Fragrance guide
The Olfactory Pyramid Explained: Top, Heart and Base Notes
Published on 2 min read
A fragrance is not a scent: it is a duration. The olfactory pyramid is the score of that duration.
A fragrance is not a scent: it is a duration. It changes between the first minute and the eighth hour, and that change is not a flaw — it is its very construction. The olfactory pyramid is the score of that duration.
Top, heart, base
Top notes are the most volatile molecules: citrus, aromatics, fresh spices. They evaporate within ten to twenty minutes. They are the opening, with Calabrian bergamot a classic example in perfumery.
Heart notes emerge as the top fades and last two to four hours: flowers, fruits, soft spices. At EZER, iris is at the heart of , and Centifolia rose at the heart of .
Base notes are the heaviest materials: woods, musks, resins, vanilla. They appear after an hour and last until the next day. They are the imprint — the one still on the scarf weeks later.
How to try a fragrance properly
Never buy a fragrance on its top notes: they do not last. Spray on the skin, wait twenty minutes for the heart to settle, and decide on the base, two hours later. A fragrance is tried in the morning and judged in the evening.
And be wary of lists: “top notes: bergamot, mandarin” says nothing of the perfumer's hand. Two fragrances with identical pyramids may have nothing in common. The pyramid is a map, not the territory.