The Very Best Notes In Perfume

Did you know that 75% of human emotions are generated because of a scent? The likelihood that we'll remember something we smell over something we touch, hear, or see is 100 times more likely. Our mood can also improve by 40% when we're exposed to a pleasant scent.

The fragrance notes we wear play a big part in people's perception of us. We don't want to smell good to just ourselves. We want other people to enjoy our scent as well.

There are countless options of fragrance notes for men and women. It can be challenging to figure out which is the best for you.

In this guide, we'll discuss the best fragrance notes for men and women. Use this information to help guide your next perfume purchase.

What Are Fragrance Notes?

Before we dive into the best perfume notes, let's discuss what they are. Think of perfume as a sheet of music. Music is made up of different notes, just like fragrances are.

Fragrance notes are the different layers of scent that encompass the final scent. The scents are split into three major groups:

• Top notes
• Heart notes
• Base notes

These categories combine to create a beautiful-smelling fragrance. A perfume wouldn't be appealing without a combination of well-balanced notes.

Top Notes

Another term for top notes is the head or opening notes. They're referred to that way because they're the scents you notice right when you apply the fragrance. Top notes tend to be the lightest of the notes.

Heart Notes

Heart notes lie in the middle of the fragrance. They're the foundation of any perfume. You'll start to notice this note once the top notes fade away.

Base Notes

Base notes shine when the top notes have evaporated. Base notes blend with the heart notes, deepening the fragrance's complexity. These notes give you a lasting, final impression.

Explore Fragrance Families for Men and Women

Fragrance notes are broken up into four main categories. These classifications include:

• Floral
• Oriental
• Fresh
• Woody

We'll discuss the top notes for women's and men's fragrances based on these groups.

Floral Notes

Floral notes are one of the most common scent families. They're used in many popular perfumes. While floral notes are more often found in women's fragrances, you'll find them in men's perfume scents as well.

Floral notes are sourced from the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that floral tissues emit. Some adjectives that describe floral notes are intense, creamy, fresh, buttery, and sugary.

Vegetal or Green/Spring Flowers

Spring blooms can get treated in their natural state when used in perfumes. These types of flowers are referred to as "mute" flowers. That means their true scent can get recreated by using other synthetic or natural products.

Some examples of vegetal floral notes include:

• Musky rose
• Green hyacinth
• Daffodil

Tropical Solar Flowers

Tropical solar flowers are grown in areas where the sun gets to a point that's directly overhead around once a year. They're exotic flowers that flourish in lush, green places that are warm.

In this category you'll find the following notes:

• Ylang-Ylang
• Tiare
• Frangipani

White Flowers

The flowers in this category are often thought to be sensual. They can get distilled to create an intense scent. White floral notes are:

• Gardenia
• Jasmine
• Magnolia
• Orange blossom
• Tuberose
• Neroli

Oriental Notes

Oriental notes have long-lasting and warm scents. These notes are inspired by the first fragrances that were created in places like Arabia and India. An oriental note can take a perfume to an elevated level.

Oriental notes have a richer scent than the other scent families. They can vary between woody and floral scents.

The most common oriental notes are:

• Clove
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Resin
• Vanilla
• Amber
• Honey
• Myrrh

These notes are typically worn in colder months to make the wearer feel "warmer."

Woody Notes

Woody notes are opulent and warm. They mix fragrances similar to incense with dry notes. Perfumes that include woody notes will also add some fresh notes to tone it down.

Common notes in this family are:

• Sandalwood
• Cedarwood
• Oakmoss
• Leather
• Patchouli

Fragrances that incorporate woody notes are described as outdoorsy and earthy. These are great notes to wear in the fall and spring.

Fresh Notes

Fresh notes include scents that are bright and clean. Citrus, oceanic, and herb scents fall into this group. Fresh notes are typically paired with spicy ones to create a robust fragrance.

Fresh scents are great for wearing in the summer and when you need to quickly splash on a fragrance.

Some examples of fresh notes include:

• Lavender
• Orange
• Lemon
• Lime
• Bergamot
• Rain
• Seaspray
• Grapefruit
• Peach
• Pear
• Apple
• Sage
• Green leaves

The Best Notes for Men

As we discussed earlier, the top and heart notes of a perfume will wear off after a short period. The base note of a scent will last for more than six hours. This note makes perfume last a long time.

Sandalwood

Sandalwood is a popular scent that smells earthy and sweet. It's also strong and refreshing. It pairs well with other woody notes like cedar and vetiver.

Musk

Musk is a natural and earthy scent. The note was originally sourced from animals, but it's currently derived from plans. Many describe musk as being elegant and sensual.

Amber

Amber isn't a naturally occurring note. It's made using a combination of:

• Musk
• Resin
• Vanilla
• Additional spices

It's a great blend of spicy and sweet notes. The result is a fragrance that'll remind you of a cozy winter night.

Vetiver

Vetiver is an earthy scent that smells like a damp forest or fresh fauna. It smells smokey, leathery, and dry. It's one of the most popular notes to use as a base in men's perfume.

Vanilla

Vanilla is known for being a tender and sweet scent. Some people think that vanilla is only suitable for women's perfumes but that's not the case. It's great for men's fragrances because it balances out spicy and strong base notes.

Patchouli

Patchouli gives the wearer a sensual and warm fragrance. It's typically used with other woody notes like vetiver, amber, and sandalwood.

The Best Notes for Women

The type of fragrance note you look for in a perfume depends greatly on your preference. There are countless notes to choose from when selecting a perfume. These notes are thought of as classic scents that pair well with others.

Lemon

Lemon is a popular note since it has an uplifting and vibrant smell. The fresh lemon scent is typically used as a top note. While it can fade quickly, it lifts the palette of perfume, giving it a fruity vibe.

Bergamot

Did you know that bergamot is considered a citrus flower? Bergamot has a complex and subtle scent. It's an invigorating and refreshing scent that's used as a top note.

Rose

Roses are the queen of all flowers. It's a beloved and popular floral scent. Roses can give a fragrance a fruity, woody, or powdery scent.

Ylang-Ylang

Ylang-ylang has a beautiful scent that's rich and sensual. It also has a subtle banana tone. This light scent is excellent for balanced fragrances that have heavier notes.

Mandarin Orange

Mandarin orange has a very sweet and rich citrus scent. The note is more durable than other citrus fruits but gives you a fresher smell than ingredients like amber or musk. It's a wonderful note if you're looking for something feminine and youthful.

Jasmine

Jasmine is a piercing yet sweet scent that gives you a hint of freshness. It's a classic and youthful smell that's popular when used as a heart note.

Patchouli

Patchouli works well in men's and women's perfumes. The woody, sweet scent is a popular base note for many women's fragrances. It has a pleasant and warm smell.

Orange Blossom

Orange blossom is the perfect mix of fruit and floral scents. The note is derived from the distilled leaves of the orange flower. It's a lovely mid-note that balances floral, fruity, and fresh tones.

Vanilla

Vanilla is a comforting and sweet aroma. Vanilla is one of the most common fragrance notes.

How Do I Choose the Right Fragrances Notes for Me?

It can be overwhelming to figure out what fragrance notes you like the best. As we talked about earlier, perfumes are broken up into three notes. Each note corresponds to a different scent.

Experiment with different perfumes by spraying them into the air. If you instantly love the way it smells right when you spray it, don't immediately think it's the one. The top notes can fade over time and are volatile.

Spray perfume on your wrist and wait a few moments. That'll help you get a better sense of what the heart and base notes are.

Becoming familiar with the different fragrance notes available will help you figure out which ones are your favorite. When you discover the ones that you like, you can shop for perfumes that include them.

The fragrance you purchase depends on what you and those around you like. You want something that matches your personality and mood.

Frequently Asked Questions

Figuring out perfumes and fragrance notes can be challenging. Let's discuss our most commonly asked questions on the topic.

How Can I Identify a Fragrance Note?

The best way to figure out fragrance notes is by looking at how much time has passed since you applied the perfume. You'll smell the top note right after you spray the perfume.

After the initial burst of scent fades, the heart note will kick in. The base note is the scent that lasts a long time and that leaves a lasting impression on you.

What Are Top Notes?

Top notes tend to be citrusy and light. They can sometimes include aromatic herbs and have a bitter or sweet scent. Popular top notes include:

• Jasmine
• Apple
• Lemon
• Bergamot

What Are Heart Notes?

Heart notes are around 70% of a fragrance. They're usually full-bodied, floral, and fruity. You'll commonly find these types of notes in the mid-section of a perfume:

• Nutmeg
• Cinnamon
• Sandalwood
• Musk
• Oud

What Are Base Notes?

The base note is the fragrance's foundation. It's heavy and rich, lasting for over six hours. Popular base notes are:

• Vanilla
• Cedarwood
• Amber

Why Do Fragrances Smell Different on Various People?

Our body chemistry affects how different fragrance notes react to your skin. Various factors can affect how your skin smells, including:

• Medications
• Stress
• Hormonal changes
• Diet

Perfumes can smell different on the same person depending upon the day.

What Are Fragrance Families?

Fragrance families are groups of related scents. The most common ones are:

• Fresh
• Floral
• Woody
• Oriental

What's the Difference Between a Fragrance, Scent, and Perfume?

There isn't any difference between the three terms. They're all used to describe scented balms or liquids.

Perfume originates from the Latin term, per fumum. It translates to "through smoke." The term comes from when people burned flowers, resins, and wood as offerings.

How Should I Store My Perfume?

While we might be tempted to display our favorite perfumes, that's not the best way to store them. Perfumes will dilute over time when exposed to sunlight and oxygen.

One tip to keep in mind is to not open a bottle of perfume until you want to use it. Opening it to use once and then store will cause the scent to dilute faster. You'll likely only have two years to use the perfume before it loses its potency.

You should also keep your perfume bottles away from direct sunlight. The strong light can start to break down the structure of your fragrance. Your perfume will likely only last a few months if stored where the light hits it.

Dark and closed storage places are ideal for perfume. Keep the bottle in its original box for added protection.

Shop for Men's and Women's Perfumes at Perfume Price

There are countless fragrance notes you can choose from when looking for women's and men's perfumes. The notes you choose depend on your personal preference, mood, and occasion. Experimenting with different notes will help you discover your signature scent.

Are you ready to explore the vast world of fragrances? Perfume Price carries a large selection of high-end perfumes. Shop our online store today.