Every fragrance is a little story that unfolds over hours, and "notes" are how perfumers describe the chapters. Understanding them is the single most useful thing you can learn as a buyer, it's the difference between guessing and knowing whether a scent (or a dupe of it) will actually work for you.
The three layers: top, heart, base
A fragrance is built in three tiers that reveal themselves in sequence. Top notes are the opening, bright, volatile things like citrus and herbs that you smell for the first few minutes, then fade. Heart notes (or middle notes) are the character of the scent, florals, fruits and spices that carry the main theme for a few hours. Base notes are the foundation, rich, heavy materials like woods, amber, musk and vanilla that linger longest and become your "skin scent."
This is why a perfume smells different an hour in: you're moving from the top, through the heart, into the base. It's also why sampling on skin matters, the bottle only ever shows you the opening.
What's an accord?
An accord is a blend of notes that reads as a single impression, the way flour, butter and sugar stop being separate ingredients and become "cake." When people say a fragrance is a "warm amber" or a "fresh aquatic," they're describing its dominant accord. Accords are how we match scents on Dupejoy: two fragrances that share the same core accords smell alike, even at very different prices.
Why notes decide whether a dupe works
The payoff: a dupe works when it shares the heart and base notes of the original, the parts that become your signature, not just a similar opening. That's the entire basis of a good match. When we say a dupe shares "key notes," we mean the recognisable heart and base accords, which is why it reads so close on skin even though it isn't identical.
A quick note glossary
- Bergamot / citrus, bright, fresh top notes.
- Saffron, warm, slightly leathery spice; the glow in Baccarat Rouge 540.
- Ambroxan / ambergris, clean, radiant, 'expensive skin' base.
- Sandalwood, creamy, soft wood; the heart of Santal 33.
- Tonka / vanilla, sweet, cosy gourmand base notes.
- Oud, deep, resinous, luxurious wood.
Ready to put it to use? Search any fragrance and we'll show you the dupe that shares its key notes.