Understanding Perfume Notes: Top, Heart, and Base Explained
Learn how the note pyramid works, why fragrances change over time, and how to read a perfume's composition like a pro.
The Note Pyramid
Every fragrance is built on a structure called the note pyramid. It describes how a perfume unfolds over time as different ingredients evaporate at different rates.
Think of it as a three-act play. The opening grabs your attention, the middle tells the story, and the ending leaves a lasting impression.
Top Notes: The First Impression
Top notes are what you smell immediately after spraying. They are light, volatile molecules that evaporate within the first 15 to 30 minutes.
Common top notes include:
- Citrus — bergamot, lemon, grapefruit, orange
- Herbs — basil, mint, lavender
- Light fruits — apple, pear, berries
- Aldehydes — sparkling, clean, soapy
Top notes are designed to create an inviting first impression, but they are not the true character of the fragrance. If you judge a perfume only by its opening, you are reading just the first page of a novel.
Heart Notes: The Character
Heart notes (or middle notes) emerge as the top notes fade, typically 20 to 60 minutes after application. They form the core personality of the fragrance and last several hours.
Common heart notes include:
- Florals — rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, iris, lily of the valley
- Spices — cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, black pepper
- Fruits — peach, plum, fig
- Green notes — violet leaf, galbanum
The heart is where the perfumer's artistry is most apparent. Two fragrances can share the same top notes but diverge dramatically at the heart.
Base Notes: The Foundation
Base notes are the heaviest molecules in a fragrance. They appear after the heart has developed, usually one to two hours in, and can last 6 to 24 hours or more. They anchor the composition and give it depth.
Common base notes include:
- Woods — sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, oud
- Resins — amber, benzoin, frankincense
- Musks — white musk, skin musk, synthetic musks
- Animal notes — civet, castoreum (mostly synthetic today)
- Vanilla and tonka bean
When people say a fragrance "dries down" to something warm and woody, they are describing the base notes taking over.
How Notes Work Together
The pyramid is a simplification. In reality, notes do not switch on and off like stages. They blend and overlap, creating transitions that make each fragrance unique.
A skilled perfumer designs these transitions deliberately. The bergamot opening might complement the rose heart, while the cedar base quietly supports both from the start, even if you do not consciously detect it until later.
Why the Same Perfume Smells Different on Different People
Your skin chemistry, pH level, body temperature, and even diet affect how notes interact with your skin. This is why the same fragrance can smell subtly different on two people.
Dry skin tends to absorb and dissipate fragrance faster. Moisturized or oily skin holds notes longer and projects more. If you find fragrances disappearing quickly, try applying an unscented moisturizer before spraying.
Reading a Note List
When you see a perfume described as "bergamot, pepper, rose, amber, sandalwood," you can mentally map these:
- Top — bergamot, pepper (light, volatile)
- Heart — rose (medium weight)
- Base — amber, sandalwood (heavy, lasting)
This gives you a rough prediction of the fragrance journey before you ever smell it.