Do you have any idea about where from this word "perfume" have come? It is a word that comes from Latin per fumum, which means "through smoke" (per means through, fumum means smoke). I think, thats the reason we spray perfumes on our body, rather then just applying it directly.

In general Perfume is made up of alcohol, water & perfume (fragrance) oil. Where as there are 3 major types of perfumes, oriental, floral & chypre (means "very sincere" in French). There are also many sub-variations such as woody, musky, aquatic, spicy & fruity.

Now coming toe some French, Latin, and other non English terms of perfumes:

Eau de - means "water of" in French.

Eau de cologne - contains about 3-5% perfume oil. Used by men.

Aftershave lotions & splash colognes - contains about 0.5-2% perfume oil. Used by men.

Eau de parfum - contains about 15-18% perfume oil. Used by women.

Eau de toilette - contains about 4-8% perfume oil. Used by women.

Parfum (perfume) is the strongest of them all as it contains the most perfume oil. Use sparingly.

Not only the fragrance oils are used but, scented ingredients added to perfumes include ginger, grapefruit, musk, peppercorns, mandarin peel, fig leaves, rose, watercress, bamboo, clementine, vanilia, honeysuckle, green tea & the list goes on. A perfume contains between 10 to more than 250 ingredients.