How to understand scent notes?

TOP NOTES

They are felt as soon as you spray the perfume or smell the initial smell out of the bottle. Creates a first fragrance impression. The scent is intense and lighter, but short-lived as the notes pass to the heart, the molecules are very small. Top notes last only about 5 - 15 minutes. The main purpose of these notes is to diffuse the initial scent and then smoothly transition into the next part of the fragrance, the heart notes. Common top notes are citrus (e.g. lemon, bergamot), herbs (e.g. lavender, basil) and light florals (e.g. neroli, petitgrain).

HEART NOTES

These are the notes of the middle scent composition, the heart of the fragrance, which develops after a few minutes when the top notes are already gone. The fragrance spreads and is felt for about 2 - 3 hours. These notes are able to hold some of the highest notes, and they also mask some of the base notes, making them more pleasant. These notes make up between 40 - 80% of the entire scent composition. These middle notes are more complex than top notes. Middle notes often include floral scents (e.g. rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang), spicy notes (e.g. cinnamon, nutmeg) and some fruity or green accords.

BASIC NOTES

The main notes of the fragrance composition, like a final chord, which lasts on the skin for the longest time - from 4 hours to a day or even longer. They are made from large and heavy molecules that last longer and add complexity and depth to the scent. Base notes support lighter notes. Common base notes consist of woody aromas (e.g. sandalwood, cedar), musk, vanilla, amber, patchouli and other earthy or resinous scents.

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