Essential Oils Perfume Notes - A Complete Guide
Crafting synergistic blissful perfumes is an art. Blending different essential oils layer by layer to create a symphony of soothing aromas is a mystical process. Historically, numerous absolutes and essential oils for perfumes are used in permutation and combination to achieve olfactory magic.
The heartwarming fragrance of perfumes results from a mixture of three aromas, popularly known as the three notes of perfumery. The top note, middle note, and base note. These three notes are also known as the fragrance pyramid or signature notes of perfumery.
Let’s understand the analogy of scent notes with an example of movie characters.
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Top note ( lead characters)
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Middle notes ( cameo characters)
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Base notes ( supporting characters)
The top notes or the lead characters are the first ones to be introduced in a movie. They are the ones that drive the narrative, engage the audience, and establish a connection. In essential oil, the top note plays the lead character. It is the first aroma that hits your nostrils. Top notes are sharp, fresh, and light in nature, with immense significance as they create first impressions of any essential oil blend.
The next comes the heart of a perfume; that is the middle note. Middle Note acts similar to the cameo character; it comes for a short duration but enthralls the movie with its charm. In the same way, middle notes reveal after the base notes and last for a short duration of time. It works as a catalyst between the top note and the base note, ensuring a smooth transition of fragrances between them. The powerful essence of middle note leaves a lasting impression and impact on the mind and develops a memory of a specific scent.
The supporting character (base note) establishes the base, or can say is the most essential attribute of any movie. Similarly, the base notes create space for other scents to linger upon. They are lasting as they generally contain a heavy molecular mass and fly away slowly.
In this comprehensive piece, we will discover these foundation notes that support the captivating scent of exotic perfumes.
Discovering Essential Oils Perfume Notes
Here's a detailed explanation of essential oils perfume notes along with essential oil and absolute oil examples for each note to help you craft natural perfumes.
Top Notes
This constitutes the first fragrance that hits your nose when you first smell an essential oil blend or perfume. Top notes play the most important role as the complete impression of a perfume depends upon it. They carry a fresh, uplifting aroma typically of citrus oils and contribute about 20% of a blend.
Listed are a few most promising essential oils that supplement the perfect aroma to be used as the top note in any essential oil blend or perfume.
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Lemon essential oil
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Basil essential oil
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Bergamot essential oil
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Eucalyptus essential oil
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Lime essential oil
Middle Notes
Middle notes carry the responsibility to provide the body to perfumes. They creates the balance between the sharp top notes and heavy base note. The true essence of middle notes can be experienced after 20 minutes of application. These heart notes form 30% of the blend and last longer than the top blend. Create heart warming perfumes or essential oil blends using these synergistic essential oils. They will ideally neutralize the heavy and light aroma of the other two perfume notes.
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Oregano essential oil
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Geranium essential oil
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Lavender essential oil
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Chamomile essential oil
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Pine needle essential oil
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Cardamom essential oil
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Clove essential oil
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Coriander essential oil
Base Notes
These are heavy scents that create space for other aromas. They are long-lasting and can be felt on clothes and fabrics even after days. It can also be termed as the foundation stone of any perfume or essential oil blend. The Bass note carries a powerful symphony of moments and memories. They make us feel nostalgic and provide deep comfort. These lingering scents are a major source of aroma in a blend or perfume with about 50% of the total mass. Few most commonly use base essential oils for making perfumes are:
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Bakuchiol essential oil
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Ylang-ylang essential oil
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Jasmine essential oil
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Sandalwood essential oil
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Myrrh essential oil
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Frankincense essential oil
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Cedarwood essential oil
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Angelica essential oil
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Patchouli essential oil
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