The word "perfume" in reality comes from a Latin word that means "through smoke." The people of Egypt and Mesopotamia often burned incense to mollify the gods. Scented oils were a very important part of early spiritual rituals. As the Persians and Romans began to refine their fragrances, perfume slowly became something that was not just kept for ceremonial practices, but for amusement as well. Egyptian women began to use women fragrances on their face and hair. The Greeks would include aromatic oils into their baths. Of course many cultures used perfumes to lay to rest their deceased. It helped to cover the smell of decomposing flesh and honored the gods as well.
Some of the most important ingredients that were used in making perfumes in early times were myrrh, juniper, pistachio, fenugreek seeds, and the resin of the Matsic tree. Today women perfume are derived from a number of different sources--roots, seeds, leaves, twigs, resins, bulbs, woods, bark, fruits, honeycomb, musk, seaweed, lichens, flowers and blossoms. Depending on the ingredients used and the concentrations thereof, the classification of a perfume falls into a particular category. The main categories are Floral Bouquet, Single Floral, Wood, Amber, Leather, Fougere, Chypre, Aquatic, Bright Floral, Green, Citrus, Gourmand, or Fruity.
Perfumes have different concentrations. This concentration is based on the ratio of aromatic compounds to solvent (a blend of water and ethanol). Perfume extract has the strongest smell because the concentration of aromatic compounds used is 15-40%! Eau de Parfum or Parfum de Toilette has 10-20% of the aromatic compounds. Eau de Toilette is the next step down with 5-15% aromatic compounds. Eau de Cologne is only 3-8% fragrant compounds and body splashes or aftershave only contain 1-3% of fragrance. The smaller the concentration, the lighter the perfume.
Almost any body product can contain some fragrance, from shampoo to deodorant. However, there are many goods whose only reason is aroma. Perfume oil is the most concentrated and thus a more perfume aroma than anything else. A little dash goes a long way. Body sprays and splashes are at the opposite edge of the spectrum with very little perfume and a very light odor. Many body lotions also contain perfume so that you can moisturize and cleanse yourself in pleasant aroma at the same moment. Make sure that you put on a perfume that compliments the fragrance of your lotion if you plan to wear them both at the same time.
Dissimilar fragrances react differently to various body chemistries. Just sniffing a fragrance container cannot tell you whether it will smell good on you. To see if a particular scent will work for you, dab just a small bit on your wrist and let it set in. Once the pheromones of your body have mixed with the aroma of the fragrance, you should be able to tell if it's going to work for you or not. You should also take your personality and likes and dislikes into thought when purchasing the right perfume. Everything about you will play a role in this selection, especially if you plan to make it your "signature" perfume.
Since so many emotions can be triggered by a particular aroma, make sure that the aroma you select creates pleasant ones. Long after you leave the room, that sweet smell will stay behind reminding everybody that you were present. Choose that women perfume wisely.