Insights / Fragrance basics
A quick guide to the fragrance pyramid and why each layer matters when you choose raw materials.
Most perfumes are described as a pyramid of three layers. The top notes are what you smell first: light and volatile, often citrus or herbal. They fade within minutes.
The heart notes appear as the top fades. This is the character of the fragrance, usually floral or spicy, and it lasts a few hours.
The base notes are the foundation: woods, resins, musks and sweet gourmand materials. They are the heaviest molecules and stay on skin the longest.
For manufacturers, understanding the pyramid is the first step in a good brief. It tells your supplier which families you need and how the finished product should evolve over time.
