This fragrance glossary defines the essential perfume terms: sillage is the scented trail you leave behind, projection is how far the scent radiates, and longevity is how long it lasts on skin. Below are clear definitions of key terms — from olfactory pyramid and accord to chypre and gourmand.
These three terms describe how a fragrance behaves once applied — its trail, its reach, and its staying power. They are often confused but measure different things, and understanding the distinction helps you choose scents suited to your setting.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sillage | The scented trail a fragrance leaves in the air as you move (French for "wake"). Heavy sillage is noticeable from a distance; intimate sillage stays close to the skin. |
| Projection | How far a fragrance radiates from your body at a given moment — the "scent bubble" around you. |
| Longevity | How long a fragrance remains detectable on skin, from a couple of hours for light citrus to 12+ hours for oud and amber compositions. |
In short: projection is intensity now, sillage is the trail you leave, and longevity is duration over time.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Olfactory Pyramid | The three-tier structure of a fragrance — top, heart, and base notes — describing how the scent evolves from application to drydown. |
| Top Notes | The first impression, lasting 5–15 minutes — light, volatile citrus, herbs, or fresh notes. |
| Heart Notes | The core, emerging after the top fades and lasting 2–4 hours — often florals, spices, or fruits. |
| Base Notes | The foundation appearing in the drydown and lasting longest — woods, musk, amber, vanilla, oud. |
| Accord | A blend of several notes combining into a single unified scent impression, like a chord in music. |
| Drydown | The final phase, dominated by base notes — the truest test of how a perfume wears. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Gourmand | A family of edible, dessert-like scents built on vanilla, caramel, chocolate, tonka, and praline. |
| Chypre | A sophisticated family contrasting fresh bergamot with a mossy base of oakmoss, patchouli, and labdanum. |
| Fougère | An aromatic "fern" family built on lavender, coumarin, and oakmoss — classic, "barbershop" fresh. |
| Soliflore | A fragrance designed to showcase a single flower rather than a bouquet. |
| Oud (Agarwood) | A rare, resinous wood from infected Aquilaria trees — smoky, woody, animalic; a luxurious base note. |
| Absolute | A highly concentrated aromatic extract (e.g. vanilla absolute, rose absolute), richer than synthetics. |
| Animalic | Warm, skin-like, sometimes raw notes (musk, civet, leathery oud) adding sensuality and depth. |
Put these terms into practice with houses like Maison Crivelli, By Kilian and Frédéric Malle in our store.
Projection is how far a fragrance radiates from your body right now, while sillage is the scented trail it leaves behind as you move. A scent can project strongly yet leave little trail, or vice versa.
The drydown is the final stage of a fragrance, once the top and heart notes have evaporated and only the base notes remain. It is the longest-lasting phase and the best indicator of how a perfume truly wears.
An accord is a blend of several individual notes combined into a single unified impression — like a chord in music (for example, an "amber accord").
Animalic describes warm, skin-like notes — musk, civet, leathery oud — that add depth, sensuality, and a lived-in intimacy.