Perfume is a mixture of tens to hundreds of ingredients that are used as scents. They are used in cosmetic products to make the user feel good and attractive, for example, by masking undesirable odors of other ingredients or to make the product feel more pleasant and luxurious. Today perfumes are added to a wide range of cosmetic products, including toiletries (bath gels, soaps and deodorants), body care products, hair care products, cosmetic oils, skin cremes and sun creams.
A perfume’s aroma will evolve throughout the day, thanks to your personal body chemistry and the raw materials used in the fragrance. The perfume’s top notes will initially linger on the skin and then shift to a heart note, which includes floral, spice and herbal scents. Finally, the base note, which lasts for a longer time, is comprised of woody scents such as cedar and musk.
Choosing the right perfume depends on personal preferences and the occasion. For example, floral scents tend to evoke memories and emotions such as happiness, joy, love and nostalgia. On the other hand, a musky scent conveys elegance and mystery.
The first step in selecting the right perfume is to understand that perfumes are classified into four families based on their fragrance characteristics and raw material origins. The Floral family is undoubtedly the most popular, featuring scents of flowers and blossoms, which are often cultivated specifically for perfumery as they have evolved to attract pollinating insects.