Fragrance Glossary

A concentrated aromatic extract commonly made by washing a botanical concrete or resinoid with alcohol, removing waxes and then removing the alcohol.

Accord

A combination of fragrance materials composed to create a particular scent impression, such as rose, leather or an abstract woody effect.

Ambroxan

An aroma material associated with ambergris-like effects. Escentric Molecules uses it as the single featured scent material in Molecule 02.

Animalic

A scent description for animal-like, musky or bodily impressions. The term describes odor and does not by itself establish whether a perfume contains animal-derived ingredients.

Aquatic

A scent direction evoking water-related impressions, such as sea air, spray or watery flowers. It describes an olfactory effect rather than the fragrance’s water content.

Aromachemical

An odorant used as a fragrance ingredient, often discussed in perfumery as an individual manufactured scent material rather than a whole botanical extract.

Aromatic

A fragrance description associated with herbal impressions, such as lavender, sage, rosemary or thyme. These can combine with citrus, flowers, woods, spice or amber.

Attar

AH-tar

An oil-format perfume, also spelled ittar. Traditional Indian attars can be made by distilling aromatic materials into sandalwood oil; contemporary products need their own composition and application details.

B

Base Notes

The longer-lasting background of a fragrance, often described through woody, musky, ambery or sweet impressions. Base notes can also be noticeable early in wear.

Batch Variation

Differences between production runs of the same fragrance, sometimes discussed in terms of colour, scent or performance. A perceived difference needs its own comparison and explanation.

Blind Buy

Buying a fragrance before smelling it yourself, often after reading its notes or reviews. Sampling first gives you a direct way to compare the scent with those descriptions.

Body Mist

A scented spray marketed for the body. Formulas, fragrance concentration and intended uses vary, so the product’s ingredients and directions are more useful than assuming a fixed percentage.

C

Chypre

SHEEP-ruh

A fragrance family traditionally balancing a bright citrus opening with mossy, woody and resinous depth. Bergamot, oakmoss and labdanum are classic reference points for the accord.

Clone

A perfume described as closely resembling another fragrance, often also called a dupe. The term is used for a scent comparison rather than a standard measure of similarity.

D

Decanting

Transferring perfume from its original bottle into another container, usually a smaller vial or atomiser for sampling, sharing or carrying.

Designer Fragrance

A perfume sold under a fashion or luxury brand’s name, such as Chanel, Dior or Prada. The term describes the brand category rather than a particular scent style.

Discontinued

A fragrance that a house has stopped producing or withdrawn from its range. Remaining retail stock and availability can differ from the maker’s current range.

Drydown

The later, settled character of a fragrance as its opening becomes less prominent. Comparing the drydown helps you decide whether you enjoy wearing the scent beyond its first impression.

E

Eau de Cologne

oh duh kuh-LONE

A light fragrance-concentration category, abbreviated EDC, commonly described around 2–4%. Cologne can also refer to a citrus-led style or, in everyday English, men’s fragrance.

Eau de Parfum

oh duh par-FUM

A fragrance concentration category, abbreviated EDP, generally more concentrated than Eau de Toilette. A common shopping range is around 15–20%, though brands and products vary.

Eau de Toilette

oh duh twah-LET

A fragrance concentration category, abbreviated EDT, generally less concentrated than Eau de Parfum. Common shopping guides place it around 5–15%, with variation between products.

Eau Fraiche

oh FRESH

A term used for light, fresh fragrances, often listed around 1–3% in concentration guides. It can also be part of a perfume’s name, so check the labelled format.

Enfleurage

on-flur-AHZH

A method of capturing flower scent in fat, producing a scented pomade that can be processed with alcohol to obtain an aromatic extract.

Essential Oil

A volatile aromatic material obtained from plants by distillation or expression, such as steam-distilled lavender oil or expressed citrus-peel oil.

F

Fixative

A material used to help a fragrance retain its character or persist. The term covers different formulation roles and does not identify one universal ingredient that preserves every opening note.

Flanker

A separate fragrance released as an extension of an existing perfume line, often sharing its name with an added word such as Intense, Sport or Elixir.

Floral

A fragrance direction centered on flower-like impressions, from a single floral theme to a bouquet. Floral perfumes can also include green, fruity, spicy, woody or musky facets.

Fougere

foo-ZHAIR

A fragrance family traditionally associated with lavender, coumarin and mossy notes. The name means fern in French and refers to a perfumery accord rather than a literal fern extract.

Fragrance Pyramid

A way to describe a perfume’s opening, central character and later scent using top, heart and base notes. The groups overlap rather than following a fixed timetable.

Fragrance Wardrobe

The fragrances you keep and use as a rotation, choosing among them according to your preferences, plans or mood.

Fragrance Wheel

A circular diagram grouping scent families and showing relationships between them. Michael Edwards’ Fragrances of the World wheel is one well-known version.

Fresh

A broad description for bright, crisp or airy scent impressions, including citrus, green, herbal and watery directions. Freshness describes character rather than a guaranteed strength or wear time.

G

Gourmand

goor-MAHND

A scent direction with sweet, dessert-like or confectionery impressions, such as caramel, praline, vanilla or chocolate. Gourmand describes how a fragrance smells, not something intended to be eaten.

H

Headspace Technology

A scent-analysis approach that samples volatile compounds in the air around a source, helping researchers study its aroma and perfumers develop a reconstruction.

Heart Notes

The central scent character of a fragrance, also called middle notes. Heart notes connect the opening with the later scent and can overlap with both.

House

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The brand or business under whose name a perfume is released. Maison is a French term also used for a perfume house.

I

IFRA

The International Fragrance Association, an industry association that publishes standards for fragrance ingredients as part of a self-regulatory system.

Iso E Super

An IFF aroma material with a smooth woody-amber character. It is the featured scent material in Escentric Molecules’ Molecule 01.

J

Juice

An informal term for the perfume liquid itself. Jus is the French term used in the same context.

L

Layering

Wearing more than one scented product together, such as two perfumes or a scented body product with a fragrance, to explore their combined impression.

Leather

A perfumery note or scent direction evoking leather or suede. It can be smoky, dry, green, soft or powdery, depending on the materials and surrounding notes.

Longevity

How long a fragrance remains detectable after application. For a useful comparison, specify whether you mean a trace close to skin or a scent noticeable around the wearer.

M

Maceration

mass-er-AY-shun

A term used for a resting stage during perfume production. In extraction discussions, it can also refer to soaking aromatic material in a liquid or fat.

N

Niche Fragrance

A perfume from a specialist fragrance house, contrasted with a fashion-label release. Niche is a broad market term; it does not necessarily mean independently owned or produced in small batches.

Nose

A nickname for a perfumer: someone who composes fragrances by selecting, combining and adjusting scent materials.

O

Oriental

An older fragrance-family label for warm, ambery compositions, often featuring vanilla, resins or spices. Amber and ambery are alternative terms you may encounter for this broad scent direction.

P

Parfum

A highly concentrated fragrance format, also called Extrait de Parfum or pure perfume. Common guides place it around 20–30%, while individual products may have higher concentrations.

Projection

How noticeable a fragrance is in the space around the wearer. Projection concerns its reach at a particular time; longevity concerns how long it remains detectable.

Pulse Points

Areas such as the wrists and neck that are commonly mentioned in perfume application directions. The term refers to places where a pulse can be felt.

R

Reformulation

A change to an existing perfume’s formula. It is separate from a new flanker, a change of packaging or variation between production batches.

S

ScentTrek

Givaudan’s proprietary approach to researching natural scents through headspace sampling and using the findings to develop fragrance accords.

Signature Scent

A fragrance you wear often enough that it becomes a familiar part of your routine and may become associated with you. It can be your usual choice while you also enjoy other scents.

Sillage

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The scent trail perceived in the air as someone wearing a fragrance moves through a space. It is related to projection, but describes the trail rather than simply the scent’s reach around the wearer.

Skin Chemistry

An informal term used when discussing how a fragrance smells and wears on someone’s skin. It can cover several influences rather than identifying one chemical cause.

Skin Scent

A description for a fragrance that is mainly noticeable close to the wearer. It concerns projection, which is different from how long the scent remains detectable.

Solid Cologne

A perfume in a solid or balm format, applied by touch rather than sprayed. The base and scent concentration depend on the product.

Soliflore

SOL-ee-flor

A perfume centered on the character of one flower. The floral theme can be supported by other notes and created from multiple fragrance materials.

T

Tester

A fragrance bottle intended for customers to try, commonly at a shop counter. In a sales listing, tester may also describe a bottle supplied with different packaging from the regular retail presentation.

Tincture

An aromatic preparation made by soaking a source material in alcohol so that soluble scent compounds enter the liquid.

Top Notes

The scent impressions that define a fragrance’s opening, also called head notes. They shape the first impression and can overlap with the heart and base.

W

Woody