Fragrance Notes Glossary

Every Mykonos product page lists the notes of the perfume. But what does cashmeran smell like, and how is violet leaf different from violet? This glossary describes, in plain language, the notes you will meet most often across the Mykonos collection, from A to Z.

Top, heart and base: how a perfume unfolds

A perfume does not smell the same from the first spray to the end of the day. Perfumers describe this development as a pyramid with three layers.

Top notes are the opening. They are the lightest, most volatile ingredients: citrus, fresh fruit, herbs and sparkling spices. They make the first impression and are the first to fade.
Heart notes appear once the opening has settled. This is the character of the perfume: flowers, fuller fruits, warm spices, tea or milk accords. The heart links the freshness of the top to the depth of the base.
Base notes are the foundation. Woods, musks, amber, vanilla and resins evaporate slowly, give the perfume its depth and stay on skin and clothes the longest.

The same note can sit in different layers depending on how the perfumer uses it. Vanilla, for example, is mostly a base note but can also sweeten a heart or even an opening. Some product pages list "main notes" instead of a pyramid; these are simply the notes that define the scent as a whole.

A

Aldehydes: Sparkling, airy molecules with a clean, slightly soapy fizz, like cold air or freshly ironed linen. They give the opening of a perfume lift and brightness.
Almond: Soft, milky and gently bitter-sweet, somewhere between marzipan and cherry stone. It adds a comforting, nutty smoothness.
Amber: Not a single ingredient but a warm accord, usually built from resins and vanilla. Golden, slightly sweet and enveloping, it gives the base of a perfume its glow.
Amberwood: A modern, drier take on amber with a distinctly woody edge. Warm, smooth and radiant, it helps a scent carry.
Ambroxan: An aroma molecule with a clean, mineral, softly musky warmth, often described as skin-like or salty-sweet. It gives a base diffusion and a long, smooth trail.
Apple: Crisp, juicy and lightly green, like the first bite of a cold apple. It brings an easy, bright freshness to the top of a fragrance.
Aquatic notes: An impression of clean water: cool, transparent and slightly ozonic. They make a composition feel open and freshly rinsed.
Artemisia: An aromatic herb note, bitter-green and slightly camphor-like. Its dry, herbal sharpness keeps sweetness in check.

B

Bergamot: The most elegant of the citrus notes: bright and sparkling, with a lightly floral, tea-like bitterness. A classic top note, and the opening of many Mykonos perfumes.
Black tea: Dry, leafy and faintly smoky, like the steam over a freshly poured cup. It gives a composition calm and a refined, slightly dark freshness.
Blackcurrant: Tart, juicy and deep purple in character, with a green, almost leafy bite. It adds vivid fruit without turning sugary.

C

Caramel: Melted sugar with a buttery, lightly toasted edge. The signature of many gourmand perfumes: warm, golden and hard to ignore.
Cardamom: A cool spice: aromatic, slightly lemony and gently sweet. It adds freshness and warmth at the same time.
Cashmeran: An aroma molecule that smells soft, musky and woody, with a hint of spice. It gives a scent a plush, enveloping texture, like the fabric it is named after.
Cashmere wood: A smooth, velvety wood accord, more soft than dry. It wraps the base of a perfume in close-to-skin comfort.
Cedarwood: Dry, clean and pencil-sharp, with a quiet warmth underneath. It gives a perfume structure and a calm, woody backbone.
Cinnamon: Warm, sweet and gently fiery. A small dose lends spice and a sense of heat to the heart of a fragrance.
Citrus: A general note for the zesty freshness of citrus peel, where no single fruit takes the lead. Bright, clean and uplifting.
Clove: A dark, warm spice with a slightly medicinal, carnation-like sweetness. It adds depth and an old-world kind of warmth.
Coconut: Creamy, milky and sun-warmed, with an unmistakable holiday feel. It gives a composition a smooth, tropical roundness.
Coconut water: The lighter side of coconut: sheer, watery and only faintly sweet. Refreshing rather than creamy.
Coffee: Roasted, bitter-sweet and aromatic, like freshly ground beans. It adds a dark, energising contrast to sweet or creamy notes.

F

Floral bouquet: Several flowers blended into one impression rather than a single recognisable bloom. Soft, rounded and classically elegant.
Frangipani: A tropical flower with a creamy, sunlit sweetness and a soft, almost peachy facet. It smells of warm air and petals.

G

Geranium: Green and rosy, with a minty, slightly lemony freshness. Often used to give a floral heart a crisp, clean edge.
Ginger: Fresh, peppery and sparkling, with a lemony bite. It energises an opening and adds a warm tingle to the heart.
Grapefruit: Bright and bitter-sweet, zestier and sharper than orange. An invigorating, mouth-watering kind of freshness.
Green notes: The smell of crushed leaves, cut stems and fresh grass. They bring a natural, dewy crispness.
Guaiac wood: A smooth, slightly smoky wood with a soft, almost tea-like sweetness. It adds quiet, resinous depth to the base.

H

Heliotrope: Powdery and soft, with hints of almond and vanilla. It gives a perfume a gentle, comforting, slightly nostalgic sweetness.

I

Iris: Cool, powdery and elegant, with a faint earthy undertone. One of the most refined notes in perfumery, it lends a smooth, suede-like texture.
Iso E Super: An aroma molecule with a sheer, velvety, cedar-like warmth that seems to hover on the skin. It adds radiance and a smooth, modern woodiness.

J

Jasmine: Rich, luminous and sensual: a white flower that is sweet, slightly fruity and warm all at once. The most common heart note in the Mykonos collection.
Jasmine sambac: A greener, fresher and fruitier variety of jasmine with a tea-like delicacy. Brighter and a little less heady than classic jasmine.
Juniper: Crisp, piney and aromatic, the note that gives gin its character. It brings a cool, dry, outdoor freshness.

L

Lavender: Aromatic, clean and calming, with herbal and lightly floral facets. A classic of fresh, well-groomed perfumery.
Lemon: Sharp, zesty and sunlit, the purest expression of freshness. It gives an opening its sparkle before making way for the heart.
Lily of the valley: A delicate, dewy white flower: green, fresh and slightly soapy. It makes a floral heart feel clean and springlike.
Lime: Greener and more tart than lemon, with an almost fizzy sharpness. Cooling and lively.
Lychee: Juicy, rosy and watery-sweet, with a delicate exotic character. A translucent fruit note that pairs naturally with rose.

M

Magnolia: A creamy yet lemony-fresh flower, lighter than jasmine. It smells luminous, clean and softly fruity.
Mandarin orange: The sweetest and softest of the citrus fruits: juicy, sunny and lightly floral. A friendly, uplifting top note.
Mango: Ripe, lush and tropical, with a slightly green, resinous facet from the skin. It brings a sunny, succulent sweetness.
Marine notes: The impression of sea air: salty, breezy and mineral. They give a perfume space and a sense of open horizon.
Marshmallow: Fluffy, sugary and softly vanillic, with a powdery lightness. A playful gourmand note that feels like a cushion of sweetness.
Melon: Watery, cool and gently sweet. It adds a fresh, juicy transparency, especially to summery scents.
Milk: A creamy softness that smells warm and comforting. It smooths the edges of sweeter and spicier notes and gives gourmand perfumes their tenderness.
Moss: Earthy, damp and forest-green, with a slightly salty, inky depth. The traditional anchor of chypre-style perfumes.
Musk: Soft, warm and skin-like, musk is the note that makes a perfume feel lived-in. It rounds off a composition and helps it linger, which is why it appears in the base of so many Mykonos perfumes.
Myrrh: A resin note that is warm, balsamic, slightly bitter and smoky. It gives a perfume a meditative, ambery depth.

N

Neroli: The scent of bitter orange blossom in its freshest form: green, honeyed and slightly bitter. It bridges citrus brightness and floral softness.
Nutmeg: A warm, dry, slightly sweet spice with a woody nuance. It adds a subtle, aromatic heat.

O

Orange: Round, juicy and cheerful, sweeter than lemon and fuller than mandarin. It opens a fragrance on a bright, optimistic note.
Orange blossom: The white flower of the orange tree: sweet, honeyed and radiant, with a clean, soapy facet. Fresh and sensual at once.
Orris: The root of the iris, one of the most prized materials in perfumery. Powdery, buttery and violet-like, with a cool, earthy elegance.

P

Patchouli: Deep, earthy and woody, with hints of damp soil, cocoa and dark sweetness. It gives a base strength and staying power.
Peach: Velvety, juicy and softly sweet, with a creamy, skin-like feel. It lends a warm fruitiness to floral hearts.
Pear: Crisp, watery and delicately sweet, with a fresh green nuance. A light, modern fruit note that feels clean and effortless.
Pineapple: Bright, tangy and tropical, sweet and slightly sharp at the same time. It gives an opening an energetic, juicy punch.
Pink pepper: Rosy, sparkling and only mildly spicy, more fruity than hot. It adds a lively shimmer to top notes.
Powdery notes: The soft, cosmetic scent of face powder or fine talc. They make a perfume feel tender, clean and comforting.
Praline: Caramelised nuts and sugar: sweet, toasty and rich. A gourmand note with an indulgent warmth.

R

Raspberry: Tart-sweet and bright red in character, with a slightly jammy, violet-like nuance. Playful and juicy.
Rhubarb: Sharp, green and tangy, with a rosy, fruity undertone. It gives a crisp, mouth-puckering freshness.
Rose: The queen of flowers, ranging from fresh and dewy to deep, honeyed and velvety. Depending on what surrounds it, rose can read as romantic, clean or darkly sensual.

S

Sandalwood: Creamy, milky and softly woody, with a warm, meditative calm. It gives the base a smooth, lasting richness.
Soft wood: A gentle, rounded wood accord without sharp or smoky edges. It provides warmth and structure while staying discreet.
Solar notes: The impression of sun-warmed skin: radiant, slightly salty and creamy-floral. They give a fragrance a bright, beach-like glow.

T

Tonka bean: Warm and sweet, with facets of vanilla, almond, hay and a touch of tobacco. It makes a base feel rounded, cosy and addictive.
Tropical fruits: A lush cocktail impression of exotic fruit: juicy, sweet and sunlit. It sets a carefree, holiday mood from the first spray.

V

Vanilla: Creamy, sweet and comforting, yet more complex than its reputation: it can be smoky, boozy or almost woody. One of the most frequently used notes in the Mykonos collection, it warms everything it touches.
Vetiver: The scent of a grass root: dry, earthy, smoky and slightly green. It gives a base an elegant, grounded character.
Violet: Soft, powdery and sweet, with a delicate, slightly candied floral tone. It adds a gentle, nostalgic elegance.
Violet leaf: Unlike the flower, the leaf smells green, watery and slightly metallic, like cucumber skin and cut stems. It adds a cool, crisp freshness.

W

White florals: A group impression of flowers such as jasmine, tuberose and orange blossom. Creamy, heady and luminous.
White musk: The cleanest face of musk: soft, cottony and freshly laundered. It leaves a gentle, second-skin finish.
Woody notes: A general term for the dry, warm scent of wood where no single tree is named. They give a perfume its frame and a quiet, natural depth.

Y

Ylang-ylang: A lush yellow flower with a creamy, banana-like sweetness and a hint of spice. Rich, exotic and sensual.

From notes to a perfume you love

A list of notes tells you what is inside a perfume, not exactly how it will smell on you. Skin, climate and the balance between the notes all play a part. Use the glossary as a compass: if you recognise notes you enjoy, you are probably close.