Sillage Brain

Fragrance 101

How fragrance works, in short lessons. Where your collection has something to show, a lesson starts with it.

  1. How fragrance works

    What is in the bottle, and why it changes on your skin over the hours.

  2. Notes and the pyramid

    Top, heart and base, and why a fragrance is described in three layers.

  3. Concentrations

    Eau de Cologne to Extrait, and what the name on the bottle does and does not tell you.

  4. Longevity, projection and sillage

    Three different ways a fragrance can be strong, and why they do not always go together.

  5. How and where to apply

    Where to spray, how far away, and the habits that make a fragrance last.

  6. How many sprays

    A starting point for how much to wear, and how to adjust it for the day.

  7. Layering

    Wearing two fragrances together so they blend into one scent of your own.

  8. Skin and clothing

    Why the same fragrance behaves differently on skin, on fabric and in your hair.

  9. Seasons and weather

    How heat, cold and humidity change a fragrance, and why some feel right on some days.

  10. Storing fragrance

    What damages a fragrance over time, and where to keep your bottles.

  11. Fragrance families

    The broad styles fragrances are grouped into, and why the lines between them blur.

  12. Natural and synthetic materials

    Why almost every fragrance uses both, and why "synthetic" does not mean worse.