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'.

Gorse note image

Gorse

A yellow shrub that famously smells of coconut and warm skin. It is the scent of British coastlines.

Phlox note image

Phlox

Sweet, honeyed, and spicy.

Nectarine Blossom note image

Nectarine Blossom

Delicate fruity floral. Smells like spring orchards.

Pear Blossom note image

Pear Blossom

A white floral scent that is slightly cleaner and sharper than apple blossom.

Purple Coneflower note image

Purple Coneflower

Echinacea. Honeyed and earthy.

Lupin note image

Lupin

Peppery and floral. Smells like a sweet pea but spicier.

Lotus note image

Lotus

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

Melissa Flower note image

Melissa Flower

Lemon balm flower. Mildly citrusy.

Mahonial note image

Mahonial

A synthetic floral. Smells like muguet and magnolia, very persistent.

Nerium Oleander note image

Nerium Oleander

A sweet, apricot-like floral scent. Poisonous plant.

Nasturtium note image

Nasturtium

Peppery flower. Smells green and spicy, like cress.

Monoi Oil note image

Monoi Oil

Tiare flowers soaked in coconut oil. The scent of Tahiti.

Papaya Blossom note image

Papaya Blossom

White floral scent with tropical nuances.

Periwinkle note image

Periwinkle

Vinca. A mild, herbaceous floral scent.

Guava Blossom note image

Guava Blossom

A lighter, floral version of the heavy fruit scent.

Edelweiss note image

Edelweiss

A rare mountain flower with a woolly, slightly floral scent. It evokes high altitudes and cold air.

Dahlia note image

Dahlia

A subtle, slightly bitter floral scent. It lacks the sweetness of a rose, smelling more like fresh garden greenery and stems.

Peach Blossom note image

Peach Blossom

A delicate, airy floral scent with a whisper of fruitiness. It smells pink and spring-like.

Blackberry Blossom note image

Blackberry Blossom

A light floral scent with a whisper of fruit. It is delicate and often used to lighten berry compositions.

Malva note image

Malva

Mallow. A very mild, musky floral scent.

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.

Snowberry note image

Snowberry

White berry. Mild and watery.

Fruity Notes note image

Fruity Notes

A catch-all for sweet, edible fruit scents. Can range from fresh to jammy.

Gooseberry note image

Gooseberry

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

Blackberry note image

Blackberry

Dark, juicy, and sweet-tart. It smells deeply fruity with a hint of musk, evocative of hedgerows in late summer.

Candlenut note image

Candlenut

An oily nut used in Southeast Asian cooking. It smells fatty and mild.

Cherry Jam note image

Cherry Jam

Cooked cherries and sugar. Intense, sticky fruitiness.

Dark Plum Wu Mei note image

Dark Plum Wu Mei

Smoked, dried plums used in Chinese medicine. It smells sour, smoky, and distinctively savory-fruity.

Green Plum note image

Green Plum

Unripe plum. Sour, firm, and tart.

Coco De Mer note image

Coco De Mer

The sea coconut. It smells marine, nutty, and woody.

Chayote note image

Chayote

A mild squash. It smells watery, green, and crisp.

Isabella Grape note image

Isabella Grape

A dark-skinned grape with a 'foxy,' musky sweetness. It smells intense and wine-like.

Beetroot note image

Beetroot

Deeply earthy, sweet, and dirt-like. It smells exactly like damp soil and adds a grounding, rooty quality.

Fruit Salad note image

Fruit Salad

A mix of generic fruity notes. Sweet, watery, and indistinguishable.

Cherry note image

Cherry

Sweet, tart, and almond-like. It adds a playful red fruitiness.

Jabuticaba note image

Jabuticaba

A Brazilian berry that grows on the tree trunk. Smells like a grape-plum hybrid.

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.

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.

Green Anjou Pears note image

Green Anjou Pears

Crisp and watery pear. Less sweet than other varieties.

Durian note image

Durian

The King of Fruits. Creamy and sweet to some, rotting onions and gym socks to others. Proceed with caution.

Carambola (Star Fruit) note image

Carambola (Star Fruit)

Watery, sour-sweet fruit. It adds a crisp, geometric freshness.

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.

Fur note image

Fur

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

Truffle note image

Truffle

Fungus not chocolate. Earthy, musky, and savory.

Amber note image

Amber

A fantasy accord that wraps you up like a cashmere throw. It’s warm, resinous, and vanillic, providing a golden glow to the dry-down.

Caviar note image

Caviar

Salty, fishy, and savory. It adds a luxury marine aspect, famously used in Mugler's Womanity.

Civet note image

Civet

Pungent and fecal in isolation, but magically warms up florals when used with a light hand. It creates that lived-in, intimate skin scent found in classic perfumery.

Anthamber™ note image

Anthamber™

A woody, amber-like molecule that adds volume and substance. It provides a sturdy background for other notes to dance upon.

Goat Hair note image

Goat Hair

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

Goat's Milk note image

Goat's Milk

Creamy but slightly tart and animalic. A funky milky note.

Bacon note image

Bacon

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

Aldron note image

Aldron

An animalic synthetic that mimics body heat and slight sweat. It adds a lived-in, human sensuality to otherwise sterile scents.

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.

Sylkolide note image

Sylkolide

A refined musk. Fruity and powdery.

Coral Reef note image

Coral Reef

A fantasy marine note. Salt water, minerals, and life.

Starfish note image

Starfish

Marine animal. Salty and fleshy.

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.

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.

Genet note image

Genet

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

Akashic Acord note image

Akashic Acord

A fantasy concept note meant to evoke the ether or spiritual archives. Usually smells airy, mineral, and impossible to pin down.

Ambrarome note image

Ambrarome

An absolute that smells leathery, tar-like, and animalic with amber undertones. It adds a vintage, masculine grit to the base.

Kyphi note image

Kyphi

Ancient Egyptian incense recipe. Smells of wine, raisins, honey, and resins.

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.

Espresso note image

Espresso

Concentrated, bitter coffee. Dark, roasted, and intense.

Vermouth note image

Vermouth

Aromatized wine. Herbal (wormwood) and dry.

Cream Soda note image

Cream Soda

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

Beer note image

Beer

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

Boozy Notes note image

Boozy Notes

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

Calvados Drink note image

Calvados Drink

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

Margarita note image

Margarita

Lime and salt. Zesty and savory.

Espresso Coffee note image

Espresso Coffee

Specifically the steamed, pressurized bean smell. Energizing and bitter.

Campari note image

Campari

Bitter herbal liqueur. It smells medicinal, citrusy, and red.

Liquor note image

Liquor

Generic alcohol note. Sharp, volatile, and warming.

Goldwasser note image

Goldwasser

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

Soju note image

Soju

Korean spirit. Clean alcohol scent.

Prosecco note image

Prosecco

Italian sparkling wine. Fruity, fizzy, and dry.

Ice Wine note image

Ice Wine

Grapes frozen on the vine, producing an intensely sweet, honeyed nectar scent. It smells sticky and golden.

Kava Drink note image

Kava Drink

Earthy, muddy, and pepper-like. It smells distinctly rooty.

Whiskey note image

Whiskey

Oak barrels, grain, and peat. Warm and boozy.

Sour Milk note image

Sour Milk

Acidic dairy. Spoiled note.

Cosmopolitan Cocktail note image

Cosmopolitan Cocktail

Vodka, cranberry, and lime. Tart, fruity, and energetic.

Mai Tai Cocktail note image

Mai Tai Cocktail

Rum, lime, and orgeat (almond). Tropical, boozy, and sweet.

Jasmine Tea note image

Jasmine Tea

Green tea infused with jasmine blossoms. It smells steamy, floral, and soothing.

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.

Old Books note image

Old Books

Vanillin (from decaying paper) and dust. Sweet and dry.

Rose Oxide note image

Rose Oxide

Metallic rose molecule. Sharp, green, and bloody.

Old House note image

Old House

Dust, damp wood, and history. Atmospheric.

Plastic Bag note image

Plastic Bag

Dry polyethylene. Faint and chemical.

Molasses note image

Molasses

Dark treacle. Smells bitter-sweet, metallic, and deep.

Salt note image

Salt

Savory and mineral. It adds a skin-like texture.

Nail Polish note image

Nail Polish

Acetate and solvent. Fruit-like chemical smell.

Gunpowder note image

Gunpowder

Sulfur, charcoal, and smoke. A sharp, flinty accord used in edgy niche scents.

Ambreine note image

Ambreine

The heart of labdanum, smelling warm, balsamic, and slightly spicy. It creates the classic oriental feel found in many masterpieces.

Sea Foam note image

Sea Foam

Salt water and air. Fresh and bubbly.

Pink Crystal note image

Pink Crystal

A fantasy marketing note. Probably smells like sugar and fruit.

Ethyl Maltol note image

Ethyl Maltol

The smell of cotton candy and burnt sugar. It is the engine behind many blockbuster gourmands.

New Magazine note image

New Magazine

Glossy paper and ink. A specific chemical sweetness.

Bourgeonal note image

Bourgeonal

A synthetic smelling of Lily of the Valley with a watery freshness. It’s powerful and diffusive.

Rain Notes note image

Rain Notes

Water and ozone. Clean and refreshing.

Dirt note image

Dirt

Damp potting soil or petrichor. It adds a grounding, realistic touch of the garden to florals.

Head Space Waterfall note image

Head Space Waterfall

A capture of the air near a waterfall. Wet, ozonic, and clean.

Canvas note image

Canvas

The smell of heavy fabric or tents. It is dry, fibrous, and slightly dusty.

Ozonic Notes note image

Ozonic Notes

The smell of air before a thunderstorm. Sharp, metallic, and clean.

Ambrofix™ note image

Ambrofix™

A sustainable version of Ambroxan, smelling dry, piney, and amber-like. It creates a transparent woody aura that feels very 'now'.

View All Molecules, Minerals & Curiosities Notes

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.

Driftwood note image

Driftwood

Sun-bleached wood soaked in sea salt. It smells dry, musky, and oceanic.

Pua Keni Keni (Pua-Lulu) note image

Pua Keni Keni (Pua-Lulu)

Hawaiian flower. Smells rich, creamy, and tuberose-like.

Fir note image

Fir

Balsamic and green. It smells like a winter forest or a Christmas wreath.

Almond tree note image

Almond tree

Focuses on the wood and bark rather than the nut, smelling dry and slightly milky. It offers a solid, comforting base.

Australian Blue Cypress note image

Australian Blue Cypress

A unique cypress oil that is blue in color and smells woody, smoky, and honeyed. It is complex and smoother than pine.

Dark Patchouli note image

Dark Patchouli

Aged and intense, smelling of wet earth, camphor, and dark cellars. It is the heavy, hippie-chic version of the leaf.

Ebony Tree note image

Ebony Tree

Dark, dense, and slightly spicy wood. It feels mysterious and solid.

Araucaria note image

Araucaria

Also known as the Monkey Puzzle tree, its wood smells resinous and piney. It is a rare note that adds an ancient, coniferous feel.

Himalayan Cedar note image

Himalayan Cedar

Cedarwood from the mountains. It smells drier and sweeter than Virginian cedar.

Elm note image

Elm

A green, watery wood scent. It feels fibrous and natural.

Amburana Wood note image

Amburana Wood

Similar to the bark but woodier, maintaining that rich tonka-bean sweetness. It feels cozy and exotic, like a tropical cabinet maker's shop.

Baobab note image

Baobab

The majestic African tree, smelling dry, woody, and slightly fruity. It provides a unique, grand base note.

Grass Tree note image

Grass Tree

Xanthorrhoea. It creates a resin that smells balsamic and woody.

Bark note image

Bark

The rough, dry outer layer of a tree. It smells earthy and textured, less creamy than the heartwood.

Guaiac Wood note image

Guaiac Wood

An exotic wood that smells smoky, rubbery, and rose-like. It adds a luxurious depth often described as 'bacon-y'.

Amburana Bark note image

Amburana Bark

A Brazilian wood that smells wonderfully of vanilla, coumarin, and gingerbread. It adds a warm, spicy gourmand feel to woody scents.

Fig tree note image

Fig tree

Woody and grey, with hints of the milky sap. A dry, summery wood scent.

Beech note image

Beech

A light, clean wood scent that is less resinous than pine. It smells like fresh carpentry and forests.

Desert Sagebrush note image

Desert Sagebrush

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

Alder note image

Alder

A subtle wood note that is light and slightly sweet. It provides a background hum of nature without dominating the conversation.

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.

Mock Orange note image

Mock Orange

Philadelphus. Smells intensely like orange blossom but sweeter.

Night Blooming Cereus note image

Night Blooming Cereus

A cactus flower. Vanilla-scented and spicy.

Mandarin Orange Blossom note image

Mandarin Orange Blossom

Floral and honeyed.

Belanis note image

Belanis

A synthetic molecule that smells of anise and white florals. It bridges the gap between spice and petal.

Boronia note image

Boronia

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

Syringa note image

Syringa

Lilac. Sweet and fresh.

Karo-Karounde note image

Karo-Karounde

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

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.

Grapefruit Blossom note image

Grapefruit Blossom

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

Lily note image

Lily

Spicy, waxy, and heady. It smells regal and sometimes slightly salty/meaty.

Tiare Flower note image

Tiare Flower

Tahitian Gardenia. Creamy, tropical, and sweet.

Gardenia note image

Gardenia

Heady, creamy white floral with a distinct mushroomy or blue cheese undertone. It is lush and narcotic.

Tuberose note image

Tuberose

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

Frangipani note image

Frangipani

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

Moon Flower note image

Moon Flower

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

Jasmine note image

Jasmine

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

Stephanotis note image

Stephanotis

Madagascar Jasmine. Waxy, sweet, and bridal.

Black Locust note image

Black Locust

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

White Tobacco note image

White Tobacco

Nicotiana flower. Sweet and jasmine-like.

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.

Yarrow note image

Yarrow

Herbal, sweet, and medicinal.

Flouve note image

Flouve

Sweet Vernal Grass. Rich in coumarin, smelling of hay and tobacco.

Galbanum note image

Galbanum

Intensely bitter green resin. It smells like snapped pea pods and green peppers—sharp and bracing.

Ammophila (Beach Grass) note image

Ammophila (Beach Grass)

The scent of dry dunes and salty vegetation. It smells hay-like and breezy, evoking a walk on a windswept British beach.

Capitiú note image

Capitiú

A Brazilian plant with a spicy, floral aroma. It is rare and exotic.

Juniper note image

Juniper

The smell of gin. Piney, peppery, and crisp, it adds a cold freshness.

Jojoba note image

Jojoba

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

Green Chilli note image

Green Chilli

Vegetal heat. It smells sharp, green, and spicy.

Kunzea note image

Kunzea

Tasmanian shrub. Smells medicinal, clean, and spicy like eucalyptus.

Green Branches note image

Green Branches

The smell of snapped twigs. Green, woody, and sappy.

Deer Tongue Grass note image

Deer Tongue Grass

Rich in coumarin, smelling of vanilla, hay, and almonds. It creates a sweet, herbaceous warmth.

Cherry Leaf note image

Cherry Leaf

Green and slightly bitter. It smells like the tree rather than the fruit.

Jin Xuan Tea Leaves note image

Jin Xuan Tea Leaves

Milk Oolong. It smells naturally buttery and creamy, like steamed milk and green leaves.

Fern note image

Fern

A fantasy scent of green forest floors. Soapy, shady, and cool.

Creosote Bush note image

Creosote Bush

The source of the 'desert rain' scent. Tarry, herbal, and unique.

Calamus note image

Calamus

A wetland reed smelling woody, spicy, and warm. It has an ancient, papyrus-like vibe.

Katsura Leaf note image

Katsura Leaf

The 'Caramel Tree.' The fallen leaves smell burnt sugar and cotton candy.

Coleus note image

Coleus

A plant with colorful leaves and an herbal, camphorous scent. It smells like a greenhouse.

Clary Sage note image

Clary Sage

Herbal, sweet, and tea-like with an amber nuance. It is less medicinal than common sage.

Cedar Roots note image

Cedar Roots

Earthy and woody. It smells dirtier and deeper than the trunk wood.

View All Botanicals & Aromatics Notes

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.

Mace note image

Mace

The outer covering of nutmeg. Smells similar but sweeter and softer.

Oriental Notes note image

Oriental Notes

A genre of resins, spices, and vanilla. Warm, sensual, and heavy.

Sichuan Pepper note image

Sichuan Pepper

Citrusy and tingling. Unlike black pepper, it smells of lemon and metal.

Licorice note image

Licorice

Sweet, black, and anise-like. It adds a dark, polarizing gourmand twist.

Safraleine note image

Safraleine

A Givaudan molecule. Smells of saffron, tobacco, and leather.

Guinea Pepper note image

Guinea Pepper

Grains of Paradise. Peppery, citrusy, and woody.

Priprioca note image

Priprioca

A Brazilian root. Smells woody, spicy, and grassy.

Cacao Pod note image

Cacao Pod

The raw bean smell—bitter, dusty, and earthy. It is chocolate before the sugar is added.

Curry Tree note image

Curry Tree

The leaves used in Indian cooking. They smell citrusy, herbal, and distinct.

Green Coffee note image

Green Coffee

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

Ginger note image

Ginger

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

Kopi Luwak Coffee note image

Kopi Luwak Coffee

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

Asafoetida note image

Asafoetida

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

Pimento Leaf note image

Pimento Leaf

Greener and sharper than the berry. Very spicy.

Wasabi note image

Wasabi

Horseradish-like heat. Pungent and green.

Carolina Reaper note image

Carolina Reaper

The hottest chili pepper. In perfume, it adds an aggressive, tingling heat.

Galanga note image

Galanga

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

Coffee note image

Coffee

Dark, roasted, and energizing, bringing a bitter gourmand edge. It grounds sweetness and adds a restless, urban energy to a scent.

Mustard Seed note image

Mustard Seed

Pungent and sharp. Adds a biting heat.

Bengal Pepper note image

Bengal Pepper

Also known as Long Pepper, it is hotter and sweeter than black pepper. It has a complex, spicy-sweet aroma.

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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.

Incense note image

Incense

Smoke, resin, and ritual. It captures the cold, spiritual air of a cathedral or a temple.

Peru Balsam note image

Peru Balsam

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

Japanese Incense note image

Japanese Incense

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

Amberwood note image

Amberwood

A sturdy blend of amber warmth and dry cedar-like woodiness. It acts as a strong pillar holding up the rest of the scent structure.

Rubber note image

Rubber

Burnt tires or latex. Industrial and dark.

Choya Nakh note image

Choya Nakh

Roasted seashells. It smells smoky, mineral, and oceanic.

Breu-Branco note image

Breu-Branco

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

Estoraque note image

Estoraque

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

Bois d'Encens note image

Bois d'Encens

Incense wood. It smells peppery, resinous, and spiritual, inspired by church incense.

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.

Elemi note image

Elemi

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

Mastic or Lentisque note image

Mastic or Lentisque

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

Balsamic Vinegar note image

Balsamic Vinegar

Acidic, fruity, and aged, with a dark sweetness. It adds a sharp, gourmet counterpoint to sweet notes like strawberry.

Myrrh note image

Myrrh

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

Bisabolene note image

Bisabolene

A terpene that smells balsamic, woody, and slightly citrusy. It is often found in myrrh and opoponax.

Labdanum note image

Labdanum

The cornerstone of amber accords. It smells leathery, sweet, dirty, and warm all at once.

Coal Tar note image

Coal Tar

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

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.

Tea Tree Oil note image

Tea Tree Oil

Medicinal and antiseptic. Sharp and clean.

Surf Wax note image

Surf Wax

Coconut and paraffin. Beachy.

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.

Citrus Japonica note image

Citrus Japonica

Kumquat. It smells tart and sweet.

Limetta note image

Limetta

Sweet Lime. Less acidic than regular lime, more floral.

Yuzu note image

Yuzu

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

Red Mandarin note image

Red Mandarin

The sweetest mandarin oil. Floral and candy-like.

Methyl Pamplemousse note image

Methyl Pamplemousse

A synthetic grapefruit. Bitter, fresh, and slightly floral.

Lemon Verbena note image

Lemon Verbena

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

Perfume lemon note image

Perfume lemon

A specific aromatic lemon variety. Intense zest.

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.

Pokan note image

Pokan

Taiwanese mandarin. Sweet and loose-skinned.

Litsea Cubeba note image

Litsea Cubeba

May Chang. An shrub that smells intensely like lemon sherbet sweets.

Lemon Balm note image

Lemon Balm

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

Tangelo note image

Tangelo

Tangerine-Grapefruit hybrid. Sweet and tart.

Grapefruit Leaf note image

Grapefruit Leaf

Green and petitgrain-like. It adds a leafy bitterness.

Lemon note image

Lemon

Bright, acidic, and sunny. It can smell like fresh zest or cleaning fluid depending on the quality.

Tangerine note image

Tangerine

Easy, sweet citrus. Less complex than mandarin.

Rind Bergamot note image

Rind Bergamot

The zest. Bitter and aromatic.

Citruses note image

Citruses

A general category for Hesperidic notes (lemon, orange, etc.). They are volatile, fresh, and uplifting.

Kumquat note image

Kumquat

Sour orange. It smells sharper and more bitter than a sweet orange.

Grapefruit note image

Grapefruit

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

Calamansi note image

Calamansi

A Philippine lime that is tart, tangerine-like, and floral. It is a complex and exotic citrus.

View All Citrus Notes

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.