PERFUME

A perfume pyramid is an olfactory concept to visualise the composition of a fragrance. It has three layers: we find top notes at the tip of the pyramid, heart notes a layer down, and base notes underneath. The pyramid’s shape represents the way we experience perfume as it develops over the course of the day. First, we encounter light and refreshing top notes – fresh basil, perhaps, or zesty mandarin. Next, we experience a layer of heart notes, like florals. Over time, this layer then dries down to a heavier base – imagine woody or spicy scents. This is the perfume pyramid: its shape is a way to visualise the order in which we typically encounter a scent.

The pyramid is one illustration of a perfume’s architecture and evolution – though not all fragrances develop in this way. Many notes in the pyramid harmonise together: you may detect heart notes at the same time as the top notes – fresh florals like rose, for instance, may appear alongside the lighter profile of lavender. Equally, rich base notes – such as leathery oud or sandalwood – may also be present on opening, deepening as the scent dries down.

Perfume notes are descriptors of scents, separated into three categories: top, heart and base notes. These three notes work together to create intricate layers that form a perfume’s unique character.

All luxury fragrances are composed of different perfume notes – from the sweet symphonies of violet and iris to the sultry amber accents of musk and ambergris. Given the way these notes interact with one another to create a unique scent profile, it is perhaps unsurprising that perfumery is often described in musical terms: notice the way the scent’s notes harmonise, deepen and evolve on the skin.

These three perfume notes are structured in the fragrance pyramid according to their qualities, such as their evaporation time and the order in which we typically encounter them.

We have a whole page assigned to note ingredients in which you can find some interesting and informative articles.