Projection is how far a fragrance radiates from your skin, sillage is the trail it leaves behind as you move, and longevity is simply how long it remains detectable overall — three separate measures that together describe how a perfume performs.

Why perfumes can be strong in one and weak in another

It’s entirely possible for a fragrance to have excellent longevity but very poor projection — lasting all day as a scent you can only really detect up close. Equally, some fragrances project powerfully for the first hour and then settle into something much quieter, while still being technically detectable for many hours after that. Concentration (parfum versus eau de toilette), individual skin chemistry, and even the weather all affect these three qualities independently, which is why the same bottle can perform noticeably differently from person to person.

  • Projection: distance the scent extends from your skin
  • Sillage: the trail left in your wake as you move
  • Longevity: total time the scent remains detectable on your skin

Manufacturers rarely publish official figures for any of these three measures, which is why independent reviews and personal testing remain the most reliable way to judge how a specific fragrance will actually perform.

Our guide to perfume longevity and projection covers all three in detail, and our complete guide to perfume explains how concentration affects each of them.