Perfumes and scented oils have been the secret weapon for both men and women for centuries. From being used as part of seduction or to create a pleasant atmosphere,fragrance has the power to create emotions. Made famous recently by the French, the full range of scents can give an insight into the person wearing/using it. Be it for a night out on the town, a hot date, or simply to feel better about himself/herself, the top and base notes, and all those in between, in each perfume can reveal a lot about a situation.

The making of perfumes is an art form that also requires some knowledge of science.

Understanding how certain scents fade and mix or do not mix well together at all is a massive part of this art form. Perfumes have a three-layer structure that slowly fades overtime on the skin. These layers are as follows:

1. Top notes

What are they? They are the first notes noticed when first applied to the skin or sprayed in the air. This note is the thing that either grabs a person’s attention or turns them off right away. Scents that can fall into this category would be citrus and herbal smells. Some examples of these scents would be:

• Citrus scents: lemon, orange zest or light citrus smells like grapefruit and berries
• Herbal scents: sage and lavender

Top notes are also the first to fade in which reveals the next layer of notes of perfumes, which are known as middle notes.

2. Middle notes

This note is the second layer of a perfume that is revealed and lingers longer than

top notes. Also known as heart notes, they are considered to be the “heart” of the fragrance itself and have a strong influence on what the next scent note would be. Scents that tend to be a middle note are either floral, herbal or have a spicy smell to it. Some examples of these scents would be:

• Flowerily scents: rose, lavender, or jasmine.
• Herbal scents: rosemary or lemongrass.
• Spicy scents: net meg, cinnamon, or cardamom.

Once the middle note finally and gently fades away, one encounters the last scent of the perfume.

3. Base notes

The final note of a fragrance is known as a base note. This note lingers the longest and gives “a lasting impression” on a person. The reason for this “lasting impression” is due to the last and middle notes mixing so well together. This mixture gives a perfume that full-body experience that all long-lasting fragrances need to become a famous brand with people. Some examples of these scents would be:

• Muskie scents: sandalwood, cedarwood, or oakmoss.
• Lighter scents: amber or vanilla.

It is not unusual for someone to send years loyal to one company because they produce that signature scent that has become part of a person’s personality. The sense of smell is a powerful tool that can bring back either positive or negative memories of a situation or a person to someone in an instant. This experience is why the power of scent has been used for centuries by both sexes.