forms of oud, civet cat scent or musk.