Perfume Notes Encyclopedia
Explore 176 fragrance ingredients across 17 olfactive families. From bright citrus top notes to deep woody bases.
First you smell, then you live in, finally you remember — discover how scent unfolds on your skin.
Showing 176 of 176 notes
Amber
(11)
Amber Accord
Resinous
Warm, sweet, resinous; a composite of vanilla, labdanum, benzoin
Benzoin
Resinous
Sweet, vanillic resin
Copaiba
Resinous
Soft, woody balsam
Elemi
Resinous
Fresh, lemony resin
Frankincense / Olibanum
Resinous
Smoky, citrus-pine resin
Labdanum
Resinous
Leathery, ambery, slightly animalic resin
Myrrh
Resinous
Bitter, balsamic, medicinal resin
Opoponax (Sweet Myrrh)
Resinous
Softer, sweeter than myrrh
Peru Balsam
Resinous
Vanilla-cinnamon, soft
Styrax
Resinous
Sweet, slightly cinnamon balsam
Tolu Balsam
Resinous
Sweet, vanilla-cinnamon
Animalic
(5)
Ambergris (Synthetic)
Marine Musk
Salty-mineral-animalic
Castoreum (Synthetic)
Leather Musk
Leathery, animalic
Civet (Synthetic)
Musk
Animalic, intense, used in trace
Hyraceum
Fermented
Fermented, deep animalic
Skin Accord
Soft Animalic
Warm, intimate, soft
Aromatic
(23)
Anise / Star Anise
Anise
Sweet liquorice
Basil
Green Herb
Green, slightly anise, herbal
Bay Leaf
Green Herb
Warm, slightly spicy herb
Black Tea
Tea
Dry, slightly smoky, tannic
Clary Sage
Green Herb
Softer, slightly floral sage with ambery undertone
Davana
Boozy Herb
Fruity-boozy herb, slightly apricot
Eucalyptus
Camphor
Sharp, medicinal, cool
Galbanum
Green Resin
Intensely green, sharp, bitter resin
Green Tea
Tea
Fresh, grassy, slightly bitter
Hay
Dry Green
Dry, sweet-grassy
Immortelle (Helichrysum)
Honeyed Herb
Curry-maple-honey
Lavender
Floral Herb
Herbal-floral, clean, slightly camphorous
Matcha
Tea
Vegetal, umami-green
Mate
Green
Dry, grassy, smoky-green
Peppermint
Mint
Cool, sharp, menthol
Rosemary
Green Herb
Pine-like, sharp, herbal
Sage
Green Herb
Dry herbal, slightly camphorous
Spearmint
Mint
Softer, sweeter, less menthol than peppermint
Tarragon
Anise
Anise-like, sweet herb
Thyme
Green Herb
Warm, slightly medicinal herb
Tobacco Leaf
Dry Green
Dry, slightly hay, smoke-free leaf
Tomato Leaf
Green
Green, slightly tomato, garden-fresh
Violet Leaf
Green
Cucumber-green, watery, slightly metallic
Citrus
(17)
Bergamot
Hesperidic
Bright, slightly floral, tea-like citrus with a green edge
Bitter Orange
Hesperidic
Sour, complex, slightly bitter orange
Blood Orange
Hesperidic
Deeper, slightly berry-edged orange
Citron
Hesperidic
Ancestral citrus with thick fragrant rind
Clementine
Hesperidic
Sweetest, mildest of the mandarins
Grapefruit
Hesperidic
Bitter-sweet, slightly sulphurous, juicy and fresh
Kumquat
Hesperidic
Small, sweet-skin sour-flesh citrus
Lemon
Hesperidic
Sharp, clean, zesty, slightly metallic
Lime
Hesperidic
Sharper, more bitter and tropical than lemon
Mandarin
Hesperidic
Soft, sweet, less acidic citrus
Neroli
Floral-Hesperidic
Distilled from orange blossom; fresh, green-floral citrus
Petitgrain
Green-Hesperidic
Twig and leaf of bitter orange; green, woody, slightly bitter
Pink Grapefruit
Hesperidic
Sweeter, juicier, less bitter than yellow grapefruit
Pomelo
Hesperidic
Large citrus, less sharp than grapefruit
Sweet Orange
Hesperidic
Sweet, juicy, sunny
Tangerine
Hesperidic
Bright, sweet, slightly green
Yuzu
Hesperidic
Japanese citrus, sharp, floral, between grapefruit and mandarin
Earthy
(2)
Floral
(33)
Bulgarian Rose
Rose
Rich, slightly spicy, classical
Carnation
Spicy Floral
Spicy, clove-edged floral
Centifolia Rose / May Rose
Rose
Softer, honeyed, French rose
Champaca
White Floral
Exotic, fruity-floral, golden
Damask Rose
Rose
Classic, jammy-honeyed, slightly spicy rose
Frangipani (Plumeria)
White Floral
Tropical, creamy, sun-warmed
Freesia
Light Floral
Fresh, slightly peppery floral
Gardenia
White Floral
Creamy, slightly mushroomy, white-floral
Geranium
Green Floral
Rosy-green, sometimes minty
Heliotrope
Powdery Floral
Almond-vanilla floral, powdery
Honeysuckle
White Floral
Sweet, sunny, slightly nectar-like
Hyacinth
Green Floral
Green, watery, slightly spicy floral
Iris / Orris
Powdery Floral
Powdery, suede-like, precious, root-derived
Jasmine Absolute
White Floral
Intense, animalic-floral
Jasmine Grandiflorum
White Floral
Heady, narcotic, indolic
Jasmine Sambac
White Floral
Green-fruity, slightly indolic jasmine
Lily
White Floral
Heady, sweet, slightly green
Lily of the Valley (Muguet)
White Floral
Fresh, dewy, green-floral
Linden Blossom (Tilleul)
Honeyed Floral
Honey-green floral
Lotus
Watery Floral
Clean, watery, slightly sweet
Magnolia
White Floral
Lemony-floral, creamy
Mimosa
Yellow Floral
Powdery, honey, soft yellow-floral
Narcissus
Yellow Floral
Green, slightly bitter, hay-like floral
Orange Blossom
White Floral
Heavier than neroli, slightly indolic, sun-warmed white
Osmanthus
Fruity Floral
Apricot-leather floral
Peony
Pink Floral
Fresh, watery, slightly rosy
Rose Absolute
Rose
Concentrated, dark, jammy
Tea Rose
Rose
Softer, tea-like nuance
Tuberose
White Floral
Narcotic, creamy, slightly rubbery
Turkish Rose
Rose
Warm, deeper, slightly fruity rose
Violet
Powdery Floral
Powdery, sweet, slightly candy-like
Wisteria
Pendant Floral
Soft, green-floral, honeyed
Ylang-Ylang
Tropical Floral
Banana-tropical, narcotic, creamy
Fruity
(22)
Apricot
Stone Fruit
Soft, honeyed stone fruit
Blackberry
Berry
Dark, slightly green-fruity
Blackcurrant / Cassis
Berry
Tart, sharp, slightly catty-sulphurous
Cherry
Stone Fruit
Sweet, slightly almond-edged
Coconut Water
Watery
Clean, slightly sweet, watery
Fig
Lactonic Fruit
Green-milky-fruity; the whole fig tree
Green Apple
Light Fruit
Crisp, sharp, watery
Lychee
Tropical
Floral-fruity, sweet
Mango
Tropical
Sweet, juicy, tropical
Melon / Cantaloupe
Watery
Watery, sweet, fresh
Passion Fruit
Tropical
Tart, tropical, slightly sulphurous
Peach (Heart)
Stone Fruit
Fleshy, slightly fuzzy, sweet
Pear
Light Fruit
Soft, watery, juicy
Pineapple
Tropical
Tropical, sharp-sweet, slightly fermented
Plum
Stone Fruit
Jammy, slightly winey
Pomegranate
Tart Fruit
Tart, juicy, jewel-like
Quince
Light Fruit
Tart-floral, golden, slightly waxy
Raspberry
Berry
Tart-sweet, sometimes jammy
Red Apple
Light Fruit
Sweeter, rounder than green apple
Strawberry
Berry
Sweet, juicy, sometimes confectionary
Watermelon
Watery
Watery, sweet, often synthetic-edged
White Peach
Light Fruit
Soft, juicy, slightly floral
Gourmand
(14)
Almond
Nutty
Sweet, slightly bitter, marzipan
Caramel
Sweet
Burnt-sugar sweet
Chocolate / Cocoa
Dark Sweet
Bitter-sweet, dark
Coffee
Dark Sweet
Roasted, bitter, dark
Coumarin
Sweet
Synthetic hay-vanilla
Honey
Sweet-Animalic
Sticky, animalic-sweet
Maltol (Cotton Candy)
Sugar
Fluffy, pink sugar
Milk / Lactonic
Creamy
Soft, creamy, slightly fatty
Praline
Sweet
Sugar-almond confection
Rum Accord
Boozy
Warm, boozy, vanilla-spiced
Tonka Bean
Sweet
Almond-vanilla-hay sweet
Vanilla (Madagascar)
Sweet
Sweet, creamy, deep
Vanilla (Tahitian)
Sweet
Floral-cherry, lighter vanilla
Whisky Accord
Boozy
Smoky, oaky, boozy
Green
(2)
Leather
(2)
Marine
(4)
Mossy
(2)
Musk
(3)
Smoky
(4)
Sparkling
(2)
Spicy
(15)
Allspice / Pimento
Warm Spice
Clove-cinnamon-nutmeg blend in one berry
Black Pepper
Warm Spice
Sharp, dry, woody pepper
Cardamom
Warm Spice
Warm, lightly minty-citrus spice
Cinnamon
Warm Spice
Warm, sweet, woody spice
Clove
Warm Spice
Sharp, sweet, dental warmth
Coriander Seed
Warm Spice
Citrus-spicy, soft
Cumin
Warm Spice
Warm, slightly sweaty spice
Fennel
Anise
Anise-sweet herb-spice
Ginger
Light Spice
Sharp, warm, slightly citrus
Green Cardamom
Light Spice
Warm, slightly minty-citrus spice
Juniper Berry
Light Spice
Resinous, piney, gin-like
Nutmeg
Warm Spice
Warm, woody, slightly sweet
Pink Pepper
Light Spice
Peppery-rosy, light, slightly sweet
Saffron
Precious Spice
Leather-honey, precious, slightly metallic
Sichuan Pepper
Light Spice
Tingly, citrus-pepper
Woody
(15)
Atlas Cedarwood
Dry Wood
Dry, pencil-shaving woody
Australian Sandalwood
Soft Wood
Drier, lighter sandalwood
Birch Tar
Smoky Wood
Smoky, leathery, dark, tar-like
Cashmeran
Soft Synthetic
Synthetic, soft musky-woody
Cypress
Green Wood
Green-piney wood
Guaiac Wood
Smoky Wood
Smoky-rosy wood
Hinoki
Soft Wood
Soft lemon-wood, Japanese cypress
Iso E Super
Soft Synthetic
Synthetic abstract wood, soft skin-scent
Mysore Sandalwood
Soft Wood
Creamy, milky, rich wood
Oud / Agarwood
Resinous Wood
Smoky, animalic, resinous, complex
Patchouli
Earthy Leaf
Earthy, slightly camphorous, deep
Pine Needle
Green Wood
Sharp, fresh, forest
Rosewood
Soft Wood
Floral-spicy wood
Vetiver
Earthy Root
Earthy, smoky, dry root
Virginian Cedarwood
Dry Wood
Sharper, pencil-like