It's been a long, long time since I looked at the label of a candle in confusion, wondering whether the words 'top', 'heart', and 'base' meant anything at all. My curiosity stemmed from the writings on perfume bottles, but was only taken seriously when I began candle collecting.
And let me tell you, these little nuggets of educational information will make such a difference to how home fragrance trends manifest in your space. Instead of going home to find that your votive doesn't really smell as expected, you'll be better equipped at choosing the best scented candles based on the notes you so desire.
Now, let's take a look at how to decipher between top, middle, and base notes, and why they even matter to begin with.
What Are Top Notes?
This is the first level of fragrance in your scented candle, and makes a short but impactful impression. Just like this La DoubleJ Taormina Candle with its cocktail of clementine, tamarind, and arancia top notes.
"When it comes to scented candles, top notes are what you'll smell first," says Darryl Do, senior perfumer at Delbia Do Fragrances. "Top notes tend to be lighter with citrus, florals, and fruits being common scents at this level."
Since this is the first splash of fragrance that will hit the air, these opening notes are definitely worth considering as they're key to making an impression. However, typically, they only last around 15 minutes, so don't let them heavily sway your choice when selecting candles to make your home smell good.
Top Notes: Black Plum, Davana
When you first sniff this Dark Honey Large Scented Candle from H&M, the saccharine fruity notes of plum will be quick to greet you.
Darryl Do is an accredited senior perfumer at Delbia Do Fragrances, a creative perfumery, where he oversees the compounding, formulation and bulk filtration process in everything from indie niche beauty brands to pharmaceutical brands. Darryl specializes in creating fragrances for niche brands and manufactures perfumes for many global brands as well. He speaks globally on cosmetics regulatory and USDA Organic compliance. He is also currently an Editorial Advisor for Perfumer & Flavorist magazine and an active member of American Society of Perfumers, WFFC, Fashion Group International, & NY Society of Cosmetic Chemists and Cosmetics Industry Buyers & Suppliers.
What Are Heart Notes?
The heart notes of this La Forêt Rêve Diptyque Candle feature ylang-ylang, jasmine, and vanilla — depicting a delightfully balanced second level.
Joyce Barnes, fragrance expert and COO at TOCCA, tells me that the heart notes of a scented candle emerge after the initial notes fade. "These are the center of the fragrance," she explains. "And they help transition the fragrance from the top notes to the longer-lasting base notes."
Whether you notice them labeled as heart, mid, or middle notes, you should consider this level of fragrance as the middleman in the scenting experience. Darryl points out that they tend to be woody notes or musks, lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or more, depending on the scent's weight.
While this might not seem like the biggest deal when you're lighting your daily votive, it can impact the ambiance when hosting. More specifically, when choosing scented candles for a dinner party, consider the heart notes to ensure they don't clash with your menu.
Heart Notes: White Chocolate, Jasmine, Lily, Orris, Caramel
In what may be one of my favorite heart note fragrance melodies of the moment, this Discothèque's second level of scent feels sweet and sexy.
Joyce Barnes is a fragrance expert and the chief operating officer at TOCCA, a New York-based fragrance house manufacturing bath, body, and home fragrances.
What Are Base Notes?
Late but never to disappoint, the base notes are here to stay. Take this Bistro Heirloom Tomato Scented Candle from Paddywax, with final notes of sage, basil, pine leaf, and lovage root to make your home smell like an herb-fruit patch in spring.
And now to the main event, base notes! "They represent the underlying scent of the candle; as it burns, the scent evolves," says Joyce. "The top and heart notes fade, and the deeper base notes come through, which add depth and longevity to the scent."
Darryl tells me that the base notes are often composed of heavy fragrances like patchouli, vetiver, resins, amber, and ouds. Unlike top and heart notes, the base lasts for hours and even lingers long after your candle has been snuffed out.
These notes are especially important if you have a specific home fragrance mood in mind. For instance, if you're playing around with perfuming via savory fragrances, then you're going to want a candle that has unsweetened base notes. Case in point, this Chai Candle from Byredo with base notes of warm latte, guaiac wood, and birch tree.
Base Notes: Musk, Sandalwood
D.S. & Durga's Dream Lychee is another one on my greatest hits list, with musk and sandalwood maturing the preceding heart notes of lychee and lily.
What Notes Should You Consider When Buying a Candle?
My advice is to consider all three, but prioritize the base.
When you're buying a candle, it's best to consider all three notes, since each fragrance level plays a role in weaving together the scented ambiance of your home.
However, to me, base notes are the most important notes to look at when curating your candle collection since they have the most evident and longest-lasting effect on the vibe of your space.
This also explains why extinguishing your candle too early is among the common candle-burning mistakes, since you need time to let these notes evolve and influence your home. Blowing out a scented candle too early will give you a false impression of what it actually smells like and the length of complex fragrancing it can achieve.
Top Notes: Almond, Tangerine, Green Apple
Mid Notes: Cyclamen, Tiger Orchid, Lotus Flower
Base Notes: Vanilla, Tonka Beans, Tree Moss
If you like fashion brand candles, Punk Bouquet by & Other Stories is one I'd definitely recommend. It features a poetically layered concoction of notes from a sweet beginning to a floral middle, and a cozy wooded end that lingers in whispers.
That's one avenue of home fragrance done and dusted. And on your way to being an aficionado worth your salt, perhaps learning how reed diffusers work is next.
