⊛ learn · lesson 1
the pyramid
why a perfume changes during the day
a perfume is built in three layers.
what you smell in the first minute is not what you smell later. perfumers describe it as a pyramid: top, heart, base.
the top: the first impression.
the lightest, most volatile notes, so they leave first. think citrus like bergamot and lemon, or herbs like mint and rosemary.
usually minutes
the heart: what comes next.
as the top fades, the heart comes through: often floral, like rose and jasmine, and sometimes fruity, green or powdery. it carries the main theme.
the base: what stays.
the heaviest notes leave last: woods like sandalwood and cedar, amber, vanilla, musk. they give depth, and anchor the lighter layers.
often hours, and longer on clothes
see it over a day.
tap a moment and see which layer is still there.
a guide, not a law.
some perfumes are made to smell almost the same from start to finish: people often call them linear. and skin can change the timing a little.
