Scents are created by many different essences blended together, but did you know that there is a very specific reason that certain scents are combined? As seen in the last post (Perfume Concentration Guide) perfume longevity depends on the concentration of essence, however, within the fragrance, different scents are more present at different times due to their chemical composition, so even though you may be wearing the same perfume all day, different essences will be more noticeable at different times in the day. For example, a lighter fragrance molecule will be noticed immediately after application, while a heavier one will take longer to diffuse, so it will be noticeable later on in the day. The categories to which different essences belong to are known as perfumery notes.
Top Notes:
a.k.a head notes
Lightest scent molecules
First to fade
First to be noticed upon application
Evaporates Quickly
Lasts 5-15 minutes
Light and Citrusy in nature
Can be bitter or sweet
Middle Notes:
a.k.a. heart notes
heavier that top notes
generally mixes floral and fruity essences
makes up 70% of a scent
Includes full-bodied oils
Medium rate of evaporation
Lasts 20-60 minutes
Base Notes:
Forms the scent's foundation
Rich and heavy scent
Evaporates the slowest
Can last 6 or more hours
Comments