With time, perfume which was once the exclusive luxury item of the rich has become a part and parcel of every dressing table. Various brands and labels have come up and today we can well say that a lady is known by the perfume she wears. A perfume is a blend of some fragrant essential oils with aroma compounds, certain fixatives and a solvent and is used to give a pleasing smell.

There are various sources of making perfumes. The most widely used sources are plants. They are used to derive aromatic compounds and oils. The sources of these compounds may be derived from various parts of a plant. The most commonly used barks are cascarilla and cinnamon. The biggest source of aromatics of a plant are its flowers like the commonly used rose and jasmine, as well as mimosa, osmanthus, tuberose, and certain blossoms like those of citrus trees.

Certain fruits like juniper berry and the much loved vanilla are also employed to give expensive perfumes. Other sources include leaves like lavender, patchouli, violets and rosemary. Apart from this, the animal sources include ambergris, honeycomb and musk. Most of the modern perfumes employ synthetic means to produce various combinations of smells. Synthetic smells are usually synthesized from pine resins, petroleum distillates etc.

There are some really interesting facts about the perfume. Women are supposed to have sharper sense of smell than men and it is greatly affected by our lifestyle, our diet and medications. Believe it or not but perfumes can actually produce different reactions from blondes, redheads and brunettes. Perfume vapors tend to rise upwards and when you wear your favorite perfume near your face or behind your ears, then it is sure to rise and disappear before you reach the office or meet your partner. It is believed that oily skin type can retain a perfume smell better.

While trying out new perfumes, do not try out more than three smells at a time as your nose will no longer be able to distinguish between different aromas if you try too much. Wait for at least ten minutes after you test the perfume, to get the accurate smell after its reaction with your skin.

If you have invested in a branded or expensive perfume then obviously you want to make the most out of it. Here are some tips to maintain your perfume and make it last long. Preserve your perfumes properly by keeping it away from heat and by storing them in a cool and shaded place where they are not exposed to light. An opened bottle of perfume can keep its smell as it is for nearly a year but only if it is nearly full, as the occurrence of oxygen in the emptying bottle`s air will react with the perfume elements and try to change its character.

Perfumes should ideally be used all through the day. Even those perfumes that are concentrated will not last you for the whole day. You have to apply and re-apply your perfume after every three to four hours. Nowadays you get a wide variety of perfumes and are almost spoilt for choices. It is recommended to use different perfumes for the morning and night. Generally you should choose a light floral smell for the day and something heavy and dramatic for evenings. You can also choose a perfume depending upon your mood.

Many celebrities endorse various brands of perfume while some have their own brands dedicated to them. For example Ashanti endorses Precious Jewel, Christina Aguilera has Xposed. Naomi Campbell has a perfume named after her i.e. Naomi Campbell and Paris Hilton has perfumes like Paris Hilton, Paris Hilton for Men etc.