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Perfumes and Colognes - Balance and Notes

The fragrance of a perfume or cologne is determined by the ingredients it contains and by the balance between those ingredients.

Perfumes and colognes are created from a mixture of alcohol and essential oils. When the scent is applied to the body, the alcohol evaporates and the essential oils are absorbed by the skin. The difference between a perfume and an eau de toilette depends upon the concentration of essential oils found within them.

The main perfume categories are:

* Perfume - which is the purest form of fragrance product and is, consequently, the most expensive. The price is balanced, however, by the fact that the scent lasts the longest.

* Eau de parfum - is lighter than Perfume and has an 8-15% concentration. It is usually less expensive but still has long lasting characteristics - typically from 3 to 5 hours.

* Eau de toilette - contains around 1-6% perfume concentrates. This produces a light scent which makes a good choice for everyday wear.

* Eau de cologne and Eau de toilette are generally interchangeable especially in relation to men's fragrances. It typically only contains between 2 and 5% aromatic oils.

As well as these 4 classes of perfume products there are a number of other items that contain small amount of concentrates including creams and lotions, household cleaners, soaps and make-up.

Another differentiating factor between perfumes is what is referred to as their fragrance notes.

Using a musical metaphor - the perfume notes unfold over time creating the harmonious chord of the scent. The immediate impression of the top note leads to the deeper middle notes and the base notes gradual appear at the final stage. The 3 notes are:

* Top notes - also called head notes - are the scents that are perceived immediately a perfume is applied. They are small, light molecules that evaporate quickly and form a person's initial impression of a perfume. Top notes can be described as "assertive", "fresh" or "sharp." Ginger and citrus are common top notes.

* Middle notes - these compounds form the "heart" or main body of a perfume and can be smelt as the top notes fade away. They have a mellow fragrance and include such scents as lavender, spearmint and rose.

* Base notes - together with the middle notes these form the main theme of a perfume with the base notes appearing as the middle notes fade. Base notes add solidity and depth to a perfume. They consist of large, heavy molecules that evaporate and are usually not perceived until 30 minutes after the application of the perfume.

Taken together, the notes and concentrations of essential oils are what distinguish one perfume from another.

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

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