Secrets Of Fragrance

Secrets Of Fragrance

The use of fragrances is an art that is as old as civilization itself. The secrets of perfumery began its development in ancient Egypt, and it was then enhanced and spread to the world by the Romans and the Arabians.

Why do we, men and women alike, use fragrances? To that question, there are many answers. Some use fragrances as a form of personal _expression, a way of making a statement about his- or herself without saying a word. Others use perfumes to make themselves more attractive and create a more favorable impression on others. Still others use perfumes to enhance their mood and to improve their general well-being.

We all have reasons for using fragrances. But before you head out to buy a bottle of scent, did you know that our bodies have a unique scent signature that makes us take easily to some types of perfumes, but not to others? So, a kind of perfume that is great on, say, your best friend may not work out for you. Our scent signature is the particular chemistry of our body, and our body chemistry is strongly affected by our diet, our lifestyle choices (whether we drink or smoke or exercise regularly), the medication that we take (if we are taking any), and other factors. Our skin type and general coloring also dictates which type of scent will smell good on us. With this in mind, what then is the best way to go about choosing what fragrances will work for us? In selecting a type of perfume, there are three keys that you should remember: theme, notes and concentration.

Theme, also known as accord, is what differentiates one fragrance from another. The theme of a perfume depends on its base, and there are four basic scent bases:

• Citrus. Citrus-based perfumes are light and fresh. They are made from citrus fruits like oranges, mandarins, lemons and bergamots.
• Floral. Floral scents are based on flowers, either from a single flower or a mix of different kinds. Flowery perfumes are sweet and strong.
• Earth. Perfumes with an earth base are made from minerals or from plants other than flowers. Sample earth bases are sandalwood, honey, cinnamon and vanilla. Earth-based scents are simple yet mysterious.
• Musk. Musk bases are taken from the odorous sacs of animals, particularly the Asian musk deer and the civet. However, because of ethical issues, perfume companies now create musk scents synthetically. Musk fragrances are heavy and sexy.