LEARN. EXPLORE. EXPRESS YOU.
Understand the language of scent.
Learn fragrance families, notes, concentration, projection, longevity, storage, and the details that help you choose better.
FRAGRANCE BASICS
Learn fragrance without learning a new language first.
These are the terms eXsesiv uses most often. The same explanations also appear inline throughout Discovery, profiles and comparisons.
Opening Notes
What you tend to notice first after applying a fragrance. They create the first impression and often change or fade sooner than the rest of the scent.
Middle / Heart Notes
The scents that become more noticeable after the opening develops. They help form the main character or “heart” of the fragrance.
Base Notes
The deeper notes that become more noticeable as the fragrance dries down. They help shape its lasting character.
Drydown
How the fragrance smells after it has had time to settle and develop on skin or clothing.
Fragrance Note
A specific scent material or impression used to describe part of a fragrance, such as bergamot, vanilla or cedar.
Accord
A combination of scent elements that creates a recognizable overall impression, such as fresh, woody, amber or leather.
Projection
How far a fragrance tends to radiate from the wearer.
Sillage
The scent trail a fragrance tends to leave as you move.
Longevity
How long a fragrance tends to remain noticeable. Skin, clothing, climate and formulation can all affect wear.
Concentration
The fragrance format, such as EDT, EDP, Parfum or Extrait. The label alone does not guarantee stronger projection or longer life.
Pheromones & personal scent
Your natural odor, skin, grooming products, temperature and environment can affect how fragrance is perceived. Established animal pheromone biology does not mean a human “pheromone fragrance” can reliably guarantee attraction or behavior changes; eXsesiv does not make those claims.