The word "perfume" actually comes from a Latin word that means "through smoke." The people of Egypt and Mesopotamia often burned incense to appease the gods. Fragrant oils were a vital part of ancient religious rituals. As the Persians and Romans began to refine their fragrances, perfume gradually became something that was not just reserved for ceremonial practices, but for pleasure as well. Egyptian women began to use fragrance on their face and hair. The Greeks would incorporate aromatic oils into their baths. Of course many cultures used perfumes to bury their dead. It helped to cover the smell of decaying flesh and honored the gods as well.

Some of the main ingredients that were used in making perfumes in ancient times were myrrh, juniper, pistachio, fenugreek seeds, and the resin of the Matsic tree. Today perfumes are derived from a number of different sources--roots, seeds, leaves, twigs, resins, bulbs, woods, bark, fruits, honeycomb, musk, seaweed, lichens, flowers and blossoms. Depending on the ingredients used and the concentrations thereof, the classification of a perfume falls into a particular category. The main categories are Floral Bouquet, Single Floral, Wood, Amber, Leather, Fougere, Chypre, Aquatic, Bright Floral, Green, Citrus, Gourmand, or Fruity.

Perfumes have different concentrations. This concentration is based on the ratio of aromatic compounds to solvent (a mix of water and ethanol). Perfume extract has the strongest aroma because the concentration of aromatic compounds used is 15-40%! Eau de Parfum or Parfum de Toilette has 10-20% of the aromatic compounds. Eau de Toilette is the next step down with 5-15% aromatic compounds. Eau de Cologne is only 3-8% aromatic compounds and body splashes or aftershave only contain 1-3% of fragrance. The smaller the concentration, the lighter the fragrance.

Almost any body product can contain some fragrance, from shampoo to deodorant. However, there are many products whose sole purpose is aroma. Perfume oil is the most concentrated and thus a more perfume smell than anything else. A tiny dab goes a long way. Body sprays and splashes are at the opposite end of the spectrum with very little fragrance and a very light aroma. Many body lotions also contain fragrance so that you can moisturize and bathe yourself in pleasant aroma at the same time. Make sure that you wear a perfume that compliments the fragrance of your lotion if you plan to wear them both at the same time.

Different fragrances react differently to various body chemistries. Just sniffing a perfume bottle cannot tell you whether it will smell good on you. To see if a particular scent will work for you, dab just a tiny bit on your wrist and let it set in. Once the pheromones of your body have blended with the scent of the perfume, you should be able to tell if it's going to work for you or not. You should also take your personality and likes and dislikes into consideration when purchasing the right perfume. Everything about you will play a role in this selection, especially if you plan to make it your "signature" fragrance.

Since so many emotions can be triggered by a particular aroma, make sure that the scent you choose creates pleasant ones. Long after you leave the room, that sweet fragrance will linger reminding everyone that you were there. Choose that fragrance wisely.