What do top notes, middle notes, and base notes mean when talking about fragrance?

A perfect combination of these three notes makes a fragrance lasting and appealing.

  • Top Note – This is the initial impression the fragrance oil makes when you first smell a candle or remove the lid. It is the most volatile, meaning it will evaporate the quickest.
  • Middle Note – The middle note is the “heart” of the fragrance. It can take 10 to 20 minutes for the middle notes to fully develop. When you are burning a candle, the middle notes are the most prominent.
  • Base Note – also called the “Dry Down”- The base notes are what give a candle lasting quality. It is the aroma that lingers even after the candle is extinguished.

Note: Some notes are just more prominent than others in a fragrance and tend to linger throughout the stages.