Perfume glossary
Key terms in plain words
- Longevity
- How long a fragrance lasts on skin — from a couple of hours for light EDTs to 8–12+ hours for concentrated parfums and extraits.
- Sillage
- The trail a fragrance leaves in the air — how noticeable it is to others at a distance. Ranges from skin-close to a room-filling cloud.
- Notes
- The individual scent components. They unfold in three stages: top (first minutes), heart (the core), and base (the drydown, longest-lasting).
- Accord
- A blend of several notes perceived as one smell — like a musical chord. For example an 'amber' or 'fougère' accord.
- Parfum / Extrait
- The highest concentration of fragrance oils (20–40%). The longest-lasting and richest form, applied sparingly.
- Eau de Parfum (EDP)
- ~15–20% concentration. A balance of longevity and price — the most popular format.
- Eau de Toilette (EDT)
- ~5–15% concentration. Lighter and fresher than EDP, lasts less — good for heat and the office.
- Eau de Cologne (EDC)
- ~2–5% concentration. The lightest and shortest-lived format, refreshing.
- Niche perfumery
- Fragrances from independent or artisan houses focused on unusual compositions and raw-material quality, without mass advertising.
- Designer perfumery
- Fragrances from fashion houses (Dior, Chanel, YSL, etc.) — wide availability, recognition, polished 'wearable' compositions.
- Olfactive family
- A group of fragrances with a similar character: woody, floral, citrus, oriental, gourmand, etc.
- Unisex
- A fragrance without a pronounced gender direction — suitable for both men and women.
- Perfumer (nose)
- The author of a fragrance — a specialist who composes the scent from hundreds of ingredients. Slang: a 'nose'.
- Drydown
- The final stage of a fragrance — the base notes that remain on skin after several hours.