Performance is how a fragrance behaves on skin and in a room over time. Scentapedia tracks three key metrics from community reviews: longevity, projection, and sillage. Understanding them helps you choose scents that fit your lifestyle.
Longevity
- Longevity is how long the scent stays detectable on your skin.
- A fragrance with weak longevity may fade within a few hours; beast-mode longevity can last well into the next day.
- Skin chemistry, weather, and application amount all affect results, which is why community averages are more useful than marketing claims.
Projection
- Projection is how far the scent radiates from your body in the first hour or two after application.
- Intimate projection stays close to the skin; loud projection fills a room.
- Neither is inherently better: a soft skin scent works for the office, while a strong projector suits evenings out.
Sillage
- Sillage (French for "wake") is the trail you leave behind as you move.
- A fragrance can have moderate projection but heavy sillage if it lingers in the air after you pass.
- Reviewers often mention sillage when talking about whether a scent is polite or attention-grabbing in shared spaces.
A scent can last long but stay close, or project loud without leaving a trail. The three metrics answer different questions.
How we rate performance
Reviewers rate each metric on a 1 to 5 scale. Here is what those scores mean on Scentapedia:
Longevity scale
Very weak
~1–2 hrs
Weak
~2–4 hrs
Moderate
~4–6 hrs
Long-lasting
~7–9 hrs
Beast mode
10+ hrs
Projection scale
Intimate
Skin scent
Close
~1 hr
Moderate
~1–2 hrs
Strong
~2–3 hrs
Loud
3+ hrs
Sillage scale
Soft
Barely there
Light
~1 hr
Noticeable
~1–2 hrs
Heavy
~2–3 hrs
Room-filling
3+ hrs
Tips for interpreting ratings
Go deeper
Read what makes a perfume project, why some scents become skin scents, and our guide to choosing long-lasting perfumes.