Fragrances 101

Ancient perfumery has a 4,000 year history, and fragrance chemistry has used a variety of herbs, spices, flowers, resins, woods and even animal materials.

Fragrance Concentrations

Fragrance concentration is the percentage of "aromatic compounds", and determines how long a scent will last and how strong it will be. From most strong and lasting to least strong and lasting:

• parfum, up to 40% aromatics, lasting up to 8 hours
• esprit de parfum, up to 30% aromatics, lasting up to 6 hours
• eau de parfum, up to 20% aromatics, lasting up to 5 hours
• eau de toilette, up to 15% aromatics, lasting up to 4 hours
• cologne, up to 10% aromatics, lasting up to 2 hours

Avon has eau de parfum, eau de toilette and cologne.

Chemists classify "aromatic compounds" by their molecular structure, in categories like "ester", "terpenes", "amines", "aldehydes", and "ketones". But we like to refer to scents by their main aromas, like rose, jasmine, orange blossoms, greens, and musk (respectively). It is the scent ingredients that are often the most alluring, and we love to take in the aroma of a unique blend, like blackberry, rose and vanilla.

Apply Fragrances at Pulse Points

If you love fragrances, your fragrance should be applied at pulse points:

• behind the ears
• on the neck
• at the inner wrists
• the inside elbows
• behind the knees. 

Applying too much fragrance is not only unnecessary, it can also create allergen problems for others around you. If you apply the fragrances just to your pulse points, you enjoy the aroma on your own body, and you smell "nice" to others close to you, but you will not overpower others with scents they may react to.

Layering Fragrances

Help your fragrance last all day by layering it with same scent shower gels, bath oils and body lotion.  Avon has these for many of their fragrances!

Fragrance Notes

Fragrance notes are the combinations of aromatic compounds that work together to create beautiful aromas. They are layered and designed to release over time and in response to body heat.

• Top Notes: Your first impression of the fragrance. What you smell right away, it also evaporates right away. Usually a light scent. 
• Middle Notes: The heart or substance of the fragrance. This is a pleasant and smooth odor that will carry the fragrance.
• Base Notes: The body of the fragrance, that will last the longest. This is the scent you will have at the end of the day.

Did You Know? Your body chemistry actually changes a fragrance when you apply it. So, the same fragrance will smell different on different people! Avon fragrance samples instruct you to apply the fragrance to the wrist, because the body heat at pulse points help to amplify the scent, and it will help you determine how it smells on you, whereas a scratch and sniff or smelling the sample itself wouldn't.

Current Perfume Trends?

Light floral scents are in for fall, as are earthy, spicy, "global" scents.

Layering different fragrances to create your own unique blend is definitely in, though it does take some trial and error to get your own perfect scent just right!

You don't wear the same clothes every day, so why wear the same fragrance every day? On trend right now is having a wardrobe of different scents to wear based on mood or destination.

Serious personalization is very trendy, if you can afford it! There are many companies offering personal mixology so you can create your very own scent. Some even have bottle and logo design to go along with your aromatic chemistry experiment!