Reading a fragrance pyramid

Top notes are the handshake: bright, volatile, gone within twenty minutes. Heart notes carry the character of the composition for the following two to four hours.

The base is where a house shows its hand. Ambergris, sandalwood, oud and musk are slow molecules — they can carry a scent for twelve hours or more.

Judge a fragrance only after four hours on skin. Anything before that is an introduction, not an acquaintance.