We talk a lot about top, middle, and base notes in aromatherapy. What do we mean exactly, and how can you identify each note?
Not every aromatherapy blend has to have all three notes. Making a balanced blend just means you consider and understand which aromas tend to be more dominant and use fewer drops of the really strong aromas. It helps to begin by imagining the feeling or experience that you want to embody in the blend. For blends that do have top, middle, and base notes, you might have to take your time getting to know the aromas before you can identify all three.
Top notes
This is the first aroma you notice when you smell a blend. That's because the molecules are evaporating more quickly than the others in the oil. It's usually a light, fresh, sharp scent—like a citrus. In fact, the citrus oils are all top notes! An example of top notes included in Gifts of the Magi is Bergamot
Middle notes
Middle notes have a very full, soft, character that gives a blend a lot of heart. This is why they're sometimes called "heart notes!"Some people have an easier time identifying top and base notes, rather than middle notes, partly because middle notes can include both top and base aromas within them. Imagine top notes as a bright citrus tea, and base notes as a dark root tea. Middle notes would be a full-flavored, floral tea with hints of roots and maybe a little orange peel. A few examples of middle notes in Gifts of the Magi are Lavender, Helichrysum, Ylang Ylang, Geranium and Myrhh
Base notes
Base notes are intense, earthy, deep, and warm. They create the "undertones"of a blend. This doesn't mean you won't notice them as they have a very strong presence, it just means that they may be the last aroma you notice when smelling a blend, or the deepest aroma giving weight to the other scents. This is because base notes evaporate more slowly than top notes. Some examples of base notes that are in Gifts of the Magi are Patchouli and Frankincense
I hope I've helped to clarify top, middle, and base notes for you!