1. Perfume Concentrations
2. The 3 Parts of a Fragrance
3. Olfactive Families
4. Common Perfume Notes & Ingredients
Most perfumes are constructed in 3 parts, each part comprised of individual notes that create a scent accord. These accords reveal themselves over time. The first accord is the top note, which is the shortest of the accords, but also the accord that perfumers rely upon to sell the perfume as it is the wearer’s first impression of a fragrance and many shoppers make their buying choices based on top notes. The top notes lead into the deeper heart notes , with the base notes gradually appearing as the final stage with the longest staying power. All of these accords are created very carefully with their longevity, strength, and harmony all taken into consideration.
Head notes
The scents that are perceived immediately after a perfume is applied. The top note accord consists of smells with light molecules that evaporate quickly. They are also often referred to as “Top Notes”.
Heart notes
The scent accord which emerges as the head note begins to dissipate. The heart notes are considered to be the main body of the perfume, and in addition to escorting the head notes out, they also serve to mask the often unpleasant initial impression of base notes, which become more pleasant with time. Heart notes are also referred to as “Middle Notes”.
Base notes
The base note accord is the longest lasting of the 3 accords, and begins to reveal itself with the heart notes of a fragrance. Together they serve as the main theme of a perfume. The base notes are what bring solidity to a perfume, and these types of scents tend to be rich and deep. Base notes are generally not experienced until at least 30 minutes after a perfume’s application, or during what is often referred to as the “dry down”.
