Glossary
A
A highly concentrated aromatic extract obtained by washing a concrete with alcohol, then removing the alcohol. Absolutes capture the most faithful, three-dimensional smell of delicate flowers such as jasmine, tuberose and rose, which cannot survive steam distillation.
A blend of several materials that merges into one new, unified impression, the way musical notes form a chord. Classic accords include the chypre, the fougère, the amber and the leather accord.
The resinous heartwood of the Aquilaria tree, formed when the tree defends itself against a fungal infection. Agarwood is the source of oud, one of the rarest and most precious materials in perfumery.
A modern ingredient obtained by biotechnology from patchouli. It has a spicy, peppery, woody profile with a subtle oud-like facet, and is used to add depth to contemporary woody compositions.
The perfumer's solvent, usually denatured ethanol. It dilutes the fragrance concentrate, helps it diffuse when sprayed, then evaporates to let the notes unfold on the skin.
A family of synthetic molecules with a sparkling, waxy, soapy or metallic character. Used in large doses, they give a fragrance a luminous, effervescent lift, an effect made famous by early twentieth century French perfumery.
Not a single material but an accord, traditionally built on labdanum, vanilla and benzoin. It smells warm, resinous, slightly powdery and sweet, and forms the heart of the amber (formerly oriental) family.
A rare substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales, aged for years at sea. Its scent is marine, salty, musky and luminous. Modern perfumery mostly uses ethical synthetic substitutes such as Ambroxan.
The seed of a hibiscus plant (Abelmoschus moschatus) whose oil has a natural musky, slightly fruity and pear-like smell. It is one of the few plant sources of musk and is prized in niche perfumery.
A synthetic molecule recreating the most radiant facet of ambergris. It smells woody, mineral, salty and skin-like, and gives exceptional diffusion and longevity.
An oil from a small Caribbean tree, sometimes called West Indian sandalwood. It has a soft, dry, slightly balsamic woody smell and is used as a gentle base material.
Describes notes reminiscent of the warmth of skin, fur or leather, historically obtained from musk, civet, castoreum and ambergris. Today they are recreated with synthetics and give a fragrance sensuality and depth.
The partial or total inability to smell. Many people have a specific anosmia to certain molecules, especially large musks, which explains why the same perfume can seem strong to one person and almost invisible to another.
A family of fresh fragrances evoking water, sea spray or rain, often built around Calone and other marine molecules. It became popular in the 1990s.
A single aromatic molecule, natural or synthetic, used as a building block in perfumery. Aromachemicals bring stability, consistency and smells that do not exist in nature.
Describes herbal notes such as lavender, rosemary, sage, thyme and basil. Aromatic accords are central to the fougère family and to many classic masculine fragrances.
A spray device that turns the liquid into a fine mist. Travel atomizers, such as 10ml sprays, make it easy to carry a fragrance and to discover it over several days.
A traditional perfume oil from India and the Middle East, historically made by distilling flowers into sandalwood oil. Attars are alcohol-free, rich and long lasting, and remain a pillar of Middle Eastern perfumery.
Describes a fragrance that breaks with codes and expectations, often through unusual materials or abstract construction. Many niche houses build their identity on this approach.
B
Warm, sweet and resinous notes reminiscent of vanilla, benzoin, Peru balsam or tolu. Balsamic materials are excellent fixatives and give a comforting, enveloping drydown.
The heaviest and most tenacious materials of a fragrance, perceived last and lasting longest, often for many hours. Woods, resins, musks, amber and vanilla are classic base notes.
An aromatic herb with a green, anisic and slightly spicy smell. It adds freshness and a culinary twist to citrus and aromatic compositions.
A resin from the Styrax tree of Southeast Asia. It smells of vanilla, caramel and warm balsam, and is a key ingredient of amber accords.
A citrus fruit grown mainly in Calabria, Italy, whose peel yields a bright, fresh, slightly floral and bitter essence. Bergamot is the most widely used top note in perfumery.
A spice with a dry, fresh, sparkling and woody smell. It brings energy and bite to the opening of a fragrance.
Also known by its French name cassis. Its bud absolute has a tart, green, fruity and slightly sulfurous smell that gives a juicy, vibrant edge to florals and chypres.
Buying a fragrance without having smelled it. Samples and travel sizes are the best way to avoid disappointing blind buys.
The flacon that holds the fragrance. In niche perfumery, bottles are often designed as objects of craftsmanship, but they also protect the juice from light and air.
A composition built around several flowers rather than a single one. A floral bouquet aims at a rich, abstract impression of a garden in bloom.
C
A synthetic molecule with a marine, watermelon-like and ozonic smell. It defined the aquatic fragrances of the 1990s.
A spice with a fresh, camphorous, citrusy and slightly sweet smell. It brings a cool, luminous spiciness, often paired with woods, coffee or rose.
A flower with a spicy, clove-like and peppery floral scent. Carnation accords are rebuilt from eugenol and other materials, as the natural extract is very rare.
A synthetic molecule with a soft, musky, woody and slightly powdery smell evoking warm fabric. It is often described as a cashmere wood note.
A soft, velvety woody accord built from synthetic molecules such as Cashmeran. It suggests the comfort of warm fabric against the skin.
A historical animalic material with a leathery, smoky and warm smell. Today it is replaced by synthetic reconstructions in modern perfumery.
A family of woods (Atlas cedar, Virginia cedar, Himalayan cedar) with a dry, pencil-shaving, slightly smoky smell. Cedar gives structure and elegance to many compositions.
A classic family built on a contrast between fresh citrus (bergamot) and a mossy, woody base (oakmoss, patchouli, labdanum). Chypres feel elegant, sophisticated and slightly austere.
A spice with a warm, sweet, woody smell. It adds richness to gourmand and amber compositions.
The shrub that produces labdanum. Its essence has a resinous, amber, slightly leathery and animalic smell.
Fresh, sparkling notes from the peel of citrus fruits: lemon, bergamot, orange, mandarin, grapefruit, lime and yuzu. Citrus notes are volatile and usually appear in the opening.
A historical animalic material with a powerful, musky and fecal smell that becomes warm and sensual in tiny doses. It is now replaced by synthetic alternatives.
An aromatic herb with a herbal, amber, slightly tea-like and leathery smell. It works as a bridge between fresh openings and warm bases.
A spice with a warm, sweet, medicinal and powerful smell, rich in eugenol. Clove is essential to carnation accords and spicy orientals.
A creamy, milky and sunny note, recreated with lactones. It evokes beaches, suntan oil and tropical gourmand pleasures.
A light, fresh fragrance traditionally built on citrus, neroli, petitgrain and herbs. Eau de Cologne has a low concentration and a short but invigorating life on the skin.
The proportion of perfume oils dissolved in alcohol. From lowest to highest: eau fraîche, eau de cologne, eau de toilette, eau de parfum, parfum or extrait de parfum.
A waxy, solid extract obtained by washing plant material with a volatile solvent. Washed again with alcohol, the concrete yields an absolute.
The seed of the coriander plant has a fresh, spicy, slightly woody and floral smell, very different from the leaf. It brightens the top notes.
A molecule found in tonka bean, with a sweet, hay-like, almond and vanilla smell. Its synthesis in the nineteenth century marked the birth of modern perfumery.
A spice with a warm, earthy, slightly animalic and skin-like smell. In small doses it brings sensuality and a striking, carnal edge.
A tree whose needles and twigs yield a fresh, resinous, green and woody essence. It is found in chypres and aromatic woods.
D
Rosa damascena, grown mainly in Bulgaria and Turkey. It gives a rich, honeyed, fruity and spicy rose oil, one of the most precious floral materials.
An Indian herb with a fruity, boozy, apricot-like smell. It adds a juicy, intoxicating facet to amber and floral compositions.
A small quantity of fragrance transferred from the original bottle into a smaller vial. Decants and samples allow you to test a perfume before buying a full size.
The ability of a fragrance to radiate around the wearer. Diffusion is linked to sillage and depends on both the formula and the skin.
A synthetic molecule with a fresh, metallic, citrus and clean smell, used widely in modern fresh and masculine fragrances.
The extraction of essential oils by passing steam through plant material. The steam carries the aromatic molecules, which are then separated from the water.
The final stage of a fragrance on the skin, once the top and heart notes have faded. The drydown reveals the base notes and often defines the lasting impression.
E
A fragrance with a low concentration of perfume oils, generally between 2 and 5 percent. It feels light and refreshing and usually lasts a couple of hours.
A fragrance concentration generally between 15 and 20 percent perfume oils. It offers a good balance between presence, diffusion and longevity.
A fragrance concentration generally between 5 and 15 percent perfume oils. It is lighter and fresher than an eau de parfum.
A resin from the Philippines with a fresh, lemony, peppery and incense-like smell. It brightens resinous and woody accords.
An ancient extraction technique in which fragile flowers are laid on a layer of fat that absorbs their scent. It is now extremely rare because of its cost.
A volatile aromatic oil extracted from plants, usually by steam distillation or by cold pressing for citrus peels.
A synthetic molecule smelling of caramelized sugar and cotton candy. It is a pillar of modern gourmand fragrances.
The main aromatic molecule of clove, with a warm, spicy smell. It is used to build carnation and spicy accords.
The progressive release of a fragrance's molecules into the air. The lightest evaporate first, which creates the evolution from top to base notes.
Describes a fragrance produced in limited distribution or available only in selected boutiques. Exclusivity is one of the hallmarks of niche perfumery.
The most concentrated form of fragrance, generally between 20 and 40 percent perfume oils. It offers a rich texture, an intimate yet persistent trail and exceptional longevity on the skin.
F
One aspect of a material or a fragrance. Rose, for instance, has fruity, honeyed, spicy, green and lemony facets that a perfumer can choose to highlight.
A material that slows the evaporation of more volatile notes and helps the fragrance last longer. Resins, musks and woods are classic fixatives.
A variation of an existing fragrance, released under the same name with a new twist (intense, summer, extreme). Flankers are common in mainstream perfumery.
The largest olfactory family, built around flowers such as rose, jasmine, tuberose, iris, orange blossom or lily of the valley. Florals range from fresh and green to rich and narcotic.
Meaning fern in French, this classic family is built on lavender, oakmoss and coumarin. Fougères are aromatic, fresh and powdery, and dominate traditional masculine perfumery.
See Olibanum. A resin with a fresh, lemony, smoky and spiritual smell, used since antiquity in rituals.
A flower with a fresh, light, peppery and slightly fruity floral scent. It is recreated with synthetic molecules and brings airiness to bouquets.
Describes compositions dominated by citrus, green, aquatic or aromatic notes, giving a sensation of cleanliness, light and energy.
Describes notes of edible fruits such as peach, apple, pear, lychee, raspberry or blackcurrant. Fruity facets add juiciness and modernity.
G
One of the most widely used synthetic musks, with a clean, sweet, floral and laundry-like smell.
A resin with an intensely green, bitter, sappy smell reminiscent of crushed leaves and green pepper. A few drops give a sharp, vegetal edge.
A white flower with a creamy, green and narcotic scent close to tuberose and jasmine. Its natural extract is extremely rare, so it is recreated as an accord.
A plant whose leaves yield a rosy, green, minty and slightly metallic oil. It is a pillar of both fougère and rose accords.
A root with a fresh, zesty, spicy and slightly lemony smell. It brings sparkle and warmth to openings.
A modern family inspired by desserts and sweets: vanilla, caramel, praline, chocolate, coffee, honey and tonka bean. Gourmands are comforting and addictive.
A citrus with a bitter, juicy, sparkling and slightly sulfurous smell. It brings a bright, modern freshness to openings.
Describes notes evoking cut grass, leaves, stems and sap, such as galbanum, violet leaf or fig leaf. Green notes feel natural, crisp and energizing.
A South American wood with a smoky, tarry, slightly sweet and rosy smell. It adds smoky warmth to woody and leather compositions.
H
A technology that captures the scent molecules surrounding a living flower or object, so that perfumers can analyze and reproduce smells that cannot be extracted.
Also called middle notes, they emerge once the top notes fade and form the character of the fragrance for several hours. Florals and spices are classic heart notes.
A synthetic molecule with a radiant, airy and transparent jasmine smell. It gives volume and luminosity to almost every modern fragrance.
A flower with a powdery, almond and vanilla scent, recreated with heliotropin. It brings a soft, nostalgic, cosmetic feel.
A term from the Hesperides of Greek myth, used for citrus notes: lemon, orange, bergamot, mandarin and grapefruit.
A sweet, waxy, warm and slightly animalic note, recreated from beeswax absolute and synthetic molecules. It adds richness and sensuality.
I
A Mediterranean flower (helichrysum) with a smell of curry, hay, maple syrup and warm honey. It brings a distinctive, sun-baked warmth.
A family of aromatic resins burned in rituals, mainly olibanum (frankincense) and myrrh. In perfume it evokes churches, smoke and meditation.
A molecule naturally present in white flowers such as jasmine and orange blossom. In high doses it smells animalic, in small doses it gives flowers their carnal, living quality.
One of the most precious materials in perfumery, extracted from the rhizome (root) of the iris after several years of drying. It smells powdery, buttery, earthy and violet-like.
A synthetic molecule with a velvety, woody, ambery and transparent smell. It creates a halo effect on skin and is a signature of many niche fragrances.
J
A white flower with a rich, sensual, fruity and slightly animalic scent. Jasmine grandiflorum and jasmine sambac are among the most important floral materials in perfumery.
Industry slang for the fragrance liquid itself, as opposed to the bottle and packaging.
A berry with a fresh, resinous, gin-like and peppery smell. It adds a crisp, aromatic note to fresh and woody fragrances.
K
An ancient Egyptian incense blend of resins, honey, wine and spices, often cited as one of the earliest known perfumes.
L
A sticky resin from the cistus shrub with a rich, ambery, leathery and animalic smell. It is the backbone of amber and chypre accords.
A family of molecules with creamy, milky, peachy or coconut smells. They give softness and a skin-like texture.
An aromatic plant with a fresh, herbal, floral and slightly camphorous smell. It is central to fougères and to many barbershop-inspired compositions.
The art of wearing two or more fragrances together to create a personal signature. It works best with simple, complementary compositions.
An accord evoking tanned leather, built from birch tar, smoky materials, isobutyl quinoline and labdanum. Leather fragrances range from smoky and rugged to soft and suede-like.
A citrus with a bright, zesty, sharp and clean smell. It is one of the most refreshing top notes.
Muguet in French. A delicate spring flower with a fresh, green, dewy floral scent. Its smell cannot be extracted and is recreated with synthetic molecules.
A citrus with a sharp, green, tangy smell, more bitter and zesty than lemon.
A molecule naturally present in lavender, bergamot, coriander and many flowers. It smells fresh, floral and slightly woody.
How long a fragrance remains perceptible on the skin. It depends on the concentration, the formula, the skin type and the climate.
A fruity note with a juicy, rosy and slightly tart smell, often paired with rose to add brightness.
M
The resting period during which the fragrance concentrate and alcohol blend and mature before filtration and bottling. It helps the notes harmonize.
A flower with a creamy, lemony and fresh floral scent. It brings a luminous, elegant softness.
A citrus with a sweet, juicy, slightly floral smell, softer and rounder than orange.
A yellow flower with a powdery, honeyed, almond and slightly green scent, evocative of the Riviera in late winter.
An aromatic herb with a cool, fresh and invigorating smell. It brings a crisp lift to openings.
Usually oakmoss or treemoss, lichens with a damp, earthy, woody and slightly salty smell. Moss is the backbone of chypre fragrances.
Historically an animal secretion, today exclusively synthetic in fine perfumery. White musks smell clean, soft, powdery and skin-like, and add sensuality and longevity.
A resin from the Commiphora tree with a warm, balsamic, slightly bitter and mushroom-like smell. Used since antiquity in rituals and perfumes.
N
Describes heady, intoxicating white flowers such as tuberose, jasmine, gardenia and ylang-ylang, rich in indolic and creamy facets.
The essential oil distilled from bitter orange blossoms. It smells fresh, green, citrusy and floral, and is a pillar of colognes.
Fragrances created by independent houses with limited distribution, focused on creative freedom, quality of materials and artistic identity rather than mass-market appeal.
A nickname for a perfumer, the expert who composes fragrances. Training takes many years and requires the memorization of thousands of materials.
A single identifiable scent within a fragrance, such as rose, vanilla or cedar. Notes are organized into top, heart and base notes.
O
A lichen growing on oak trees with a damp, earthy, inky and woody smell. It is the signature of chypre fragrances and is now used in regulated, purified forms.
A category grouping fragrances with a similar character: floral, citrus, woody, amber, chypre, fougère, leather, gourmand, aromatic and more.
The traditional representation of a fragrance in three levels: top, heart and base notes, reflecting the order in which they are perceived.
Another name for frankincense. A resin with a fresh, citrusy, peppery and smoky smell, the heart of incense accords.
Also called sweet myrrh. A resin with a warm, sweet, balsamic and slightly animalic smell, used in amber compositions.
The flower of the bitter orange tree. Its absolute smells rich, honeyed, indolic and sunny, while neroli is its fresher distilled counterpart.
The perfumery name for iris root and its extracts. Orris butter is among the most expensive materials in the world.
A Chinese flower with a scent of apricot, peach, leather and tea. It brings a luminous, fruity and suede-like character.
The oil obtained from agarwood. Oud smells woody, smoky, leathery, animalic and sometimes sweet. It is a treasure of Middle Eastern perfumery and a signature of many niche houses.
A technique in which a perfumer uses one material in an unusually high proportion to create a striking signature.
Describes fresh notes evoking clean air, sky and the atmosphere after a storm.
P
The leaves of an Asian plant whose oil smells earthy, woody, camphorous, dark and slightly chocolatey. Patchouli is a pillar of chypres and modern ambers.
A fruity note with a velvety, juicy and lactonic smell. It adds softness and sensuality to florals and chypres.
The essential oil distilled from the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange tree. It smells green, woody and citrusy.
The berry of the Peruvian pepper tree, with a fresh, rosy, slightly fruity and spicy smell. It gives a modern sparkle to openings.
A gourmand note with a nutty, creamy, slightly green and salty character, often paired with vanilla or rose.
Describes soft, dusty, cosmetic notes reminiscent of face powder, created by iris, violet, heliotrope, musks and aldehydes.
A gourmand note of caramelized nuts and sugar, popular in contemporary sweet compositions.
How far a fragrance radiates from the skin in the first hours. Strong projection means people notice it at a distance.
R
A natural substance secreted by trees to heal their bark, such as benzoin, labdanum, myrrh, olibanum or styrax. Resins are warm, balsamic and excellent fixatives.
The queen of flowers. Rose oil and absolute, mainly from Bulgaria, Turkey and Morocco, smell rich, honeyed, fruity, spicy and green. Rose appears in a vast number of fragrances.
An aromatic herb with a fresh, camphorous, herbal smell. It is a key ingredient of colognes and aromatic accords.
A boozy note with a warm, sweet, molasses and vanilla character. It adds richness and conviviality to amber and gourmand fragrances.
S
The stigma of the crocus flower, the most expensive spice in the world. In perfume it smells leathery, metallic, honeyed and warm, and is a signature of Middle Eastern compositions.
A small vial, often 1 to 2ml, that allows you to test a fragrance on your skin over several wears before buying a larger size.
A precious wood with a creamy, milky, soft and slightly sweet smell. Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) is legendary, and Australian and New Caledonian varieties are used sustainably today.
The fragrance a person wears consistently, which becomes part of their identity.
A French word meaning wake, used for the trail a fragrance leaves behind as someone moves through a room.
The way an individual's skin (pH, hydration, temperature, diet) interacts with a fragrance. It explains why the same perfume smells different on different people.
Describes notes evoking smoke, burned wood or incense, created by birch tar, cade, guaiac wood, vetiver and incense.
A fragrance centered on a single flower, such as a rose, jasmine or tuberose soliflore.
Describes notes of spices: cinnamon, clove, cardamom, nutmeg, pepper, saffron and ginger. Fresh spices brighten, warm spices add depth.
A resin with a balsamic, smoky, leathery and slightly floral smell, used in amber and leather accords.
T
A note evoking green, black or smoked tea, with fresh, aromatic, slightly bitter and leafy facets.
The ability of a fragrance or material to last over time. Base notes and fixatives have the highest tenacity.
A note with a warm, honeyed, hay-like, dried fruit and slightly smoky smell. Tobacco absolute adds richness and depth to ambers and woods.
A seed from South America rich in coumarin. It smells of vanilla, almond, hay and caramel, and is essential to gourmands and fougères.
The first impression of a fragrance, made of the most volatile materials. They last a few minutes to half an hour. Citrus, herbs and light spices are classic top notes.
A white flower with a creamy, buttery, narcotic and almost tropical scent. Tuberose absolute is one of the most opulent floral materials.
Lokum. A gourmand accord of rose water, sugar and powder inspired by the Ottoman confection.
U
Describes a fragrance designed to be worn by anyone, regardless of gender. Most niche fragrances are conceived without gender boundaries.
V
The cured pod of an orchid, grown in Madagascar, Tahiti and Mexico. Its absolute smells sweet, creamy, balsamic and sometimes smoky or boozy. It is one of the most loved notes in perfumery.
The root of an Asian grass whose oil smells earthy, woody, smoky and slightly grapefruit-like. Haitian and Javanese vetivers are the most prized.
A flower with a powdery, sweet, candied smell recreated with ionones. Violet leaf, by contrast, smells green and cucumber-like.
W
A group of creamy, narcotic flowers: jasmine, tuberose, gardenia, orange blossom and ylang-ylang.
A family built around woods such as sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, patchouli, oud and guaiac. Woody fragrances feel warm, dry, elegant and grounded.
Y
A tropical flower from the Comoros and Madagascar with a rich, creamy, banana-like and floral scent. It brings solar opulence to white floral bouquets.
A Japanese citrus with a fresh, tart, floral smell between grapefruit and mandarin.
