Perfume is made by extracting the fragrant oils from flowers, trees and other natural materials. This is generally done by a process called distillation where plant material is heated, and the fragrant steam condenses into a oil which can be collected. Thousands of kilograms of raw materials may be needed to make just one kilo of perfume oil, which is why perfumes are expensive.
The ingredients of a perfume are often blended to produce harmonious scent accords which unfold over time. Traditionally, perfumes are classified as having head (top), middle and base notes. The head notes are the light molecule scents that evaporate quickly and form a person’s initial impression of a perfume, the middle notes are deeper scent nuances, and the base provides the body or lasting impression of the fragrance.
Modern perfumes can also include synthetic aroma chemicals which mimic the scents of plants and other natural substances. They can be cheaper than the natural ingredients used in perfumery.
Early perfumes were often made from a variety of natural ingredients, some of which might seem strange, even disgusting, today: such as musk (from musk deer glands), hyraceum (petrified hyrax feces) and ambergris (whale vomit). Today’s perfumes are almost always made in the laboratory using a wide range of chemical compounds.
Perfumes are often marketed as having particular qualities, such as being refreshing and invigorating or having aphrodisiac properties. Studies of perfume and mood have shown that women’s choice of perfumes reflects their current emotional state, and also their personal perception of themselves as being more or less feminine or masculine.