The Lowdown on Fragrance Notes: What Does it all Even Mean?
Have you ever heard “Top, Middle or Base Notes” described when people are talking about candles or perfumes? Did you just nod and say ‘ahh’ in agreement but have no idea what they were actually talking about? Let’s fix that!
Top Notes: These are the initial notes you smell when you first light a candle or spray a perfume and will last for about 30 minutes. They are usually lighter and disappear pretty quickly. They are the first impression you’ll get from that scent and they usually consist of a light floral or citrus scent.
Middle Notes: These notes are the main body of the fragrance. They last longer than base notes and you will begin to smell them after the base notes have started to disappear. Middle notes typically consist of floral, herbal or spicy scents and last several hours.
Fragrance families, or categories, classify fragrances based on their predominant scent characteristics. Here are the most common:
Citrus: Citrus scents are usually lighter and summery scents or used as top notes to provide a bright opening to a fragrance. They consist of lemon, lime, bergamot, orange and grapefruit. Check out our Aloha Linen Spray for nice refreshing citrus scent!
Floral: Florals revolve around the scent of flowers – obviously, right? Floral scents can range from light and delicate to rich and intense, depending on the type of flower you’re going for. Common flower scents include rose, jasmine, lavender, lily of the valley and peony. Florals are popular but admittedly, not my favorite! I do however looooove the scent of our Moonlight candle, it’s floral but not ‘floral’ if that makes any sense.
Woody: Wood fragrances are derived from woods and trees. They are often warm, earthy and can sometimes be smoky. Some common woody notes include cedarwood, sandalwood, pine and oakmoss. Although they’re unisex, these scents are often used in more masculine products. Into masculine scents? Check our Palo Santo Linen Spray or Island Retreat Candle.
Earthy: These fragrances capture the essence of soil, roots and plants. They often deep, musky and can sometimes be spicy. Some earthy notes include vetiver, patchouli, moss and mushroom. These scents can evoke a sense of grounding and connection to nature. Sound like your jam? Then you might love Down the Cape.
Oriental (Spicy): Oriental fragrances are rich, exotic and most times, spicy. They may contain notes of cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and vanilla. These scents are known for their sensual and mysterious qualities. Check back in the fall and winter for some of our Oriental scents!
Fresh/Clean: These scents are light, clean and refreshing and often evoke the feelings of being outdoors or near water. They may include notes of seaweed, salt, ozone, linen, melon or cucumber. They are perfect or warmer months (or when you wish it was!) If you like fresh and clean scents you would probably enjoy Down the Cape of our Fresh Linen Spray.