Fragrance Notes
Top notes, also known as head notes, are the first layer of a fragrance ad are the first scents you detect. They usually evaporate quickly, lasting only five to fifteen minutes, and serve to create an initial scent that transitions smoothly into the next part of the fragrance. Due to their role in this process, top notes are typically lighter fragrances with small molecules.
Some common top notes include citrus scents such as lemon, orange, and bergamot, as well as light floral scents like lavender and rose. Additionally, basil and anise are also commonly used as top notes.
As the name implies, heart notes form the “heart” of a fragrance. These notes not only retain some of the top notes’ aroma but also introduce new aromas to enrich the experience. Often referred to as middle notes, heart notes provide a buffer for the base notes, which can be less pleasant on their own.
Heart notes make up roughly 70% of a fragrance’s total scent, and thus they tend to last longer than top notes. As the top notes begin to fade, the heart notes emerge and remain evident throughout the life of the fragrance.
Some examples of heart notes include full-bodied, aromatic floral oils such as jasmine, geranium, neroli, and ylang-ylang, as well as cinnamon, pepper, pine, lemongrass, black pepper, and cardamom.
The foundation of a fragrance is created by the middle and base notes. While middle notes provide a lift to the lighter notes, base notes give depth and resonance to the fragrance. They are the heaviest and longest-lasting notes, forming the foundation of the perfume.
These notes start to take effect after 30 minutes and work in unison with the middle notes to create the final aroma. As they tend to seep into the skin, the fragrance of base notes lingers for an extended period, up to six hours or more.
Popular base notes include vanilla, amber, musk, patchouli, moss, and woody notes such as sandalwood and cedarwood.
Date:
June 29, 2021