BASE, MIDDLE AND TOP NOTES
Creating an effective natural-product is only a part of the puzzle. The other – and equally important – part is creating a natural-fragrance that remains on par with traditional perfume but embodies and embraces the overall philosophy of clean, vegan ingredients.
While some brands add labels to products highlighting fragrance, natural fragrance or even perfumes, a closer look at the ingredient list might leave you feeling concerned over the potential use of toxic chemicals or a combination of synthetic ingredients.
Choosing natural and clean products shouldn't mean compromising on the beautiful scents that we grew up loving and wearing. The use of natural fragrance can still offer an elevated touch – look at the scent notes and you’ll find complex, unique combinations of rose, citrus rind and vetiver root to name a few.
CREATING A SCENT PROFILE WITH A FRAGRANCE PYRAMID
There’s more to creating a natural fragrance than simply combining various essential oils. To create a sophisticated blend of natural fragrances, Corpus worked for over a year formulating and modifying blends until they were just right. To help do this, the traditional fragrance pyramid model was used to achieve the desired result.
What is the fragrance pyramid? It’s actually made up of three parts – a base, middle and top note.
The top note is made up of fragrances that create that initial olfactory response -- the spicy zest of an orange peel or the calming, earthy scent of lavender, for example. Some of the most common top notes are herbs, citrus and fruits – think about this part of the fragrance pyramid as one that features those memorable first impressions.
The next section of a fragrance pyramid is composed of middle notes, which is also known as the heart of the fragrance. Spices, herbs, aromatic florals and full-bodies are featured here and work together with the top notes to create a seamless blend as they support the foundation of the pyramid, referred to as the base.
Base notes create the foundation of the fragrance pyramid. Scents of musk, amber, wood and vanilla stick around the longest and offer rich, deep fragrance.
Fragrance, much like architecture, is built in parts. To create a sophisticated and nuanced natural fragrance, one must take an extremely limited pallet of ingredients and isolate odor molecules that complement and blend well with other notes. Aside from the creative chemistry and experimentation at hand, one could argue that creating natural fragrance is an art form.
CORPUS SCENT MATRIX
Through the blending process of ingredients, some scents are designed to have higher levels of intensity than others. Depending on preferences, some might prefer softer scents while others appreciate bold and lingering notes. The Corpus Scent Matrix was created to accommodate those preferences and to help take the guesswork out of deciphering romanticized buzzwords created by the world of fine fragrance.
When browsing our collection, there is a scale from one to four. In terms of fragrance potency, the first level is very subtle while the fourth is strong. Whether you’re in the mood for various scents depending on your lifestyle or activities, using the Corpus Scent Matrix will help you choose based on the strength of fragrance and fragrance notes themselves!