The River Fragrance Wheel

The River Fragrance Wheel

Did you know that scents have a power of MEMORY. Attaching a scent to any particular event can help anyone associate that scent with that memory. Just like the wet mud smell of rainfall reminds you of your happy childhood play. In the same manner when you use a same scent for a moment that moment becomes memorable, now whenever you will sense this scent you will be immediately be nostalgic for the happy moment attached to it.

Now let’s learn a bit on how you can find your perfect scent. What draws you to particular notes. Imagine walking up to a candle booth or perfume counter, picking up a scent, taking a deep inhale and smelling the fragrance: the first notes that hit your olfactory bulb are the top notes or the head of the fragrance. Take another sniff: the top notes fade away to reveal the middle notes or the heart of the fragrance. One more sniff: the middle notes make way for the bottom notes or the base.

Fragrances are a harmony of top, middle and bottom notes; and, each note can contain multiple scents ingredients. Each unique scent or ingredient naturally falls into one of these notes:

1. TOP (aka. HEAD)
The top or head notes are what you smell immediately. Ingredients that give off these notes consist of small molecules that evaporate quickly.
• Citrus fruits
• Aromatics

 

2. MIDDLE (aka. HEART)
As top notes begin dissipating, you begin to smell the middle or heart notes. They are usually more mellow and last longer than the top notes.
• Floral
• Green
• Fruity
• Spices

    3. BOTTOM (aka. BASE)
    The bottom or base notes bring depth and solidity to a fragrance. Ingredients that are used for base notes have a rich and strong scent and molecules that evaporate very slowly, so their odor lasts the longest.
    • Woody
    • Balsamic

    Around 1900, traditional fragrance categories emerged; but since 1945, advances in technology and the natural evolution of styles and tastes led to the development of new categories. And in 1983 Michael Edward, British fragrance expert, invented the Fragrance Wheel to simplify the classification of fragrances and show their relationship. Just like colors, fragrance types are also displayed on a wheel; and similarly, complimentary notes appear across from each other. Each unique scent or ingredient can be classified as either Fresh or Warm, then grouped into 1 of 4 Fragrance Families: Fresh, Floral, Oriental/Exotic or Woody. Within each Fragrance Family, there are Subfamilies; and, a few Subfamilies crossover two families.

    Here’s RIVER FRAGRANCE APOTHECARY’S fragrance wheel.

    FIND YOUR FRAGRANCE

    Browse the fragrance family to find a scent that’s perfect for you. Click below to shop by fragrance type:

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