Perfume

==Describing a perfume==
[[File:Fougère Royale by Paul Parquet - Bottle.jpg|thumb|upright|An original bottle of ''Fougère Royale'' by [[Houbigant Parfum|Houbigant]]. Created by [[Paul Parquet]] in 1884, it is one of the most important modern perfumes and inspired the eponymous {{lang|fr|[[Fougère]]}} class of fragrances.]]

[[File:Fragrance pyramid.svg|thumb|upright|Fragrance pyramid]]

The precise formulae of commercial perfumes are kept [[Trade secret|secret]]. Even if they were widely published, they would be dominated by such complex ingredients and odorants that they would be of little use in providing a guide to the general consumer in description of the ''experience'' of a scent. Nonetheless, connoisseurs of perfume can become extremely skillful at identifying components and origins of scents in the same manner as wine experts.<ref name=Burr>{{cite book | author=Burr, Chandler | title=The Emperor of Scent: A Story of Perfume, Obsession, and the Last Mystery of the Senses | year=2003 | location=New York | publisher=Random House | isbn=0-375-50797-3 | url=https://archive.org/details/emperorofscentst00burr }}</ref>

The most practical way to start describing a perfume is according to the elements of the ''fragrance notes'' of the scent or the "family" it belongs to, all of which affect the overall impression of a perfume from first application to the last lingering hint of scent.<ref name=Fortineau>Perfume connoisseurs speak of a fragrance's "sillage", or the discernible trail it leaves in the air when applied. Fortineau, Anne-Dominique (2004). "Chemistry Perfumes Your Daily Life". ''Journal of Chemical Education''.81(1)</ref><ref name=Edwards1>Edwards, Michael (2006). "Fragrances of the World 2006". ''Crescent House Publishing''. {{ISBN|0-9756097-1-8}}</ref>

The trail of scent left behind by a person wearing perfume is called its ''sillage'', after the French word for "[[Wake (physics)|wake]]", as in the trail left by a boat in water.

===Fragrance notes===
{{main| Note (perfumery)}}

Perfume is described in a musical metaphor as having three sets of ''notes'', making the harmonious scent ''accord''. The notes unfold over time, with the immediate impression of the top note leading to the deeper middle notes, and the base notes gradually appearing as the final stage. These notes are created carefully with knowledge of the evaporation process of the perfume.
*'''Top notes''': Also called the '''''head notes'''''. The scents that are perceived immediately on application of a perfume. Top notes consist of small, light molecules that evaporate quickly. They form a person's initial impression of a perfume and thus are very important in the selling of a perfume. Examples of top notes include mint, lavender and coriander.
*'''Middle notes''': Also referred to as '''''heart notes'''''. The scent of a perfume that emerges just prior to the dissipation of the top note. The middle note compounds form the "''heart''" or main body of a perfume and act to mask the often unpleasant initial impression of base notes, which become more pleasant with time. Examples of middle notes include seawater, sandalwood and jasmine.
*'''Base notes''': The scent of a perfume that appears close to the departure of the middle notes. The base and middle notes together are the main theme of a perfume. Base notes bring depth and solidity to a perfume. Compounds of this class of scents are typically rich and "deep" and are usually not perceived until 30 minutes after application. Examples of base notes include tobacco, amber and musk.
The scents in the top and middle notes are influenced by the base notes; conversely, the scents of the base notes will be altered by the types of fragrance materials used as middle notes. Manufacturers who publish perfume notes typically do so with the fragrance components presented as a ''fragrance pyramid'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.lebermuth.com/fragrance-101-understanding-the-fragrance-pyramid|title=Fragrance 101: Understanding The Fragrance Pyramid|website=Blog.lebermuth.com|access-date=28 September 2018|archive-date=29 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929000259/https://blog.lebermuth.com/fragrance-101-understanding-the-fragrance-pyramid|url-status=live}}</ref> using imaginative and abstract terms for the components listed.

===Olfactive families===
The grouping of perfumes can never be completely objective or definitive. Many fragrances contain aspects of different families. Even a perfume designated as "single flower" will have subtle undertones of other aromatics. There are hardly any true unitary-scent perfumes consisting of a single aromatic material.

The family classification is a starting point to describe a perfume, but does not fully characterize it.

====Traditional categories====

[[File:Opium by YSL.jpg|thumb|upright|Opium by YSL, of amber or oriental fragrance class]]
[[File:Joy Jean Patou.jpg|thumb|upright|A floral bouquet, Joy from [[Jean Patou]]]]
The traditional categories which emerged around 1900:

* '''Citrus''': The oldest fragrance family that gave birth to lightweight eau de colognes. Development of newer fragrance compounds has allowed for the creation of more tenacious citrus fragrances. Examples: ''4711'', Guerlain's ''Eau de Cologne Impériale'', Penhaligon's ''Quercus''.

*'''Single Floral''': Fragrances dominated by the scent of a particular flower, i.e., rose, carnation, iris. In French this type of fragrance is called a ''soliflore''. Example: [[Serge Lutens]] ''Sa Majeste La Rose''.
*'''Floral Bouquet''': Compound of several flower scents. Examples: [[Houbigant (perfume)|Houbigant]] ''Quelques Fleurs'', [[Jean Patou]] ''[[Joy (perfume)|Joy]]''.
*'''Amber or "Oriental"''': Large class featuring sweet, slightly animalic scents of [[ambergris]] or [[labdanum]], often combined with [[vanilla]], [[tonka bean]], flowers and woods. Can be enhanced by camphorous oils and [[incense]] resins, evoking [[Victorian era]] "[[Orientalism|Oriental]]" imagery. Traditional examples: [[Guerlain]] ''[[Shalimar (perfume)|Shalimar]]'', [[Yves Saint Laurent (brand)|Yves Saint Laurent]] ''[[Opium (perfume)|Opium]]'', Chanel ''Coco Mademoiselle''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chanel.com/en_US/fragrance-beauty/Fragrance-Coco-Mademoiselle-COCO-MADEMOISELLE-PARFUM-88207|title=Coco Mademoiselle from Chanel|website=Chanel.com|access-date=13 July 2017|archive-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102181938/http://www.chanel.com/en_US/fragrance-beauty/Fragrance-Coco-Mademoiselle-COCO-MADEMOISELLE-PARFUM-88207|url-status=live}}</ref>
*'''Woody''': Fragrances dominated by woody notes, typically [[agarwood]], [[sandalwood]], [[cedar wood|cedarwood]], and [[vetiver]]. Patchouli, with its [[camphor]]aceous smell, is commonly found in these perfumes. Traditional examples: Myrurgia ''Maderas De Oriente'', [[Chanel]] ''Bois des Îles.'' Modern: [[Balenciaga]] ''Rumba''.
*'''Leather''': A family of fragrances featuring [[honey]], [[tobacco]], wood and wood [[tar]]s in the middle or base notes and a scent that alludes to leather. Traditional examples: [[Robert Piguet]] ''Bandit'', [[Pierre Balmain|Balmain]] ''Jolie Madame''.
*'''[[Chypre]]''' ({{IPA-fr|ʃipʁ|IPA}}): Meaning ''[[Cyprus]]'' in French, this category is named after the [[François Coty]]'s ''[[Chypre]]'' (1917), which was the first modern fragrance built on an accord of [[bergamot orange|bergamot]], [[oakmoss]], and [[labdanum]]. Example: [[Guerlain]] ''[[Mitsouko (perfume)|Mitsouko]]'', Rochas ''Femme''.
*'''{{lang|fr|[[Fougère]]}}''' ({{IPA-fr|fu.ʒɛʁ|IPA}}): Meaning ''[[fern]]'' in French, built on a base of [[lavender]], [[coumarin]] and [[oakmoss]], with a sharp herbaceous and woody scent. Named for [[Houbigant (perfume)|Houbigant]]'s landmark fragrance ''Fougère Royale'', many men's fragrances belong to this family. Modern examples: [[Fabergé]] ''Brut'', [[Guy Laroche]] ''Drakkar Noir,'' [[Penhaligon's]] ''Douro''.

====Modern====
Since 1945, new categories have emerged to describe modern scents, due to great advances in the technology of compound design and synthesis, as well as the natural development of styles and tastes:

*'''Bright Floral''': Combining single floral and floral bouquet traditional categories. Example: [[Estée Lauder Companies|Estée Lauder]] ''Beautiful''.
*'''Green''': Lighter, more modern interpretation of the Chypre type, with pronounced cut grass, crushed green leaf and cucumber-like scents. Examples: Estée Lauder ''Aliage'', [[Sisley, Paris|Sisley]] ''Eau de Campagne'', Calvin Klein ''Eternity''.
*'''Aquatic''', '''Oceanic''', '''Ozonic''': The newest category, first appearing in 1988 [[Davidoff]] ''[[Cool Water (perfume)|Cool Water]]'' (1988), Christian Dior ''Dune'' (1991). A clean smell reminiscent of the ocean, leading to many [[androgynous]] perfumes. Generally contains [[calone]], a synthetic discovered in 1966, or more recent synthetics. Also used to accent floral, oriental, and woody fragrances.
*'''Fruity''': Featuring fruits other than citrus, such as peach, cassis (black currant), mango, passion fruit, and others. Example: Ginestet ''Botrytis''.
*'''Gourmand''' ({{IPA-fr|ɡuʁmɑ̃|lang}}): Scents with "edible" or "dessert-like" qualities, often containing vanilla, [[tonka bean]], and [[coumarin]], as well as synthetic components designed to resemble food flavors. A sweet Example: [[Thierry Mugler]]'s ''Angel'' (sweet)''.''

====Fragrance wheel====
{{main|Fragrance wheel}}
[[File:Wheel2.gif|thumb|Fragrance Wheel perfume [[classification chart]], ver. 1983]]
This newer classification method is widely used in retail and the fragrance industry, created in 1983 by the perfume consultant [[Michael Edwards (fragrance expert)|Michael Edwards]]. The new scheme simplifies classification and naming, as well as showing the relationships among the classes.<ref name="OGrantInterview">{{cite web |author= Osborne, Grant |date= 1 May 2001 |title= Interview with Michael Edwards |url= http://www.basenotes.net/interviews/int-medwards.html |access-date= 17 December 2006 |website=Basenotes.net |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070206133603/http://www.basenotes.net/interviews/int-medwards.html |archive-date= 6 February 2007 |df= dmy-all }}</ref>

The five main families are ''Floral'', ''Oriental'', ''Woody'', ''Aromatic Fougère'', and ''Fresh'', the first four from the classic terminology and the last from the modern oceanic category. Each of these are divided into subgroups and arranged around a wheel.
In this scheme, ''Chanel No.5'', traditionally classified as an aldehydic floral, is placed under the Soft Floral sub-group, while amber scents are within the Oriental group. [[Chypre]] perfumes are more ambiguous, having affinities with both the Oriental and Woody families. For instance, Guerlain ''Mitsouko'' is under Mossy Woods, but Hermès ''Rouge'', a more floral chypre, is under Floral Oriental.