Women's perfume releases images of a young girl watching her mom spray on her perfume as she puts on her face and clothes. Perfume is a symbol of high fashion, glamour and ultimate luxury. Fragrance is about a feeling as much as it is about the actual scent. Perfume aromas are not only defined as rose or lavender, but described by the emotions they present such as softness, romance or freshness. Scent provides a subtle effect on those exposed to it, leaving a lasting impression. Discover the perfect fragrance and others will be drawn to you and not even know why.
Originally created thousands of years ago to honor the gods, women's perfume has become a major international business place. As the sense of smell is a complex mechanism, fragrances affect your sense of well-being, influence feelings and awaken memories. A strangely powerful influence where the mystery is translated into a delicate perfume bottle. It is no wonder that perfume makers have been described as magicians with supernatural powers.
Types of Women's Perfume

Essentially, women's perfume is a mixture of fragrant oils, from plants, animals and synthetic sources. The perfume masters blend and create an overall fragrance from a mixture of a variety of scents.

Perfumes are classified, but the process has been difficult. Describing a smell is simply not an easy procedure, especially given the large mixtures of ingredients in most standard perfumes. Around the turn-of-the-century, a man by the name of Charles Piesse came up with the idea of arranging perfume odors based on musical notes. Although his system failed, the terminology of notes and scents has remained. In the 1920s, William Poucher began to measure the evaporation rates of various oils used in perfumes. Through his experiments, perfumes began to be classified by their top notes - the ones most quickly evaporated, thus first smelled. Plus, the base notes that were the longer-lasting scents which maintained the consistency in a perfume's fragrance.

Currently women's perfumes are analyzed based on a pyramid system. Combining both of the early approaches, a perfume is identified by the top, middle and lower notes. The top notes are the oils that evaporate quickly, usually in about two or three minutes. They create the initial first scent of a perfume. The middle notes last at least four hours and are the mainstay of the fragrance's aroma. The lower notes can actually last for days if not washed off and are known as the dry down aromas.

Women's perfumes today are also placed in a standard category or group. While there is no universal system as fragrances can be interpreted differently by different noses, the most common groups are:
Floral
Chypre
Oriental or Amber
Fougere
Citrus
Woody
Leather
How to Buy

Selecting a perfume is a very individual experience. You know you have made a good choice when the fragrance lifts your spirits. While shopping for a new perfume, it is ideal to visit a store with a large selection. Always try a fragrance on your skin for a true test of its scent. As perfume mixes with your body's unique chemistry, do not test fragrances after consuming spicy foods, exercising, while sick, or just after finishing a cigarette. All of these things will influence how the scent will smell on your body.It is best to try a variety of scents that are pleasing to you in the bottle. Narrow down your selection to four and apply a very small amount of one on your right wrist, a different on your left wrist, and the other two on the opposite upper arms. Wait at least 20 minutes to one hour before smelling to select your perfect scent.
How to Use

Always store your perfume in a cool dark place. Until it is opened, a perfume can last up to 20 years - but once you have used it, you will need to finish it off within two years.

When wearing your perfume, always apply it to your pulse points:
Wrists
Navel
Collarbone
Behind Knees

For the longest life, place it on after a shower or bath on damp skin.

Scent is the ultimate way to shift your mood. Include a small sample-sized fragrance in your purse, car, and office desk drawer. Expend it as a way to transition from daytime to evening. For many women, scent is a part of their lifestyle. It sets a tone and solicits memories. With a signature perfume, it is a way for women to be recognized and remembered - almost primitive, much like nature uses scents with animals. You don't have to be constrained to one scent; many women also enjoy layering their fragrances - either with different perfumes or through the combination of different lotions, soaps and fragrance. Perfume is one of the most important accessories of the well-dressed woman, wear it with pride.