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Perfume Guide
Perfume is an important part of daily life, as your choice of scent allows you to express your style, mood, and overall personality. While wearing perfume can be deemed an invisible aspect of self-expression, fragrances can be uniquely connected to memory and emotion.
Some scents can transport you to positive events, memories, and experiences, such as tropical fragrances associated with beach getaways and summer vacations. Meanwhile, other perfumes can help enhance your self-image, whether you want to be perceived as feminine through sweet, floral notes or more masculine through woody and spicy scents.
Regardless of your reason for wearing perfume, you’d want to find the perfect scent you’re naturally drawn to, and that best reflects your vibe and character. Although this can be challenging due to the wide variety of ingredients and their combinations, this perfume guide will help you find your favorite scent by introducing you to the effects of different fragrance families: fresh, floral, amber, and woody. You’ll also learn more about the four different perfume strengths and concentrations to help you understand the longevity suitable for your lifestyle and preferences.
Table of Contents
Fresh Notes
Fresh notes are considered the most versatile fragrance family. They have light, refreshing, and zesty smells ideal for everyday wear or occasions where you simply want to give off an uplifting vibe. Fresh fragrances typically combine marine or aquatic notes, citrus oils, and herbal and leafy scents to give off a crisp and vibrant impression.
Let's start with fresh marine fragrances. These can also be described as “seawater” or “ozonated” perfumes. Examples like Hermès' Eau des Merveilles Bleue and the Acqua di Gio by Armani give off the airy and salty fragrance of the sea. Aquatic notes like sea spray can be combined with water fruits such as watermelon and cucumber to further evoke a marine-like effect while still staying delicately sweet.
Fresh notes can also include citrusy and invigorating ingredients like lemon, orange, mandarin, and bergamot. Also referred to as hesperidic accords, such zesty notes are added to fragrances like the Sicilian Limes Eau de Parfum from Shay and Blue for a burst of sparkle and vibrance that transports you to summers spent on Sicilian shores.
Lastly, fresh fragrances can be a lively mix of green notes like lavender, rosemary, and basil, such as the herbal bouquet of H24 Herbes Vives by Hermès. Overall, the lightness and immediate recognizability of fresh scents make them ideal as top notes that typically last for about 10-15 minutes upon the initial spray of the perfume.
Floral Notes
Floral notes belong to the most popular and broadest fragrance families, as the intensity and aroma of flowers can range from powdery and delicate to strong and complex. Compared to fresh notes, floral notes are longer-lasting and linger once the top notes have dried down. That explains why flower blends are typically the main body of the perfume: they're designed to last for up to 3 hours. While a single description cannot capture the diversity of flower ingredients, floral notes can be categorized into similar scents and accents.
To start, floral fragrances can include rosy notes that are sweet and fresh with green and powdery undertones. They are commonly found in feminine perfumes, such as those in Floral Street's Set of 3 Eau De Parfume Travel Sprays. This trio includes the scent Neon Rose, which features an enchanting blend of freshly chopped jasmine and roses. Floral fragrances are best applied to the creases of your elbows and knees so they linger for longer.
Another floral category is powdery, as certain species can add a soft, velvety sensation to the perfume composition. Examples of powdery flowers include violet, mimosa, and iris, with the last one going hand-in-hand with amber in Prada’s L'Homme L'Eau Prada for a rich and sensual aroma.
Lastly, floral notes can also be classified as white flowers, which are known to symbolize purity and innocence in feminine fragrances. Estee Lauder's White Linen Eau de Parfum is a perfect example of a mixture that uses the nuanced elegance of white floral accords—mainly through middle or heart notes that include jasmine, ylang-ylang, and lily of the valley. To help diffuse the harmony of floral and musky notes, spray the perfume on pulse points, like the inside of your wrists, below your belly button, and the back of your ear lobes.
Amber Notes
Amber notes are considered the most luxurious fragrance family. They evoke rich and exotic scents that help you make a bold impression, whether you're attending a glamorous occasion or simply walking down the street. Since amber scents can also be described as unusual, sensual, and memorable, they're usually considered the base notes that last the longest—providing warmth and depth for up to 24 hours.
Like marine and floral notes, these notes can be further classified into subgroups of floral amber, soft amber, and woody amber. Common floral ambers include jasmine, orchid, and orange blossom, as these are deeply fragrant with subtle notes of spice.
Meanwhile, soft amber fragrances possess an understated richness and elegance because they usually combine an amber or vanilla base with a fresher and more soothing scent. For example, the Shay & Blue Salt Caramel Eau de Parfum tops a sweet vanilla base with light hints of tangy sea salt to strike the perfect balance between heavier and lighter elements.
Woody amber fragrances are often described as suitable for both the masculine and feminine. Mild amber notes like vanilla and coumarin perfectly complement the opulence of woody accords, ranging from warm sandalwood to musky patchouli. The Oud Wood Ladies Eau de Parfum from Tom Ford is a notable example of a woody amber perfume, as it combines the smoky warmth of amber notes like vanilla, amber, and rose with the bittersweet and woody scent of agarwood (oud).
Woody Notes
Woody notes complete the fragrance wheel, with their key characteristics being rich, warm, seductive, and captivating. These perfume notes are traditionally perceived as masculine, so they're more commonly found in men’s perfumes and aftershaves. However, their earthy and sweet undertones mean they also find their rightful place in feminine fragrances. Overall, the mysterious and captivating nature of woody notes makes them ideal as base notes that linger once the top and middle notes have evaporated.
Woody notes are another fragrance family that can be divided into various olfactory subgroups. The main ones include natural mossy woods with sweet and smooth fragrances like oakmoss, patchouli, and amber. You'll also find dry woods characterized by smoky and leathery smells, such as the explosiveness of cedar and the vibrance of vetiver oil.
Among woody facets, the most unique and versatile scent is that of sandalwood, making it particularly popular in fine perfumery. You'll find a great example of this in the TOVA Nights Eau de Parfum. Here, sandalwood makes an excellent base that enhances the aroma of the perfume's accompanying bouquet, which is comprised of refreshing spring flowers and dewy green notes. While you can generally spritz this perfume wherever you like, you also have the option to layer it with similar woody notes. For instance, you can pair the TOVA Nights with perfumes like the Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Nerolia Vetiver Eau de Toilette. With its vetiver base and hints of neroli and refreshing basil, the match can make for a more unique overall scent.
Types of Perfume
Besides figuring out which notes and fragrance families appeal to you, it’s also best to understand the different types of fragrances you can choose from in terms of strength and longevity. That's because they're not created equal. They come in different concentrations of perfume oil and fragrance bases, which can be comprised of water, alcohol, or oil. These variations can make a huge difference not only in the price point of your chosen perfume but also in the scent’s sillage or staying power on the skin.
Despite having a strong initial impression due to powerful ingredients like citrus fruits and musky notes, for example, some perfumes may have fleeting top notes that wear off quickly if there’s a low concentration of perfume oil in their composition.
To learn which kind will be best for you, keep reading! Here's a quick perfume concentration guide to help you identify how long a fragrance is likely to last once you’ve sprayed it on.
Eau de Parfum
Let's start with Eau de Parfum (EDP). Perfume houses typically offer this category as the strongest type of fragrance they sell. EDPs boast a high concentration of perfume extracts or essential oils, usually comprising around 15 to 20% of an overall fragrance blend. Since they can last up to 8 hours, they're a popular choice among consumers.
Our fragrances selection at QVC covers a wide range of perfume brands and fragrance families—from the affordable Petal Crush Eau de Parfum Spray from Laundry by Design with its refreshing floral aroma to more luxurious options like the Creed Aventus For Her EDP Spray, which embodies an elegant and feminine scent with fruity top notes like green apple and bergamot along with a woody and floral heart of sandalwood and rose.
Eau de Toilette
The perfume category with the next highest concentration is Eau de Toilette (EDT), which contains around 5 to 15% perfume oil. Depending on the perfumery house, EDT can overlap with EDP strengths, making it essential to check the label defining the amount of perfume concentrate in the formulation.
Since EDT has a lighter formula, it is generally more affordable than EDP and can come in spray bottles. EDT can also last anywhere from 4 to 6 hours, making it a viable option for daytime wear.
When you browse our range of EDT fragrances, you can opt for perfumes with heavier, longer-lasting notes like amber and woody so they can make a stronger impression, even if they’re more diluted than the usual EDP. Such fragrances include the irresistible leafy aroma of Elizabeth Arden’s popular Green Tea Mimosa Eau de Toilette Spray and Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue Ladies Eau De Toilette, which features a warm and intoxicating blend of musk, amber, and woodsy aromas with floral heart notes.
Eau de Cologne
Eau de Cologne is one of the lightest perfume concentrations, containing only around 2-4% of perfume oil. As such, a spritz typically only lasts up to 3 hours. This type of perfume is fairly inexpensive and tends to come in larger bottles, so it can be liberally reapplied at regular intervals. That’s great if you want something to help you freshen up throughout the day!
While Eau de Cologne is traditionally thought of as a masculine formula through men’s body splashes and aftershaves, its light and affordable composition has also been incorporated into women’s fragrance lines.
Eau Fraiche
Lastly, Eau Fraiche has the lightest concentration with 1-2% of perfume oil. Its main ingredient is water—as eau fraiche literally means fresh water—which is why this perfume boasts an incredibly light formula perfect for those who prefer a more subtle, delicate fragrance. It only lasts for a couple of hours and is typically available as splash colognes or sprayable body mists. Looking for a great Eau Fraiche here on QVC? Try the Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Eau Fraiche Skinscent, a cult fragrance that offers citrusy and musky aromas.
Layering Tips for Fragrances
Given this broad range of perfume notes, strengths, and concentrations, consider trying different formulations until you find your signature scent. It’s also worth exploring scent layering to create a more unique fragrance suited to your personal taste and style.
For example, you can begin your day with a splash of Eau de Cologne, ideally with refreshing aquatic or citrusy notes to rev up your senses. Then, wear an Eau de Toilette to last you throughout the day. Ensure that your fragrance layers interact well, mainly by balancing strong and heavy notes like earthy patchouli with light and airy accords like white or powdery florals.
Since dry skin can make the fragrance fade much more quickly, it’s also recommended to incorporate a moisturizer, especially on particularly hot days. By keeping your skin hydrated before adding a perfume spray, you can make the layered scents stick and last longer.
Here at QVC.com, you can browse a curated collection of perfumes to find the one that best fits your budget and fragrance needs. Whether you’re looking for an EDT ideal for daily wear or an EDP reserved for special occasions, you’re sure to find a scent you’ll love reaching for and flaunting anytime, anywhere. In addition to expanding your perfume collection, feel free to check out our bath accessories and body & skincare sets to truly complete your beauty regimen.
