Smooth like vanilla and soft as a cloud, the delectably sweet note of heliotrope adds a floral, suave facet to both feminine and masculine fragrances. A versatile ingredient, heliotrope is known to balance both its characteristically vanilla-esque facets with the warmth of almonds, anise or cinnamon. Its smoothness creates creamy undertones in a variety of fragrances—most notably in lilac accords.

The dewy smell of freshly mowed grass is the harbinger of summer. The aroma is refreshing and always nostalgic, which is why the grass note can dictate the ultimate feel of the composition. When citruses get in the mix, the fragrance feels uplifting, light, and ethereal almost. When paired with spices and aromatics, the perfume becomes mellow, warm, and grounding, like grass in the scorched-up sun.

The holy grail of zest, lime is an energizing top note with a sharp, bitterly refreshing bite. It is unwaveringly bright, offering a fragrant scent that is lighter and sweeter than lemon.

Jasmine is the ultimate aphrodisiac in perfume. It is the most intimate, sexy, gorgeous, and sensually appetizing of all the major white floral notes. Jasmine’s buttery, silky, vanilla-and-heated skin aroma is found everywhere in perfume, in both men’s and women’s scents. It’s incredible versatility is hard to match: it can soar on its own, or be artfully blended into the background, to provide a dangerous growl to an simple, demure floral bouquet. It’s also one of the most popular notes, especially in women’s perfume, so if you enjoy jasmine’s torrid sensuality, you can build a devastating fragrance collection in no time.