Pura's Perfume Note Library

An aromatic directory of our top, heart, base and accord notes you will have access to experience during your bespoke perfume session. 

TOP/HEAD NOTES

(10-30% of your blend) introduce the perfume and are usually thin and mobile, with diffusive, sharp, penetrating, uplifting, refreshing, light, and/or fleeting attributes. 

• Bergamot: Italy - citrusy, bitter and sour, mild, spicy, elegant light note, complex with nuances of fruit and aromatic elements, reminiscent of eau de Cologne, flavors Earl Grey tea, Mediterranean fragrant waters

• Bitter Orange: Sicily - modern, fresh, tart, hot, bitter-sweet aroma

• Blood Orange: Sicily - very sweet and juicy smelling with a hint of raspberry

• Cinnamon Bark: Madagascar - its odor is sweet and bitter, hot and sensuous

• Clementine: Italy - sweet, juicy, fresh, crisp, citrus aroma- very succulent

• Eucalyptus: Australia - fresh, medicinal, woody, earthy

• Key Lime: Peru - very refreshing, sharper than lemon, very sour with an airy, zesty top note

• Lemon: Sicily - astringent, sour, sweet undertone, aromatic nuance, bright, cheerful & vibrant

• Peppermint: India - minty, fresh, bright, more fragrant than spearmint

• Petitgrain: Sicily - soft, lightly rosy-woody green floral note

• Pink Grapefruit: Argentina - tart, tangy, with bitter aftertaste, clearing elegant aroma, happy smell, uplifting

• Spearmint: India - slightly fruity aroma that is less bright than peppermint

• Sweet Orange: USA - sweet hesperide, juicy, succulent, between mandarin and pomelo, small facet of astringency

• Tangerine: Brazil - honey-facet aroma, sweeter than orange

MIDDLE/HEART NOTES

(30-60% of your blend) are usually full-bodied, complex, and comprise the theme or focal point of the blend, while others augment, complement, balance, harmonize with the other notes. 

• Fir Balsam: Canada – sweet, rich, deep balsamic, evergreen aroma with a light, clean terpenic top note; the aroma of freshly crushed fir needles

• Gardenia: powdery, vintage, intoxicating floral note of extreme popularity with piquant green aspects when budding, raw mushroom and sweet decay when ripe

• Hawaiian Plumeria: (Frangipani) - heady, sweet, tropical & floral

• Japanese Cherry Blossom: powdery, clean, sweet, lightly tangy note between floral and fruit

• Jasmine Grandiflorum: India - sweet, delicate, rich and narcotic scent that is floral but with an animalic background, blends well with all oils

• Lavender: France - floral, fresh, sweet, herbaceous and sometimes slightly fruity. It can be slightly camphorous

• Lilac & Lilies: a fresh floral bouquet of lilac and lilies. Top notes of lilac, ylang ylang and lily of the valley. The heart of the fragrance is a melody of jasmine, rose and lavender with a gentle lingering musk base

• Magnolia: most ancient flowering plants, lemony tinged floral, fresh & lush

• Neroli: Heart/Top/Base – Egypt - citrusy, light, slightly bitter, hints of orange and honey blossom floral facets, purifying, aromatic, romantic

• Palmarosa: India - sweet, warm, slightly green, rose floral

• Roman Chamomile: United Kingdom - adds warmth and an enduring base to a fragrance. It appears sweet, heady and calming to our senses, and often lingers on for hours. Goes very well with fruity and floral notes of jasmine, bergamot and neroli. German chamomile makes s a great note in rich masculine perfumes

• Rose Bulgaria: Bulgaria - ‘Queen of flowers‘ delicately floral, sweet, uplifting, sensual, balanced, hint of spice and tart of lemon zest. Bulgaria makes the most aromatic, high quality rose oil, the aroma of fresh cut roses

• Rose Geranium: South African - floral with a slight scent of rose- taken from leaf

• Rosewood: Heart/Base – Canada - sweet, floral, woody

• Ylang Ylang: Heart/Base – Madagascar - fresh, floral, sweet, slightly fruity, fragrant yet delicate

BASE/BOTTOM NOTES

(15-30% of the blend) are the foundation on which the perfume is built and are dense, heavy, strong, deep, tenacious, and supportive (some with fixative qualities). 

• Cedarwood: Morocco - woody and sweet

• Cocoa Absolute: France - full, sensuous, slightly spicy and an underlay of fat

• Coffee Absolute: France - intense, dark roast facet that is linked to the cocoa facet

• Frankincense: India - fresh, woody, balsamic, slightly spicy and fruity

• Geranium: Egypt - floral, green, a rosy nuance, less powdery and more lemon than rose

• Musk: USA - spicy and woodsy. A truly classic musk scent

• Patchouli (Dark): Indonesia - sweet, dark, with an earthy, woody edge

• Sandalwood: India - the classic oriental woody note, milky, soft, sturdy, rich, with a green top note and a satisfying lingering scent

• Vanilla: India - rich, warm, sweet vanilla aroma

ACCORD NOTES

These notes are used as accessory notes to add complexity and depth to your fragrance. They are to be used very minimally, but have the power to make or break your perfume. 

• Amber Romance: warm, sensual, haunting aroma. Nuances of warm vanilla, sandalwood, patchouli and blackberry blends with musk at the base for an overall rounded, romantic scent

• Bamboo & Teak: rich and luxurious aroma with hints of sandalwood, cedar wood, musk, floral and sweet fruit. A great addition to any collection

• Black Pepper: India - crisp, fresh, peppercorn aroma

• Butter: Belgium – buttery with very rich cream/milk notes. Tenacious silky, creamy drydown with a lingering fatty note

• Champaka: light, delicate floral, fresh air fragrance. Top notes of ozone, muguet and champaka. Heart notes of jasmine, delicate rose and lily of the valley. Powder and light musk at the base

• Clean Cotton: this scent reminisces of a summer breeze blowing through freshly laundered clothes. Notes of floral, lilac and jasmine mellow into an amber and musk base

• Coconut Cream: delicious, sweet, creamy coconut. Buttery top notes with nuances of sweet burnt sugar, cinnamon and peach at the heart of the fragrance. Base notes of coconut, vanilla and powder

• Cucumber: fresh, crisp cucumber fragrance. Top notes of cucumber, green, muguet and citrus. Geranium and rose at the heart of the fragrance. A soft violet and musk at the base

• Fresh Linen: soft, subtle fragrance exudes a powdery scent that is reminiscent of clean cotton linens on a clothes line blowing in an afternoon breeze. This fresh essence is infused with top notes of Crisp Linen, Apple, and Bergamot. Floral middle notes of Neroli blossoms and Rose petals mingle with base notes of Musk, Amber, and Sandalwood

• Ginger Papaya: top notes of citrus and ginger. Papaya, peach and jasmine at the heart. Powder and vanilla complete this delectable fragrance  

• Green Apple: delightful mix of fruity floral and crisp green apple. Top notes of green apple, crisp citrus, and nuances of Berries. Peach mid notes reaching into a light musk at the base of the fragrance

• Honeydew Melon: decadent, juicy honeydew melon fragrance. Light and refreshing. Top notes of sweet peach, melon with nuances of juicy berries. Heart notes of pineapple leading to powder at the base

• Manchurian Dragon: scent of fruity delights with crisp top notes of pineapple and peach infused with a blend of citrusy orange. Find traces of rose, wood violet and carnation in mid-notes adding zest that settles into luscious vanilla cream blended with oakmoss and sweet musk

• Morning Dew: the freshly damp, dewy scent of this vibrant fragrance is reminiscent of defrosting soil and green shoots bursting forth from the earth on an early Spring morning. This aromatic blend creates an overtone of an outdoor scent through the combination of fresh Citrus, Greens, and Aldehydic notes at the top with middle notes of Fruity Melon, Peach, Apple, Jasmine, Muguet, and Rose. Musks, Woods, and Orange Flower blend together at the base

• Mountain Rain: crisp, light, clean fragrance of pristine mountain air after the rain. Soft floral undertones mingles with juicy citrus, and hints of pine and musk to create this wonderful scent

• Oakmoss Absolute: France – earthy-rich notes of moss, wood and pine

• Red Currant & Thyme: rich floral blend of wine-like fruity tea aromas with depth and complexity. Kissed with some tartness and musk notes, this is a must have for your collection

• Sandalwood Amber: warm woodsy fragrance with top notes of bergamot, heart notes of rose and violet, rounded out with amber, sandalwood and vanilla base notes

• Sweet Garden: the mild yet evocative scent of this sumptuous floral fragrance is reminiscent of a sweet-smelling, well-matured flower garden after a refreshingly cool rainfall. Top notes of Dewy Greens, Blood Orange, and Pear are fused with heartening middle notes of Jasmine, Rose Petal, and Cyclamen. At the base, White Musk and Sandalwood round out the delicate scent

• Tobacco Absolute: India – brandy or wine type of scent

• Woodland Themes: fresh, warm woody fragrance. Ozone floral top notes with citrus and balsam. Heart notes of spice, cedarwood and eucalyptus. Musk and moss at the base