22/10/2025
What are top notes in aromatherapy?
Top notes are the sparkle and shimmer of an aromatherapy blend! They’re the bright, lively essential oils that greet you first when you open the bottle and lift your mood in an instant.
Chemically, top note essential oils are made up of small, highly volatile molecules—often monoterpenes and esters—which evaporate quickly. This is why their fragrance dances in the air for just a short while before giving way to the heart (middle) notes and base notes in your blend. In natural perfumery, top notes provide that first impression—fresh, vivid, and full of movement.
These uplifting essential oils awaken the senses and the spirit. They can:
✨ Energize and refresh the mind
✨ Support respiratory clarity and easier breathing
✨ Lift mood and ease emotional fatigue
✨ Encourage focus, positivity, and creativity
Many citrus and mint essential oils are considered top notes, and some top notes—like peppermint (Mentha x piperita)—also have warm undertones that serve as heart notes beautifully.
When you inhale a top note essential oil, you’re connecting with the immediate intelligence of plants—those that reach for light and respond to every shift in the wind. Oils like lemon (Citrus limon), sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), peppermint (Mentha x piperita), and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) remind us to stay open, adaptable, and alive to the present moment.
Let these bright, aromatic notes inspire your blends—and your day—with clarity, joy, and renewal.
—> What top note essential oil always brings you back to yourself?
