Lesson 1 of 2 in this stage
Notes: what do you smell, and how does it change?
Understand top, heart and base notes and describe a scent's development simply.
A note is a smell description
A rose or vanilla note names a recognizable smell impression. It does not prove the bottle contains a rose or natural vanilla extract; a perfumer can build that impression using one material or a blend. A notes list guides what you might notice. It is not a full ingredient list or a guessing test you must pass.
Top, heart and base
| Name | Meaning | Descriptive example |
|---|---|---|
| Top | Early impressions after spraying | A bright citrus opening recalling lemon peel |
| Heart | The character that becomes clearer as the opening settles | Rose, flowers or spices becoming clearer |
| Base | Impressions that remain or stand out later | Wood, musk or vanilla-like warmth |
The phases overlap
A perfume is not three boxes opening one after another. Some impressions are present early but become noticeable when a stronger one subsides. Development differs across formulas, paper and skin; no fixed timetable fits every perfume. Judging only the first spray may miss the part you will wear for much of the day.
Try one description at a time
Spray a finished product onto a testing strip as directed, away from your face, and write your first useful word: citrus, floral, sweet or woody. Return after it settles and again later, noting changes. You do not need twenty notes; one clearly observed change is more useful than copying a list you cannot smell.
Separate three very different things
A note is a smell impression such as strawberry or jasmine. A raw material is a real aromatic molecule or extract used in a formula. An accord combines several materials into a recognizable composite impression. A strawberry note does not prove that strawberry juice, a natural extract or any single named molecule is present in the bottle.
A controlled but simple smelling exercise
- Use separate, labelled blotters for two perfumes.
- Describe the opening before reading the marketing note list to reduce expectation bias.
- Revisit after the initial spray settles and again later, tracking which impressions emerge or recede rather than forcing a rigid timetable.
- For a skin comparison, test a suitable finished fragrance sparingly and avoid irritated skin.
What can you actually conclude?
You may describe sweetness at first and a woody warmth later. Smell alone cannot reveal exact material percentages or prove that a material is natural. Sensory description and compositional analysis answer different questions. Paper and skin may also show different scent development, so they are complementary tests.
Your turn
Use what you learned
Describe one perfume initially and later. If you notice no change, record that rather than invent a note.
See the answer and why
Example: 'Initially clearly citrus; later softer with slight sweetness.' The task is observing change, not matching an advert.
Check your understanding
Answer four questions, then review the reason for each answer. You can retry.
A three-check smelling exercise
Spray a test strip, wait 30 seconds, and note your opening impression. Return after 15–20 minutes and again after two hours. Record sensory descriptors such as citrus, floral or woody; a marketing note does not identify the raw materials used.
Why the timeline is not a law
Top, heart and base are useful descriptions, not three layers that switch on in sequence. Temperature, the substrate, formula and individual perception change which impressions dominate.
Apply it to SESH: explore the fragrance collection, compare each perfume’s note description, then test the scent rather than relying on copy alone.
SESH case study: Love by Sheeka describes peach and freesia in its opening, rose and jasmine in its heart, and vanilla, patchouli and vetiver in its base. Compare this note map with your own observations.
