Top notes, heart notes, and base notes: why doesn’t my perfume smell the same from morning to evening?
Have you ever tried a perfume on your skin and been delighted by your first impression? And then, as the day progresses, you decide that you don’t actually like the scent? Or, you meet someone who is diametrically opposed to you, and your first impression is one of disgust. But gradually, you become obsessed with their smell, and then, BAM! You have a crush on them.
Why doesn’t your perfume smell the same from the morning spray’s freshness to the warmer, more complex scent that lingers on your skin at the end of the day?
Let us tell you all about the olfactory pyramid
Huh? Olfactory pyramid? It is a representation used in perfumery to indicate the structure of a perfume. It represents at the top (the very top) the ingredients that will be smelled first, then those that will be smelled during the day (heart notes in the middle), and those that remain at the end of the day (base notes at the bottom of the pyramid).
Throughout its history, perfume has always had a fairly simple structure. Originally, each perfume comprised a blend of up to 10 ingredients, which were often flowers, resins, and potent animal ingredients like civet, tonkin musk and ambergris. But as science advanced, perfumers began to study the molecules that made up the ingredients in their palette.
The sophistication of perfume
By analyzing these notes, chemists and perfumers realized that more “volatile” notes evaporated faster than others. And while heavier notes took time to reveal themselves, they left a lasting impression. So, by studying the perfume molecules, we discovered which notes would end up at the top, the heart, or the base of a perfume.
This discovery made it possible to compose increasingly sophisticated perfumes that were made up of several different layers. It was a bit like when Renaissance painters discovered perspective! A perfume was no longer linear: it could develop like a film with an introduction, sometimes surprising action, and a climactic ending.
Via Notre-Temps
Intro: the top notes
Lighter than the others, the top notes are the most volatile. They emerge first when a perfume is sprayed on the skin, and disappear after a few seconds or minutes. So, citrus notes (bergamot, grapefruit) or aromatic notes (rosemary, lavender) appear and disappear first.
These top notes form the first impression. A perfumer will try to create an introduction that is as appealing as possible: either very seductive, or very surprising for more “niche” fragrances. But just like the people you meet, the first impression isn’t always the right one. That’s why it’s a shame to stop at the introduction! When you’re looking for your signature perfume, it’s like a love story: you have to test it before you get married 😉.
Action: the heart notes
Fields of Flowers in Grasse, via the NY Times
After the exciting and promising opening phase, the action can finally take place. Heart notes begin to emerge from the tips of their petals (flowers are often in the heart). Little by little, your perfume’s main theme emerges, and you can begin to experience its true personality. You should at least have the patience to smell it until then before you can knowingly choose or reject a perfume!
These heart notes are the ones that will accompany you at the beginning of your day. On average, they last up to about 6 hours on the skin. But this obviously depends on the concentration of your perfume (eau de cologne, eau de toilette or eau de parfum) and its overall quality (find out what the difference is between a luxury perfume and a cheap perfume here).
Ending: the base notes
Finally, at the last level of our pyramid, we find the base notes, which are the last to appear. Heavy and dense notes reveal themselves slowly (4 to 5 hours after spraying the perfume), but last for a very long time. They are the ones that you still smell at the end of the day, and sometimes for up to 24 hours! These are the base notes on the other person’s neck that you will lovingly inhale when you come home in the evening.
They are also the notes that create our emotional attachment to a perfume. These notes are often very sensual as they are blended with the scent of your skin and create unforgettable memories. Their smell is what makes other people addicted to your presence.
So, are you ready to find love?
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