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Opening, Top, Base, Drydown

post #1 of 24
6/21/12 at 12:47am
Thread Starter 
What is all of these... I've saw and read "THOUSANDS" of reviews, and every single one of them includes these four (Or three of them) bases on them.

When i spray my fragrances, say L'eau D'issey (Everyone knows that one) I get the same exact smell throughout the entire 8-12 hours. Am i supposed to smell 3 different stages? Isnt this Opening, Top, Base, Drydown abit overrated?
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post #2 of 24
6/21/12 at 12:57am
I might be stepping in here with little to no knowledge but to MY understanding, as we progress into this venture and "train our nose" we will begin to "understand" these stages, and would be more aware when we study the scent, rather than just going off what we originally smell at first spray.

I'm with you though, id wonder about this too.. and the above thought process is what *I* get out of it..
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post #3 of 24
6/21/12 at 1:01am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for your reply. So i guess we have kind of the same feeling. But i believe this is still overrated about the stages.

Also, i think it becomes more aware-able? when you actually learn the scents, like the ingredients themselves.

I'm only 16, I've owned about 10-15 bottles in total about now, so i might be learning more in future
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post #4 of 24
6/21/12 at 1:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mudi2800 View Post


Also, i think it becomes more aware-able? when you actually learn the scents, like the ingredients themselves.

I would agree with this, and I am still in those learning stages at 32. I wish I were learning at your age. At 16 I was buying frags left and right, however, they were the old standards, nothing niche. More designers I assume.

I would take a bottle from your own collection and look up the notes here on basenotes and try to learn about them, train your nose from what you have. See if you can follow the guide of the opening, top, drydown, etc.. so far I am only really good with the opening and drydown lol
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post #5 of 24
6/21/12 at 1:30am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for your reply loudsight123,

Yea, i should definitely try searching up the ingredients. I just registered as a member here on basenotes, so I'm still pretty new to this forum-thing.

I just bought a YSL- Kouros (THE ORIGINAL 1981 Babeh!) bottle for myself. I read great reviews all over the place, and once ordering it, i went back to reviews. This time, unluckily i found bad reviews, about it being urinal etc... I hope i wont get that on my skin! LOL

I'll probably recieve it by the next few days. I feel mature, and I'll probably like it because its traditional and old-school scents.
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post #6 of 24
6/21/12 at 1:34am
Thread Starter 
By the way, where can i found a list of fragrance ingredients? When i search them up, i get a list of fragrances including the ingredient, and not the information about it.
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post #7 of 24
6/21/12 at 1:40am
Elena Vosnaki did a nice article, on May l4, 2012, in Perfume Shrine:

http://perfumeshrine.blogspot.com/se...erfume+pyramid
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post #8 of 24
6/21/12 at 1:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mudi2800 View Post

By the way, where can i found a list of fragrance ingredients? When i search them up, i get a list of fragrances including the ingredient, and not the information about it.

I'm not EXACTLY sure.. What I do is click on Wardrobe on the top, and go to add a frag.. once you select it, you will see reviews and info about it.
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post #9 of 24
6/21/12 at 2:06am
Frags vary. Some have distinct stages while others don't. For me, top notes are what last for only a few minutes while an "opening" lasts at least half an hour or so, and sometimes for a long time. And for me the drydown is when there is no more development. Others may be using these terms differently, however.
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post #10 of 24
6/21/12 at 2:07am
Good point Bigsly. Personally when I am looking for a gem, I want projection and longer lasting.
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post #11 of 24
6/21/12 at 2:30am
Thread Starter 
As for me aswell, i chase for longevity. If i like the smell, the smell will stay the same for me through the entire development. So if i like the smell, does it last 8 or more hours, its for me.

As Bigsly said something about top and drydown. I thought top were the same as opening. I thought Drydown is the same as base. I have alot to learn!
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post #12 of 24
6/21/12 at 2:32am
Thread Starter 
And thanks Ursula, for the link. I'll definitely check out the notes in there, I've looked through it quickly.
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post #13 of 24
6/21/12 at 4:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mudi2800 View Post

When I spray my fragrances, say L'eau D'issey (Everyone knows that one) I get the same exact smell throughout the entire 8-12 hours.

This happens to me too with a lot of fragrances but not all.
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post #14 of 24
6/21/12 at 4:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mudi2800 View Post

I'm still pretty new to this forum-thing.

I just bought a YSL- Kouros (THE ORIGINAL 1981 Babeh!) bottle for myself.
I'll probably recieve it by the next few days. I feel mature, and I'll probably like it because its traditional and old-school scents.

Wow, talk about going into this full-stop. Kouros is one of the all-time great classics... but it can be quite polarizing and challenging. That is a tough one to go blind on right out of the gate, but I like your style. It is a much, MUCH better scent than that loathsome L'eau you mentioned in the OP, IMO. I apologize to Kouros lovers everywhere for even comparing the two.
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post #15 of 24
6/21/12 at 8:06am
Quote:
What is all of these... I've saw and read "THOUSANDS" of reviews, and every single one of them includes these four (Or three of them) bases on them.

When i spray my fragrances, say L'eau D'issey (Everyone knows that one) I get the same exact smell throughout the entire 8-12 hours. Am i supposed to smell 3 different stages? Isnt this Opening, Top, Base, Drydown abit overrated?

I think that's confusing two related but distinct concepts. I'm relatively new to it all, but as far as I understand it, it goes like this...

Top notes, middle or heart notes, and base notes are the classes of ingredients that make up a fragrance. Top notes are the lighter more volatile ingredients that come off quickly, heart notes last longer and tend to make up the essential character of a fragrance, and base notes are the longest lasting and heavier substances which help stabilise the whole thing and which last the longest.

Opening and drydown are terms that describe the chronological stages after application. So on the opening, the top notes will be most noticeable, though depending on the fragrance, contributions from heart or even base notes will be there too. On drydown, the top notes diminish and the heart and base notes come through more - but the extent of each depends on the individual notes and the overall fragrance blend.

Does that make any sense?
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post #16 of 24
6/21/12 at 1:00pm
Nice explanation Oscroft.

I'll add that certain frags don't develop much on my skin also. Versace pour Homme smells the same on me for about 10 hours. I think that fragrances with more synthetic top notes seem to hang on longer, whereas fragrances using a lot of natural citrus oils and such burn off the top notes a lot faster.

Also, what really determines a note's place in the pyramid is the size of the scent molecule. Base notes have larger molecules, which require more time to heat up enough to lift off the skin. Whereas top notes are smaller molecules which heat up and burn off rapidly.

This heat-reaction also means that a fragrance applied to clothing is unlikely to develop at the same speed as the same fragrance applied directly to the skin. You didn't mention where you spray your Issey, but if it's on the clothes or near the clothes, or even heavily on the chest, the top notes will stick to the fabric longer, and you'll have the impression of less development in your fragrance.
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post #17 of 24
6/21/12 at 1:18pm
"Linear" fragrances are designed to smell the same start to finish. They are normally a combination of opening notes up top followed by some almost muted aroma-chemicals which drag the initial scent down into the base.
This is often the case with designer scents as the target audience generally buy from the first spray.
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post #18 of 24
6/21/12 at 2:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by forfreddie View Post

"Linear" fragrances are designed to smell the same start to finish. They are normally a combination of opening notes up top followed by some almost muted aroma-chemicals which drag the initial scent down into the base.
This is often the case with designer scents as the target audience generally buy from the first spray.

Ah, that's good to know, thanks - I've seen the word "linear" used a few times but didn't really understand it.
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post #19 of 24
6/21/12 at 10:32pm
Oud perfume oil blends are rather linear, also. A full blast of heavy notes, then linear progression into a quiet dry down.
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post #20 of 24
6/22/12 at 9:50am
I wouldn't get too hung up about the term. Like most classifications it is just a general grouping to ease understanding. In reality the materials contained within a perfume contain a full range of different evaporation rates, but these get simplified into top notes (fleeting), heart or middle notes (which tend to last in the order of hours) and base notes which can last for days, weeks or even longer in some cases.

As others have mentioned some modern fragrances do not necessarily fit into this grouping in any meaningful way.
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post #21 of 24
6/22/12 at 10:46am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oscroft View Post

I think that's confusing two related but distinct concepts. I'm relatively new to it all, but as far as I understand it, it goes like this...

Top notes, middle or heart notes, and base notes are the classes of ingredients that make up a fragrance. Top notes are the lighter more volatile ingredients that come off quickly, heart notes last longer and tend to make up the essential character of a fragrance, and base notes are the longest lasting and heavier substances which help stabilise the whole thing and which last the longest.

Opening and drydown are terms that describe the chronological stages after application. So on the opening, the top notes will be most noticeable, though depending on the fragrance, contributions from heart or even base notes will be there too. On drydown, the top notes diminish and the heart and base notes come through more - but the extent of each depends on the individual notes and the overall fragrance blend.

Does that make any sense?

Wow, thanks for your post! That made my mind clear. I absolutely understand now. So from what i understood:

Top > Opening > Drydown > Heart > Base. Opening comes after top, wich are the lighter like citrus etc. Then the drydown wich leads to heart > base. If i understood correctly. Thanks again.
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post #22 of 24
6/22/12 at 10:50am
Thread Starter 
Thanks to everyone for your posts!

Wow, this website is really really helpful regarding fragrances. I'm new to this website as i mentioned, and surprised how helpful you all are, Thanks again! Is this website the most populated fragrance forum-based website alive?
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post #23 of 24
6/22/12 at 12:11pm
Welcome to Basenotes, Mudi2800!

I like your style. Enjoy your scent journey and enjoy your Kouros. As someone mentioned, I wish I had the resources here when I was your age.
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post #24 of 24
6/23/12 at 12:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mudi2800 View Post

Top > Opening > Drydown > Heart > Base.

A more correct, rudimentary representation:

Opening/Top<>Heart/Middle<>Base>Drydown.
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