On the most fascinating subject of the science of perfumes:

Many may be unaware that there is actually a science to the crafting of a good perfume. What most people use as perfumes today are just synthetic creations of chemists, trying to make something as cheep and smelly as possible. Real perfumery works on the principle that three different levels of scent are necessary to craft a good perfume. These three levels are known as Top Notes, Heart Notes, and Base Notes. A Top Note is a scent that dissipates or evaporates quickly so as to give a certain important but transient hint of scent to the perfume upon its first application. A Heart Note is a scent that defines the uniqueness of the perfume and persists for a duration of a few hours after first application. A Base Note is a scent that supports the quality of the Heart Note(s), and also ensures that the perfume will continue to have a pleasing aroma many hours after its first application. The reason this last point is necessary is that any perfume, a few hours after its first application, will begin to undergo chemical changes due to interaction with the skin and oils secreted by the skin, and exposure to sunlight and air, which, without proper consideration, can alter the scent of the perfume throughout the day to a displeasing effect. Base Notes ensure the chemical stability of the perfume and they ensure a pleasant aroma after any unpreventable chemical changes have occurred.

Many substances used in the crafting of a perfume can be described by different terms depending upon the amount of wax present in their composition. Beginning with the most wax present and progressing to the least, these terms are "butters," "concretes," "absolutes," and "essential oils." There are technically four different types of perfumes according to their aromatic content: Eau de cologne, at 2-3% aromatic content; Eau de toilette, at 5-20% aromatic content; Eau de parfum, at 10-30% aromatic content; and Perfume Extract, at 20-40% aromatic content.

Following are some examples of substances traditionally regarded as important Top, Heart, and Base Notes.

Top Notes:

• Citrus


• Ginger


• Iris (roots)


• Juniper berry


• Grapefruit rind

Heart Notes:

• Lavander


• Rose


• Jasmine


• Ylang-ylang tree blossoms


• Fleece


• Violets


• Rosemary


• Cedar


• Sassafras root bark

Base Notes:

• Musk (gland pod from deer or civet)


• Vetiver grass (essential oil)


• Lemon grass


• Palmarosa (grass)


• Ambergris


• Cedar


• Sandalwood


• Rosewood


• Agarwood (essential oil)


• Labdanum resin (good quality is clear)


• Frankincense resin (good quality is clear)


• Myrrh resin (good quality is dark, also, burnt myrrh resin)


• Benzoin resin (also works to slow the evaporation of essential oils)


• Oakmoss (lichen)


• Burnt amber

The art of crafting perfumes is most involved with a combinations of Top, Heart, and Base Notes such that the overall product maintains a pleasing and distinctive aroma throughout its transition through each.