Perfume has its own vocabulary, and most of it is borrowed from French and Arabic. If you have ever read a product page and wondered what "sillage", "attar", or "eau de parfum" actually meant, this glossary is for you. Each term below is defined the way we use it across the Momin by Ahmed catalogue.
Oud
Oud (also spelled oudh) is a resinous, dark, smoky fragrance ingredient extracted from the infected heartwood of the agarwood tree. It is the foundational note of eastern perfumery — warm, slightly animalic, and famously long-lasting. Real oud is one of the most expensive raw materials in the world. Most modern oud perfumes blend small amounts of real oud oil with synthetic woody-amber compounds to keep the price reasonable.
Attar
An attar is a concentrated fragrance oil without alcohol. Instead of spraying, you dab a small amount on your pulse points. Because there is no alcohol carrier evaporating off, attars last longer per application — typically 10 to 14 hours on skin — and project closer to the body. They are skin-friendly for sensitive skin and especially well-suited to Pakistan's climate.
Eau de Parfum (EDP)
Eau de parfum is an alcohol-based perfume with a fragrance oil concentration of roughly 15 to 20 percent. EDP is the most common format for modern perfume — strong enough to project through the day, but light enough to spray liberally. Almost every product in our "perfume" subcategory is an EDP.
Eau de Toilette (EDT)
Eau de toilette is a lighter alcohol-based fragrance with around 5 to 15 percent oil concentration. EDT projects less than EDP and fades faster — usually 3 to 5 hours on skin. We rarely use EDT because Pakistan's heat tends to burn off lighter fragrances too quickly.
Top, Heart, and Base Notes
Every perfume develops in three phases. The top notes are what you smell in the first 15 to 30 minutes — typically citrus, fresh, or sparkling notes that fade quickly. The heart notes (also called middle notes) emerge underneath the top — usually floral, spicy, or fruity, and they carry the composition through the day. The base notes are the dry-down: oud, musk, sandalwood, amber, or vanilla. They are what remain on skin into the evening and what people compliment hours after you sprayed.
Sillage
Sillage (pronounced "see-yazh") is the trail a fragrance leaves behind you as you move. A perfume with high sillage projects several feet — people notice it across the room. A perfume with low sillage stays close to the skin and is detectable only when someone is near you. Neither is better; they are different aesthetics. High sillage suits evenings and special occasions; low sillage suits the workplace.
Longevity
Longevity is how long the fragrance stays detectable on skin. We rate longevity in hours. Our eau de parfums typically last 8 to 12 hours; our attars last 10 to 14 hours. Longevity depends on skin chemistry and weather — oily skin holds fragrance longer than dry skin, and humid heat amplifies projection while dry cold reduces it.
Projection
Projection is how far the fragrance reaches off your skin in the first few hours. Strong projection means the scent is detectable to anyone within arm's reach. Projection is highest in the first hour and decreases steadily as the top notes fade and the composition settles into its heart.
Accord
An accord is a blend of two or more individual notes that the perfumer treats as a single effect — like a chord in music. "Oud-rose" is an accord; "amber-vanilla" is an accord. When a product page lists "oriental accord" or "leather accord", it is referring to a built-up effect rather than a single raw ingredient.
Olfactory Family
Perfumes are grouped into families by their dominant character: floral, oriental (also called amber), woody, fresh (citrus and aquatic), gourmand (sweet edible notes), and chypre (mossy and earthy). Knowing your preferred family is the fastest way to shop intelligently — a person who loves oriental compositions will rarely fall in love with a fresh aquatic.
Concentration
Concentration is the percentage of fragrance oil dissolved in the alcohol carrier. Higher concentration generally means longer wear and stronger projection. From lowest to highest: eau fraiche (1–3%), eau de cologne (2–5%), eau de toilette (5–15%), eau de parfum (15–20%), parfum or extrait (20–40%), and pure attar oil (closer to 100%).
Now You Can Read Any Product Page
Bookmark this glossary. Every term we use on a Momin by Ahmed product page is defined above, so the next time you read about a "rose-oud accord with high sillage and 12-hour longevity", you will know exactly what to expect on your skin.