# Perfume notes

Canonical: https://fragnatique.app/notes

Perfume notes are the individual smells a fragrance is built from, grouped by how fast they evaporate: top notes open it, heart notes carry it, and base notes are what lingers hours later.

## The notes pyramid

### Top notes (15 minutes to 2 hours)

Top notes are the first impression: you smell them in the air before the perfume even touches skin, and they fade within an hour or two.

[Bergamot](https://fragnatique.app/notes/bergamot), [Lemon](https://fragnatique.app/notes/lemon), [Grapefruit](https://fragnatique.app/notes/grapefruit), [Mandarin](https://fragnatique.app/notes/mandarin), [Neroli](https://fragnatique.app/notes/neroli), [Petitgrain](https://fragnatique.app/notes/petitgrain), [Lime](https://fragnatique.app/notes/lime), [Yuzu](https://fragnatique.app/notes/yuzu), [Pink pepper](https://fragnatique.app/notes/pink-pepper), [Black pepper](https://fragnatique.app/notes/black-pepper), [Cardamom](https://fragnatique.app/notes/cardamom), [Lavender](https://fragnatique.app/notes/lavender), [Rosemary](https://fragnatique.app/notes/rosemary), [Basil](https://fragnatique.app/notes/basil), [Mint](https://fragnatique.app/notes/mint), [Sage](https://fragnatique.app/notes/sage)

### Heart notes (Hour 1 to hour 5)

Heart notes are the identity of the fragrance: they emerge as the top fades and carry the perfume from roughly hour one to hour five.

[Rose](https://fragnatique.app/notes/rose), [Jasmine](https://fragnatique.app/notes/jasmine), [Tuberose](https://fragnatique.app/notes/tuberose), [Orange blossom](https://fragnatique.app/notes/orange-blossom), [Ylang-ylang](https://fragnatique.app/notes/ylang-ylang), [Iris](https://fragnatique.app/notes/iris), [Peony](https://fragnatique.app/notes/peony), [Magnolia](https://fragnatique.app/notes/magnolia), [Gardenia](https://fragnatique.app/notes/gardenia), [Lily of the valley](https://fragnatique.app/notes/lily-of-the-valley), [Freesia](https://fragnatique.app/notes/freesia), [Cardamom](https://fragnatique.app/notes/cardamom), [Ginger](https://fragnatique.app/notes/ginger), [Cinnamon](https://fragnatique.app/notes/cinnamon), [Clove](https://fragnatique.app/notes/clove), [Saffron](https://fragnatique.app/notes/saffron), [Nutmeg](https://fragnatique.app/notes/nutmeg), [Coffee](https://fragnatique.app/notes/coffee), [Caramel](https://fragnatique.app/notes/caramel), [Fig](https://fragnatique.app/notes/fig), [Galbanum](https://fragnatique.app/notes/galbanum)

### Base notes (4 to 12+ hours)

Base notes are the memory: they are what lingers on a coat hours after you took it off.

[Sandalwood](https://fragnatique.app/notes/sandalwood), [Cedar](https://fragnatique.app/notes/cedar), [Oud](https://fragnatique.app/notes/oud), [Vetiver](https://fragnatique.app/notes/vetiver), [Cypress](https://fragnatique.app/notes/cypress), [Guaiac wood](https://fragnatique.app/notes/guaiac-wood), [Ambroxan](https://fragnatique.app/notes/ambroxan), [Iso E Super](https://fragnatique.app/notes/iso-e-super), [Cinnamon](https://fragnatique.app/notes/cinnamon), [Clove](https://fragnatique.app/notes/clove), [Saffron](https://fragnatique.app/notes/saffron), [Vanilla](https://fragnatique.app/notes/vanilla), [Tonka bean](https://fragnatique.app/notes/tonka-bean), [Cocoa](https://fragnatique.app/notes/cocoa), [Coffee](https://fragnatique.app/notes/coffee), [Caramel](https://fragnatique.app/notes/caramel), [Coumarin](https://fragnatique.app/notes/coumarin), [Amber](https://fragnatique.app/notes/amber), [Labdanum](https://fragnatique.app/notes/labdanum), [Benzoin](https://fragnatique.app/notes/benzoin), [Leather](https://fragnatique.app/notes/leather), [Tobacco](https://fragnatique.app/notes/tobacco), [Musk](https://fragnatique.app/notes/musk), [Frankincense](https://fragnatique.app/notes/frankincense), [Myrrh](https://fragnatique.app/notes/myrrh), [Styrax](https://fragnatique.app/notes/styrax), [Patchouli](https://fragnatique.app/notes/patchouli), [Oakmoss](https://fragnatique.app/notes/oakmoss)

Source: https://fragnatique.app/blog/fragrance-notes-pyramid

## Every note, by family

### Citrus

Bergamot, lemon, neroli and grapefruit: perfumery's brightest family. Family page: https://fragnatique.app/fragrances/citrus

- [Bergamot](https://fragnatique.app/notes/bergamot): top note; the bittersweet Calabrian citrus that anchors most colognes.
- [Lemon](https://fragnatique.app/notes/lemon): top note; sharp and clean, often in Sicilian or Amalfi varieties.
- [Grapefruit](https://fragnatique.app/notes/grapefruit): top note; tart and slightly bitter with a pink, juicy facet.
- [Mandarin](https://fragnatique.app/notes/mandarin): top note; with orange, one of the sweeter, rounder citrus notes.
- [Neroli](https://fragnatique.app/notes/neroli): top note; the sweet floral oil distilled from bitter orange blossom.
- [Petitgrain](https://fragnatique.app/notes/petitgrain): top note; green and woody, pressed from orange tree leaves and twigs.
- [Lime](https://fragnatique.app/notes/lime): top note; zesty and effervescent with a faintly tropical edge.
- [Yuzu](https://fragnatique.app/notes/yuzu): top note; the bright Japanese citrus prized for its crisp lift.

### Floral

Perfumery's largest family: rose, jasmine, tuberose and peony. Family page: https://fragnatique.app/fragrances/floral

- [Rose](https://fragnatique.app/notes/rose): heart note; the most versatile floral note, ranging from fresh and dewy to jammy and wine-dark.
- [Jasmine](https://fragnatique.app/notes/jasmine): heart note; the indolic, narcotic backbone of countless white florals, intense and long-lasting on skin.
- [Tuberose](https://fragnatique.app/notes/tuberose): heart note; the loudest white flower, creamy and almost fleshy, the signature of statement florals.
- [Orange blossom](https://fragnatique.app/notes/orange-blossom): heart note; bright, honeyed and slightly soapy, a bridge between citrus freshness and white-flower warmth.
- [Ylang-ylang](https://fragnatique.app/notes/ylang-ylang): heart note; rich, banana-sweet and exotic, a rounding agent in many classic rich-floral blends.
- [Iris](https://fragnatique.app/notes/iris): heart note; orris, powdery, cool and elegant, often the most expensive material in a floral composition.
- [Peony](https://fragnatique.app/notes/peony): heart note; a fresh, watery, faintly rosy note that gives modern florals their clean, transparent feel.
- [Magnolia](https://fragnatique.app/notes/magnolia): heart note; lemony and creamy at once, lighter than tuberose but still distinctly white-floral.
- [Gardenia](https://fragnatique.app/notes/gardenia): heart note; buttery and tropical, rarely natural in perfume and usually reconstructed from jasmine and tuberose accords.
- [Lily of the valley](https://fragnatique.app/notes/lily-of-the-valley): heart note; muguet, green, dewy and airy, the spine of soliflore spring fragrances.
- [Freesia](https://fragnatique.app/notes/freesia): heart note; with lily, one of the clean, soapy supporting notes that keep a bouquet feeling fresh rather than heavy.

### Woody

Cedar, sandalwood, oud and vetiver, worn close to the skin. Family page: https://fragnatique.app/fragrances/woody

- [Sandalwood](https://fragnatique.app/notes/sandalwood): base note; prized for a creamy, milky, almost lactonic warmth that feels soft and skin-like.
- [Cedar](https://fragnatique.app/notes/cedar): base note; the dry, sharp, pencil-shaving wood that gives most modern woody scents their clean backbone.
- [Oud](https://fragnatique.app/notes/oud): base note; agarwood, the dense, resinous, animalic wood at the heart of Middle Eastern perfumery and most luxury woody releases.
- [Vetiver](https://fragnatique.app/notes/vetiver): base note; a grassy root that smells green, earthy and faintly smoky, bridging woody into earthy territory.
- [Cypress](https://fragnatique.app/notes/cypress): base note; with other coniferous woods, a cool, resinous, evergreen edge.
- [Guaiac wood](https://fragnatique.app/notes/guaiac-wood): base note; smoky and faintly tarry, the note behind woody fragrances that read like a warm campfire.
- [Ambroxan](https://fragnatique.app/notes/ambroxan): base molecule; with Iso E Super, one of the synthetic woody-amber molecules behind the velvety, transparent woods of many contemporary scents.
- [Iso E Super](https://fragnatique.app/notes/iso-e-super): base molecule; with ambroxan, one of the synthetic woody-amber molecules behind the velvety, transparent woods of many contemporary scents.

### Spicy

Pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and saffron, rarely worn alone. Family page: https://fragnatique.app/fragrances/spicy

- [Pink pepper](https://fragnatique.app/notes/pink-pepper): top note; the brightest, most modern spice, a fizzy rosy-peppery sparkle used in countless openings.
- [Black pepper](https://fragnatique.app/notes/black-pepper): top note; dry and biting, adds an immediate sense of edge to a composition.
- [Cardamom](https://fragnatique.app/notes/cardamom): top to heart note; cool, aromatic, and slightly soapy, the spice that makes a fragrance feel refined rather than hot.
- [Ginger](https://fragnatique.app/notes/ginger): heart note; zesty and rooty, the freshest spice, often pulling a fragrance toward daytime wearability.
- [Cinnamon](https://fragnatique.app/notes/cinnamon): heart to base note; sweet, woody heat that bridges almost seamlessly into gourmand and amber accords.
- [Clove](https://fragnatique.app/notes/clove): heart to base note; dense and intensely warm, the backbone of classic carnation accords.
- [Saffron](https://fragnatique.app/notes/saffron): heart to base note; leathery, suede-like, and faintly medicinal, the signature of many modern Middle Eastern inspired blends.
- [Nutmeg](https://fragnatique.app/notes/nutmeg): heart note; rounded and powdery, a quieter spice used to soften sharper peppers.

### Gourmand

Vanilla, tonka, caramel and coffee, worn close and warm. Family page: https://fragnatique.app/fragrances/gourmand

- [Vanilla](https://fragnatique.app/notes/vanilla): base note; the backbone of the gourmand family, ranging from creamy and gourmand to dry, smoky, and almost boozy.
- [Tonka bean](https://fragnatique.app/notes/tonka-bean): base note; warm, nutty, almond-and-hay sweetness that rounds out the base and reads as soft amber.
- [Cocoa](https://fragnatique.app/notes/cocoa): base note; with chocolate, a rich, dusty depth that pairs naturally with patchouli and red fruits.
- [Coffee](https://fragnatique.app/notes/coffee): heart to base note; bittersweet roast that keeps a sweet composition from turning cloying.
- [Caramel](https://fragnatique.app/notes/caramel): heart to base accord; with praline, the burnt-sugar accord that gave Mugler Angel its dessert signature.
- [Fig](https://fragnatique.app/notes/fig): heart note; a green, milky, fruit-and-leaf note that delivers a fresher, less dessert-like gourmand.

### Aromatic

Lavender, mint, rosemary and sage: the classic fougere. Family page: https://fragnatique.app/fragrances/aromatic

- [Lavender](https://fragnatique.app/notes/lavender): top note; the central pillar of the aromatic family, cool and slightly soapy with a herbal-floral lift.
- [Rosemary](https://fragnatique.app/notes/rosemary): top note; sharp, camphorous, and energising, adding a bracing herbal edge.
- [Basil](https://fragnatique.app/notes/basil): top note; green and slightly peppery, lending a culinary herbal twist.
- [Mint](https://fragnatique.app/notes/mint): top note; with spearmint, cooling and clean, giving aromatics their fresh snap.
- [Sage](https://fragnatique.app/notes/sage): top note; with clary sage, dry, herbaceous, and subtly aromatic-balsamic.
- [Coumarin](https://fragnatique.app/notes/coumarin): base molecule; the sweet, hay-like, almost almond facet that binds the classic fougère together.

### Resinous

Amber, labdanum, benzoin, leather and tobacco: winter warmth. Family page: https://fragnatique.app/fragrances/resinous

- [Amber](https://fragnatique.app/notes/amber): base accord; a warm, golden accord of labdanum, vanilla, and benzoin rather than a single ingredient, and the signature of the resinous family.
- [Labdanum](https://fragnatique.app/notes/labdanum): base note; the sticky resin of the rockrose, leathery and ambery, the backbone of most amber accords.
- [Benzoin](https://fragnatique.app/notes/benzoin): base note; a sweet, vanillic, balsamic resin that adds soft warmth and acts as a natural fixative.
- [Leather](https://fragnatique.app/notes/leather): base accord; a cured-hide accord built from birch tar, saffron, or isobutyl quinoline, ranging from smoky to suede-soft.
- [Tobacco](https://fragnatique.app/notes/tobacco): base note; dried, honeyed, slightly spiced leaf that reads as cozy and slightly boozy.
- [Musk](https://fragnatique.app/notes/musk): base note; a warm, skin-like material, almost always a synthetic white musk today, that adds depth.
- [Frankincense](https://fragnatique.app/notes/frankincense): base note; with myrrh, a smoky resin that pushes a composition toward incense and meditation.
- [Myrrh](https://fragnatique.app/notes/myrrh): base note; with frankincense, a smoky resin that pushes a composition toward incense and meditation.
- [Styrax](https://fragnatique.app/notes/styrax): base note; a warm, slightly smoky balsam often used alongside leather accords.

### Earthy

Oakmoss, patchouli and vetiver: the chypre backbone. Family page: https://fragnatique.app/fragrances/earthy

- [Patchouli](https://fragnatique.app/notes/patchouli): base note; dark, slightly sweet cellar warmth, the most recognisable earthy note.
- [Oakmoss](https://fragnatique.app/notes/oakmoss): base note; the inky, damp-forest green that anchors every true chypre.
- [Galbanum](https://fragnatique.app/notes/galbanum): heart note; a sharp, bitter green resin that bridges earthiness toward cut stems and foliage.

## Glossary: notes and accords

- **Accord**: A blend of two or more raw materials that creates a single perceived smell. Most fragrances are constructed from a small number of accords rather than dozens of individual notes.
- **Aldehyde**: A class of synthetic and natural compounds with a sparkling, slightly waxy, sometimes soapy character. Famously dominant in Chanel No. 5.
- **Ambergris**: A waxy substance originally produced by sperm whales, valued in perfumery as a fixative and base note. Almost always synthetic today (ambroxan).
- **Amber**: An accord of warm, sweet, slightly powdery materials, traditionally combining labdanum, vanilla, and benzoin. Not a single note.
- **Attar**: A traditional concentrated perfume made by distilling botanicals into a sandalwood or other carrier oil, common in the Middle East and South Asia.
- **Base note**: The longest-lasting layer of a fragrance, perceived hours after application. Common base notes include sandalwood, oud, vanilla, white musk, amber.
- **Bergamot**: A small bitter citrus fruit grown mainly in Calabria, Italy, that produces one of the most-used top notes in perfumery.
- **Chypre**: A fragrance family built around a citrus top, a floral heart, and an oakmoss-labdanum base. Mitsouko by Guerlain is the canonical example.
- **Citrus**: A fragrance family characterised by bright, sparkling top notes from fruits like bergamot, lemon, lime, grapefruit, mandarin.
- **Floral**: The largest fragrance family, built around flower notes such as rose, jasmine, tuberose, lily of the valley, ylang-ylang, iris.
- **Fougère**: A fragrance family combining lavender, oakmoss, coumarin, and often geranium. The traditional structure of classic men's colognes.
- **Fresh**: An umbrella descriptor for fragrances that smell clean, airy, or aquatic, including marine, ozonic, herbaceous, and citrus profiles.
- **Gourmand**: A fragrance family built around edible-smelling notes like vanilla, caramel, chocolate, almond, coffee. Angel by Mugler defined the modern category.
- **Green**: Notes that evoke crushed leaves, cut grass, or stems. Often built around galbanum, violet leaf, or tomato leaf.
- **Heart note**: Also called the middle note. The body of a fragrance that emerges 15 to 60 minutes after application and lasts a few hours.
- **Iso E Super**: A widely used synthetic molecule with a soft, woody, ambery, slightly cedar-like character. The defining material of Molecule 01.
- **Leather**: An accord that smells of cured hide, often built from birch tar, isobutyl quinoline, castoreum, or saffron.
- **Moss**: Most often oakmoss, a lichen used as a fixative and base in chypre fragrances. Modern formulations use restricted oakmoss derivatives or synthetics due to IFRA limits.
- **Musk**: Originally an animal-derived material, today almost always synthetic (white musks, polycyclic musks). Provides warmth, depth, and skin-like sensuality.
- **Notes pyramid**: The standard three-tier representation of a fragrance: top notes evaporate fastest, heart notes follow, base notes anchor the dry-down. An approximation, not a strict timeline.
- **Oriental**: An older industry term for warm, often spicy, resinous, vanillic fragrances. Many brands now use 'amber' as a more accurate descriptor for the same family.
- **Oud**: Also agarwood. A resinous wood produced by Aquilaria trees infected with mold. Deeply complex, animalic, smoky, sweet. One of the most expensive raw materials in perfumery.
- **Powdery**: A descriptor for fragrances with a soft, cosmetic, slightly dusty quality, often built from iris, violet, heliotrope, vanilla, or musk.
- **Resin**: Sticky botanical exudates such as benzoin, frankincense, myrrh, labdanum, and styrax. Used as base notes and fixatives.
- **Spicy**: A descriptor for fragrances featuring spices: pink pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, saffron.
- **Top note**: The first impression of a fragrance, perceived in the first 15 to 30 minutes. Usually citrus, herbs, or light fruits.
- **Woody**: A family of base notes including sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, patchouli, oud, guaiac, gaiac, and synthetic woods like Iso E Super.


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