Types of Perfumes and Fragrance Categories

Perfume has always been a vital part of human culture: people have perfumed their hair and bodies with oils, resins, flower and herb extracts and animal scents since earliest history. Wearing scent is pleasurable; it is an expression of individuality; it attracts mates and makes us nice to be close to. Perfumes are more for the wearer: they make us feel wonderful.

Fragrances are classed—and priced—by their alcohol content, with the least expensive being eau de toilettes and eau de colognes containing between 3% and 8% fragrance with the other 92-97% of the content being made up of alcohol, water and color. Eau de parfum contains actual perfume oils of 8-15%. You pay more for perfume because it is stronger at application and lasts longer than eau de toilette. Perfume (or “parfum”) contains somewhere between 15% and 30% of perfume oils and lasts longer than other scent types—typically around six hours. Always try to take a sample of perfume home to try for a week or two and make sure it is the right fragrance and strength for you before buying.

Fragrance Blending Families

Fragrances may be floral, spicy, woody, herbal, musky, powdery (also called “chypre”) or “aqueous” a recent designation for aromatherapy scents that are based more on a concept of a “watery” smell than an actual scent. The recent rediscovery of herbal and floral scents combined with recent technology for scent capture has created new markets for subtle extracts—“headspace” scents extracted through the use of gas chromatography, creating entirely new classes of perfumes. Food scents such as vanilla, chocolate, cherry and coffee have made their way into perfumery to the chagrin of many classical perfumers and to the happiness of younger customers who like fruity, foody, unsophisticated scents. Many perfumes combine the scent categories, creating combinations such as “Oriental” which is usually identified by heavy florals and spices. Aldehydes, which made their debut with the heady scent of Chanel No. 5, are pure chemicals whose particular odors are named by letters rather than names. Aldehydes, while completely man-made are also compelling and immensely popular, making up many of the elegant perfumes of today.

History and Origins of Perfume, Fragrance and Cologne.

When the Emperor Napoleon of France was about to return from battle, he sent a message to Josephine. “Am returning in three days. Don’t wash.” While modern-day noses may not agree with Napoleon’s sentiments, there is some evidence that lovers are attracted by each others’ natural smell above and beyond the scents of soap, perfume, fragrance, cologne and chewing gum. That we are influenced by naturally-emitted scents called pheromones, so subtle and yet so powerful that we can be drawn to or repelled by people for reasons we don’t even understand. (History doesn’t record whether or not Josephine obeyed Napoleon’s order.)

Olfactory research has shown that certain odors can prevent shoplifting, inspire confidences and make us hungry even when our stomachs are full. The perception of fragrance is embedded in the portion of our brains where emotions arise, making smells from childhood immediate memory triggers, and creating a strong emotional pull towards or away from smells depending on the positive or negative associations of the memories they are attached to.

Choosing a perfume is like choosing a lover: you don’t rush; you learn everything you can; you take your own feelings seriously. With an eye to these requirements, the aim of this article is to teach you about the types of fragrance, the fragrance families, the right ways to wear perfume, and how to shop for the perfect perfume.

Join the waiting list for our monthly perfume club and receive limited edition perfume samples

Exclusive Access to Unreleased, Limited Edition Perfume Samples

We are in the development stages of creating several new upscale, limited edition fragrances that have yet to be released into the beauty market. As a valued member of our perfume club you will have exclusive access to these unreleased fragrances, as well as the opportunity to participate in our product development by sending us voluntary feedback on the fragrances you try. We are constantly coming up with new fragrances that we need your opinion on.

Receive Special Discount Opportunities to Purchase Larger Bottles

As a member of our perfume club you will be automatically be sent a new, unreleased 1 ml. fragrance sample each month to try. We will be providing an online form where you are welcome to give us any comments about the perfume you tried. You will also be given the option to buy a limited edition full bottle of any sample fragrance that you liked at a huge discount off the regular retail price. These discount opportunities are only offered to participating members of this perfume club.

Only 250 Memberships Will be Issued for Our Perfume Club

Like I mentioned before, the unrealased fragrances are under development right now and will so be available for you to try. There will only be 250 available memberships available on a "first come first serve" basis for our perfume club. Sign-up using the form below to be placed on our member waiting list for this club. Once the fragrances are available for shipment, we will send you a personal invitation to join the club for a small monthly membership fee. This monthly fee will be based on what it cost us to ship you the sample (approx. $6-$8 a month). We are very close to rolling out our Monthly Perfume Club opportunity and spots are extremely limited. The sooner you sign-up with us expressing your interest to try unreleased, limited edition fragrances the more likely you will be invited to become a member.

Choosing the Best Designer Womens Fragrance and Selecting Perfume Scents that Compliment Your Personality

Discover how choosing the right fragrances that inspire, energize or relaxe you can take a bit of dertermination. Spending all day at a designer beauty store or department store may be overload for your scent sensors. Perfume is basically aromatherapy blends of essential oils and other perfume ingredients. Fragrances will smell different on every woman becuase of individual body chemistry. There are many perfume sample options (like mini tester vials) today that allow you to take fragrances home for proper sampling over a longer period of time.