what are fragrance notes? top, heart & base explained

fragrance notes are the individual scents a perfume is built from, and they unfold in three stages over time: top notes first, heart notes next, base notes last. reading a note pyramid tells you not just what a perfume smells like, but how it will change across the hours you wear it.

top notes: the first impression

top notes are what you smell in the first few minutes — bright, volatile, and quick to fade. citrus, light fruits, and fresh herbs live here. they sell the first spray but tell you little about the fragrance you will actually wear for the rest of the day.

heart notes: the character

as the top notes lift, the heart (or middle) notes emerge — usually florals, spices, and green notes. this is the core personality of the fragrance, the part that defines it for the next few hours. when people describe a scent as "a rose" or "a spicy floral", they are describing the heart.

base notes: the memory

base notes are the foundation — heavy, slow molecules like woods, amber, musk, and vanilla that anchor the fragrance and linger longest. they are what you smell on your skin and clothes at the end of the day, and they are the biggest driver of longevity.

why the pyramid matters when you buy

because top notes fade fast, judging a perfume from the bottle or the first spray is misleading. read the heart and base notes to predict how a scent will settle, and always test the dry-down on skin. this is the single most useful habit for buying fragrance you will actually love.