The fragrance is closer to the skin than clothing, so it should feel safe, comfortable, and fun. However, it can be challenging to know where to begin when choosing the right fragrance for you. Understanding the basics of scent chemistry is helpful when trying to navigate the confusing space between fruity florals and something warm and woody.
Three distinct notes are used to describe a scent: top, middle and base. When combined with your body chemistry, these three elements create an entirely unique signature scent.
As your brain processes the scent, each note can become stronger or more prominent at different times. Volatility is a measure of how fast the fragrance compounds evaporate from your skin. This allows you to distinguish between notes. You will notice a more volatile note more quickly than it will evaporate from your skin. However, less volatile scents are more challenging to detect but can last longer.
The volatility of top notes is higher. They have a more significant impact but less staying power. Top notes are a quick first impression. These notes are often described as sharp or fresh and reminiscent of citrus (think orange zest), grapefruit (grapefruit), or herbs like rosemary.
It is also known as the “heart” or middle note. The middle note develops after the top note is gone and tends to be slightly more intense. Thus, mid notes help to reduce the initial intensity of the scent. You can think of jasmine and rose as standard middle notes as they are charming to the nose and pair well with a deeper base, such as vanilla.
The base note becomes more prominent in the fragrance once the middle note has started to fade away. Because of its low volatility, it is the strongest and lasts the longest. A base note is what gives a scent its depth. Base notes are often rich and heavy scents such as cedarwood, vanilla, and vetiver. Base notes last longer than the other two and help complete the scent by combining all of the notes in a pleasant and complementary way. Balance is the key to creating a pleasant blend of top, base, and mid notes.
Fragrances are like us; they also have families. As with any family, there can be many members to each one with different personalities. Let’s take a look at it.
Aromatic: Use lavender, rosemary and sage. It is intensely herbal, mildly spiced, and lightly sweet. Combination with citrus is common.
Bright and Fresh: The top notes of citrus scents include bergamot and lime, as well as orange zest and lemon.
Exotic: Rich, warm and a bit spicy. Ylang ylang, a classic, exotic flower, is sweet and floral. It’s pleasantly strong.
Delicate Floral: It’s exactly what it sounds. Soft florals include jasmine, geraniums and roses. This family is fresh and effervescent. It smells like a bed made of flowers with a dusting powder.
Sweet: Also called gourmand. Delicate and sweet scents that smell just as good as the taste. They often contain an edible component.
Earthy + Woody: Warm, mysterious, sharp and resinous. Consider deep base notes such as cedarwood, sandalwood, and vetiver.
