Navigating fragrance families

Fragrance families are a way to group similar perfumes together. They aren't rigid rules: they're a map. If you know you love woody fragrances, you've already ruled out half of perfumery and can focus on what suits you.

On our site, every perfume has its fragrance profile shown in percentages, calculated by analyzing its notes: so you can see at a glance, for example, that a perfume is half woody and a third spicy.

The main families

Citrus

Bergamot, lemon, orange, mandarin, grapefruit. These are the brightest and most volatile notes: they open the perfume and are the first to fade. Classic colognes were born here.

Floral

The largest family. Rose, jasmine, tuberose, iris, orange blossom, lily of the valley. It ranges from fresh and green bouquets to sensual, opulent white flowers.

Fruity

Peach, fig, blackcurrant, red berries, apple. It almost always accompanies another family and gives it a juicy note.

Aromatic and fougère

Lavender, rosemary, sage, geranium, with a base of oakmoss and tonka bean. Fougère ("fern" in French) takes its name from Houbigant's Fougère Royale, from 1882, and is the basis of many classic men's fragrances.

Spicy

Pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, saffron. Warm or fresh depending on the spice, it adds character and movement.

Woody

Cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, oud. Dry like a sharpened pencil or creamy like sandalwood: it is often the base that holds everything else together.

Amber (formerly called oriental)

Resins, vanilla, labdanum, benzoin, incense. Warm, enveloping, perfect for winter and evening.

Gourmand

Vanilla, caramel, cocoa, coffee, almond: fragrances that remind you of something delicious to eat.

Chypre

Bergamot at the opening, oakmoss and patchouli in the base. It takes its name from Coty's Chypre, from 1917: elegant, slightly austere, highly recognizable.

Leather and musky

Leather is smoky, animalic, sometimes suede. Musks are clean, soft, "skin-like": the feeling of laundry hanging out in the sun.

How to use the families to choose

Think of two or three perfumes you loved and see which families they belong to: you will almost always find a common thread. From there, you can move toward the neighboring family. Those who love citrus often enjoy aromatics; those who love amber fragrances often discover gourmands. If you don't know where to start, the site's guided consultation asks you a few questions and suggests three perfumes with the reasons why.

Frequently asked questions

How many fragrance families are there?

There is no single number: the most commonly used classifications count between seven and fourteen, with subfamilies. The main ones are citrus, floral, fruity, aromatic, spicy, woody, amber, chypre, leather, and gourmand.

Can a perfume belong to more than one family?

Yes, almost always. This is why you will find the percentage profile in our product sheets: for example, 50% woody, 30% spicy, and 20% amber.

What is the difference between an amber fragrance and a gourmand one?

Amber is warm and resinous (labdanum, benzoin, incense, vanilla); gourmand evokes something to eat (caramel, cocoa, coffee, almond). They often overlap, because vanilla is in both.