Projection and (or!) sillage

Already posted about this in the 'technical support and feedback section', but really want to talk about it some more:

I'm often surprised about the ratings for sillage here on some perfumes. I either find them too low or too high rated and to be honest: I find it hard to rate 'sillage' myself and I think it is because 'sillage' often get confused with 'projection' and vice versa.

For instance: Infusion d'Iris (2015) Eau de Parfum is rated with low to medium sillage whereas I would rate projection low and sillage strong. Why? Because people really need to get close to you to smell it (so low projection) but the scent really leaves a strong trail (sillage): My apartment strongly smells of Infusion d'Iris when I come home from work after just using it on myself in the morning. (So I guess people will be able to smell the perfume without connecting it to the wearer maybe?).

Anyhow I really would like to be able to rate both sillage and projection...They're two different things in my humble opinion..

I just rate projection despite it being called "sillage." Sillage isn't testable since you don't know what kind of trail you're leaving behind you while you're wearing the scent itself. You can double back and check, but you'd most likely be smelling yourself and not the air that you just left behind. 

Hi @Omnipotato, well..I'm not sure about that because I smell it clearly when entering my apartment after not being able to smell it on me...I also suddenly smell wafts of it in my apartment when wearing something completely different...so....the scent does linger...or leaves a trail so to speak

Im saying in general, longevity and projection are easily testable while sillage is not. Even if your example is foolproof (which I’m not sure it is, it could be the longevity of the fragrance on whatever surface it landed on, rather than the sillage in the air), I for one would not be able to check because all I smell when I come home from work is poopy diapers and dinner cooking on the stove. In my opinion the best solution would be to just rename that rating to “projection;” I’m pretty sure everyone just rates the projection anyway, and that’s what I take that rating to mean.

I agree! I hate for projection because I cannot determine the sillage unless someone else mentions the pleasant scent trail. Sometimes I'll use perfume as room spray and try to gauge for sillage, but that's not always accurate either.

I see what you mean, but that is just my point: Fleur de Peau Eau de Parfum for instance, does not project much, but I always get compliments for how I smell when wearing it, so I figure: low projection, good sillage...It's also that 'getting whiffs of it' kind of thing