There are a variety of answers as to where should you store fragrance so they last a long time. Aficionados (or extremists) might store their bottles in temperature-controlled refrigerators like fine wines, but the average person needn’t go to such lengths. Basically, avoid direct sunlight, humidity, and temperature changes. Keep your fragrance out of the bathroom (hot showers over time can cause problems), and consider putting them in a cabinet or a desk drawer.
Sillage and projection are often use to describe the strength of a fragrance. While related, they are not synonyms. When you hear silage, think of the cartoon character Pepe Le Pew and the scent trail he leaves behind. Projection is the bubble or cloud of smell around you as you stand still.
The idea that a fragrance is for men or women is a marketing construct. Guys will not sprout breasts if they put on a woman’s fragrance and girls will not start growing a beard if they put on a man’s fragrance. Cultural norms and lifetime experiences affect how we perceive fragrance. People often joke that if a girl wants to attract a guy, they should smell like what guys want (e.g. pizza, beer, new cars, and money). I’ve noticed that traditional female fragrance notes include florals, fruits, vanilla, and candied notes. Traditional male notes include leather, vetiver, tobacco, woods, and lavender. Of course, fragrances aimed toward either gender often carry a wide variety of notes.
The question to ask yourself is whether you want to wear a fragrance that you enjoy, a fragrance that attracts other people, or a scent that does a combination of both.
Fragrance is enjoyed by your senses, just like music. And as music is made up of notes, so are fragrances.
Top Notes – When you first smell a fragrance, you get a big whiff of the top notes. These are often lighter and might go away quickly- or stick around. A lot of fragrances are designed with strong top notes to attract you with a great first impression.
Middle Notes – As the top notes start to fade, the middle (or heart notes) will start to appear. This is the main portion of a fragrance’s span.
Base notes – These are the richer, heavier scents that appear further into the development of a fragrance (usually more than 30 minutes). The staying power of base notes can last many hours.
To further the musical analogy, the topnotes are like the prelude/overture, while the middle and base notes are the main piece of music.