Bottles of some notable commercial perfumes: (clockwise from top left) Bois De Violette, Serge Lutens, 1992; Angel, Thierry Mugler, 1994; Shalimar, Guerlain, 1925; Beyond Paradise, Estée Lauder, 2003; No. 5, Chanel, 1921 (Pre-1950 bottle); Cabochard, Parfums Grès, 1959 (original bottle); Bellodgia, Caron, 1927; Arpège, Lanvin, 1927 (original bottle); Nombre Noir, Shiseido, 1981; Mitsouko, Guerlain, 1919; Pour Un Homme, Caron, 1934.

Egyptian scene depicting the preparation of Lily perfume

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Perfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils and aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents used to give the human body, objects, and living spaces a pleasant smell. more...

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Men's Fragrances/ Aftershave

Adidas

Armani

Avon

Bulgari

Cartier

Carven

Cerruti

Chanel

Charlie

Chloe

Chopard

Christian Dior

Clarins

Clinique

Coty

Davidoff

Diesel

DKNY

Escada

Fendi

French Connection/ FCUK

Ghost

Gianni Versace

Giorgio of Beverly Hills

Gucci

Hermes

Iceberg

J Lo

Joop

Kangol

Karl Lagerfeld

Kenzo

La Perla

Lacoste

Lalique

Lancome

Lanvin

Madonna

Monro

Non-Designer Fragrances

Oscar de la Renta

Other Women's Fragrances

Prada

Revlon

Rochas

Tova

Ungaro

Yardley

Massage

Mobility, Disability &...

Nails/ Manicure/ Pedicure

Natural/ Alternative...

Other Health & Beauty

Over-the-Counter Medicine

Skin/ Face Care

Tanning/ Sun Care

Tattoos/ Body Art

Vision/ Glasses/ Lenses

Vitamins/ Supplements

The amount and type of solvent mix with the fragrance oil dictates whether a perfume is considered a perfume extract, Eau de parfum, Eau de toilette, or Eau de Cologne.

Description of a perfume

It is impossible to describe a perfume according to its components because the formulas are kept secret. Even if the formulas are known, the ingredients are often too numerous to provide a useful classification. Cognoscenti can, however, generally get a handle on the principal ingredients. On the other hand, it is possible to group perfumes into olfactive families and describe them through the notes that appear as they slowly evaporate. Perfumes can also be classified according to their concentration.

Olfactive families

Fragrances can be classified into several olfactive families, by the themes, or accords, of these fragrances.

Floral: Fragrances that are dominated by the scent of one or more types of flowers. When only one flower is used, it is called a soliflore (as in Dior's Diorissimo, with lily of the valley).; Chypre: Fragrances built on a similar accord consisting of bergamot, oakmoss, pachouli, and labdanum. This family of fragrances is named after a perfume by François Coty by the same name. Meaning Cyprus in French, the term alludes to the inspiration behind the original creation.; Aldehydic: Fragrances that incorporate the family of chemicals known as aldehydes. Chanel No 5 was the first aldehydic perfume (created by the French perfumer Ernest Beaux in 1921). Others include Je Reviens and Arpege. Aldehydic perfumes have the characteristic \"piquant\" note produced by materials like Aldehyde C12 MNA.; Fougère: Fragrances built on a base of lavender, coumarin and oakmoss. This fragrance family is named after Houbigant's Fougère Royale, which pioneered the use of this base. Many men's fragrances belong to this family of fragrances, which is characterized by its sharp herbaceous and woody scent.; Leather: A family of fragrances which features the scents honey, tobacco, wood, and wood tars in its middle or base notes and a scent that alludes to leather.; Woody: Fragrances that are dominated by the woody scents, typically of sandalwood and cedar. Patchouli, with its camphoraceous smell, is commonly found in these perfumes.; Orientals or ambers: A large fragrance class featuring the scents of vanilla and animal scents together with flowers and woods. Can be enhanced by camphorous oils and incense resins, which bring to mind Victorian era imagery of the Middle East and Far East.; Citrus: An old fragrance family that until recently consisted mainly of \"freshening\" eau de colognes due to the low tenacity of citrus scents. Development of newer fragrance compounds has allowed for the creation of primarily citrus fragrances.;