What Ingredients are in Perfume
Here we discuss the makeup of Perfume and
the sources used to create Perfumes
Playing the Notes
In order to create the most desirable scent and to make it long lasting, perfumes include layers of notes. These notes include:
- Top notes
- Middle notes
- Base notes
Top notes, which are also referred to as head notes, are those scents that are immediately perceived when applying the perfume. These notes are made of light molecules that evaporate quickly, thus creating the person’s first impression of the perfume. Ginger and citrus are both popular choices for top notes.
Middle notes, also referred to as the heart or as the main body of the perfume, are those scents that come after the scent from the top notes have evaporated. This part of the perfume can actually seem unpleasant at first, hence being masked by the top notes. Over time, however, the scent becomes more pleasant. Rose and lavender are commonly used in order to create the middle notes.
The base notes is what is smelled after the middle notes dissipate. The base notes are meant to help provide the top and middle notes with added strength. Some base notes can still be smelled up to 24 hours after being applied.
Scent Sources
The sources of the scents used to create perfumes can be derived from nature or created synthetically. Common plant sources include:
- Bark
- Bulbs
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Resins
- Rhizomes
- Roots
- Seeds
- Woods
Animal sources include:
- Ambergris
- Castoreum
- Civet
- Honeycomb
- Musk
Other natural sources include lichen and seaweed, while synthetic sources are generally developed from pine resins, petroleum distillates, and other compounds.
Further information on how to apply your Perfume to give you the maximum benefit can be found here