Top Notes
The top note in an olfactive pyramid is the first smell that hits your nose. These notes usually belong to the citrus family; they are crisp, light, and fresh. Many floral and herbal notes sit on the top, too, which tend to be unnoticeable half an hour after applying to your body.
Middle Notes
As the top notes disappear, the middle or heart notes are revealed. The middle notes are decorated with floral and aromatic characteristics such as rose, lily, and jasmine. These notes last a while and contribute tremendously to the personality of the perfume.
Bass Notes
The bass notes in the olfactive pyramid are the foundations of the perfume and are what you are left with at the end of the day. It provides depth to the fragrance and usually consists of woody, earthy, and strong oriental notes such as vanilla, sandalwood, and musk. The base notes are, in fact, the signature of the perfume.
Floral Family
The floral family of notes is probably the most common one. Classic perfumes and the one you are most familiar with consist of the traditional raw materials used in perfumes. Tuberose and orange blossom are key ingredients to many creations and provide the perfume with feminine and fresh characteristics.
Woody and Oriental
The woody notes are usually driven from stronger trees. Cedar is a popular one together with amber; they fill the perfume with richness and body and turn a simple smell into something more elegant, full of character. Oriental touches to your perfume are notes of resins, balsams, and earthy spices. They provide warmth and sophistication to any perfume.
Gourmand
Now, while most fragrance notes are driven from natural raw materials, the gourmand olfactive family and a synthetic one provide notes with almost edible characteristics. Chocolate, vanilla, almond, and caramel are a few that are popular in the industry, and basically, if it sounds good enough to eat, it is good enough to wear.
Fragrance Making
The fragrance industry is considered art, and the work and creativity invested into bringing to life a new fragrance is not rated enough, in our opinion. What you smell first is not what you will be left with, therefore when you go perfume hunting, remember that after trying something new, you should wait a few hours to understand better what you are going to be left with.