A fragrance is built up of 3 different types of notes.
Top notes, Middle notes and Base notes.
These categories consist of one or more elements such as; Rose, Amber, Cedar, Vanilla, Oud (Agarwood), Jasmine and Saffron. Ranging from flowers to woods, thousands of these elements are used by perfumers to create unique aromas.
The Top note(s) open the scent up. This is the immediate smell of the fragrance. The notes tend to be lighter at this note eg; Fruity, Citrusy, Herbs, bitter or sweet. They last for a short amount of time, 10-15 minutes, before the Middle notes penetrate through.
70% of the fragrance is composed of the Middle note(s). These notes tend to be Floral - Rose, Violet, Jasmine, Patchouli etc. They can be evident as soon as the fragrance is smelt but are mainly sensed approximately 15 minutes after the fragrance has been worn.
The Middle note(s) lasts for approximately 2-4 hours.
Lastly, the Base note(s) come through strongly. They are the main foundation of the fragrance, lasting for up to 6 hours or more. These notes tend to be very rich and heavy such as; Oud (Agarwood), Vanilla, Musk, Sandalwood etc.
They help slow the evaporation process down.
Some people leave fragrances as soon as they spray them because it might smell too sharp, too sweet or too strong. However a fragrance never smells the same at the start as it does hours later and this is due to the construction of the fragrance. A fragrance needs time to develop it's true scent.
Perfumers usually arrange their ingredients/notes in a pyramid shape diagram.
