A must-have in any perfumer’s arsenal, sandalwood forms the base note of countless fragrance compositions. Its milky, suave facets make for a deliciously blendable fixative that has inspired perfumers for millennia. Australian sandalwood offers a woody and ambery note with a pervasive warmth with a rich spiciness and fresh milkiness. Rich and lingering, the coveted note of sandalwood has its origins as an evergreen tree with richly fragrant heartwood. While there are many varieties of the sandalwood tree, only a select few make it into the world of perfumery: Santalum album, Santalum spicatum, and Santalum australedonicum. Its essential oil is obtained through a process of distillation after the wood and roots are dried and reduced to chips or powder.

Jasmine, the ever-popular heart note, is highly desired and extensively used in perfumery. A fragrance chameleon, jasmine is delightfully versatile: transparent and luminous as a top note, and surprisingly animalistic and sensual as a smooth base note. Its suave, heady characteristics combine in an intoxicating wave of rich tenacity. Perfectly balancing femininity and masculinity, jasmine emits an unmistakably powerful scent that is both floral and fruity.

An entrancing note of suave, floral facets. Ylang-ylang blends beautifully in floral bouquets—adding an ethereal nuance that is both spicy and quintessentially modern. A generous dose of salicylates gives ylang-ylang its exotic solar scent, and its molecular structure is intriguingly similar to both jasmine and tuberose.

Pineapple’s sticky, sweet, juicy thickness creates a tropical and creamy tone in perfume. Its mouth-filling rich scent is best paired with fuller, heavier notes like jasmine sambac, Damask rose, gardenia, tuberose, pear, watermelon, melon, ginger, and cinnamon. It’s also a sensual treat in vanilla-based gourmand fragrances. Pineapple’s distinctive, round, pear/orange/red apple aroma is ideal for summer season, especially for travel vacations to countries known for their fiery market spices. Its rich, tangy texture in a perfume is a lovely complement to exotic heat.