How Perfume Works
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Perfume's Power
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Perfume can be intoxicating. It can influence emotions, conjure lost memories or even arouse hidden desires. The seemingly mystical powers of fragrance are scientifically based. The secret lies within olfactory memory. A familiar scent triggers a forgotten memory, momentarily transporting you to another time or place. More than a mere luxury, perfume is a quick fix to lift our spirits. But what is perfume exactly, and how does it work?
Perfume vs. Cologne
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Created with a greater concentration of oils and less alcohol than cologne or eau de toilette, perfume is costlier but its scent is longer lasting. It takes less to get the same effect. Often packaged in exquisite vials and bottles that either spray or pour, perfume is the top step on the fragrance ladder.
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Hot-Spot Application
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Perfume works best when it is applied directly to pulse points. Pulse points, also known as hot spots, emit body heat. You can find your hot spots behind your ears, at the base of your throat, on the inside of your elbows, on your wrists and behind each knee. When body heat rises, the perfume's alcohol content evaporates. This occurs within the first 20 minutes of wearing a fragrance.
Top Note, Middle Note, Base Note
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As the alcohol dissipates, the fragrance's top notes are released. Top notes are the first and most fleeting scents in the perfume. They are often distinctive, designed to make a first impression. Once the top notes disperse, the oils containing the "heart" of the fragrance, or middle notes, dominate. Middle notes bring to mind adjectives such as citrus, floral, woodsy, musky, fresh or sexy. They last 4 to 6 hours. The final phase of perfume is the base notes, which last several more hours. Fragrance smells best when it has had time to blend with your body's chemistry, after your body's warmth has burned away the top notes. For superior fragrance results, keep perfume away from direct exposure to light, which will break down the composition of the oils.
Layering and Blending
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Pairing perfume with like-scented body products is known as layering. Traditional layering is done in three steps--lotion, fragrance and powder, applied in that order. If you introduce same-scented soap, bath oil, body wash or scrub as you shower or bathe, your perfume garners even greater impact. Perfume manufacturers create fragrance gift sets with this technique in mind.
How to Layer Scent
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Begin by showering or bathing with like-scented soap, body wash, scrub or bath oil. Next, moisturize with a coordinated body lotion. Lotion not only moisturizes but leaves oil traces on your skin. This residue gives the oils in your perfume something to adhere to, so the scent lasts longer. Don't neglect the lower half of your body, because fragrance travels upward. After moisturizing, apply perfume sparingly to your pulse points. Powder is the final step of the layering process. Give yourself an all-over dusting with body powder to seal the fragrance into place. You can use scented powder or unscented baby powder.
Different Body Chemistry
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Keep in mind that each perfume interacts with your body chemistry, so what smells divine on one person will not always smell the same on someone else. In addition, those with more natural oil in their skin get longer performance from fragrance. Dry skin tends to absorb perfume, while oily skin allows perfume to linger on the surface of the skin so it diffuses over a longer time.
For Best Results
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For superior results, let your fragrance blend on its own without rubbing it in. Rubbing produces friction, which equals heat. Heat will quicken the evaporation process. The top note, middle note and bottom note should be allowed to unfold at their own speed. Expect up to a full day of wear from your perfume when it is applied correctly and layered.
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