Celebrating different notes in the perfumery | thescentbase.com

The Olfactory Library

Welcome to the building blocks of the invisible art. If a perfume is a symphony, then these are the individual notes on the sheet music—the singular elements that the perfumer arranges to create a melody that lingers on your skin.


Whether you are here to understand why you adore Vetiver but detest Patchouli, or simply to find out what "Iso E Super" actually is, this library is your guide.

Florals

The undisputed heart of perfumery, ranging from the innocent whisper of a spring muguet to the narcotic, carnal shout of a tuberose. These notes provide the romance and the texture, proving that flowers are far too complex to be considered merely 'pretty'.

Chrysanthemum note image

Chrysanthemum

Bitter, green, and herbaceous floral. It smells autumnal and somber.

Protea note image

Protea

Sugarbush. A woody, honeyed floral scent.

Orris Root note image

Orris Root

The dried root of the iris. It smells of violets, earth, and cold butter, representing absolute luxury.

Pomegranate Blossom note image

Pomegranate Blossom

Floral and slightly fruity.

Orchid Black Diamond note image

Orchid Black Diamond

Marketing fantasy. Dark, spicy floral.

Plumeria note image

Plumeria

Frangipani. Creamy, sunny, and intensely tropical.

Leatherwood note image

Leatherwood

Tasmanian honey source. It smells uniquely spicy, floral, and musky.

Pitahaya Flower note image

Pitahaya Flower

Huge cactus flower. Smells distinctively of melon.

Periwinkle note image

Periwinkle

Vinca. A mild, herbaceous floral scent.

Lotus note image

Lotus

Watery, light, and ethereal. It has a transparent floral quality that feels meditative.

Lime (Linden) Blossom note image

Lime (Linden) Blossom

Tilia. It smells distinctively of honey, hay, and lemon. A warm, sunny floral.

Snakeroot note image

Snakeroot

Herbal root.

Astragalus note image

Astragalus

An herb used in traditional medicine with a sweet, earthy, root-like smell. It feels grounding and restorative.

Belladona note image

Belladona

The deadly nightshade, smelling distinctively herbal and slightly medicinal. It adds a dark, poisonous allure to a scent.

Alyssum note image

Alyssum

A honey-sweet flower scent that can be quite powerful. It smells like warm summer air filled with nectar.

Poppy note image

Poppy

Mostly scentless. In perfume, it’s earthy, powdery, and slightly narcotic.

Acerola Blossom note image

Acerola Blossom

A light, airy floral note with subtle fruity undertones. It bridges the gap between the tart fruit and a soft, petal-like texture.

Green Nard note image

Green Nard

Spikenard. Intense, earthy, and musk-like. An ancient scent.

Orchid note image

Orchid

Often a fantasy note (most orchids have no scent). Usually powdery, vanilla-like, and floral.

Yellow Bells note image

Yellow Bells

Tecoma stans. Honeyed floral.

View All Florals Notes

Fruits, Nuts & Savoury Notes

This is the scent of the orchard and the vegetable patch rather than the patisserie, capturing the crisp snap of an apple or the earthy grit of a carrot. These notes add a mouth-watering texture and vitality, bringing a sense of abundance and natural realism that prevents a fragrance from feeling too abstract.

Red Currant note image

Red Currant

Acidic, transparent red fruit. Very sour and fresh.

Dried Apple Crisp note image

Dried Apple Crisp

Concentrated apple sweetness with a dusty, dehydrated quality. Less juicy, more intensely fruity.

Brazil Nut note image

Brazil Nut

Rich, fatty, and oily nut scent. It adds a buttery, tropical heaviness.

Dewberry note image

Dewberry

A 90s icon, smelling like a sweet, jammy blackberry. It is dark fruity and nostalgic.

Kiwi note image

Kiwi

Sweet, watery, and slightly berry-like. It adds a neon-green fruitiness.

Apple Pulp note image

Apple Pulp

The smell of crushed apple flesh, slightly oxidized and earthy. It feels more textured and rustic than a simple apple note.

Black Cherry note image

Black Cherry

Deep, dark, and sweet with an almond-like nuance. It is richer and more mysterious than red cherry.

Corn note image

Corn

Sweet, starchy, and milky. Unusual in perfume, savory-sweet.

Apple note image

Apple

Crisp, juicy, and refreshingly innocent. It brings a bright, shampoo-fresh crunch that cuts through heavier notes.

Acai Berry note image

Acai Berry

A sharp, tart berry scent with a hint of dark chocolate bitterness. It smells vibrant and healthy, like a morning smoothie for the nose.

Nectarine note image

Nectarine

Peach without the fuzz. Juicy, sweet, and smooth.

Miracle Berry note image

Miracle Berry

Synsepalum dulcificum. Mild red berry scent.

Prickly Pear note image

Prickly Pear

Cactus fruit. Watery, sweet, and melon-like.

Passionfruit note image

Passionfruit

Maracuja. Tart, sweet, and sulfurous. It smells intense and tropical.

Macadamia note image

Macadamia

Buttery, fatty nut scent. Very rich.

Pistachio note image

Pistachio

Nutty, green, and creamy. It often has an almond/cherry nuance.

Apricot note image

Apricot

Fuzzy, sweet, and soft-skinned, differing from peach by being slightly more tart. It has a velvety texture that blends beautifully with osmanthus.

Rambutan note image

Rambutan

Hairy fruit related to lychee. Sweet, woody, and floral.

Bearberry note image

Bearberry

A small red berry found in cold climates, smelling tart and dry. It adds a crisp, wild fruitiness.

Gooseberry note image

Gooseberry

Tart, green, and slightly hairy. It adds a sharp, acidic fruitiness.

View All Fruits, Nuts & Savoury Notes Notes

Musk, Amber, Animalic Smells

These are the sensual heavyweights that linger on the skin long after the citrus has fled, providing warmth, depth, and a certain human intimacy. From the cozy, golden glow of amber to the primitive, purring growl of civet, these notes transform a simple scent into a living, breathing entity.

Ambertonic™ (IFF) note image

Ambertonic™ (IFF)

A modern molecule that is deep, musky, and woody with a dry heat. It gives a fragrance a contemporary, vibrating trail.

Cheese note image

Cheese

Salty, fatty, and funky. In tiny doses, it adds richness to gourmands or oud.

Musk note image

Musk

The sensual fog that holds a perfume together. Can be clean (laundry) or dirty (skin).

Leather note image

Leather

Tanned hide, birch tar, and smoke. Whether harsh or soft, it adds a distinct skin-like toughness.

Genet note image

Genet

Broom flower. It smells honeyed, hay-like, and slightly tobacco-ish.

Saffiano Leather note image

Saffiano Leather

A specific textured leather print (Prada). Smells clean, synthetic, and expensive.

Skatole note image

Skatole

Fecal in high concentration, floral (white flower) in low. Essential for realistic jasmine.

Daim note image

Daim

The French term for suede; it smells softer and more velvety than full leather. It evokes the inside of a luxury handbag.

Ambroxan note image

Ambroxan

A synthetic marvel that mimics ambergris but with a drier, woodier crispness. It’s incredibly diffusive and seems to float around the wearer like a transparent veil.

Fur note image

Fur

Warm, oily, and animalic. It smells like a sleeping cat or a vintage coat.

Exaltolide® note image

Exaltolide®

A refined, elegant musk. It adds a subtle animalic radiance and polish.

Carrot Seeds note image

Carrot Seeds

Dry, woody, and earthy. It acts as a bridge between iris notes and woods.

Sea Shells note image

Sea Shells

Calcium and salt. Dry mineral scent.

Cetalox note image

Cetalox

A sleek, clean ambergris synthetic famously used as a standalone in 'Not A Perfume'. It smells purely of amber and skin.

Sylkolide note image

Sylkolide

A refined musk. Fruity and powdery.

Ambrostar note image

Ambrostar

A modern captive molecule that offers a dry, vibrant woody-amber effect. It helps a fragrance lift off the skin and sparkle.

Goat Hair note image

Goat Hair

Animalic, musky, and distinctly barnyard. It adds a feral, rustic warmth.

Castoreum note image

Castoreum

Intensely leathery and animalic, smelling of ink and musk. It provides a dark, vintage sensuality that is certainly not for the faint of heart.

Bacon note image

Bacon

Smoky, salty, and meaty—a novelty note for the brave. It adds a savory, breakfast-time shock to a composition.

Amber Xtreme note image

Amber Xtreme

An incredibly powerful woody-amber note that projects for miles. It can be sharp and dry, cutting through even the heaviest compositions.

View All Musk, Amber, Animalic Smells Notes

Beverages

Whether it is the effervescent joy of champagne, the roasted bitterness of espresso, or the warming embrace of a good cognac, these notes add a distinct 'flavour' to the air. They invoke specific moods and social rituals, taking the wearer from a morning café to a dimly lit jazz bar in a single spritz.

Grenadine note image

Grenadine

Pomegranate syrup. Sweet, red, and syrupy.

Calvados Drink note image

Calvados Drink

French apple brandy. It smells of warm, fermented apples and oak barrels.

Goldwasser note image

Goldwasser

A herbal liqueur with gold flakes. Smells of anise, caraway, and citrus.

Masala Chai note image

Masala Chai

Spiced milky tea. Ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and black tea.

Curaçao note image

Curaçao

Orange liqueur. Smells sweet, citrusy, and slightly bitter.

Liquor note image

Liquor

Generic alcohol note. Sharp, volatile, and warming.

Rhum Agricole note image

Rhum Agricole

Cane juice rum. Grassy, vegetal, and funky.

Cherry Liqueur note image

Cherry Liqueur

Boozy, sweet cherry. It adds a dark, cocktail vibe.

Absinthe note image

Absinthe

Aromatic and bitter with that notorious anise kick. It evokes bohemian Paris and adds a dangerous, green edge to any composition.

Caipirinha note image

Caipirinha

Lime, sugar, and cachaça. It smells zesty, sweet, and spirited.

Beer note image

Beer

Yeasty, malty, and slightly fizzy. It brings a casual, pub-like atmosphere that is strangely comforting.

Gin note image

Gin

Juniper berries and alcohol. Sharp, piney, and clean.

Lemon Soda note image

Lemon Soda

Sprite/7-Up scent. Fizzy, lime-lemon, and artificial.

Blue Margarita note image

Blue Margarita

Tequila, lime, and blue curaçao. It smells salty, citrusy, and neon-sweet.

Kir Royal note image

Kir Royal

Champagne and crème de cassis. Fizzy, berry-sweet, and chic.

Cream Soda note image

Cream Soda

Vanilla, fizzy water, and sugar. It smells frothy and sweet.

Sake note image

Sake

Rice wine. Yeasty, fruity (melon-like), and mild.

Cognac note image

Cognac

Aged grape brandy. It smells warm, fruity, woody, and expensive.

Tokaji Wine note image

Tokaji Wine

Hungarian sweet wine. Honeyed apricot scent.

Boozy Notes note image

Boozy Notes

A generic term for alcohol-inspired scents like rum, whiskey, or cognac. They add warmth, sweetness, and intoxication.

View All Beverages Notes

Molecules, Minerals & Curiosities

This is the avant-garde laboratory of the perfumer, featuring everything from the smell of hot rain on asphalt to the invisible radiance of Iso E Super. These notes are often less about a specific 'smell' and more about a texture, a feeling, or an atmospheric vibration that gives modern fragrances their edge.

Gourmand

An unapologetically hedonistic category dedicated to the pleasures of the patisserie, featuring dripping caramel, fluffy cotton candy, and rich chocolate. While purists may scoff, there is a profound, primal comfort in these sugary notes that bypasses the brain and goes straight to the stomach—and the heart.

Woods & Earth

The stoic backbone of fragrance, grounding the flightier notes with the scent of ancient trunks, dry bark, and the damp, shadowed floor of the forest. Ranging from the creamy spirituality of sandalwood to the dry, pencil-shaving snap of cedar, these notes provide structure, longevity, and a timeless elegance.

Muhuhu note image

Muhuhu

African Sandalwood. Dry, woody, and slightly balsamic.

Blonde Woods note image

Blonde Woods

A term for soft, light woods like cashmere wood or cedar. They are smooth, creamy, and unobtrusive.

Birch note image

Birch

Smoky and tar-like, evoking the smell of a campfire or well-worn Russian leather. It’s rugged and uncompromising.

Chinese Oud note image

Chinese Oud

Agarwood from China, often medicinal and spicy. It can be sharper than other ouds.

Ishpink, Ocotea Quixos note image

Ishpink, Ocotea Quixos

Amazonian cinnamon. It smells spicy and floral, distinct from common cinnamon.

Chypre Notes note image

Chypre Notes

The classic accord of bergamot, labdanum, and oakmoss. It smells elegant, mossy, and abstract.

Cabreuva note image

Cabreuva

A South American wood that smells floral, woody, and spicy. It has a delicate, complex character.

Black Hemlock or Tsuga note image

Black Hemlock or Tsuga

A conifer scent that is piney, woody, and slightly fruity. It evokes deep, dark forests.

Brazilian Rosewood note image

Brazilian Rosewood

Also known as Bois de Rose, it smells sweet, woody, and floral. It is elegant and highly endangered, so often synthetic now.

Cambodian Oud note image

Cambodian Oud

A variety of oud known for being sweeter and fruitier than others. It can smell slightly like dried berries.

Desert Sagebrush note image

Desert Sagebrush

Dry, dusty, and intensely herbal. It evokes the vast, arid landscapes of the American West.

Dreamwood note image

Dreamwood

A sustainable sandalwood alternative from biotechnology. It smells creamy, milky, and warm.

Cedar note image

Cedar

The smell of fresh pencil shavings or a dry sauna. It provides a sturdy, clean woody backbone that grounds flightier notes.

Carob Tree note image

Carob Tree

Woody and slightly chocolate-like. It adds a dry, sweet earthy nuance.

Palisander Rosewood note image

Palisander Rosewood

A high-quality wood smelling floral, spicy, and woody.

Paraguayan Green Sandalwood note image

Paraguayan Green Sandalwood

Guaiac wood. Smoky and woody.

Lichen note image

Lichen

Dry, crusty, and mineral-smelling. Similar to moss but drier.

Kyara wood note image

Kyara wood

The highest grade of Oud. It smells complex, spiritual, honeyed, and absolutely priceless.

Clearwood note image

Clearwood

A transparent patchouli note created by fermentation. It smells woody and clean without the dirt.

Sandalore™ note image

Sandalore™

A synthetic sandalwood. Powerful and slightly floral.

View All Woods & Earth Notes

White Flowers

A distinct league of floral powerhouses including Tuberose, Jasmine, and Gardenia, known for their creamy, narcotic heaviness that often intensifies as the sun goes down. Unlike their shy daylight cousins, these blooms possess a carnal, indolic undertone—a whisper of animalic warmth amidst the sweetness—that makes them unapologetically sensual and dominating.

Datura note image

Datura

A poisonous flower with a narcotic, almond-like floral scent. It smells dangerous, heavy, and hypnotic.

White Tobacco note image

White Tobacco

Nicotiana flower. Sweet and jasmine-like.

Melati note image

Melati

Indonesian Jasmine. Sweet and tea-like.

Syringa note image

Syringa

Lilac. Sweet and fresh.

Grapefruit Blossom note image

Grapefruit Blossom

Like neroli but sharper. Floral with a bitter citrus edge.

Night Blooming Cereus note image

Night Blooming Cereus

A cactus flower. Vanilla-scented and spicy.

Tiare Flower note image

Tiare Flower

Tahitian Gardenia. Creamy, tropical, and sweet.

Tangerine Blossom note image

Tangerine Blossom

Sweet white floral.

Moon Flower note image

Moon Flower

Ipomoea alba. A night-blooming vine smelling sweet and musky.

Mock Orange note image

Mock Orange

Philadelphus. Smells intensely like orange blossom but sweeter.

Karo-Karounde note image

Karo-Karounde

An African flower smelling of jasmine, chocolate, and spices. It is rich and dark.

Jasmine note image

Jasmine

The King of Flowers. It can smell fresh and tea-like or heavy, animalic, and narcotic depending on the variety.

Frangipani note image

Frangipani

Plumeria. Thick, creamy, and tropical, smelling of almonds and fruit. It is the scent of a holiday.

Carissa note image

Carissa

Natal Plum blossoms, smelling similar to gardenia and jasmine. A lush, white floral.

Tuberose note image

Tuberose

Carnal, creamy, and loud. It smells of flesh, bubblegum, and green stems.

Black Locust note image

Black Locust

A tree with white flowers that smell intensely sweet and honeyed, similar to orange blossom but heavier.

Lemon Blossom note image

Lemon Blossom

Waxy white floral with a citrus edge. Fresh and pretty.

Honeysuckle note image

Honeysuckle

Nectar-heavy, sunny, and sweet. It captures the smell of warm summer evenings perfectly.

Boronia note image

Boronia

A rare Australian flower with a complex scent of fruit, wood, and violet. It is expensive and highly prized.

Stephanotis note image

Stephanotis

Madagascar Jasmine. Waxy, sweet, and bridal.

View All White Flowers Notes

Botanicals & Aromatics

This is the scent of the apothecary’s garden and the gentleman’s barber, full of crushed leaves, bracing mint, and the calming herbaceousness of lavender. These notes cut through heat and heaviness with a savory, green clarity that feels restorative, intelligent, and famously spirited.

Grape Leaves note image

Grape Leaves

Green and slightly tannic. It evokes vineyards and dolmas.

Wild carrot note image

Wild carrot

Queen Anne's Lace. Earthy, rooty, and green.

Oat note image

Oat

Cereal scent. Mild, milky, and hay-like.

Limnophila Aromatica note image

Limnophila Aromatica

Rice Paddy Herb. Smells of lemon and cumin.

Peach Leaf note image

Peach Leaf

Green and almond-like. It smells sharper and bitterer than the fruit.

Borneol note image

Borneol

A terpene that smells minty, camphoraceous, and woody. It feels medicinal and cooling.

Portulaca or Pigweed note image

Portulaca or Pigweed

Succulent green weed. Slightly sour.

Genmaicha note image

Genmaicha

Green tea with roasted brown rice. Smells grassy and toasty/popcorn-like.

Earl Grey Tea note image

Earl Grey Tea

Black tea infused with bergamot oil. It is citrusy, tannic, and utterly civilized.

Jojoba note image

Jojoba

An odorless oil in reality, but in perfume, it represents a nutty, waxy texture.

Melilot or Sweet Clover note image

Melilot or Sweet Clover

Hay-like and vanillic (coumarin). Sweet and grassy.

Duck Poo Oolong note image

Duck Poo Oolong

Dan Cong tea (the name is a myth, luckily). It smells floral, honeyed, and distinctly like orchids.

Olive Leaf note image

Olive Leaf

Green and soapy. It evokes the dry heat of an olive grove.

Pear Leaf note image

Pear Leaf

Green and slightly glossy scent.

Borage note image

Borage

An herb that smells surprisingly like fresh cucumber. It adds a watery, green freshness.

Linaloe Berry note image

Linaloe Berry

Smells woody, floral, and rose-like (high in linalool).

Cilantro note image

Cilantro

The leaves of coriander. It smells soapy, metallic, and green.

Lily-of-the-Valley Leaves note image

Lily-of-the-Valley Leaves

Pure green freshness. It lacks the floral bell note.

Coca note image

Coca

The plant leaf, smelling green, dry, and tea-like. It lacks the sweetness of the soda.

Khella note image

Khella

Ammi Visnaga. It smells earthy and herbal.

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Spices

These ingredients bring the heat and the vibration, adding a three-dimensional hum to a composition that tickles the nose and wakes up the palate. From the cooling, camphorous touch of cardamom to the fiery crackle of black pepper, spices prevent a fragrance from ever feeling flat or boring.

Kopi Luwak Coffee note image

Kopi Luwak Coffee

Civet coffee. It smells roasted but with a distinctive animalic, musky undertone.

Allspice note image

Allspice

A warm spice rack in a single note, smelling of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg combined. It feels festive and warming, perfect for winter.

Galanga note image

Galanga

Galangal (Thai Ginger). Smells like ginger but more citrusy, piney, and medicinal.

Green Coffee note image

Green Coffee

Unroasted beans. They smell vegetal, pea-like, and grassy.

Bay Leaf note image

Bay Leaf

Dry, herbal, and aromatic, often used in cooking. In perfume, it adds a savory, leafy crispness.

Fennel note image

Fennel

Sweet, green anise flavor. It adds a cool, herbal licorice note.

Clove Leaf note image

Clove Leaf

Smells like cloves but woodier and greener. It is drier than the bud.

Asafoetida note image

Asafoetida

Pungent and sulfurous when raw, but savory like onions when cooked. In perfume, it adds a weird, compelling earthy spice.

Ginger note image

Ginger

Fresh, spicy, and lemony. It adds a fizzy, energetic heat to the top notes.

Caraway note image

Caraway

Spicy, anise-like seeds often found in rye bread. It adds a savory, sharp aromatic quality.

Curry note image

Curry

A blend of spices (cumin, fenugreek). It smells savory and warm.

Pink Pepper note image

Pink Pepper

Not a true pepper, but a berry. It smells rosy, sparkling, and like gin.

Kaempferia Galanga note image

Kaempferia Galanga

Aromatic ginger. It smells spicy but also dusty and camphorous.

Cassia note image

Cassia

Chinese cinnamon. It smells hotter, sharper, and woodier than true cinnamon.

West Indian Bay note image

West Indian Bay

Pimenta racemosa. Clove-like and spicy (Bay Rum).

Water Pepper note image

Water Pepper

Smartweed. Sharp and peppery.

Coffee Tincture note image

Coffee Tincture

Alcohol infusion of coffee. Smells lighter and boozier than the absolute.

Pimento Leaf note image

Pimento Leaf

Greener and sharper than the berry. Very spicy.

Cloves note image

Cloves

Intense, hot, and numbing spice. It contains high levels of Eugenol and smells medicinal and warm.

Cinnamon note image

Cinnamon

Warm, spicy, and woody. It evokes baking, holidays, and heat.

View All Spices Notes

Resins And Balsams

The ancient tears of trees, these materials have been burned in rituals for millennia and bring a sacred, meditative smoke to perfumery. They are thick, sticky, and profoundly complex, offering a sweet, leathery darkness that feels like a protective cloak against the cold.

Dragon Blood Resin note image

Dragon Blood Resin

A bright red resin that smells sweet, spicy, and slightly woody. It is lighter and cleaner than frankincense.

Coal Tar note image

Coal Tar

Pungent, medicinal, and asphalt-like. It smells like fresh pavement.

Elemi note image

Elemi

A resin that smells surprisingly like lemon, pine, and pepper. It is bright and balsamic.

Estoraque note image

Estoraque

Liquidambar. It smells balsamic, cinnamic, and styrax-like.

Peru Balsam note image

Peru Balsam

Rich, sweet, and vanilla-like resin. It acts as a fixative and smooths everything out.

Mastic or Lentisque note image

Mastic or Lentisque

A resin from the Mediterranean. Smells distinctively green, piney, and crisp.

Breu-Branco note image

Breu-Branco

An Amazonian resin smelling of wood, spice, and eucalyptus. It is fresh yet balsamic.

Andiroba note image

Andiroba

An oil from the Amazon that smells woody, nutty, and slightly bitter. It adds a wild, unpolished texture to a fragrance.

Copal note image

Copal

A resin used in incense in Mexico. It smells bright, lemony, and piney.

Japanese Incense note image

Japanese Incense

Clean, low-smoke incense usually based on sandalwood and aloeswood. It is meditative and dry.

Benzoin note image

Benzoin

A comforting balsamic resin that smells of vanilla and cinnamon. It gives fragrances a cozy, almost edible warmth without being overly sugary.

Myrrh note image

Myrrh

A resin that smells of mushrooms, licorice, and earth. It is darker and stranger than frankincense.

Choya Loban note image

Choya Loban

Frankincense destructively distilled. It smells intensely smoky and resinous.

Balsamic Notes note image

Balsamic Notes

A group of resinous materials like benzoin and myrrh that smell warm, sweet, and thick. They wrap a fragrance in a cozy amber blanket.

Olibanum (Frankincense) note image

Olibanum (Frankincense)

Lemony, piney, and cold. It smells of high church mass and ancient rituals.

Bushman Candle note image

Bushman Candle

A desert plant with a waxy bark that burns brightly. It smells resinous, incense-like, and sweet.

Styrax note image

Styrax

Sweet, spicy, and leather-like resin. Smells of plastic and balsam.

Blue Amber note image

Blue Amber

A variant of amber found in the Dominican Republic. In perfume, it usually means an amber accord with aromatic or marine touches.

Nag Champa note image

Nag Champa

Incense sticks. Sandalwood and Frangipani. Sweet and hippie.

Gurjun Balsam note image

Gurjun Balsam

A resin smelling woody, peppery, and dry. Often used to adulterate patchouli, but lovely on its own.

View All Resins And Balsams Notes

Citrus

The sunshine of the fragrance world, these volatile oils provide the sparkling opening act that greets you the moment the mist hits the air. While they are fleeting by nature, their zesty, sour-sweet optimism is essential for lifting the heavier materials and preventing a perfume from feeling like a lead weight.

Buddha's hand note image

Buddha's hand

A strange citrus fruit smelling of lemon zest and flowers without the juice. It is dry and aromatic.

Bigarade note image

Bigarade

Another name for Bitter Orange. It is sharp, zesty, and less sweet than regular orange, adding a sophisticated tartness.

Kaffir Lime note image

Kaffir Lime

Makrut lime. The leaves smell intensely sharp, green, and uniquely Thai cuisine-like.

Sudachi citrus note image

Sudachi citrus

Japanese citrus. Sour and spicy like lime.

Finger Lime note image

Finger Lime

Caviar lime. It smells incredibly sharp, zesty, and exploding with sourness.

Lemon Verbena note image

Lemon Verbena

Verveine. Herbal, fresh, and distinctly lemony without the acid.

Yuzu note image

Yuzu

Japanese grapefruit. A complex mix of lime, mandarin, and pine. Bitter and aromatic.

Quenepa note image

Quenepa

Spanish Lime. Sour and jelly-like fruit.

Hassaku note image

Hassaku

A Japanese citrus hybrid. Smells like sour orange and grapefruit.

Lemongrass note image

Lemongrass

Citronella-like and grassy. It smells sharp, herbal, and Thai.

Bitter Orange note image

Bitter Orange

Zesty and sharp, lacking the sugar of sweet oranges. It provides a refreshing, adult citrus note.

Green Tangerine note image

Green Tangerine

Unripe tangerine. It smells more zesty and bitter than the ripe fruit.

Perfume lemon note image

Perfume lemon

A specific aromatic lemon variety. Intense zest.

Bergamot note image

Bergamot

The finest of citruses, famous for giving Earl Grey tea its distinct aroma. It’s bitter, tart, and floral all at once—the perfect opening act.

Candied Lemon note image

Candied Lemon

Lemon peel boiled in syrup. It is sweet and tart, without the sharp bitterness of fresh rind.

Lemon Balm note image

Lemon Balm

Melissa. It smells like lemon mixed with mint and herbs.

Rind Bergamot note image

Rind Bergamot

The zest. Bitter and aromatic.

Grapefruit Peel note image

Grapefruit Peel

The oil from the rind. It contains the sulfurous, sparkly character of the fruit.

Grapefruit note image

Grapefruit

Bitter, zesty, and slightly sulfurous. It is uplifting and distinctly modern.

Red Mandarin note image

Red Mandarin

The sweetest mandarin oil. Floral and candy-like.

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Assorted

A curated cabinet of curiosities for the notes that defy our desire for neat little boxes, yet remain absolutely essential to the perfumer's palette. Here you will find the outliers and the individualists, ingredients that possess a character so distinct they refuse to sit quietly with the flowers or the fruits.