Fragrance is a term that covers dozens, if not hundreds, of chemicals used in beauty and personal care products to give them their signature scent. Fragrance chemicals can be derived from natural raw materials or made synthetically. They’re found in everything from scented detergents and perfumes to air fresheners, hand lotions and felt-tip art markers. Most fragrance ingredients aren’t listed on the product labels because the FDA protects them as trade secrets and manufacturers don’t have to disclose them. However, many of these chemicals are linked to health concerns including cancer, reproductive toxicity and allergies.
A fragrance is composed of three structural parts: top, middle and base notes. Top notes are the first thing you smell when you apply a perfume, and they evaporate quickly, often in 5-30 minutes. Middle notes are the heart of a fragrance, which is why it’s important to find one that suits your personality and body type. And finally, the base notes are what lingers on your skin for hours.
There are many different fragrance families, such as single floral, fruity, oriental, woody and chypre. But the most popular perfumes are in the floral family, such as YSL’s Alien, which combines orange blossom and ginger. For a more unique fragrance, try Byredo’s Lavender Musk, which blends lavender sourced from France with musk to create an unexpected, crowd-pleasing scent.