How to Read a Fragrance Pyramid

Every fragrance is built in three movements.

The top notes are the greeting. Citrus, pepper, green leaves — small, volatile molecules that evaporate within fifteen minutes. They are the reason a perfume smells one way on the blotter and another way an hour later.

The heart is the argument. Florals, spices and resins arrive as the top fades, and they carry the fragrance for the next several hours. This is the part most people actually recognise as the scent.

The base is the memory. Woods, ambers, musks and oud cling to skin and fabric, sometimes for a full day. When someone says a perfume "smells expensive", they are usually talking about the base.

The practical lesson: never judge a fragrance at the counter. Spray, walk away, and decide after two hours.