BOP News - Blog on Perfume News

Many perfume lovers actually get stuck when it comes to understanding the descriptions which are found both on paper and on the web about perfumes. Well, this needn’t be, as understanding perfume descriptions is an easy task. A basic description incorporates three features:

• The Top Notes - sometimes known as the head notes, are the first fragrances you smell after just applying the perfume. This is because they evaporate the quickest thanks to heat from the skin. For this reason they are very important in the initial impression of a perfume, therefore important when selling.
• The Middle Notes - sometimes known as the heart notes, are  the scents noticed when the top notes have disappeared. These also act to mask the unpleasant initial impression of the base notes, which becomes more pleasant with time. Middle notes are the main body and scent of a perfume.
• The Base Notes - the base notes, along with the middle notes, make the main scent of a perfume. These are not smelled until about 30 minutes after application. They are usually dark scents, with lots of depth.

By carefully sniffing your favourite perfume on skin from the time of application onwards, you will notice the gradual change in scent, and be able to describe it like a professional reviewer.

The alignment of the three notes of a perfume can also be displayed in a Perfume Pyramid:

This can clearly show (with the various scents and stages added) the attributes of a perfume, and can give the keen sniffer a relatively good idea of the perfume’s scent before it has even been smelt!