Fragrances or smell of every perfumes may differ from person to person on use. Thats the reason it may happen that the perfume you purchased from store smelling so good, actually doesn't smell's that good when you use it on your body. The Aroma of the perfume that you smell on your friends or any other's body, and really liked it when smelled on them, may not smell that good when you use the same perfume from same bottle on your body. Here is the reason I would like to explain you. Perfumes, irrespective of the brand and the scent, comprise of three sets of molecules. These molecules evaporate at different times giving out a different fragrance each time and since our body chemistry is different from each other they react differently on each person.

Here the three sets of molecuses are termed as notes. The "top note", middle note, and the base note. The "top note", evaprates the fastet, the middle note takes a bit more time then the top note to evaporate, and the base note evaporates at the last and really takes long time to evaporate. The perfumes with perfect combination of all these three notes are said to be good quality perfumes, and others with mismatch combinations of these notes are said to be bad in quality.

The first note or the top note is the scent which we smell immediately upon the application of the perfume. This note is composed of small and light molecules which evaporate swiftly as soon as exposed to the air. The top note denotes the freshness, assertiveness and sharpness of the perfume and is responsible for forming the first impression of the perfume. It is on this basis people buy their perfume and thus it is very critical for a perfume to have the perfect top note. For this reason, citrus fruits and ginger are normally used for top notes because these components are strong enough to be perceived at the very instance they are exposed to the atmosphere. The top note or the head note as it is also known is usually felt for about the first ten minutes.

Next, comes the second note or the middle note which comprises of molecules which take a longer time to evaporate. It is perceived when the top note disappears. The general time limit of this note is between two minutes to one hour after application. The middle note forms the main body or the heart of the perfume and for this reason is also called the `heart note` of a perfume. This note gives out full-bodied scents which are warm, soft and expansive. Lavender and rose petals are typically used to form the middle note of a perfume as our honeysuckle and magnolia. The middle note also performs another task that of disguising the initial unpleasant whiff of the base or the third note which turns pleasant after some time.

The final bow is taken by the last note or the base note which gives out the fragrant note right after the middle note disappears. This usually takes place after half an hour to an hour of the perfume`s application. The molecules of this note take the longest time to evaporate and this is the scent which stays with us. The compounds of the last note bind and fix the top and middle notes which are lighter. The base note is normally described as `deep` and `rich` and musk, vetiver and some plant resins are most commonly used in its composition. The scent of the top note and the middle note sets the tone of the base note and vice versa. The origin of the perfume is derived from the combination of the middle note and the base note and forms the main fragrance of the perfume.

Getting this delicate balance right is what makes a good perfume stand out amongst a plethora of perfumes.