Fragrance notes in women's perfumes: how to choose perfumes for yourself?

The fragrance of the perfume we choose is very individual. A well-chosen one makes you feel better in your own skin and gives you confidence. What to look for when choosing a perfume? Which notes to choose depending on your temperament and aesthetic preferences?

Even the most intricate fragrances can find as many admirers as fierce opponents. Some fragrances are bold, others are classic - some smell great in summer, others are typically winter. Some are sweet and quintessentially feminine, others share many notes with men's fragrances. All this means that many people use different perfumes depending on the occasion, season or mood.

Women's perfumes - what to look for when choosing them?

At first glance, the choice of flavor does not seem difficult. However, in reality, things are different. When choosing a perfume that suits you, you should check the scent of many of them. Unfortunately, the sense of smell ceases to distinguish smells after a dozen attempts, which greatly complicates the choice. Moreover, the number of women's perfumes on the market can make you dizzy. Therefore, at the initial choice, it is worth focusing on the notes of the aroma. This is the basic information provided by manufacturers, which allows you to initially select a product that would suit this person.

Fragrant notes of perfume - what is the aroma pyramid?

Paying attention to the dominant aromatic notes, we usually define perfume as sweet or musky. However, in reality they have several dimensions. They are determined by the aroma pyramid - the specific genetic code of the aroma, broken down into primary factors. Perfume consists of:

• notes - this is what we often talk about when defining the characteristics of a perfume. They are a showcase of fragrance. The top notes are released first, right after the perfume is sprayed. They are light and fresh. They usually stay on the skin for about 15 minutes;
• heart notes – felt on the skin for several hours after spraying. They define the character of the fragrance. There are no rules for their composition, but floral or fruity elements usually appear in them;
• base notes - lasts as long as possible on the skin. It is in this layer that the most expressive and essential smells, such as musk or patchouli, most often hide.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. There are fragrances that are essentially built on a single note, or that are a conventional order in which the heaviest, most expressive notes are released at the very end. In their case, heavy aromas are felt immediately after spraying.

What fragrance notes suit you?

The types of notes found in perfumery can be divided as follows:

• floral – for example, bergamot, ylang-ylang, iris, lily, lily of the valley, rose or orange blossom,
• fruit – including common citrus fruits such as mandarin, blackcurrant or raspberry,
• spicy – e.g. cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg,
• musky – Musk can be obtained from various sources, a vegan substitute derived from angelica is also often used,
• woody – for example, sandalwood, eucalyptus, cedar, myrrh, frankincense or vetiver,
• herbal such as basil, rosemary or thyme.

Most perfumes are made up of molecules belonging to different categories. This allows you to create truly all-encompassing, one-of-a-kind scents. However, it is the dominant note of the head that determines the first impression that the fragrance makes on you and those around you.

The choice of perfume also largely depends on the season. In summer and spring we prefer light scents, with citrus and floral notes, while in winter we tend to opt for heavier scents laced with woody or spicy scents.

How to choose perfume?

If you don't know how to choose the right perfume for you, a good starting point - in addition to identifying the most suitable and preferred scent notes - is to try the most popular fragrances on the market.

Below we present the fragrance pyramids of the most popular fragrances from the given categories:

Category: Classic Floral Fruity

Armani Si - fragrance notes

• head: black currant
• hearts: freesia, rose
• base: ambroxan, patchouli, vanilla

Lancome La vie est belle fragrance notes

• Head: blackcurrant, pear
• heart: iris, jasmine, orange blossom
• base notes: praline, vanilla, patchouli, tonka bean

Kenzo Flower - fragrance notes

• heads: Bulgarian rose, hawthorn, blackcurrant, mandarin
• heart: parma violet, rose, opoponax, jasmine
• bases: vanilla, white musk, incense

Category: fresh, woody

Calvin Klein Euphoria fragrance notes

• Top notes: pomegranate, hurricane, green notes
• hearts: orchid, lotus
• base: mahogany, amber, musk, violet

Chanel Chance - fragrance notes

• notes: iris, pepper, hyacinth, pineapple, patchouli
• heart: jasmine, lemon
• base notes: vanilla, patchouli, musk, vetiver

Category: Oriental

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Fragrance Notes

• Head: pear, pink pepper, mandarin
• heart: orange blossom, jasmine
• bases: vanilla, patchouli, cedar, coffee

Tom Ford Black Orchid Fragrance Notes

• notes: truffles, ylang-ylang, bergamot, black currant, gardenia
• heart: orchid, lotus, jasmine
• base: dark chocolate, incense, amber, patchouli, sandalwood, vanilla, white musk.

What flavor will be your favorite? Try a few to see which flavor notes work best for you.

: