Understanding Perfume: Notes, Types & Personality Insights

Explore the world of perfumery—from eau de parfum vs eau de toilette to how scent reflects personality. Learn how fragrance notes work together and discover what your favorite scent says about you.

The Language of Perfumery

Finding a fragrance that feels instantly familiar and comforting is no easy task. A scent you crave again and again, one you never tire of. But there are a few rules you can follow to help find that signature scent ...

Eau de Parfum or Eau de Toilette?

Did the lady at the counter lose you with her perfume jargon? No worries, it's not that complicated. Here's what you need to know about perfumes: ranked from strongest to lightest, and from lightest to most fleeting, perfumes can be divided into: eau de parfum, eau de toilette, and eau de cologne. Perfume is the most expensive because it’s the richest in fragrance oils (and in concentration of costly ingredients), and the most commonly used is eau de toilette, which typically lasts 3 to 4 hours. The longevity of your fragrance is an important factor to consider.

Learn the Lingo to Choose the Right Perfume

If intimidation is the main barrier keeping you from venturing down the perfume aisle, here’s a quick lesson in notes (top, middle, and base). The top note is the strongest scent you’ll smell when you first spray a perfume. It fades within 15 minutes to reveal the middle note. The middle note (heart note) is the body of the fragrance. It remains bold and noticeable for a few hours. When the middle fades, you’re left with the base note: those rich, heavy scents that linger until the end of the day. So, if you see a perfume on the shelf (or online) that has a top note you love (like vanilla) but middle and base notes you dislike (like rose), it’s likely that after a few hours, the perfume might smell like something you hate. Or, conversely, if you dislike the top note but love everything else, you might end up enjoying it. Still, try not to overthink it: in the end, it’s not about individual notes, but how they work together.

Perfume and Personality

What does your perfume say about your personality? Because choosing your fragrance is a deeply personal adventure. Just as a picture is worth a thousand words, a person’s scent can say a lot about who they are. It’s no surprise that most of us choose it carefully. We all have unique tastes when it comes to the perfect fragrance. But what if you could get a glimpse of what your scent preferences say about your personality? Here are the four key scent families that link to dominant personality traits: Floral, Oriental, Fresh, and Woody. No matter which fragrance draws your nose, these four key scents form the main foundation of all perfumes. So whether you’re choosing a fragrance for yourself, your significant other, or your loved ones and acquaintances, we’re here to guide and support you.