Fragrance notes
Perfume is described in a musical metaphor as having three sets of notes, making the harmonious scent accord. The notes unfold over time, with the immediate impression of the top note leading to the deeper middle notes, and the base notes gradually appearing as the final stage. These notes are created carefully with knowledge of the evaporation process of the perfume.
- Top notes: The scents that are perceived immediately on application of a perfume. Top notes consist of small, light molecules that evaporate quickly. They form a person's initial impression of a perfume and thus are very important in the selling of a perfume. Also called the head notes.
- Middle notes: The scent of a perfume that emerges just prior to when the top notes dissipate. The middle note compounds form the "heart" or main body of a perfume and act to mask the often unpleasant initial impression of base notes, which become more pleasant with time. They are also called the heart notes.
- Base notes: The scent of a perfume that appears close to the departure of the middle notes. The base and middle notes together are the main theme of a perfume. Base notes bring depth and solidity to a perfume. Compounds of this class of scents are typically rich and "deep" and are usually not perceived until 30 minutes after application.
The scents in the top and middle notes are influenced by the base notes, as well the scents of the base notes will be altered by the type of fragrance materials used as middle notes. Manufacturers of perfumes usually publish perfume notes and typically they present it as fragrance pyramid, with the components listed in imaginative and abstract terms.
Olfactive Families
Grouping perfumes, like any taxonomy, can never be a completely objective or final process. Many fragrances contain aspects of different families. Even a perfume designated as "single flower", however subtle, will have undertones of other aromatics. "True" unitary scents can rarely be found in perfumes as it requires the perfume to exist only as a singular aromatic material.
Classification by olfactive family is a starting point for a description of a perfume, but it cannot by itself denote the specific characteristic of that perfume.
Aromatic
Aromatic notes are usually combined of sage, rosemary, cumin, lavender and other plants which possess a very intensive grass-spicy scent. They are often combined with citrusy and spicy notes. Aromatic compositions are typical of fragrances for men.
Chypre
This olfactive group was named after perfume Coty Chypre created in 1917. Chypre means Cyprus in French. This sharp scent is based on harmony of oak moss, labdanum, patchouli and bergamot.
Citrus
Citrus fragrances are old and abundant. Its compositions are based on lemon, orange, bergamot, grapefruit or mandarin, with other citrusy, aromatic and tart notes for men and floral notes for women.
Floral
This largest fragrant group encompasses numerous versions of compositions with a floral heart: freshly picked flowers, flowers with aquatic, green or powdery nuances, as well as floral-aldehyde, floral-fruity and gourmand compositions.
Leather
Leather scents in various nuances, from floral, velvety compositions to tart, smoky ones are placed in this group. Scenting leather products in order to mask unpleasant scent of leather itself, since urine and faeces of cattle, as well as blood and tar had been used in its traditional production, marked the beginning of perfumery.
Oriental
Oriental fragrances with dominant amber are placed in a separate group thanks to their accentuated warmth and sensuality. Their opulent bouquet includes intoxicating and intensive substances such as musk, vanilla, exotic resins and wood, often accompanied with exotic flowers and spices.
Woody
Opulent compositions of woody notes in a heart of perfume are accentuated with woody notes of a base. Warm, mysterious sandalwood, drier and sharper cedar and vetiver, resin-like and balmy exotic sorts are usually accompanied with aromatic and citrusy notes.