Perfumes

The word perfume comes from the Latin “per fumum”, which means “through smoke”. In antiquity, the Greeks burned aromatic essences to obtain scents through smoke. Today, the characteristics of a perfume are classified into 7 olfactory families and into sub-families, the facets.

In order to better identify the different scents of perfume, their classification by olfactory family makes it possible to recognize them. Perfumes are born from raw materials such as wood, citrus fruits, flowers, herbs, among others.

This ranking is an excellent indicator and makes it easier to choose a perfume. What's more, it helps to describe them and get an idea of ​​their composition more quickly.

HESPERIDES

The term "citrus" comes from Greek mythology. The hesperides were nymphs responsible for watching over the gardens of the Gods, in which there was the famous "Golden Apple" (oranges).

Citrus family fragrances are fresh, light and tangy. Very volatile, the citrus notes give the first impression that the perfume gives off, but do not last very long. This is why citrus fruits are associated with other olfactory families.

ALDEHYDE

Aldehydes were discovered in 1835 by Baron Von Liebig, a German chemist who helped found industrial agriculture based on organic chemistry.

The aldehyde family is present naturally in the zest of citrus fruits.

This aldehyde olfactory family is distinguished by its freshness and natural scent which are appreciated by women. Aldehyde gives power, shine and volume to flower arrangements. We generally recognize the aldehyde family by its metallic, warm, oily and slightly orange smell. Aldehyde has an atmospheric, intense and glamorous scent.

WOODY

Among the many existing varieties, discover the woody family and its olfactory alliances. The woody olfactory family is made up of aromas and essences extracted from wood and tree mosses. Woody fragrances are synonymous with luxury. They are suitable for elegant, characterful, essentially male people generally representing a certain maturity.

The woody family includes olfactory notes such as cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, birch and guaiac, among others. During Antiquity, perfumes designed from the woody olfactory family were used to make ointments and were used as an aroma for religious ceremonies. Each woody aroma has its particularity, each tree gives off a different scent depending on its origin and the climate of the place where it grows. The woody note of sandalwood is persistent, smoother, creamier, softer than other notes in the woody olfactory family. Cedar essence is used in fine perfumery, it gives off a noble scent while retaining its woody character. Patchouli and vetiver are part of the woody family but do not come from wood, it is their woody scents that classify them in this category of olfactory family. The patchouli plant, native to Asia, has no smell, it is its absolute which has an intense, earthy, dry and woody scent with accents that are both sweet, camphoric and smoky. As for vetiver, it is a grass with woody and sensual scents.

FLOWERY

Among all its families, 7 in number, the flowered is undoubtedly the most important. It includes all the perfumes whose main theme is the flower. Perfume creators have, thanks to this olfactory family, composed unforgettable creations. We love the floral scent for its natural and feminine side.

It is no coincidence that flowers are women's favorite gift. There isn't a woman who doesn't like to receive flowers… The advantage with “florals”, as they are called, is that they benefit from a great many varieties of floral scents. Some fragrances are soliflores, so orchestrated with a single flower, while others are orchestrated with an entire bouquet of flowers. Perfume designers regularly use flowers such as jasmine, rose, violet, lily of the valley, lilac, iris, orchid or narcissus. The natural and fresh harmony of flowers is the very essence of romanticism. Florals offer olfactory journeys of unparalleled romanticism… This is why floral perfumes are very popular with women, however different they may be, and whatever their age!

FRUITY

Very popular in perfumery, fruity notes give perfumes originality, modernity and freshness.

Today, the fruits most used in perfumery are melon, pear, red fruits (blackberry, raspberry, cherry, strawberry, currant, etc.), peach, apricot or even pineapple, lychee, mango and papaya. At the origin of perfumes, the fruit was not at all envisaged for a fragrance. You should know that fruity perfumes are contemporary creations. Yet innocent, the fruits provide a truly attractive side. Very beautiful compositions translate nowadays, the forbidden fruit. Fruity flavors are enjoying growing success.

The combination of sugar and fruit gives new flavors, but to say the least voluptuous. This combination is currently one of the most popular in the world of perfumery. With summer, we also witness more fruity scents such as lychee, pomegranate, guava, papaya.

GOURMAND

Gluttony is not the first word that comes to mind when we think of a perfume… And yet, gourmet perfumes are increasingly in demand and adored today. Ethyl-maltol, sacrasol, coumarin or furaneol… If this does not mean much to us at first glance, they are nevertheless very well known substances. These natural and synthetic components found in different foods are now in our perfumes! The gourmet fragrances reveal taste notes ranging from caramel to cotton candy and toffee apple… Real cocktails of happiness!

Who says gourmet does not say disgusting and creators have tons of fragrances that avoid this effect, such as vanilla or tonka bean. Gluttony reveals an affirmation of the pleasures of living.

FRESHNESS

The “new freshness” olfactory facet. Audacity and novelty obtained by synthetic raw materials! Although perfume lovers hardly appreciate the somewhat barbaric name of the molecule, the new freshness they love so much was born from dihydromyrcenol. Discovered in the laboratory in the 1970s, it was first used to provide the sweet smell of "clean" to detergents and cleaning products... However, in 1988 Davidoff found the magic formula that will make people love this new freshness thanks to its iconic Cool Water fragrance.

Of course, as lovers of fragrances with natural juices from vegetable raw materials, it is sometimes very difficult to hear that this pure and fresh wave undulating in our neck comes from a synthetic molecule.
Yet the work of chemists with regard to synthetic olfactory molecules has considerably changed perfumery and scents today. In addition to the fact that this research makes it possible to avoid the use of animal raw materials (ambergris or musk), it makes it possible to develop new olfactory mixtures in order to continue to seduce a clientele in constant search of novelties but also of surprises!
Dihydromyrcenol, the molecule at the origin of the new fresh facet, is therefore a pure product of chemists. However, the delicate and fruity fragrances produced thanks to this incisive and striking wave of aquatic freshness are born from the talent of great perfumers. Associated with citrus notes, the new freshness will bring a great wind of novelty in perfumery from 1988...

  

Olfactory family Fougère

Among these 7 families, we find the fern. Please note that this does not mean that perfumes in the fern family have a smell similar to that of the fern plant. You should know that the fougère family comes from the name of the first perfume "Royal Fougère", which in 1882 revolutionized the world of scents.

Essentially used for men's fragrances, the fern olfactory family is recognized for its vitality and freshness. A revolutionary fragrance from the 19th century, the fern has seduced many perfume creators. Today, they no longer hesitate to combine fern with other notes, which gives it a fruity, amber, vanilla, aromatic or floral side.

Amber facet perfume

These categories include juices that are sometimes floral, fresh, woody... Nevertheless, if there were to be only one group to bring together the most seductive and sensual juices, it would undoubtedly be the family of amber fragrances. Also called oriental, it is a warm and powdery essence, often with vanilla accents.

Amber fragrances find their origins in an emblematic ingredient of perfumery: ambergris.

This ingredient is a raw material of animal origin, with a viscous appearance, released into the open sea by the sperm whale. Under the action of the sea, the air and the sun, ambergris is gradually transformed into a solid block and develops a rich and complex smell. It has a woody, marine, earthy, animal, musky, tobacco and camphor breath at the same time. Very powerful, it began to be used at the beginning of the 20th century to increase the tenacity of perfumes for women. Then, it took a completely new turn in 1925 with the creation of the Shalimar fragrance by Guerlain. Many people consider Shalimar to be the first great amber perfume in our history.

Amber perfumes are famous for their warm and sweet notes that leave an unforgettable impression. Amber juices are often very sensual and seductive. Moreover, Easterners once attributed aphrodisiac virtues to ambergris. Today, the family of amber essences includes sweet balsamic scents, often made up of an abundance of vanilla. Spices are also very often included in this olfactory category.

Amber fragrances are sweet and sensual, often enhanced with spicy notes. They are also laden with exoticism and most often evoke the Orient, a land full of sunshine. Thus, amber scents do not go unnoticed. Consequently, they are intended for consumers with an assertive, even passionate character. Amber perfumes are most often intended for the fairer sex. If you are extroverted, greedy and epicurean, this category of essences is made for you!

Aromatic olfactory family

The perfumes designed on the basis of aromatic families are more sober, the vegetable raw materials used come from France, unlike oriental perfumes, for example, which come from afar. It is an olfactory family that is generally used to make perfumes for men.

This olfactory origin with aromatic extraction is classified among lemony, mentholated, camphorated, aniseed and lavender notes. Also called "agreste", the aromatic family is associated with fresh and invigorating citrus notes or warmer and more impertinent spicy notes. The olfactory alliances of the aromatic family are thyme, star anise, chamomile, tea, tarragon, artemisia, basil, labdanum-cistus, sage, lavender, marigold, rosemary, peppermint.

By their virile smell, the herbal perfumes of the aromatic olfactory family are suitable for people who have a taste for risk but who appreciate fresh perfumes.

Spicy facet fragrance

The word perfume comes from the Latin “per fumum” which means “through smoke”. If in antiquity, perfume was reserved for the worship of the Gods, it has kept its fascinating side.

We can thus encounter spicy fern, “woody spicy leather” or even “floral spicy amber” fragrances. The spices affirm the personality of the perfume by giving it warmth and relief.

Spicy facets are widely used for oriental perfumes, but not only. The spicy fragrances bring a racy, intense and vibrant style. Perfumes with spicy notes contain warm, captivating, even impertinent tones... In the world of scents, spices certainly awaken our sense of smell and our taste buds.

However, there are two families of spices, hot and cold. When we talk about hot spices, we are talking about cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves. The cold spices correspond to cardamom and ginger. Hot spices bring sensuality to a fragrance, while cold spices bring spicy and modern notes. We could almost add another family of spices with cumin which brings rather an animal note. Perfumes with spicy notes exist for both men and women. These are assertive and really powerful perfumes. Among the best known, we can cite the very mythical "Opium", by Yves Saint-Laurent, which is still as popular with women as ever.

Marine facet perfume

With the Marine olfactory facet, enjoy the scents of iodine and sea breezes all year round. If today men and women particularly like iodized perfumes, the trend is recent, and for good reason! The main ingredient in sea note was discovered in 1966 by pharmaceutical companies.

Today, perfumes based on aquatic notes always cause a sensation and seduce men and women with their freshness and purity.

The iodized note will be created not only thanks to these synthetic molecules but also by natural plants such as blue cypress, lotus and sea christ. These iodized scents will be in perfect harmony with citrus or floral notes that will enhance the freshness and vitality of these fragrances from the sea...

Musky Facet Perfume

The musks family is a large family of very varied scented notes with many different facets.

Today white musk is synonymous with sweetness and tenderness.

Today it is white musk which is used in the vast majority of perfumes because it has the undeniable advantage of being a fixator for the more volatile perfumed notes and of bringing suppleness and delicacy. Among the many variations or facets of synthetic musk notes, the main ones used in your favorite perfumes are exaltody with a fruity tendency, more powdery ambrettolide, cottony muscenone, habanolide with woody scents.

Oriental olfactory family

Oriental or amber perfumes are part of the seven main families of fragrances used in perfumery. Known since the dawn of time for the captivating virtues of ambergris of animal origin, oriental perfumes did not conquer the hearts of the French until the 20th century with the great perfumes of François Coty based on amber. Since then, oriental perfumes have never ceased to move our senses by developing in multiple facets, each as intriguing and original as the next. Today perfumes with oriental or amber notes represent 40% of sales in perfumery, which is to say that our love for these spicy and sweet fragrances is unconditional!

You may not have known it, but a century ago, the basis of oriental perfume was animal. Indeed, ambergris (or marine amber) was collected from sperm whale rejects which, in contact with the sea and the sun, took on the scent so delicately spicy that the great ladies of this world tore themselves at the price of gold! In order to be able to synthetically reproduce this mythical raw material, many chemists worked on synthetic amber notes and then produced the famous amber.

(Source) —> Olfactory notes: Olfactory fragrance family | olfactory | Olfactory