Vetiver Fragrances

The Complete Glossary of Fragrance Terms: From Accord to Vetiver

EDP, EDT, parfum, fixative, and animalic decoded - the language barrier between casual buyer and serious collector is mostly definitional, not artistic.

By The Fragrenza Team 2 min read
The Complete Glossary of Fragrance Terms: From Accord to Vetiver — Fragrenza fragrance blog

A Reference Guide to Fragrance Language

Whether you are new to perfume or deepening your knowledge, having a clear reference for fragrance vocabulary is invaluable. This glossary covers the essential terms you will encounter when reading reviews, shopping, and exploring the fragrance community.

A – C

  • Accord: a blend of ingredients that together create a unified, cohesive scent impression
  • Aldehyde: a class of synthetic aroma chemicals producing a soapy, waxy, effervescent quality; famously used in Chanel No. 5
  • Ambergris: a historically prized animal-derived fixative from sperm whales; now replaced by synthetic ambroxan
  • Ambroxan: synthetic analogue of ambergris; warm, skin-enhancing, radiant
  • Animalic: a warm, musky, sometimes fecal quality reminiscent of living creatures
  • Anosmia: inability to detect a particular scent, either generally or for specific molecules
  • Aromatic: herbaceous, fresh-smelling; typical of lavender, rosemary, and thyme accords
  • Base notes: the slowest-evaporating, longest-lasting elements of a fragrance; form the dry down
  • Balsamic: sweet, warm, resinous — like benzoin, vanilla, or styrax
  • Chypre: a classic accord built on bergamot, labdanum, and oakmoss; elegant and earthy
  • Concentration: the percentage of aromatic compounds in a fragrance (EDC, EDT, EDP, Extrait)

D – I

  • Dry down: the final stage of a fragrance's development, when base notes dominate
  • EDP (Eau de Parfum): 15–20% concentration; longer-lasting than EDT
  • EDT (Eau de Toilette): 5–15% concentration; the most common commercial format
  • Extrait (Parfum): 20–40% concentration; the richest, longest-lasting format
  • Fixative: an ingredient that slows evaporation of more volatile components, improving longevity
  • Fougere: classic accord of lavender, coumarin, and oakmoss; backbone of many masculine fragrances
  • Gourmand: edible-smelling; caramel, chocolate, coffee, and sweet pastry notes
  • Heart notes: the middle tier of the fragrance pyramid; the core character, lasting 2–4 hours
  • IFRA: International Fragrance Association; industry body that sets safety standards for ingredients

L – R

  • Linear: a fragrance that changes little from opening to dry down
  • Longevity: how long a fragrance lasts on skin
  • Musk: a class of ingredients (natural or synthetic) providing a warm, skin-close, diffusive quality
  • Notes: the individual ingredients or ingredient-impressions perceived in a fragrance
  • Oud (agarwood): a dense, dark, resinous material from infected Aquilaria trees; highly prized in Middle Eastern and niche perfumery
  • Ozonic: clean, fresh, sea-air quality — like air before or after rain
  • Projection: how far from skin a fragrance radiates
  • Reformulation: a change to a fragrance's formula, often due to ingredient restrictions or cost

S – V

  • Sillage: the trail left in the air as you move; the scented wake of a fragrance
  • Skin scent: a fragrance that stays close to the body, perceptible only in intimate proximity
  • Soliflore: a fragrance built around a single flower, designed to represent that flower faithfully
  • Top notes: the first impression; fast-evaporating, typically citrus or fresh; lasts 5–30 minutes
  • Vetiver: a grass native to India; its roots yield an earthy, smoky, woody material used extensively as a base note and fixative
  • Vintage: older stock of a fragrance, particularly valued when pre-reformulation or discontinued
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