top, heart and base
Top, heart and base notes: how to think about your blend
The three layers a perfumer composes in, and how to choose for each.
Reserve your place at the bench ↗The three layers
| Layer | What it does |
|---|---|
| Top | The opening you smell first; it fades first |
| Heart | The body of the scent once the opening settles |
| Base | What stays on skin and fabric the longest |
Why three layers
A fragrance changes as it dries on skin. Perfumers describe that change as a pyramid, and the workshop teaches you to build one on purpose.
Top notes
These are the light, quick ones. They create the first impression and then step aside, so choose them for mood rather than for staying power.
Heart notes
The heart carries the character. In Grasse that often means jasmine or rose, two flowers that grow in the surrounding hills.
Base notes
Bases are the slow, deep notes. A small amount goes a long way, and the base decides whether the scent feels warm or clean at the end of the day.
Balancing the three
If a blend feels sharp, soften the top. If it feels flat, lift the heart. If it vanishes by lunch, give the base more weight.
Writing it down
Note the choices you like as you go. The old-town masterclass gives you a printed map of your pyramid, but at the bastide a note on your phone does the same job.