Choosing the Right Fragrance

We all have different tastes. Tastes can change depending on mood, season, and the pace of life. Fragrances sometimes consist of as many as 12 different notes, so taste should go hand in hand with the story.

“Smell is one word. Fragrances are literature.”

J. Ellena

 

All quality fragrances, regardless of their form – solid, oil-based, or spray – are composed of notes, categorized into top, middle, and base notes depending on their volatility.

Top notes are the most volatile and are detectable for about 5-15 minutes. They reach the nose the quickest, creating the initial impression of the scent. Therefore, in fragrances, we often detect initial accents of citrus fruits, basil, anise, or flowers. Top notes serve an important task – discreetly introduce middle notes.

Middle notes become noticeable after approximately 20 minutes and can be felt for several hours. Top notes constitute the largest part of the aroma, which is why the oil must be rich for the desired effect. In perfumery, combinations of jasmine, peppers, cinnamon, ylang-ylang, pines, or cardamom are popular. Base notes complement top and middle notes, unifying them into harmony like a double bass in a symphony.

These notes can be felt for about half an hour and should last until the fragrance evaporates – between 10 and 16 hours, and often much longer when using oil-based fragrances. Woods, oak, cedar, incense, vanilla, moss, along with top and middle notes, create what we call fragrances.