Searching for your signature scent isn’t easy to do, especially if you’re new to the world of perfumes. With countless fragrances available, each offering a unique scent profile, where do you begin?
When you start shopping for perfume, you’ll quickly notice the seemingly endless array of options. Some perfumes are light and fresh, others have an alluring depth, and some are sweet enough to remind you of candy. Everyone has their own preferences, and finding the scent that suits you best is a personal journey.
The first step is to understand the main types of perfume scents. Fragrances are categorised into different families; each represented on the modern fragrance wheel created by British perfume expert Michael Edwards. The four primary fragrance families are floral, oriental, woody, and fresh. Each family has several subcategories, offering a wide range of scents.
What are the 4 Types of Perfume?
Floral
Floral scents are among the most popular and historically significant fragrance families. They create sweet, romantic fragrances that vary in intensity. Women’s floral perfumes often include notes such as rose, lily, jasmine, and peony, while men’s floral fragrances might feature orange blossom or lavender.
Floral Subfamilies:
- Fruity: Delicious notes of fruits and berries like apple, peach, pear, mandarin, and fig.
- Floral: Romantic fragrances that smell like freshly cut flowers.
- Soft Floral: Soft, powdery scents with a warm base that softens the intensity of floral bouquets.
- Floral Oriental: Floral fragrances with subtle spice notes for an exotic twist.
Perfumes to Try:
- Chanel Allure
- A La Rose by Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Oriental
Oriental perfumes are known for their warmth and exoticism. They feature spices like pepper, cloves, and vanilla, combined with sandalwood, amber, and musk. These fragrances are rich, sensual, and opulent, often providing a deep and earthy aroma.
Oriental Subfamilies:
- Soft Oriental: Less intense oriental fragrances with a mix of delicate floral notes and warm spices.
- Oriental: Sweet, rich, and warm scents characterised by spicy notes like cinnamon, musk, vanilla, and jasmine.
- Woody Oriental: These combine traditional oriental spicy notes with earthy elements like sandalwood, rosewood, and patchouli for added depth.
Perfumes to Try:
- Amber Musk by Montale
- Amouage Myths by Amouage
Woody
Woody scents are commonly found in men’s fragrances or evening perfumes for women. These scents feature light top notes and musky middle notes, crafted from ingredients like sandalwood, oakmoss, patchouli, cedarwood, and amber. They create soothing, earthy aromas with a warm heart.
Woody Subfamilies:
- Dry Woody: Fragrances with crisp, dry, woody notes that create a smoky, leathery scent.
- Mossy Woody: Scents with smooth, earthy notes like oakmoss and amber.
- Woody: Perfumes with deep, aromatic notes such as cedarwood, sandalwood, and vetiver, sometimes toned down with citrus or floral elements.
Perfumes to Try:
- Burning Barbershop by D.S. & Durga
- CK One Gold by Calvin Klein
Fresh
The fresh fragrance family includes green, water, and citrus scents, known for their refreshing, zesty, and uplifting qualities. These perfumes often combine citrus notes like lemon, orange, and bergamot with herbal notes like rosemary, sage, and thyme.
Fresh Subfamilies:
- Green: Crisp, fresh scents evoking herbal and leafy aromas like freshly cut grass, including notes of moss, foliage, green leaves, green tea, and aquatic plants.
- Water: Light, subtle, and refreshing aquatic notes.
- Citrus: Zesty, tangy fragrances with notes like lemon, orange, bergamot, mandarin, and grapefruit.
- Aromatic: Clean, herbal notes like sage, rosemary, cumin, and lavender are often mixed with woody notes in men’s fragrances.
Perfumes to Try:
- Silver Mountain Water by Creed
- Aqua Allegoria Limon Verde by Guerlain
How to Choose the Right Perfume
Now that you understand the fragrance wheel and the main fragrance families, how do you find your perfect perfume? Here are some practical tips:
Think About the Scents You Already Like
You don’t need to be a fragrance expert to know what types of scents you’ll love. Reflect on the smells you’re drawn to in other products, like your favourite shampoo or scented candles. Start with a perfume containing similar notes.
Consider Your Body Chemistry
Perfume and skin chemistry are closely linked, with the true essence of a scent revealing itself only after it’s been on your skin for a while. Personal body chemistry, diet, hormone levels, and environment can all affect how a perfume smells on you. It’s worth sampling a fragrance first to see how it develops on your skin throughout the day.
Sample Fragrances Correctly
When trying a new perfume, spray it on a pulse point where your skin’s natural heat will help the fragrance develop fully. Avoid rubbing your wrists together after spraying, as this can cause the scent to fade more quickly.
Follow Your Instincts
While looking at popular perfumes can inspire, don’t let trends dictate your choice. Perfume is a personal expression, so your selection should be based on your taste and style. Whether you’re drawn to a well-known fragrance or something unique like Maison Matine perfume, let your instincts guide you to a scent that feels just right.
By understanding the four main perfume types and following these tips, you’ll be well-equipped to find a fragrance that truly reflects your personality and style.
