Have you ever walked past someone on the street and caught a whiff of their perfume, making you turn back for a second glance? It’s like an invisible aura, lingering in the air, woven into a scent you can’t ignore.
I used to be someone who wasn’t really into perfumes and never liked the ones people wore. It turned out that I just hadn’t found the kind of scent I liked yet. When I finally found a perfume I liked, wearing it became a part of my daily routine.
If you start using perfumes, you’ll often hear terms like “floral,” “woody,” and “green.” These are terms used to describe fragrance families — a way of categorizing perfumes based on their dominant scent characteristics and key ingredients. It’s hard to count how many fragrance families there are since the perfume world is highly nuanced and ever evolving. The main purpose of these classifications is to help people quickly filter and choose perfumes according to their preferences without needing to smell them in person.
Here’s a brief introduction to the major kinds of perfume scents that are prevalent in the marketplace.
Floral
There are three sub-families under the Floral family: Fruity, Floral, and Soft Floral. Floral scent perfumes have their enduring popularity for a lot of reasons. The pleasant aroma of flowers can represent various feminine qualities, making them highly versatile. Whether it is the bold allure of roses, or the delicate elegance of jasmine, countless captivating blooms from nature can be blended into fragrances to create unique scent compositions. Fruity scents, on the other hand, include the aromas of fruits other than citrus, such as peach, watermelon, apple, mango, and more. Soft floral scents convey gentler and powdery scents compared to floral scents. Instead of the fresh flower bloom, soft floral scents often bring a sense of warmth and comfort because of its key ingredients of musk.
Although I don’t have any floral perfumes, I’d say one of the most representative floral perfumes would be Chanel No.5. This perfume makes you feel like you are holding a luxurious bouquet of jasmine and rose, balanced with the richness of ylang-ylang.
Fresh: Water, Aromatic, Green, Citrus
There are four sub-families under the fresh scented fragrance family: water, aromatic, green, and citrus.
Water scent perfumes, or aquatic scent perfumes, as the name implies, bring a sensation of sea breezes, making them an essential ingredient in fresh and ocean-themed perfumes. Acqua di Giò by Giorgio Armani is a signature water scent perfume that brings you to the fresh, breezy smell of the Mediterranean ocean. The way it achieves the oceanic scent is through synthetic aquatic notes like calone, which mimics sea breezes, combined with citrus undertones to create this marine-inspired fragrance.
Aromatic scents are often fresh, herbal, and green, evoking the essence of grounding herbs like lavender, rosemary, and sage. These perfumes deliver a clean, invigorating aroma that can feel both refreshing and grounding, making them perfect for those who enjoy a natural, earthy vibe. The Pour Un Homme de CARON is a notable example of a masculine, lavender scented perfume. The combination of lavender and vanilla brings a unique sense of elegancy and subtlety.
Green scent perfumes capture the fresh, crisp essence of nature, reminiscent of freshly cut grass, leaves, or green tea. They offer an invigorating and refreshing fragrance that feels light and vibrant, often evoking a sense of calm and renewal. A good green scent perfume would be the Tom Ford Vert d’Encens. It is a rich, smoky green fragrance that smells like a mystical pine forest with hints of incense, balsam, and resins. Although it is discontinued, you can still find it available online through secondary shops.
And here comes my favorite fragrance family: Citrus! This fragrance family primarily conveys a fresh, natural feeling, featuring iconic ingredients like lemon, orange, and grapefruit, collectively known as citrus. The scent of citrus is simple yet refreshing, offering a unique and irreplaceable aroma that combines the green essence of plants with the tangy sweetness of fruit.
I have two citrus scented perfumes: CK One and Moschino Funny! CK One is a unisex perfume that has a citrusy opening and fades to a soft wood, amber, and musk, creating a smooth, skin-like scent. Moschino Funny! is a combination of citrus, woody, and floral. It gives the freshness of citrus while adding a bit of sweetness from the floral, giving a lively and uplifting vibe.
Woody
The woody fragrance family is known for its earthy, grounding, and warm scents, often evoking the outdoors or a forest-like atmosphere. There are three sub-families: dry woods, woods, and mossy woods.
The Woods subcategory focuses on the rich, natural scent of raw wood materials, such as sandalwood, cedarwood, and guaiac wood. While the broader Woody family includes earthy, mossy, and dry interpretations, the woods subcategory is characterized by its smooth, creamy, and slightly resinous qualities.
Dry woods scented perfume smells smoky, leathery, and sometimes a bit powdery. Due to its’ common ingredients such as tobacco and leather accord, it evokes the scent of dry, aged wood, often with a slightly charred or dusty feel. The general “woody” scent is clean, dry, and sometimes sweet. It’s the broadest sub-family, encompassing a variety of wood notes.
Mossy woods scented perfume is often earthy, green, and damp, reminiscent of a forest floor or the scent of moss-covered trees. Notes such as oakmoss, labdanum, and vetiver are essential to create mossy woods fragrance.
A representative woody perfume would be Le Labo’s Santal 33. It is often described as a complex, woody scent with prominent notes of sandalwood, along with spicy, leathery, and slightly floral elements.
Other
There are also many small fragrance families that are not as prevalent in the public eye yet.
Leather: The leather fragrance family is primarily based on the scents of cowhide, sheepskin, and suede, often combined with floral and woody notes. It exudes a classical, tranquil, and luxurious aroma. A representative leather perfume would be Tom Ford Tuscan Leather, with key notes of leather, saffron, and raspberry.
Gourmand: The gourmand fragrance family is primarily based on scents that evoke people’s memories of sweet desserts such as cakes and ice cream. Scents like chocolate, vanilla, and honey are often used. A good gourmand perfume would be Thiery Mugler Angel. Its key notes of caramel, chocolate, and vanilla provide a dessert feast while also giving a sensual and luxurious touch.
Perfumery is a delicate and sense-evoking art. One specific perfume could bring you back to a certain memory or remind you of a special person in your life. Understanding fragrance families helps you explore the world of perfumes with a new sense of possibilities, making it easier to find scents that truly resonate with you. Whether you prefer fresh and citrusy notes, rich and woody aromas, or sweet and floral blends, there’s a perfect fragrance waiting to complement your style and personality.