By application · Sub-chapter 05
Sillage is how far a fragrance travels from your body. Projection is how it performs when you are still. The full library on controlling both.
76 how-to's · Updated 3 May 2026 · Avg. 4 min per piece · Edited by Nelly · Beauty & Style Director
Editor's note
Sillage — from the French word for a ship's wake — describes the trail a fragrance leaves as you move through a room. Projection is its close relative: how far the fragrance radiates from your skin when you are stationary. Both are more controllable than most people think. A fragrance with high sillage in warm weather may have moderate sillage in a cold, still room. Concentration matters, but accords matter as much — heavy musks and ambers create a dense, close-radiating sillage; light aldehydes and citruses project sharply but dissipate fast.
Application topics
What sillage is and how it differs from projection
Sillage describes the trail a fragrance leaves as you move — the lingering presence in a corridor after you have left. Projection is how far a fragrance radiates from the skin when stationary. Both are determined by accord composition, concentration, and the specific volatility of the fragrant compounds. A fragrance with strong sillage but low projection is common in heavy oriental accords.
Myth, meet fact
- Myth: Higher concentration means higher sillage. Fact: Accord composition controls how far a fragrance travels more than concentration tier does.
- Myth: Sillage and longevity are the same thing. Fact: Longevity is how long a fragrance lasts on skin. Sillage is how far it projects. They can move independently.
- Myth: You need high sillage to be memorable. Fact: Appropriate sillage for context is the correct goal. Controlled projection is a skill.
Start here, if sillage is a new concept
- Sillage explained — the fragrance trail and why it matters (3 min)
- Projection vs sillage — the precise difference (3 min)
- Which accords produce high sillage (4 min)
- How to reduce sillage when a fragrance is too present (3 min)
- Matching sillage to context — a practical guide (4 min)
Everything we've published on sillage
- What is sillage — the fragrance trail explained
- High-sillage fragrances — how to wear them appropriately
- Projection radius — how far does your fragrance actually travel
- Which accord types create high sillage
- How to match sillage level to the occasion
- How to reduce sillage without changing what you're wearing
- Projection vs sillage — understanding the distinction
- Citrus accords — high projection, fast fade
- Office fragrance and sillage — the etiquette argument
- How temperature affects how far a fragrance projects