What a note is
A note is a single scent within a fragrance, such as lemon, cedar or vanilla. Perfumers combine notes the way a cook combines flavors, so that the whole is more than its parts. Each Carmela scent is built around three notes, listed on the bottle, which makes it easy to know what you are choosing.
Top, heart and base
Fragrances are often described in layers. Top notes are the first thing you smell, usually bright and quick: citrus, mint, pepper. Heart notes are the center of the scent, often woods, spices and flowers. Base notes are deep and last the longest: amber, vanilla, resins. In a diffuser, you experience all of them together, with the brighter notes arriving first and the deeper ones staying in the room.
The notes in Carmela
| Note | What it smells like | Found in |
|---|---|---|
| Agarwood | Dark, resinous wood, smoky and slightly sweet. Also known as oud | Laguna |
| Rosewood | Soft, smooth wood with a faint floral freshness | Laguna |
| Cardamom | Warm, aromatic spice with a green, slightly citrus edge | Laguna |
| Lemon | Bright, clean and sharp | Ericeira |
| Mandarin | Sweeter and softer than lemon, juicy | Ericeira |
| Sandalwood | Creamy, smooth, soft wood | Ericeira |
| Cedar | Dry, clean wood, like a freshly sharpened pencil | Porto |
| Leather | Smooth and slightly smoky, like worn suede | Porto |
| Amber | Warm, golden and resinous, with a gentle sweetness | Porto |
| Grapefruit | Bright citrus with a slightly bitter edge | Del Mar |
| Mint | Cool, green and fresh | Del Mar |
| Pink pepper | Light, sparkling spice, softer than black pepper | Del Mar |
| Coconut | Creamy and soft, with a gentle warmth | Cali |
| Vanilla | Warm, round and comforting | Cali |
| Caramel | Golden, cooked sugar, rich but not heavy | Cali |
How the three notes work together
Laguna is a calm scent because the woods are softened by spice: agarwood and rosewood give depth, and cardamom keeps it from feeling heavy. Ericeira is bright but not sharp, because creamy sandalwood rounds off the lemon and mandarin. Porto is dark and intimate, with cedar and leather held together by warm amber.
Del Mar is the freshest of the five: grapefruit and mint are lifted by a touch of pink pepper. Cali is the warmest, but coconut keeps vanilla and caramel soft, so that it reads as golden rather than sweet.
Fresh, woody, warm: finding your family
- Fresh and citrus: Del Mar and Ericeira.
- Woody: Laguna, Porto and, softly, Ericeira.
- Warm and gourmand: Cali, and the amber in Porto.
A tip for choosing
If you know which notes you like in food or in perfume, start there. People who like cedar, leather or amber often enjoy Porto. People who like citrus and herbs lean toward Del Mar. If you are not sure, the Discovery Set lets you try all five in 5 ml bottles, or you can find your scent in three questions.
