Perfumes
Perfumes have a pleasant smell - they stimulate sense cells in the nose. Some perfumes are obtained from natural sources, such as lavender oil or sandalwood oil. Others are made synthetically, as shown on the previous page.
Commercial perfumes need particular properties to be successful.
Summary of the properties of perfume
property why it is important
non-toxic does not poison the wearer
does not irritate the skin prevents the wearer from suffering rashes
evaporates easily - very volatile perfume molecules reach the nose easily
insoluble in water it is not washed off easily
does not react with water avoids the perfume reacting with perspiration