For many women, the right perfume is important. It often seems to brighten their mood, increase their self-esteem, or embolden their self-image. Having the right perfume for that special date, or a special occasion can be extremely important. The three main ingredients in perfume are perfume oil, water, and alcohol, but the different notes of a perfume, and how they interact with your skin, are what makes the fragrance special to you.

The ingredients that make up a perfume are categorized as notes. Each perfume will have all three notes:

1. Base notes
When a base note perfume is first applied, its individual molecules are large and dense. They evaporate slowly. You will not notice these notes when first applied. It usually takes about half an hour as it goes into its drying down period. These notes are usually rich notes that stay on the skin the longest and include scents like cedarwood, musk, sandalwood, vanilla, and others.

2. Top notes
These notes are also called headnotes. They are made up of smaller and lighter molecules that evaporate more quickly. The head notes are what you notice first about a perfume when it is applied and can be very important in the saleability of a product. This will be your initial impression of the perfume. The Base and heart notes both influence this note. Head notes are often described as being flowery, spicy, earthy, or citrusy.

3. Heart notes
These notes will be noticed usually just as the top notes begin dissipating. They are called heart or middle notes because they make up the main body of the perfume. This note accents the stronger base notes, helping to tone them down. The middle notes are considered to be more mellow or softer. This note will begin to fade somewhere between twenty minutes to an hour after application. middle notes make up about seventy percent of the total scent of perfume and can be achieved with scents like jasmine and cinnamon.

4. Interactions
The top and middle notes react to the base and the base will change depending on the materials used as middle notes. Over time, new fragrances become popular as new combinations of materials are experimented with.

5. Identify notes you enjoy
As you try different perfumes you will begin to recognize these descriptions of notes more readily. You will begin to understand the ones that personally appeal to you and which ones do not. You may develop an idea of how your own skin will blend and interact with different perfumes and affect them. Never stop looking though, because as you age and change, so might your preferences.

6. Don’t be afraid to experiment
Keep trying different fragrances until you know you have found your signature scent. It will give you a presence and speak your name in the minds of others.