Fresh · Accord · Top notes
Pear
Pear is a perfume accord that recreates the smell of a ripe pear. It smells sweet and juicy, cooler than apple, with a green side like the fruit's skin. The pear note usually sits at the top of a perfume, so its fruitiness is clearest at the start.
· Written by the FRAG team
What does pear smell like in perfume?
Pear smells like biting into a ripe pear: juicy, softly sweet and a little waxy near the skin. Compared with apple, pear feels cooler and less tart. Compared with peach, pear is clearer and less creamy.
Over time the green side of pear fades, leaving a clean, gentle sweetness. Pear rarely smells like candy unless it is paired with a lot of vanilla or caramel.
How is the pear note made?
Pears do not yield a fragrant oil that can be extracted. Their aroma molecules are present in tiny amounts and break down easily with heat. So pear in perfume is always an accord built from synthetic molecules.
The key molecule is ethyl decadienoate, nicknamed pear ester in the fragrance trade. It gives the juicy feel of pear flesh. Hexyl acetate and a few other esters are added for the green effect of the skin.
Pear as an opening note
Pear usually sits in the top notes, so it is clearest at the start and fades faster than the base notes. It brings a fresh, bright fruitiness and makes a perfume feel lighter. In sweet perfumes, pear keeps the sweetness from feeling heavy.
Bergamot and apple often join pear at the top, freesia and rose in the heart, and musk or vanilla in the base. Pear appears in many light fruity, floral and gourmand perfumes.
When to wear a pear perfume
A perfume with pear suits daytime, campus, work and casual plans. Because it is fresh, pear feels comfortable in hot weather. When pear is paired with warm vanilla or musk, the perfume also works for late afternoon and evening.
