Smelling nice is everyone’s wish. However, people get confused on how to choose the right scent considering there are too many scents in the market.
In the early days, it was hard to describe perfume products since they are not tangible and cannot be described by color. The perfume industry improved over time and came up with ways to classify fragrances to help consumers easily understand and choose an appropriate scent. They are classified according to their similarity in scent characteristics. The fragrance families help us know what we like in a scent, guiding us to make well-versed decisions when selecting a perfume. They help perfume enthusiasts know their sense of smell and those of their friends and families.
The fragrance families are grouped into four main categories: fresh, floral, woody, and amber, as per their distinctive olfactory characteristics. Each family has its respective place in the fragrance wheel, and subfamilies are side by side. Perfume lovers should familiarize themselves with these fragrance families to help with their choice.
Fresh
The fresh fragrance family is for those who prefer lighter, brighter, and crisper scent. Some of the scents that fall under this category are oceanic, citrusy, and herby. These scents are more commonly used in men’s perfumes than in women’s perfumes. Combined with spicy notes, they create a more robust fragrance. Their fresh scent makes them a perfect choice to use during the day rather than night. They can give you the feeling of walking through the woods where there is a smell of freshly cut grass and chopped herbs or lemon.
The fresh fragrance family has subcategories for aromatic scents, water scents, zest notes, clean greens, and fresh rain scents. When using scents in this family, expect smells like lavender, mint, sage, grapefruit, lemon, rosemary, and mandarin.
Amber
The amber scent, also known as oriental, is made of rich exotic scents. When you think of amber scents, think of powdery, herbs, and resin notes. This family can be described as seductive or exotic. Picture a Moroccan sunset, or a market basket full of spices, and you will be in the right direction if you are searching for a fragrance under the amber family. The scents in this family are usually spicy and sharp but are softened with rich scents like vanilla.
The amber family has three main subcategories, which include spicy warmth, soft amber, and deep woody amber. When using fragrances in this family, expect the smells of amber, anise, vanilla, patchouli, nutmeg, and sandalwood.
Woody
Woody family scents are opulent and warm. They are intensified scents from the warmth of the amber family. Woody perfumes bring out a smell of mixed incense-like scents, such as patchouli and sandalwood, with dry notes. The fragrances are sometimes mixed with fresh scent notes like floral to tone down their warmth. Typically, scents in this family are woody, bitter, and coniferous. Although it is not true, the fragrances in the Woody family are mostly seen as masculine. They make a great home fragrance, and anyone can use them regardless of gender or age.
The subgroups of the woody family are dry wood notes, mossy wood notes and opulent woody scents. When using fragrances in this family expect scents like, amber, leather, fir, sandalwood, fir, camphor and cedar.
Floral
It is the most popular fragrance family and is used in most common and well-known perfumes. Like how the fragrances in the woody family are associated with men, floral family scents are considered feminine. This is because most women’s fragrances are made using these scents. However, they are used not only in women’s perfumes but also in men’s perfumes. They can range from deep and powdery to sharp scents from fresh-cut flowers. They are a perfect choice for spring and summer.
Floral family fragrances are divided into four subdivisions: traditional fresh floral scent, fruity scent, floral oriental scent, and soft floral. You should expect to smell like lily, rose, violet, peach, and jasmine when using fragrances in this family. Examples of perfumes that fall under this category include red door, light blue, and bloom.
Finding Your Perfect Scent
Fragrances are like colours and you should know how to combine different notes to discover the perfect smell that suits you. The fragrance wheel makes it easy to know which scents to mix.
After deciding the fragrance category and the subcategory notes that suit you best, it is time to find the perfume that is perfect for you. The best way to test if a perfume is suitable for you is to try it. Take between 30 minutes to 2 hours and sniff your skin to know its final smell.