Notes Create Melody In Fragrance, Too

You may have heard that perfumes have three basic elements, or “notes,” which put together compose their overall makeup. What exactly does this mean, however?

The three notes are called top note, middle note, and base note, and are achieved by the unique mixture of essential oils (yes, the same idea as those oils that were used thousands of years ago!) that goes into the perfume’s “recipe.”

When you pick up a bottle of perfume and give it that first spray, the initial scent you experience is called the top note.  Top notes are taken from essential oils that tend to be intense, but light, and don’t last very long. Their purpose is to introduce and entice you as well as lead you smoothly into the depths of the perfume. Common top notes include citrus, fruits, eucalyptus, mint, and herbs.

After the perfume has been on your skin for a short while, the top notes evaporate and the heart of the fragrance comes out. This is called the middle note, which tends to be more stable and lasts longer. It’s not quite as grounding as the base note (which we’ll explain shortly), but it’s robust and well-rounded. You’ll often find such scents as stronger florals (rose, geranium, jasmine), spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom), lemongrass, rosemary, and others.

Finally, after you’ve been wearing the scent for at least an hour and it has become good and warm from your body temperature, the base note will emerge.  These scents are rich, full-bodied, and heavy; they are the slowest to evaporate and leave the most lingering effect. The base notes combined with the middle notes make up the true essence of the perfume. When you have worn the perfume long enough that all you can smell are base notes, this is referred to as the “dry down period.”

If this all sounds complex, it is. It’s also the reason why you may love wearing a perfume initially, but find yourself completely turned off by it as time passes. The best way to determine if a perfume is right for you or not is to simply wear it for a while. When testing perfumes at the store, spritz them onto paper wands (usually provided), and when you find an attractive one, go ahead and apply some to your wrist or inner elbow. Then sit with it for a few hours to see how it develops.