Terminology

Terms and Definitions:

 

Accord The basic character of a fragrance. Perfume accords are a balanced blend of three or four notes which create a completely new, unified odor impression.
Aquatic A scent that is often crisp, clean, non-soapy and attempting to evoke the freshness of water. Sometimes called Ozonic, but not always smelling "like water", often smelling like the things that evoke the feelings of water. 
Concentration of oils
The percentage of fragrance oil to carrier oil. Higher concentrations will be more powerfully scented, but may cause irritation to those who have sensitive skin.
Death notes Notes that consistently turn unpleasant with ones skin chemistry, which often means that despite loving the sound on a scent, if it contains a "death note" of someone, they will likely write it off completely. 
Dram A small amount of a perfume which has been decanted into a smaller bottle, used for sampling.
Silage The length of time a perfume will last on the skin. A scent with "amazing silage" may last 8 hours, while a scent with "poor silage" may only last for 2 or 3. Skin chemistry also plays a part in silage, and it does vary between people. 
Skin chemistry The way a perfume reacts with your skin is referred to as skin chemistry. This can change depending on your diet or environment, and will affect the way your perfumes smell. See more on the Start Here page. 
Throw How "close" a scent wears to the skin, how far around you the scent wafts. If a perfume has very "far throw", that means that someone sitting at a table across from you, or walking by in the street can smell it. A "short throw" is maybe only smelled when someone gives you a hug. Throw isn't inherently good or bad; depending on where you wear the scent it might be beneficial to have a short or far throw.

 

These are just a few terms you may find helpful. For a fully comprehensive list, we recommend fragrance.com, who have a super impressive glossary. You can find it here!

Return to Indie Perfume Guide

Contact form