The pyramid, explained
A perfume is a timed release. Materials evaporate at different speeds, so a composition reveals itself in three overlapping acts.
Top notes — the first 15 minutes
Citrus, aldehydes, light herbs. Volatile, bright, and gone quickly. Their job is to make the first impression and hand over cleanly.
Heart notes — 20 minutes to three hours
Florals, spices, green materials. This is the actual character of the fragrance and where a perfumer spends most of their time.
Base notes — three hours onward
Woods, resins, musks, vanilla. Heavy molecules that anchor everything above them and define what people remember.
Judge a perfume at the heart, never at the first spray.
How to test properly
- Spray on skin, not paper, for the full picture.
- Wait twenty minutes before forming an opinion.
- Re-check at three hours.
- Never test more than three fragrances in a sitting.
Reading a note list
Published pyramids are marketing summaries, not formulas. Treat them as a map of intent. To go deeper into materials, read why handcrafted perfumes are different.
notesbeginnersscience
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