Are You Ready To Rock Solid Perfume?
Bi-perfume Curious
Everyone knows about traditional liquid perfume, but what about those small chic tins of perfume you see everywhere from high-end boutiques to your local pharmacy? Ever wondered if you are missing out by not flirting with solid perfume? The answer is, yes, of course you are.
Solid perfume is not just a pale imitation of liquid perfume sprays. These potent, powerhouses punch well above their weight, and the more modern renditions are definitely NOT your mother’s or your grandmother's perfume. They are ready to fire up your perfume game and may well turn out to be your next obsession.
What is Solid Perfume?
Solid perfume is a fragrance in a solid state, not in the usual liquid spritz we're all used to. It consists of a concentrated fragrance emulsified in a wax base, such as beeswax or vegetable wax, which helps to trap the scent and release it slowly over time.
Packaged in everything from elegant compacts, minimalist tins and charming lockets, solid perfumes combine practicality with a touch of tactile charm.
An Ancient Throwback
Solid perfumes can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where they were made by blending essential oils, waxes, and other aromatic plant compounds into solid form. Not only were they used as personal fragrances, they also played a significant role in religious and ceremonial rituals.
In the Renaissance, solid perfumes became the epitome of high fashion, encased in elaborate pomanders worn around the neck or waist. Victorian ladies carried them in their purses to discreetly dab at social gatherings.
Over the centuries, the art of solid perfume-making has evolved, with various cultures and regions developing their own unique methods and signature scents. From the delicate rose-scented solid perfumes of Persia to the woody, earthy blends of ancient India, solid perfumes have an incredibly long-standing tradition in cultures all over the world.
Fast forward to today, solid perfumes are making a massive comeback, blending vintage appeal with modern sense and sensibilities.
Biggest Differences between Solid Perfume and Alcohol-Based Spray Perfume
Texture: Solid perfumes have a balm-like, smooth texture applied directly to the skin, while spray perfumes offer a more fluid, mist-like application covering a much larger surface area.
Booze: One has it the other doesn't! Spray-based perfumes typically contain a lot of alcohol and/or ethanol, which can be drying, not to mention aging—eek! Solid perfumes contain oils and waxes that nourish the skin making them better for sensitive skin.
Concentration and Intensity: Solid perfumes are generally more concentrated yet give off a more subtle, understated scent because they are applied in specific areas. Whereas spray perfumes, which use alcohol as a solvent, give off an intense and pronounced scent when applied.
Fragrance Release: Solid perfumes have a slower, more gradual release of fragrance, allowing the scent to linger on the skin for a longer periods of time. Alcohol-based spray perfumes, on the other hand, have a more immediate and pronounced fragrance burst that can fade more quickly.
Scent Bubble: Otherwise known as sillage (pronounced see-arge). Solid perfumes create a more personal 'scent bubble,' whereas spray perfumes tend to invade other people's spaces. Sillage literally means scent trail.
Scent Profile: Solid perfumes typically contain fewer ingredients than spray perfume, which means the ones they do contain shine brightly and don't need to fight for attention. Spray-based perfumes have far more ingredients which can make it difficult to pick up on all individual fragrance notes.
Advantages of Solid Perfume
Solid perfumes offer a heap of advantages that make them a stand-out in the fragrance world:
Longer-lasting: Solid perfumes typically have a slow release of fragrance and sit close to the skin. The scent stays on the skin for an extended period, rather than losing impact by being projected out into empty space around the body. This is partly one of the reasons why solid perfumes last for so long after you apply them.
Subtle and intimate wearing experience: Solid perfumes create an intimate and personal wearing experience. Although you can still overdo it if you go nuts and put it everywhere.
Nourishing to skin: The use of natural waxes and oils means solid perfumes are gentle on the skin and can be a better option for those with sensitivities. Elizabeth Olsen is a fan of solid perfume for this reason.
Travel-Friendly: Solid perfumes are typically housed in small, compact containers, making them easy to carry and apply on the go, unlike bulky glass bottles. Solid perfumes are spill-proof and meet airline regulations, making them essential hand luggage for travel enthusiasts and frequent flyers.
Blendable and layer-able: Their simple fragrant profiles mean solid perfumes are perfect for blending and layering. This is great news for people who want to get the most out of their perfume collection to reflect their ever-changing style and moods.
Eco-friendly: The small size of solid perfumes and a simpler fragrance profile translates to less resources needed to manufacture and package the product. This is especially the case if the packaging is 100% recyclable and if they are made with vegan or plant-based waxes (as opposed to beeswax).
Discreet Application: You can refresh your scent without spraying a cloud of perfume in everyone else's faces—ideal in close quarters like the subway or your office cubicle.
Disadvantages of Solid Perfume
Solid perfumes aren't without their drawbacks:
Subtle Scent: Perfume sprays use atomisers to diffuse product across large areas of the body and this can make them more intense than solid perfume when comparing swipe for spray. For some people the understated, personal scent of solid perfume can be a downside.
Limited availability: Solid perfumes are not as widely available as traditional spray perfumes, and may require specialized retailers or online stores to purchase.
Potential melting issues: Solid perfumes can be susceptible to melting or softening in warm temperatures, which can affect their application and overall performance. However, this does not impact their scent or shelf life so once they cool back down again, they are good to go.
Dry out: If you lose the lid of a solid perfume it may dry out after an extended period of time.
How to Use Solid Perfume
Using solid perfume is a no-brainer. Use your finger to gently swipe the perfume directly onto your skin, focusing on pulse points such as the wrists, behind the ears, the backs of your knees, and the inner elbows.
The warmth of your skin will help the fragrance to slowly release and diffuse. For a fragrance boost, you can also apply the solid perfume to the ends of your hair.
Be mindful of the amount you use, as solid perfumes are usually more concentrated than their liquid counterparts, so a little goes a long way. Start with a small amount and gradually increase the application until you reach your desired level of fragrance.
Check out Wicked Fumes How to be A Hot Spotting Hottie.
Is Solid Perfume Right for You
Deciding whether solid perfume is the right choice for you will depend on your personal fragrance preferences and lifestyle. If you want a more subtle, long-lasting scent that you can easily layer everywhere you go, then solid perfume might be the ticket. On the other hand, if you are an OG over-sprayer from way back and you love an intense, pronounced fragrance, that other people will know you are wearing, then traditional alcohol-based spray perfumes may be a better fit for you.
It's also worth considering any environmental or skin concerns you may have. With their natural waxes and oils, simpler fragrance profiles and lack of alcohol, solid perfume are less likely to cause issues for you or the people around you.
Or who said you have to choose? Solid perfume makes for an excellent natural fixative for spray perfume, so you can layer them together. This option works a treat for a spray perfume you really love that isn't lasting as long as you want it to. You'll get more longevity out of spray perfumes that fade too quickly and create different types of scent combinations. Don't be afraid to experiment.
Do Yourself a Solid
If you are a foodie fragrance fan, check out our blog on how gourmand perfume when from sweet to chic and our ultimate range of gourmand solid perfumes that will have you smelling binge-worthy everywhere you go.
Till next time, stay sweet and stay wicked.