Q. What Is A Fragrance Family And Why Is It Important?
A. Fragrance families are classification systems that assign individual fragrances into olfactory groups based on their predominant characteristics. The most common use of the classifications is to help people find fragrances they might like, even when they may not be able to smell the fragrance. Each fragrance family has a unique personality and, instinctively, you will prefer fragrances from some and dislike ones from others. Many people, of course, like fragrances from more than one family, and some like fragrances from all of the fragrance families. Still, knowing the fragrance family can be very helpful simply in that it might give you some clues as to a fragrance's general character. If you had a favorite Brand and you knew that it was a citrus, say, or an oriental or a floral, that might help you decide whether or not a new fragrance in that family was something you wanted to try. Fragrance families are one of many tools we use to guide us through the perfume creation process.
Q. What Are Perfume Notes?
A. A fragrance is normally made up of 3 notes that unfold over time (Top, Middle and Base). Top notes are perceived immediately on the application of a perfume and evaporate quickly. They form a person's initial impression of a perfume. Middle notes emerge just prior to the dissipation of the top note. It forms the main body of a perfume and acts to mask the often unpleasant initial impression of base notes, which become more pleasant with time. Base notes appear close to the departure of middle notes and are the main theme of a perfume. Base notes bring depth to a perfume and are usually not perceived until 30 minutes afer application. When creating a fragrance we consider the combinations of scented oils from each of the three fragrance notes.
Q. How long can I keep my perfume before it "turns"?
A. Some industry experts say that perfume should be replaced every year, but properly stored, perfumes should last much longer. Most perfumes will keep several years, some will keep many more years than that.
To store perfume properly, keep it away from heat and light. A dark closet or a covered box is best. Also avoid direct exposure to air. Splash bottles, which expose the fragrance to air every time they are opened, are problematic. Consider decanting into a smaller atomizer for regular use. If you apply perfume directly from a bottle stopper, wipe the stopper with a clean, lint free cloth before replacing it in the bottle.
Q. How can I make my perfume last longer on my skin?
A. All other things being equal, perfumes evaporate more rapidly from dry skin, so the best way to make fragrance last longer is to use a relatively heavy body lotion or cream. Some people like to buy the "matching" cream for their fragrance, but you can also use an unscented cream. You might also try a light mist to your hair, which is said to hold scent longer than skin.
Q. How does our sense of smell work?
A. Odour molecules pass through the nasal passages to two tiny patches located behind the bridge of the nose. These patches are made up of millions of special olfactory or smelling sensors. The odour molecules dissolve in moisture and bind to tiny nerve hairs on the cells. Recent research has found that every cell is equipped with as many as a thousand different receptors, each designed to respond to a small group of different odours. These send messages about the odour to the limbic system, the part of the brain that governs moods and certain emotional responses. While the limbic system is largely devoted to smell, it also influences our hormonal, metabolic and stress responses and is the emotional centre for sexual desire, rage, fear and joy. That’s why fragrance is such an emotional experience.
Q. Why does fragrance bring back memories and feelings of the past?
A. Because smell triggers the associative memory of clusters of events and feelings. We use this “memory” part of the brain to help us identify a particular scent because we can’t describe an odour. The closest we can come is to describe it in relative terms: “It smelled like ...”. A whiff of fragrance sends our brain searching in our “memory bank” of smells for old associations and connections that might help define the aroma. This is why, when smelling a rose today, you may suddenly have an image of your grandmother’s garden or a feeling of the fragrance your mother wore.
Q. How do you create fragrances "Inspired by real women"?
A. We sit down with real women that we think can inspire and relate to others. During this process we get to know their personalities, emotions, memories, likes, dislikes, careers, daily routines, etc. We then match all of the characteristics we can to several scents that our inspiration correlates to that characteristic. For example, the feeling of relaxation has been closely associated with the scents of lavender and pine. If we were developing a fragrance that was inspired by a fairly relaxed person, then we would try to incorporate lavender and/or pine in the fragrance. It's an amazing process that results in a much more personal and emotional fragrance experience.
Q. What does it mean to be "Sulfate Free"?
A. Sulfates are effective cleansing and foaming agents that can be found in toothpaste, shampoo, and body washes, among other products. Sulfates are concerning because they were found to break down proteins, which can lead to a degenerative effect on the cell membranes. Sulfates were also found to leave residue in the heart, lungs, and brain.
Fragrances For Life is committed to producing safe, and natural products and DOES NOT use sulfates in any product.
Q. What does it mean to be "Paraben Free"?
A. Parabens are chemicals that have been used since the 1950s to prevent bacteria and act as a preservative in deodorants, lotions, lipsticks, shampoos, scrubs, and more. Studies have shown that some parabens can mimic the activity of the hormone estrogen in the body’s cells, and while estrogenic activity is associated with certain forms of breast cancer, parabens have been found present in breast tumors.
However, so far there is no scientific evidence to prove that parabens have any link to cancer. Fragrances For Life is committed to producing safe, and natural products and DOES NOT use parabens in any product.
Q. Are your products cruelty free?
A. Our products are absolutely cruelty free.
Q. Your ingredient list seems like it is missing something?
A. The ingredient list is correct. We us a small number of recognizable ingredients because our philosophy is that only ingredients that are both safe for your skin and the fragrance should go into the product.
