Drydown

The final, lasting phase of a fragrance after the top and heart fade.

The drydown is what remains on skin after the volatile top notes evaporate and the heart settles. It typically includes base materials — woods, resins, musks, ambers — and is often the most distinctive phase of a composition. Reviewers frequently judge fragrances by their drydown because it is what the wearer (and others) experience for the longest portion of wear.