Perfume glossary
Perfumery has a precise and often technical vocabulary. Here are the essential terms for understanding and talking about perfume accurately.
- Absolute
- A highly concentrated aromatic extract obtained by extraction using a solvent (hexane, ethanol) from a plant material. More concentrated than essential oil, the absolute contains non-volatile molecules that do not pass over in distillation. Examples: rose absolute, jasmine absolute, orange blossom absolute.
- Accord
- A harmonious combination of several raw materials which, blended, create a new and coherent smell. The accord is the basic element of any perfume formula. Example: the fougère accord (lavender + coumarin + oakmoss).
- Aldehyde
- A family of organic molecules, mostly of synthetic origin in perfumery (aliphatic aldehydes C-8, C-10, C-11, C-12), which give perfumes a characteristic, almost metallic brilliance and amplify floral notes. Popularised by Chanel N°5 in 1921, aldehydes define the aldehydic floral family.
- Balsam
- A semi-solid natural resin produced by certain trees or shrubs (Peru balsam, benzoin, styrax). Balsams are natural fixatives and bring vanilla, balsamic and woody notes to compositions.
- Chypre
- A major scent family whose basic structure rests on three elements: bergamot (top note), flowers (heart note), oakmoss, labdanum and patchouli (base note). Named after the perfume Chypre by François Coty (1917), this family is one of the most important in classic perfumery.
- Concentration
- The proportion of aromatic concentrate relative to the total volume of the finished product. Determines the intensity and persistence of the perfume. From most to least concentrated: Extrait/Parfum (20–40%), EdP (15–20%), EdT (5–15%), Eau de Cologne (2–5%), Eau Fraîche (1–3%).
- Enfleurage
- A traditional technique for extracting floral raw materials by absorbing the aromatic molecules into a purified fat (lard, vegetable oil). Today almost abandoned in industry, it is kept going by a few artisanal producers in Grasse.
- Fixative
- A raw material that slows the evaporation of the other components of a perfume, thereby increasing its persistence. The classic fixatives are musks, civet, ambergris, vetiver, labdanum, benzyl benzoate. Some are now replaced by synthetic equivalents.
- Fougère
- A traditionally masculine scent family whose structure is based on lavender, coumarin and oakmoss. Inaugurated by Houbigant's Fougère Royale (1882), it is the reference family of classic masculine perfumery (Azzaro pour Homme, Drakkar Noir…).
- Essential oil (EO)
- A liquid, volatile aromatic extract obtained by steam distillation or cold expression of a plant material. It contains the most volatile odorous molecules of the plant. Examples: lavender EO, rose EO, bergamot EO.
- Nose (the)
- A trade term designating a professional perfumer — a creator of perfumes. The term underlines that their main working tool is their sense of smell, trained and educated over years of apprenticeship. Great noses are able to identify and name hundreds of raw materials blindfolded.
- Oud (Agarwood)
- An aromatic resin produced in the wood of the Aquilaria tree in response to a wound or a fungal infection. One of the most expensive raw materials in the world. A pillar of Arab and Asian perfumery, oud has been increasingly integrated into Western perfumery since the 2000s.
- Scent pyramid
- A visual representation of the temporal structure of a perfume. Divided into three levels: top notes (first impressions, about 5 to 30 min), heart notes (central character, about 2 to 6 h), base notes (persistent foundation, 6 h and more). These durations are orders of magnitude. This model, though imperfect, remains the most used to describe perfumes.
- Sillage
- The term for the scent trail left by a person as they move. A perfume with strong sillage is detected from a distance, long after the person has passed. Sillage is a prized characteristic in some categories of perfume (orientals, woody chypres) and sought after in others.
- Longevity
- The length of time the perfume remains perceptible on the skin after application. Linked to the concentration of the concentrate, to the nature of the raw materials (base notes last longer than top notes), and to the individual's skin chemistry.