What Does Dry Down Mean In Perfumery?

Every fragrance tells a story over time. The dimensions of a fine fragrance in a perfume format (eau de toilette, eau de parfum, perfume rollerball, etc.) have many layers of aromas. When a fragrance evaluation mentions the “dry down”, you can think of it similarly to how you would think of the base notes of a fragrance.

What you might smell on initial application can be very different from what you smell over a period of time. Why is that? Every fine fragrance is meant to trigger various aromatic descriptions. On initial evaluation you might capture a sense of brightness or a floral perception—and that can be just a fleeting moment before it shifts to what is considered the heart of a fragrance, which is the very essence of the perfumer’s custom intent.

The final stage is referred to as the base. Once you reach this point, the dry down is achieved: This is the conclusion to the fragrance’s story, which might unfold over several hours. The dry down aroma on skin should be the final evaluation to determine if a fragrance is right for you—the scent can vary significantly from person to person based on individual skin chemistry.