What does the term "layering" mean in perfumery?

For some months now, this term has been increasingly used by the perfume world, but what is it all about?

Layering in perfumery is the practice of combining different products with perfume. There are several types of layering:

• Simple layering involves combining one or more complementary products (oils, creams, soaps, etc.) with the same fragrance. Typically derivatives of your own perfume brand or of the same olfactory family.
• Layering, which consists of superimposing your perfume with a touch of spray or mist of a different scent. The latter are lighter and can be mixed with most perfumes, adding freshness.
• Expert layering, which as the name suggests is not recommended for beginners, is the art of layering two different fragrances to create an original scent. In this case, it's a good idea to start with fragrances that have at least one ingredient in common. Once you're more experienced, you can - at your own risk - combine two opposing fragrances...

As a general rule, it's best to avoid fragrances with overly pronounced aromas, as they may overwhelm or mask the other fragrances with which they are associated. As for expert layering, this should be approached with a grain of salt. The order in which fragrances are applied must be carefully considered. For a successful composition, it's a good idea to start with the strongest fragrance and finish with the lightest. This prevents the heaviness of the former from drowning out the delicate fragrance of the latter.

There are certain "winning" combinations, like contrasting notes such as :

• spicy + sweet
• fresh + gourmand
• fruity + floral

And notes from the same olfactory family (citrus, floral, woody, chypre, oriental, fougère...).

In conclusion, it's best to start with light scents before getting bogged down in overly complex scents and verging on a fashion faux pas...

When well executed, however, layering is a good way of keeping your fragrance longer throughout the day, and helps solve the problem we all know only too well: perfume that stops smelling after a few hours.