Common Perfume Ingredients
Common Perfume Ingredients
What are the ingredients in your perfume?
Perfumes have been used since the beginning of civilization. Today, fragrances are everywhere from the soaps in the bathroom to the body lotions, the candles, and the expensive perfumes. Actually, we rarely go out without wearing perfume.
But why? Why do we wear fragrances?
To express individuality? To invoke some memories? To attract a potential partner? To feel more confident?
If we ask different people, thousands of answers will pop up. For sure, perfumes have a lot to do with boosting our individuality and our self-esteem.
Applying perfumes has become an integral part of our daily life, BUT are we familiar with what do we wear? Do you know the ingredients of your perfume? How do you know it suits you? And… what feelings does it evoke in others – does it stimulate their sexual appetite or repulse them?
To answer all these questions, we should find out what are the ingredients of the fragrances we wear and what's their effect on our mood.
Choosing the right scent
The best way to pick the right scent is to test it at the perfume store. Ask the shop assistant to spray the perfumes you are interested in on a piece of paper (sample sheets).
Bear in mind: the maximum number of fragrances to test at once is four. Otherwise, you are lost - completely confused and the choice becomes even tougher. Between smelling each perfume, refresh your palate with something strong, like coffee beans. Collect the samples you think suit your preferences and put them in your bag. Try not to mix them. Wait before smelling them again. The full range of the scents needs some time to develop and emerge. Once you find the right fragrance that complements your natural scent, you will know for sure that fragrance matters.
~ All perfumes are amazing: similar but different ~
The ingredients in perfume
Perfume is a mixture of natural aromatic essential oils and synthetic aromatic compounds, solvents, and water that are combined to create a divine scent. Fragrances today mostly consist of ingredients taken from nature. Perfumed oils are dissolved in a solvent (usually alcohol) to preserve a pleasant mix of scents. A higher amount of oils usually means a stronger fragrance. The duration and the strength of the scents are also determined by our body scent and skin type.
It’s really good for you to be aware that every perfume smells differently on every person.
There are three basic types of fragrance: the top, middle, and base:
Top note. The top note doesn't make a lasting impression, because it's the initial smell of the fragrance that comes first and hits your nose BUT it lasts from 10 minutes to 2 hours. What are the top notes? Typically, they are light floral scents, spices, citrus, and so on.
Medium note. It is also called the middle note because it's the nucleus of the perfume. It contains the main elements of the fragrances. Medium notes need some time to emerge, but they last for a longer time than the top notes - about 4-5 hours. The medium note often contains heavier floral scents such as jasmine.
Base note. As their name reveals, they are the last notes to develop. These are the bolder notes, which cannot be smelled immediately but after a couple of hours. Base notes are responsible for how long the fragrance lasts on your skin. Sandalwood and musk are among the most common base notes you can find in perfumes.
The most commonly used essential oils in perfumes
Rose Oil
One of the main oils used in perfumes is the rose oil, which is especially popular in Bulgaria. It is derived from the petals of the rose and is extremely widespread not only in the perfume production but in cosmetics, too. Due to its pleasant aroma and effect -to relax, soothe, and balance it is highly preferable for the women.
Lavender Oil
Another known essential oil used in perfumes is lavender. The lavender-derived product is used in huge variety of perfumes because it gives a sense of relaxation and harmony.
Bergamot Oil
Bergamot essential oil is another popular ingredient in perfumes. Maybe the name is not familiar to many, but it's easy to be distinguished. This essential oil is based on citrus, which is why it is often used in fresh, energizing scents.
Jasmine Oil
Another widely used component in perfumes is the jasmine oil. This flower is well known for its strong floral aroma, which is generally used in women's perfumes aiming to give femininity and sensuality to the scent.
Patchouli Oil
Organic Patchouli oil is another favorite ingredient in many perfumes that we can certainly recognize easily, although we may not be familiar with the plant. It can be found in soft, warm, and feminine fragrances.
Synthetic aromatic substances:
One of them is the lemon, which is often present in the content of our favorite fragrances, as well as in a small number of cosmetic products. It is a chemical that is used to give an even stronger and more characteristic smell to citrus flavors, so it is often used in this type of perfume.
Another well-known synthetic flavor is musk. It is a typical ingredient of male perfumes but it is also present in women's fragrances. It is known for giving the perfume the special, mystical scent that most of us cannot go wrong with.
As we have already mentioned, perfumes cannot be composed solely of fragrances, whether natural or synthetic. For their ingredients to be highlighted, properly blended and to last longer, it is necessary to add certain additional elements, which play a major role in the quality of the perfume. The stabilizers added to the base have the task of fixing the scent of the perfume and making sure that the other ingredients harmonize in a perfect scent.
Some of the perfumes, which are mainly composed of essential oils, do not need stabilizers, but those containing synthetic fragrances need additional enhancers. Some of the most common ones are ethyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, beeswax, distilled water, and others. All of these components are mainly used for a perfume made up of several fragrances to make it long lasting, intense, and balanced.
For a satisfying effect, apply your fragrance on dry skin, if it's possible after a shower and
Remember: Wearing a fragrance is a distinctive way of expressing personality. Pick your scent wisely!