Find your fragrance family

 The process of discovering what types of scents you like can feel overwhelming as there are a countless number of them out there. Understanding the fragrance families can aid in selecting perfumes that appeal to your preferences, personality and style. 

 What is a fragrance family?

A fragrance family is a division of perfumes according to the main scent elements. Perfumes are frequently divided into families or groups based on the type of scent they have, making it easier to discover scents that appeal to you. You can focus your search for something new to try once you know which families you enjoy the most and work well with your skin or personality. I will thoroughly explain some characteristics of these families as well as some notes that fall under each of them.

Gourmands

Chocolate, vanilla, caramel, and honey, are just a few examples of the sweet and savoury notes found in gourmand perfumes. These scents, which frequently draw their inspiration from desserts and sweet treats, can evoke a warm and inviting feeling. This is the family for you if you enjoy sweets and are frequently drawn by the aromas coming from them. 

Orientals

My personal favourite family, oriental perfumes are also referred to as "amber" or "spicy" fragrances and are a category of perfumes that feature warm, rich, spicy and exotic notes. These fragrances are often associated with the Middle East, India, and other areas of Asia, where spices and have been used for centuries in perfumery. Oriental scents generally contain spicy notes such as cardamom, nutmeg, tobacco, cloves and black pepper. They are often blended with rich base notes such as vanilla and amber that bring balance to the overall scent.

Florals

Floral perfumes feature scents where flowers are the most prominent notes. This is the most popular family for female fragrances. Commonly used flower notes are jasmine, lavender, iris, rose and geranium. Floral perfumes can be made by using just a single flower note or a combination of multiple flower notes. These scents, which can be anything from delicate and light to heavy and potent, capture the essence of freshly cut flowers.

Fresh

Fresh fragrances, also known as "blue fragrances" or "freshies" are your everyday people pleasing scents and are characterised by citrus, green and aquatic notes. They usually feature notes such as lemon, bergamot, grapefuit, mint, basil as well as marine notes that evoke the scent of the sea. A mostly genderless family, you will enjoy the combination of notes that gives these perfumes a resfreshing and clean scent.

Fruity

Fruity perfumes feature ripe and juicy fruits as the dominant notes. They can evoke the aroma of one single fruit or a combination of multiple fruits. Common fruit notes consist of citruses such as orange, lemon, grapefuit, as well as tropical fruits such as pineapple and passionfruit. Many perfumes also utilise berry notes such as raspberry, black currant and blueberry. These fragrances are popular for creating a sense of sweetness and lighthearted qualities. 

Woods

Woody fragrances are exactly what you would expect, they highlight the aroma of woods and forest notes as the prominent accords. They are often seen as very masculine, mature and vintage with common notes such as sandalwood, vetiver, oud and cedarwood. It is often that woody notes are blended with others such as spices like cardamom or peppers, as well as vanilla and amber, which adds a sweet smokiness and complexity to the scent. They are at times also blended with tobacco or leather notes which gives the fragrance a very masculine aura. Woods are for the individual who prefers more rich and complex scents that are very traditional and classic.

Leather

Leather perfumes are quite an acquired taste as they feature an aroma of a very bold and distinct leather as the dominant note. However they are very mature, masculine, sophisticated and elegant and are very appropriate to wear in formal situations. Typical notes found in these perfumes are leather, suede and birch. Many perfumers blend other notes such as spices and woods that add more depth and balance to the scent. If you desire a fragrance that evokes a sense of power and luxury then leather is a suitable fragrance family for you.

Now you will be able to decide which perfume categories you like the most and you can begin looking for the ones that best suit you. For additional help check out the perfume quiz by FragranceX to find the best perfume that matches your personality and preferences https://www.fragrancex.com/fragrance-information/perfume-quiz.html