Perfumes smell differently from each other not just because they contain different ingredients but also because the strength of those ingredients varies.
Perfumes and colognes are created from a mixture of alcohol and essential oils. When the scent is applied to the body, the alcohol evaporates and the essential oils are absorbed by the skin. The difference between a perfume and an eau de toilette depends upon the concentration of essential oils found within them.
From highest to lowest concentration, the different types of perfume are:
* Perfume - is the most potent type of fragrance available and has a 15-30% concentration of perfume essence. This has the highest price tag and is a good choice for wearing on special occasions.
* Eau de parfum - is the most popular and common form of perfume and contains about 7-15% perfume concentrates. It provides a long-lasting scent and generally isn't as expensive as perfume.
* Eau de toilette - is a lighter more delicate fragrance, with a 4-8% concentration of the essence which makes it most suitable for everyday use. It is commonly less expensive than Eau de Parfum, and lasts between 2 and 4 hours.
* Eau de Cologne - is often referred to simply as Cologne. It has the greatest dilution of fragrances with a 3-5% concentration of essential oils and lasts for up to 2 hours.
There are many other products that use perfume concentrates as well as those above. The more obvious examples include soaps, cosmetics, bubble bath, lotions, creams and aftershaves.
Another way to describe the differences from one perfume to another is in terms of their fragrance notes.
Fragrances consist of different notes and can be made up of hundreds of different ingredients which make every scent an individual creation. These notes are:
* Top notes - being the lightest and most volatile fragrance note, it is what the perfume initially bursts open with leading to a person's first impression of a perfume. This makes them very important in the sale of a perfume. Top Notes are usually light and bright, fruity or citrus fragrances. They are strong in scent and evaporate quickly.
* Middle notes - these start to emerge as the top notes dissipate. They form the "heart" or main body of a perfume and can mask the often unpleasant initial impression of base notes, which become more pleasant over time. Fragrances from middle notes appear anywhere from 2 minutes to 1 hour after the application of a perfume. Typical scents in this class are lavender and rose.
* Base notes - as the middle notes fade the base notes become noticeable and fragrance give the fragrance its "signature". They are often experienced and as musky, woody tones. Since they are the heaviest, the base notes tend to leave the longest lasting fragrance on you.
The combination of these notes, the particular ingredients and their relative strength are what give a perfume its distinct fragrance.
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