Fragrance Terms Every Perfume Buyer Should Know (2025)

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Imagine entering a fragrance store with the intent of buying a new scent, only to be bombarded by a salesperson who overwhelms you with industry jargon and leaves you more confused than when you walked in.

SIllage, gourmand, projection, solar… all these are words thrown around when discussing perfumes. Not knowing what they mean will make picking up a new fragrance a complicated experience for you, and you might end up buying something you do not like. Understanding the language of perfume can help you make more informed choices and enjoy your fragrances to the fullest. Here’s a guide to essential fragrance terms every perfume lover should know.

1. Notes: Top, Heart, and Base

Fragrances are composed of layers called notes that create a scent’s unique profile.

  • Top Notes: These are the initial scents you smell when applying a fragrance. The top is usually composed of citrus or light floral notes. These notes tend to be fresh but fleeting, typically lasting around 15 minutes to an hour.
  • Heart (or Middle) Notes: As the top notes fade, the heart notes emerge. This layer represents the main body of the scent, often floral or spicy, and lasts longer, up to a few hours.
  • Base Notes: Base notes are the foundation and the scent’s longest-lasting component, often including rich, deep scents like vanilla, musk, and wood. They linger at the end of the day and give depth to a fragrance.

Read our guide on perfume layering to gain a better understanding of notes and fragrance families.

2. Accord

An accord is a blend of notes that creates a distinct fragrance characteristic, like “woody,” “floral,” or “gourmand.” Think of accords as building blocks within a fragrance, crafted by layering notes. Each fragrance has more than one main accord.

3. Sillage

Sillage (pronounced “see-yazh”) is a term used to describe the trail of scent left by a fragrance. High sillage means perfume remains in the air and can be smelled by others even after you leave the room. If you prefer subtlety, look for low-sillage fragrances.

4. Projection

Closely related to sillage, projection is the distance at which a fragrance can be detected. While sillage refers to the trail left behind, projection is how far the scent reaches. High-projection fragrances are noticeable from several feet away, while low-projection scents stay closer to the skin.

5. Longevity

Longevity is how long a fragrance lasts on the skin. It depends on factors like the concentration (Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette) and the types of base notes in the fragrance. Longevity can be increased by applying the fragrance to moisturized skin or layering it with a matching lotion.

6. Dry Down

Drying down is the final phase of a fragrance once it has fully settled on your skin. It’s usually dominated by the base notes. Drying down is the longest-lasting part of the scent and gives a fragrance its longevity.

7. Concentration Types

Fragrances come in different concentrations, which affect their strength and longevity.

  • Parfum (Pure Perfume): The highest concentration (around 20-30% perfume oil), lasting 8-12 hours.
  • Eau de Parfum (EDP): A slightly lighter concentration (15-20% oil), typically lasting 6-8 hours. This is a popular choice for day and evening wear.
  • Eau de Toilette (EDT): This is lighter, with around 5-15% oil, and usually lasts 4-6 hours. It is ideal for a refreshing daytime scent.
  • Eau de Cologne (EDC): Very light concentration (2-4% oil), lasting 2-3 hours. Often found in fresh, citrusy scents.
  • Eau Fraîche: The lightest, with only 1-3% perfume oil, ideal for a short burst of scent.

People mostly opt for long-lasting scents, but some don’t. It depends on your purpose for wearing the perfume and how long you want it to last.

8. Floral, Oriental, Woody, and Fresh Families

Perfumes are often categorized into fragrance families based on their main accords. Here are the primary ones:

  • Floral: Featuring notes of flowers like rose, jasmine, and lily, floral fragrances are often romantic and feminine.
  • Oriental: These are warm, exotic scents with spices, amber, and musk, typically rich and sensual.
  • Woody: Earthy and warm, woody fragrances use notes like sandalwood, cedar, and patchouli.
  • Fresh: Light and zesty, these fragrances have citrus, aquatic, and green notes, often evoking a clean, refreshing feeling.

9. Gourmand

Gourmand fragrances contain edible-smelling notes like vanilla, caramel, chocolate, and coffee. They’re designed to trigger your sense of hunger, making you, in a sense, hungry for a fragrance. This falls under sensory marketing, a growing strategy in the fragrance world, as was apparent in Beauty World Middle East 2024.

10. Lactonic

Lactonic notes have a creamy, milk-like quality, often adding a soft, comforting effect to a fragrance. Popular in milky scents, these notes include almond milk or coconut, creating cozy fragrances.

11. Chypre

Pronounced “sheep-ruh,” chypre is a classic fragrance family characterized by a blend of citrus top notes, a floral heart, and a mossy, woody base (often oakmoss). Chypre fragrances are elegant and complex, offering a balanced combination of freshness and warmth.

12. Solar

Solar notes evoke the warmth of sun-kissed skin and often feature a mix of floral, creamy, and musky notes. They’re associated with sunny, beachy vibes and are popular for their warm, radiant effect​.

13. Aldehydes

Aldehydes are organic compounds that add a sparkling, effervescent quality to fragrances. First popularized by Chanel No. 5, aldehydes can give a fragrance an almost soapy, clean feeling with a hint of metallic brightness.

14. Oud

Oud perfumes are popular in the Middle East and Gulf region. But not many know the actual composition of oud or where it comes from.

Oud is a precious resin derived from the agarwood tree, known for its deep, smoky, and woody aroma. Often described as sensual and exotic, oud is widely used in Middle Eastern perfumery and has become popular worldwide for its rich, luxurious character​.

15. Lifespan Phases: Bloom and Fade

While not always mentioned, it’s good to know the fragrance “bloom” is when it fully opens up after applying, filling the air around you. Over time, as the top notes fade, the fragrance reaches its dry down and begins to “fade,” transitioning smoothly into the base notes.

Visit V Perfumes to find your favorite fragrances and test your knowledge as you encounter all the terms you’ve recently learned. Or visit anyV Perfumes store near youand have an educated discussion about perfumes with the perfume expertswaiting to serve you.

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