Friday Fragrance: Basic Perfumery 101

The business of perfumery is really interesting, you guys: when you look into it, it’s a complicated mix between the worlds of chemistry and the human experience. Every fragrance will evoke different emotions in different people, and the way they smell will also vary depending on whose skin you apply it onto. If you’re new to the world of fragrances, keep this basic perfumery guide nearby to keep your terms straight.

Essential oils

“Essential oils” is actually a blanket term that describe the different extraction methods of fragrant materials from herbs, plants, and flowers. The fragrances that you buy in stores are basically the dilution of these essentials oils in a solvent, usually an iteration of of water and alcohol. Time for a metaphor: if fragrances were LEGOLAND, then essential oils are individual Lego bricks. In the same way that more Lego bricks make for a bigger, grander LEGOLAND, then a higher concentration of essential oils make a stronger, more long-lasting scent. The higher concentration of essential oils also means that the final product will fetch a higher price too.

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