The Fragrance Glossary

Several notes blended into one new smell, like a chord in music. You smell the accord, not the separate parts. It is why a notes list never tells the whole story.

Synthetic ingredients that add a sparkling, soapy, lifted quality. Famously the shimmer at the top of Chanel No. 5.

A prized warm, salty, skin-like material that helps a scent last and radiate. Today it is almost always recreated synthetically, usually as Ambroxan.

The deep, long-lasting foundation you smell at the end: woods, vanilla, musk, amber. Base notes are what is still there hours later.

The code printed on the bottle or box that tells when and where it was made. Used to check authenticity and how old a bottle is.

A scent that projects very strongly and lasts a long time. Great for a night out, usually too much for the office.

Buying a full bottle without smelling it on your own skin first. Risky, because of skin chemistry. Sample first whenever you can.

A classic family: bright citrus sitting over a dark, mossy base. Sophisticated and a little vintage. Coco Mademoiselle is a modern example.

A fragrance made to smell like a famous, expensive one for less money. Legal and common, especially from Middle Eastern houses. Not a counterfeit, which fakes the original brand name.

A scent that reliably earns compliments, usually sweet, fresh, or otherwise easy to like.

How much perfume oil is in the liquid. More oil means stronger and longer-lasting. From strongest to lightest: Parfum or Extrait (about 20 to 30 percent, 6 to 8 hours plus), Eau de Parfum or EDP (about 15 to 20 percent, 4 to 8 hours, the common one today), Eau de Toilette or EDT (about 5 to 15 percent, 2 to 4 hours, brighter), Eau de Cologne or EDC (about 2 to 4 percent, 1 to 2 hours), and Eau Fraiche (lightest, a quick refresher).

A widely liked, inoffensive, easy-to-wear scent. The safe choice for beginners and for settings where you do not want to stand out too much.

A small amount poured from a full bottle into a vial so you can try it or carry it without buying the whole thing.

A fragrance from a fashion or celebrity brand such as Dior or Chanel. Widely available and mass-produced.

How a scent smells after the top notes burn off and it settles, usually the truest and longest-lasting version. Judge a fragrance by its dry down, not its opening.

Short for Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, and Eau de Cologne. They describe concentration, that is, how strong the liquid is. See Concentration for the full breakdown.

A spin-off of an existing fragrance that shares the name but tweaks the scent. For example, Sauvage, then Sauvage Elixir.

The classic clean, barbershop family, built on lavender, oakmoss, and tonka. Think a fresh, soapy, masculine-leaning shave.

A scent that smells sweet and edible, like dessert: vanilla, caramel, chocolate, almond. Hugely popular and a reliable compliment magnet.

The main body of the scent after the top notes fade, lasting a few hours. Usually florals and spices. The heart is the personality.

Wearing two or more fragrances at once to create a custom smell that is yours. Easy to overdo, fun when it works.

How many hours a scent lasts on your skin before fading. Separate from projection. A scent can last all day yet sit close to the skin.

Cheap, widely distributed drugstore fragrances. Not an insult, just a category.

A soft, warm, skin-like, clean-laundry smell. White musk is everywhere in modern perfume. If you love fresh sheets, you love musk.

A fragrance from a smaller specialist house focused on unusual or artistic scents, such as Le Labo or Amouage. Pricier and more distinctive than designer.

The trained artist who composes a fragrance. Yes, it is a real, highly skilled profession.

A single smell-able ingredient, like lemon, rose, or vanilla. Notes are grouped into top, heart, and base layers by when you smell them.

When you stop smelling your own fragrance because your nose has adapted, even though other people still smell it. It does not mean the scent faded, so do not keep adding sprays.

The first impression right after spraying, made of the top notes. It changes fast, so it is the least reliable part to judge by.

A rich, deep, smoky-woody note from agarwood, central to Middle Eastern perfumery. Powerful and long-lasting. An acquired love for many, a forever love for others.

The umbrella term for projection plus longevity, that is, how strongly and how long a scent performs.

How far a scent radiates from you while you stand still. The size of your scent bubble. Different from sillage, which is the trail you leave moving.

Warm spots like the wrists, neck, and behind the ears that help a scent project. Spray there, and do not rub.

When a brand changes a recipe over time, often because of ingredient regulations. It is why fans sometimes say the older version smelled better.

A tiny vial to test a scent before buying. Sample before you buy is the core rule of the hobby.

Two different fragrances that smell nearly identical to each other.

A scent that smells so bad on you that you want to wash it off. Usually a skin chemistry clash, not a bad perfume.

The one you wear most, the smell people come to associate with you. You do not need one, but many people enjoy having one.

The scent trail you leave behind as you move through a room. High sillage means people notice you passed by.

How your body's oils, pH, heat, and sweat change a scent on you. The reason the same fragrance smells different on two people, and why you must test on skin.

Synthetics are lab-made molecules, naturals are plant-extracted. Synthetics are not fake or worse. They are consistent, often safer, and essential to modern perfume.

The first few minutes after spraying: light and quick to fade, usually citrus, herbs, or fruit. The opening act, not the main show.

Owning several fragrances and switching between them by season, occasion, or mood. The natural result of realizing no one scent fits everything.