Welcome to Perfume Guide
An online resource to perfume and fragrances from around the world, past and present. Use our extensive descriptions and resources to find your perfect perfume.

Perfume Construction
Most fragrances for men and women created today are based upon a classic French model. This model combined three layers, or notes, of different oils, pomades and elixirs of scents to create a rounded, changeable and wearable perfume.

Today, fragrance technology has evolved with science and many different notes, unavailable to be produced by traditional extraction methods such as chocolate and caramel, are often synthetically created in a laboratory. However, many traditional fragrance houses still extract fragrances from natural sources, such as flowers or fruits, to produce beautiful perfumes.

Top Note:
This layer of the fragrance often contains the most volatile oils. These quickly react with the skin and give an instant burst of the perfumes character. However, due to their volatile nature these oils often last the least amount of time.

Eau de Parfum: Perfume4u.co.uk | Slapiton | Powderpuff.net

Middle Note :
This is often called the ‘heart’ or centre of the fragrance. Many perfume manufacturers base the character of the fragrance around these heart notes, making this stage of the fragrance the defining character of the scent. The middle notes are designed to last around 1-3 hours, depending on the strength of the fragrance itself.

Eau de Toilette Available from: Perfume4u.co.uk | Slapiton | Powderpuff.net

Base Note :
The base note of a fragrance is meant to linger upon your person and clothes and can last up to 24 hours, depending on the strength of the perfume. The base notes often are warmer, darker and less sparkling than their top or middle counterparts and often form a more sensual base.