Top notes

Heart notes

Base notes

The olfactory notes describe the smells that can be perceived when applying a scent.
There are three classes:

  • Top notes
  • Heart notes
  • Base notes.

Each class indicates the group of smells that can be detected and depends on the time passed since the application of a perfume. The combination of top, heart and base notes creates the olfactory pyramid, a tool for describing perfumes.

  • Top notes

    The top notes are fresh and light and fade in a few minutes after applying the perfume. They are very important because they determine the first impression that a person has of a perfume. Strong smells with a volatile composition defined as fresh and sharp belong to this group. Common top notes are the aromas deriving from citrus and ginger.

  • Heart notes

    The heart notes are the smell that is perceived as soon as the top notes dissolve and represent the central part of the scent that hides the base notes.e rappresentano la parte centrale del profumo che maschera le note di fondo. They are generally softer and more enveloping than the other two. A classic example is the scent derived from rose and lavender.

  • Base notes

    The base notes are the most persistent and appear when the heart notes disappear and give substance and depth to the perfume. Among these notes we can mention the perfumes of the animal olfactory families or the synthetic ones.