Fragrance families explained
Fresh, floral, woody, amber, citrus and more. Knowing the main families makes it much easier to describe what you like.
Fragrance has a huge vocabulary, but most perfumes fall into a handful of broad families. You do not need to memorise them. Knowing two or three that you like is enough to shop with confidence.
The main families
- Fresh and citrus. Bright, clean and light, built around lemon, bergamot, grapefruit, herbs or aquatic notes. Often a good choice for warm weather and daytime.
- Floral. Rose, jasmine, orange blossom and similar. Floral fragrances range from soft and powdery to rich and heady.
- Woody. Sandalwood, cedar, vetiver and other woods. Dry, warm or smoky, depending on the material.
- Amber and oriental. Warm and rich, with resins, spices and vanilla. Often favoured in colder months and in the evening.
- Gourmand. Edible-smelling notes such as vanilla, caramel, coffee or almond.
- Aromatic and fougère. Lavender, herbs and moss, often with a clean, classic feel.
Families overlap
Most fragrances sit between two or more families. You might see "woody aromatic" or "fresh floral". Think of the family as the direction of a scent, not a strict box.
How to find yours
- Think of two or three fragrances you have loved, and look up their notes.
- Look for the notes that keep appearing. That is your pattern.
- Use that pattern when you try something new. If you love woody and fresh together, you will probably enjoy other fragrances in that space.
Our guide to fragrance notes explains how top, heart and base notes fit together.
In Layer
Layer builds a scent profile from the fragrances you add, showing the families and notes you return to most. The example on our homepage is illustrative.
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See the scent families you return to.
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