The world of fragrances is fascinating, but can be confusing to many of us, raising frequent questions such as:
‘Why does my fragrance fade quickly on me?’
‘Why does my fragrance smell good on me, but awful on my best friend?’
‘Why did my favourite fragrance smell great on me a few years ago, but doesn’t seem to work for me anymore?’
I have used the term ‘fragrance’ deliberately, as fragrances have different essential oil concentrations, which affect their staying power. The concentrations used across the industry are broadly as shown below, so check what it says on the bottle. If you believe you are wearing ‘perfume’, but the scent fades quickly, you might simply be wearing one of the weaker essential oil concentrations.
Fragrance Concentrations:
Typical essential or synthetic oil content (the rest is typically mainly alcohol and water)
Eau de cologne (EDC) – 7%
Eau de toilette (EDT) – 10-12%
Eau de parfum (EDP) – 16%
Parfum (Perfume) – 20% and more
This is why some fragrances fade much more quickly than others.
I’m often asked why we should walk round the department store for several minutes before deciding whether or not a new fragrance works for us. This is because a fragrance composition typically has 3 phases – head, heart and base. The head notes are those we instantly sense as the fragrance is sprayed. These light notes fade very quickly and the next phase, usually more floral based, comes through. These notes last for around 30-40 minutes, before giving way to the base notes. These are the notes which will stay with us for the best part of the day and are typically more woody and musky.
If you liked the head or heart notes of the fragrance you are testing, but then don’t like the base notes, you’ll have wasted a significant amount of money and the bottle, however expensive, will probably just sit on the shelf without being used. So, it’s best to take time to allow the base notes to come through on your skin before deciding ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Fragrance notes summary:
Head – light/citrus, lasts a couple of minutes
Heart – floral, lasts 30-40 minutes
Base – heavier, woody/musky, lasts around 12 hours
So fragrances gradually change as the deeper notes come through.
If a group of people each tested the same fragrance on their skin, it would be likely to smell slightly different on each of them. This is because we each have our individual scent fingerprint. We are all different! Fragrances can be affected by factors such as age, gender, skin type, diet and health. If we start to take a new medication, this can also affect the way our chosen scent reacts to our body chemistry. So, if we notice that we no longer like our favourite scent as much as we used to, it is worth exploring others to find a new favourite which works better on our skin. When others notice that your fragrance is special, you know you’ve got it right!
Fragrance lovers also like to consider different choices for winter and summer, or for day or evening wear. Generally use lighter/fresher fragrances in summer, then stronger oriental/musky fragrances in winter. Fragrances can also influence our mood – feeling business-like during the day and more flamboyant for a special night out!
What ‘shelf life’ does my fragrance have?
Unopened bottles generally last well for 8-9 years or more.
Opened bottles generally last for around 12 months for lighter fragrances and around 18 months for oriental and woody fragrances before they start to deteriorate.
You will know when your fragrance no longer smells as good as it should. It’s always best to use it, rather than just save it for best!
