Fragrance guide
Top, heart and base notes explained
A perfume's notes are grouped by how quickly they evaporate: top notes are the first impression and fade within minutes, heart notes are the character that follows, and base notes such as oud, amber and musk are the long-lasting foundation.
Top notes
Light, bright materials such as citrus, bergamot and spices. They greet you when you spray and usually fade within the first quarter of an hour or so.
Heart notes
The body of the fragrance: florals such as rose and jasmine, or spices like saffron. They appear as the top notes settle and carry the scent through most of the day.
Base notes
Heavy, slow-evaporating materials: woods, oud, amber, vanilla, musk. They anchor the perfume and are what you still smell hours later.
Questions
- Why does a perfume smell different after an hour?
- Because the top notes have evaporated and the heart notes have taken over. Judge a perfume after it has dried down, not from the first spray.
- Where can I see the notes of a Perfumoria fragrance?
- Every product page lists its top, heart and base notes, next to real photos of the bottle.
Updated 2026-10-20