4 min read

Base Notes in Perfumery - it's all about that base

Written By: Robin Lander

When you first apply a perfume, you may notice a burst of citrusy freshness or the fullness of heady florals. But once these inviting top and heart notes begin to dissipate, the deepest and most profound notes slowly emerge, lingering and evolving on the skin over time. In this depth, intensity, and staying power lies the foundation of every great perfume – its base notes.

In perfumery, the concept of ‘notes’ are a way of categorizing different aromas based on their rate of evaporation, or volatility. Base notes contain the largest molecules, evaporate the slowest, and are the final and longest-lasting phase of a fragrance’s composition. Anchoring the fragrance, base notes are typically rich, heavy, warm and complex, adding grounding and sensual effects and lasting character to your perfume. Read on to learn about our favorite popular base notes and how to use them.

Balsam of Peru

Richly balsamic, deep vanilla-sweet aroma, with soft clove-like and mild woody, smoky, leathery-animalic undertones. With warm, gourmand qualities, Balsam of Peru can be a cost-effective substitute for vanilla when a sweet vanilla note is desired. It blends well with woods, florals, and spices such as Copaiba, Jasmine, and Black Pepper.

Frankincense, Oman

Fresh, warm, resinous, coniferous, with peppery undertones and a top note of lemon-orange citrus. A rare and precious commodity in ancient times, Frankincense, Oman brings subtle bright elements and understated elegance to perfumes. It blends well with balsams, delicate florals, and citruses such as Opopanax, Neroli, and Mandarin.

Labdanum Absolute – Clear

Powerful, deep, rich, sweet balsamic aroma with a faint herbaceous nuance and a persistent ambergris-like backnote. Legendary in perfume for its fixative value and natural leathery undertones, Labdanum Absolute - Clear is popular in Amber compositions. It blends well with resins, powdery florals, and gourmand spices like Liquidambar, Mimosa, and Cinnamon.

Oakmoss Absolute

Dry, earthy, bark and pine-like top notes over smooth, rich notes of moss, wood, decaying leaf, fungus, lichen, and damp earth. Deep, mysterious and evocative, Oakmoss Absolute is a powerful fixative and a classic ingredient of chypre perfumes. Adding value to all types of base note accords, it blends well with earthy notes and citruses like Patchouli and Bergamot. Contains a low percentage of atranol and meets international standards.

Patchouli – Double Distilled

Exceptionally smooth and refined, deep earthy, musky, dry and slightly spicy-warm. Our specialty Patchouli created for perfumers offers a tenacious, sophisticated cleanness of aroma not found in other Patchouli oils. It blends well with a wide range of aromas, particularly fine florals and spices like Rose Absolute, Red Champaca, and Cinnamon Bark.

Sandalwood, Royal Hawaiian – Organic

Extremely rich, warm woody, sweet, and full-bodied with remarkable tenacity – our most luxurious Sandalwood. Bringing both comforting and sensual qualities, Sandalwood, Royal Hawaiian - Organic anchors a perfume composition beautifully without overpowering. It blends well with woods and fruity florals such as Cedarwood, Cypress, Black Currant Bud, and Ylang Ylang.

Tobacco Absolute

Woody, mossy, sweet hay-like, warm herbaceous aroma reminiscent of fine pipe tobacco. Our Tobacco Absolute adds warmth, depth and character to musky and Amber compositions when used in very small amounts. It blends well with musky, agrestic, and tea-like floral aromas such as Ambrette, Hay, Boronia, and Clary Sage. PLEASE NOTE: we are unable to ship this product internationally.

Vetiver – Double Distilled

Super smooth, deep, earthy, refined aroma with a very mild green top note. Created for perfumers, Vetiver – Double Distilled is mellower than our other Vetivers with an appealing sweet wood quality and no smoky, harsh notes. Popular and versatile, it blends well with woody, spicy, green, floral, and citrus notes like Coriander, Violet Leaf, Cassie Absolute, and Sweet Orange.

Looking for more base note inspiration? You’ll find a listing of all our Base Notes here.

Read our article on “Natural Perfumery Basics” to learn more about perfumery composition using the categories of top, heart/middle, and base Notes.