Perfume and AfterShave Information

Fragrance Guide
Fragrances consist of a concentration of perfume oils in a solvent (normally alcohol). The amount of oil in the scent dictates whether it is an EDP (Eau de Parfum), an EDT (Eau de Toilette), an EDC (Eau de Cologne) or an Aftershave.

The type of scent chosen decides how long the fragrance last on the skin, and also its price.

Here is the guide:

Type Concentration of perfume oil Scent to evaporate
Perfume 15-30% 6-8 hours
Eau de Parfum 8-15% 5-7 hours
Eau de Toilette 4-8% 4-6 hours
Eau de Cologne/ Aftershave 3-5% 2-3 hours

The price of a product will depend on several factors; the type of scent (EDP, EDT, EDC), designer brand and, of course, the size. The most expensive are the pure perfume products, followed by EDP, EDT and EDC/Aftershave.

The chemical make up and balance of our skin also defines how long a fragrance actually lasts, therefore it is common that some fragrances smell differently and last longer on some people's skin.

Fragrance Categories
Emotions play such a large part in the sense of smell; because of this people assume there is no logic in their choice of fragrance. It is highly likely that at least two of their favourite fragrances belong to the same "family."

There are four major groups of fragrances defined by perfumers - Floral, Oriental, Woody and Fresh. Each of these groups is then split between three "categories." Aromatic Fougere is a universal fragrance family that includes elements from all the other families; the freshness of a citrus; floral notes of lavender; the spicy-sweetness of floral oriental; the ambery depth of an Oriental; mossy wood notes of oakmoss and sandlewood.

Here is a table that correctly categorises each fragrance:

Group Blend Family
Floral Fresh Cut Flowers Floral
Aldehydes Powdery Notes Soft Floral
Orange Blossom Sweet Spices Floral Oriental
Oriental Incense Amber Soft Oriental
Oriental Resins Vanilla Oriental
Sandlewood Patchouli Woody Oriental
Woody Aromatic Woods Vetiver Woods
Oakmoss Amber Mossy Woods
Dry Wood Leather Dry Woods
Fresh Bergamot Citrus Oils Citrus
Galbanium Green Notes Green
Marine Aquatic Notes Water

Stages of the Fragrance
Perfume and aftershaves develop in 3 stages and this does alter the scent:

Top Note - The initial smell of the fragrance which lasts between 8-15 minutes.

Heart/Middle Note - This smell remains constant when using the scent and develops after the top note.

Base Note - This is the final stage of development and helps attach the fragrance to the skin. Woodier notes become more prominent once the fragrance has been on the skin for a while.

Storage
Fragrances including perfume and cologne should be kept away from extreme heat and light and stored in a suitable location. Storing fragrance in fluctuating temperatures (such as a bathroom) will cause the scent to degrade very quickly.