First impressions play an important role in shaping our perception of the world around us. Although lasting a mere few moments, our initial encounters with a new person, place, or thing, can leave a lasting impact that sets the tone for how we make decisions in our day-to-day interactions. First impressions are particularly persuasive when our sense of smell is involved, as our emotions and memories are tied closely to our olfactory system.
It’s safe to say most of us have experienced a flash flood of memories wash over our minds when we get a sudden whiff of a beloved childhood food or walk into a distinctively scented and distantly familiar location we frequented in years past. For myself, one sniff of lavender essential oil sends me traveling back to my adventures wandering through my mom’s overgrown lavender bushes as a wobbly-legged toddler.
The impact our sense of smell has on our emotions and memories is something perfumers take heavily into consideration when crafting a blended fragrance. The intentionality behind a scent’s architecture is referred to as something called the “olfactory pyramid”. This pyramid encompasses the three thoughtfully selected layers of a blended scent: the base note, middle note, and top note. In previous parts one and two of this blog series, we dove into the foundation and heart of the olfactory pyramid: base notes, and middle notes. Now, as we ascend higher up the olfactory pyramid to reach the summit, we will discover the first impression of blended scents, known as top notes.
Shaping the peak of the olfactory pyramid, top notes or “head notes” are what our sense of smell first comes into contact with. These stimulating yet volatile oils are fresh and bright, typically detectable for 5-15 minutes after applying to the skin or spritzing into the air. Top notes are intended to be alluring, drawing you into the scent to investigate the entirety of a blended oil’s complex aroma.
To weave in the last piece of the paint layering analogy mentioned in parts one and two of this blog series, top notes are reminiscent of the final details, the ones intended to stand out and encourage one to investigate a painting up close to uncover the hidden layers beneath. Artists typically select their paints for detailing from a visually light palette to allow the contrasting colors to “pop” out. Perfumers utilize this same principle by choosing light and sharp top note oils to highlight the middle and base notes. Just as in a painting, each layer or note of a fragrance works intentionally with one another to achieve a well-balanced and distinctive final scent.
Although volatile, top notes pack a stimulating punch with the first sniff of a fragrance blend. Top notes consist primarily of citrus and soft floral essential oils such as bergamot, lemon, grapefruit, and eucalyptus. To tie a shiny bow on top of our series on the three aroma notes that make up the olfactory pyramid, we’ve compiled an extensive list of our favorite top-note essential oils to save you the tedious legwork of perusing our vast selection of essential oil offerings. Utilizing the knowledge of aroma notes you’ve gained from this series, you are now well-equipped to uncover the endless potential of DIY fragrance blends.
*These oils can be used as a top or middle note, depending on the blend.
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