Before You Spray

Everything you actually need to know before buying a scent — in plain language, without the gatekeeping.

"A scent is the only thing you wear that people remember after you've left the room."
                                                    - ACCORD FRAGRANCE

01

EDT, EDP, Extrait — what's the difference?

These aren't marketing labels. They describe how much fragrance oil is in the bottle, which affects how strong a scent is and how long it lasts on your skin.

Eau de Cologne - the quick hello
Light, bright, gone in a couple hours. Splash it on before a morning walk and let it do its thing. Zero commitment, zero regret.

Eau de Toilette - the daytime default
Sticks around three to 5 hours. Strong enough to notice, light enough for August. This is the one you reach for on a normal Tuesday.

Eau de Parfum - the one you'll be known for
Six to eight hours, richer, fuller. Most signature scents live here. Spray it in the morning and it's still with you at dinner.

Parfum/ Extrait De Parfum - the heavyweight
The richest of the bunch. One or two sprays and you're set for the day — sometimes you'll still catch it on your shirt tomorrow. Go easy; this stuff means it.

02

Why a scent changes on your skin

A fragrance isn't one smell — it's three, revealed over time. This is why the spray on a paper strip at the store never smells quite like what you get an hour later.

Top notes — the first 15 minutes

Bright, sharp, quick to disappear. Citrus, herbs, light spice. This is the first impression, not the fragrance itself.

Heart notes — the next few hours

The main character. Florals, fruits, warm spice. This is what the fragrance actually is.

Base notes — what lingers

Wood, amber, musk, vanilla. Heavy molecules that stay on skin longest — and what people remember.

03

Sillage, Projection, Longevity

Three words the fragrance community throws around constantly. Here's what they actually mean.

Longevity
How long it lasts on your skin before fading completely.

Projection
How far the scent travels off your body. High projection fills a room; low projection stays close.

Sillage
(see-YAHJ) The trail you leave behind — what someone notices after you've already walked past.

04

How to actually test a fragrance


Wear it, don't sniff it

Spray on skin and give it a full day. Your body chemistry changes how a scent develops — paper strips can't tell you that.

Don't test more than three at once

Your nose fatigues fast. After three or four, everything starts smelling the same.

Skip the rubbing

Rubbing your wrists together crushes the top notes and speeds up how fast the scent burns off. Spray and let it settle.

Give it a week, not a minute

The scents you love instantly often bore you by day three. The ones that grow on you tend to stay.

05

Why decants make sense

A full bottle is a commitment — often $150 to $500 for something you've smelled for thirty seconds on a store card. A decant gives you the same fragrance in a smaller pour, so you can live with it for days or weeks before deciding it earns a permanent spot.

It's also, sometimes, the only option left. When a fragrance is discontinued, existing stock is all that remains. Decants stretch what's left further, and let more people experience something that isn't coming back.