Sillage, Projection & Longevity

Sillage, projection and longevity describe three different aspects of wearing perfume: the scent trail it leaves, how far it can be smelled, and how long it remains noticeable. A fragrance may linger close to the skin for hours without reaching across a room, while another may make a pronounced first impression and fade more quickly.

Three distinct qualities

Sillage (from the French word for a boat's wake) is the scented trail associated with someone's movement. It is the fragrance another person might notice just after you pass.

Projection describes how far a fragrance can be perceived around its wearer at a particular moment. A perfume with gentle projection stays near the body; one with strong projection is noticeable farther away.

Longevity describes how long a fragrance remains detectable after application. It concerns duration rather than distance. A close-wearing perfume can still have good longevity.

Natural materials and fragrance performance

A perfume's presence is shaped partly by how its aromatic compounds evaporate and disperse. Botanical essential oils, absolutes and resin extracts contain mixtures of compounds with different volatilities. Some contribute an immediate, diffusive opening; others become more noticeable as the fragrance settles.

Woods, resins and balsamic materials often contribute persistent notes. Perfumers use substantivity to describe how long an aromatic material remains perceptible and fixative for a material that helps support the lasting character of a fragrance. Resinous materials can contribute both aroma and staying power, depending on their composition and how they are prepared.

The carrier makes a difference as well. In an alcohol-based perfume, alcohol evaporates readily after application. In an oil perfume, aromatic materials are carried in a nonvolatile oil such as jojoba, changing the way fragrance is released from the skin. The particular materials and their proportions still determine the overall effect.

Application amount, skin, fabric, temperature and moving air can also affect what others smell. Perception changes with repeated exposure: a wearer may become accustomed to a fragrance that remains noticeable to someone else.

At Deschampsia

Our Aromatic Resin Perfume Oils combine complex botanical aromatic materials in jojoba rather than isolated aroma chemicals. They are designed as close-wearing fragrances, with resins contributing depth to their changing scent.

Related Library entry

Notes, accords & dry-down