PERFUME FAQ · QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Perfume is a composition of aromatic materials, usually dissolved in alcohol. A fragrance can contain both natural and synthetic ingredients and develops over time after it is applied to the skin.

Perfumes are often described in terms of top, heart and base notes. The top notes shape the first impression, while the heart and base become more noticeable as the fragrance develops.

The terms mainly refer to the concentration of the fragrance composition. There is no single internationally binding set of percentage limits, but Eau de Toilette is generally lighter, Eau de Parfum more concentrated, and Parfum or Extrait more concentrated again.

The label alone does not determine quality or longevity. The materials used and the overall formula also shape a fragrance's intensity, development and character.

Fragrance concentration describes, in simple terms, the proportion of the fragrance composition in the finished product.

It can influence fullness and presence. The quality, character and longevity of a perfume, however, depend on the composition as a whole, the materials used and the way they work together, not on a percentage alone.

No. A higher proportion of fragrance oil is not, by itself, a measure of quality.

A light, transparent fragrance may be deliberately lower in concentration, while another composition is made denser and more intense. What matters is whether concentration and composition suit each other.

There is no fixed number of hours that applies to every person and every fragrance. Perfume develops differently on dry, oily, warm or cool skin. Temperature, humidity, clothing and the fragrance materials themselves also play a role.

The same perfume can therefore last differently and feel differently intense from one person to another.

Perfume is often applied to warm areas of skin such as the throat, the nape of the neck or the wrists. Once sprayed, there is no need to rub it in.

Fabric can also hold a scent for a long time. With delicate or light-coloured textiles, test first on an inconspicuous spot.

Perfume is best stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Strong heat and frequent changes in temperature do it no good.

A bathroom, with its regular humidity and changing temperatures, is therefore not necessarily the ideal place to keep it.

A unisex perfume is not positioned exclusively as a women's or men's fragrance. Many notes, such as citrus, woods, herbs, musk, amber or spices, cannot sensibly be assigned to one gender anyway.

In the end, what matters is how a fragrance feels on your own skin and whether you are comfortable wearing it. GREEN STAG and GREYFLAME were both conceived as unisex Eau de Parfums.

The best place to start is not gender or age, but the question: how should the fragrance feel?

Fresh, light and invigorating? Warm and sensual? Woody, spicy, green or opulent? From there, you can feel your way towards particular fragrance families and notes. Then try the perfume on your own skin wherever possible, because it can develop differently there than on a paper strip.

These words describe the overall impression of a fragrance. “Fresh” may go with citrus notes, aromatic herbs or airy accords. “Green” often recalls leaves, herbs, forest or plants. “Warm” is often associated with woods, amber, vanilla, musk or certain spices.

They are not exact technical categories, but they help to put the character of a fragrance into words.

An opulent fragrance usually feels fuller, denser and more expressive than a very light one. The impression often comes from warm woods, amber, musk, spice or vanilla notes and a deeper composition overall.

At CWC, GREYFLAME stands for this warm and sensual side, while GREEN STAG is distinctly fresher and greener.

Layering means combining two or more fragrances. The result can be a new overall impression that carries something of each composition.

A fresh fragrance, for instance, can be deepened with a warm one, or a heavy fragrance given extra freshness. Start with just a few sprays and then adjust the balance to your own taste.

In principle, you can experiment with all sorts of combinations. Not every one will be harmonious, though.

Fragrances with complementary characters are particularly interesting, such as fresh and warm, or citrus and woody. CWC GREEN STAG and GREYFLAME can be worn on their own or together.

A Travel Size is a compact bottle that is easier to carry than a large one. It suits travel, a handbag or the office, and is also a good way to get to know a fragrance over time.

CWC offers both fragrances in 20 ml as well. If you would like to get to know both, you will find them together in the CWC Fragrance Set 2 × 20 ml.

“Niche perfume” is not a legally defined product category. In everyday use, the term usually describes fragrances from brands that put the fragrance idea, composition, identity and individuality ahead of the broadest possible mass market.

Niche fragrances are therefore not automatically stronger, more expensive or more unusual. What counts is the aim of creating a character of its own.

The lines are blurred. Large fashion and luxury houses can offer fragrances just as creative and refined as those of small perfume brands.

For niche brands, though, perfume is often the very heart of the brand rather than an addition to fashion, accessories or cosmetics. That allows small brands to pursue their origin, design and particular fragrance ideas with real consistency.

Yes. Alongside the great international centres of perfumery, there are Austrian brands and fragrance projects too.

CWC is an Austrian perfume brand from Gmunden in the Salzkammergut. GREEN STAG and GREYFLAME are made in Austria.

For CWC, it means that the Eau de Parfums are made in Austria. The brand itself comes from Gmunden in the Salzkammergut.

At CWC, fragrance, Austrian origin and design come together.

A perfume naturally does not have to depict a place literally. At CWC, Austria, and the Salzkammergut in particular, serves rather as inspiration for different worlds of scent.

GREEN STAG stands for the fresh, green and light side. GREYFLAME stands for warmth, elegance and a more opulent character.

Perfume can be a very personal gift. That is exactly why it is worth asking whether you roughly know the recipient's taste.

If you are unsure, a smaller size or a set leaves more than one option open. Perfume becomes a particularly interesting gift when, alongside the scent itself, its design, origin and packaging tell a story.

Many people look for an Austrian gift that is more than a classic souvenir. Products with a genuine connection to Austrian design, craftsmanship or manufacture can be a special alternative.

CWC brings together Austrian Eau de Parfum and Gmunden and, in the 75 ml editions, GMUNDNER Keramik as well.

CWC brings several Austrian elements together: the brand comes from the Salzkammergut, the fragrances are made in Austria, and the 75 ml editions wear ceramic sleeves made by hand at GMUNDNER Keramik.

So the gift is not only the fragrance itself, but also its design and origin.

The 75 ml editions bring Austrian perfumery together with ceramic sleeves made and painted by hand at GMUNDNER Keramik in Gmunden.

The handwork gives every sleeve a character of its own.

GMUNDNER Keramik is a long-established ceramics manufactory in Gmunden, Upper Austria. This is where the sleeves for CWC's 75 ml editions are made, with painstaking handwork.

For GREEN STAG, the hand-painted stag design demands a great deal of time, precision and craftsmanship. GREYFLAME is decorated by hand in Gmunden's traditional flaming technique, which has been listed in Austria's National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2021.

No. The ceramic sleeve is an integral part of the 75 ml editions, not mere packaging.

Once the fragrance is used up, the ceramic remains, a design object in its own right. You will find current guidance on separating the two on our BEYOND THE FRAGRANCE page.

CWC is an Austrian niche perfume brand, founded in 2021 in Gmunden in the Salzkammergut.

GREEN STAG and GREYFLAME are the two unisex Eau de Parfums in the current collection. More about CWC.

CWC stands for Claudia and Christoph Wagner. The emblem goes back to cufflinks designed for their wedding, from which the look of the brand later grew.

“THE FRAGRANCE OF AUSTRIA”, in German “SO DUFTET ÖSTERREICH”, is the guiding idea behind CWC. It is not about reducing Austria to a single smell. Rather, different moods and facets are translated into scent.

GREEN STAG stands for the fresh, green and light side. GREYFLAME embodies warmth, depth and sensuality.

The two fragrances are deliberately different.

GREEN STAG is fresh, green and citrus. Grapefruit, lemon leaf and orange meet pine, sage, rosemary and various woods, among others.

GREYFLAME is warm, opulent and sensual. Black pepper, heliotrope, amber and dark woods meet sandalwood, vanilla, musk and fine hints of oud.

GREEN STAG pairs a fresh citrus opening with aromatic, green elements. Grapefruit, lemon leaf and orange meet pine, sage and rosemary. In the base, cedarwood, sandalwood and white musk, among others, give it structure.

The overall impression is fresh, green and invigorating. Discover GREEN STAG

GREYFLAME is noticeably warmer and fuller. Black pepper opens the composition, followed by heliotrope, amber and dark woods. Sandalwood, vanilla, musk and fine hints of oud form the base.

The overall impression is warm, opulent and sensual. Discover GREYFLAME

Both are unisex Eau de Parfums. CWC therefore does not assign them exclusively to women or to men. What matters is which character suits the person wearing it.

GREEN STAG and GREYFLAME are each available as a 20 ml Travel Size and as a 75 ml edition.

The 20 ml Travel Size offers the same fragrance in the same quality as the 75 ml edition. The 75 ml edition also pairs the fragrance with a ceramic sleeve made and painted by hand at GMUNDNER Keramik.

If you would first like to find out which of the two characters suits you better, start with the 20 ml versions.

The CWC Fragrance Set contains GREEN STAG and GREYFLAME, 20 ml each, so you can compare the two directly.

2 = 3. GREEN STAG and GREYFLAME are two fragrances, each with a character of its own. Combined, they create a third scent that is entirely your own.

The proportions are up to you.

When flying, perfume counts as a liquid. CWC's 20 ml and 75 ml bottles are below the 100 ml per container limit used at many airports.

As security rules can vary by airport and destination, check the current rules for your airport before you travel.

Its compact size makes the 20 ml version particularly practical for travel, a handbag or the office.

The 75 ml version is more for those who want a larger bottle and value the special GMUNDNER Keramik edition.

Like any perfume, GREEN STAG and GREYFLAME are best kept cool and dark. Avoid direct sunlight and strong heat.

GREEN STAG, GREYFLAME and the CWC Fragrance Set are available directly from the CWC online shop.

CWC is also available from selected partners. View the CWC collection · CWC stockists & partners