How far a fragrance is perceptible around its wearer at a given moment.
Not to be confused with: Sillage
How far the scent radiates from you right now.
The scented trail that remains as you move.
How long the fragrance remains detectable at all.
A formula’s materials, application amount and surrounding air affect what another person can detect. Distance is also observer-dependent: two people may notice the same perfume differently. There is no reliable conversion from a bottle label or review score to a number of feet.
A friend can smell your perfume across a small table just after you apply it, but later needs to sit closer.
“It projects across the table at first, then becomes much quieter.”
A perfume can remain detectable on skin after it stops projecting noticeably. Quiet projection is not the same as short longevity.
Use projection to interpret performance votes where that dimension exists. Keep it separate from sillage and longevity.
No external sources attached yet. This entry is based on accepted community usage and editorial review.
Reviewed October 9, 2026 by the Noteboxd editorial team.