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'.

Astragalus note image

Astragalus

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

Protea note image

Protea

Sugarbush. A woody, honeyed floral scent.

Buttercup note image

Buttercup

A mild meadow flower that smells fresh and slightly green. It doesn't actually smell like butter.

Evergreen note image

Evergreen

A general term for pine/fir needles. Fresh, resinous, and wintery.

Alumroot note image

Alumroot

Also known as Coral Bells, it has an earthy, green floral quality. It smells like a shady garden border.

Daylily note image

Daylily

A fleshy floral scent that is slightly melon-like. It feels waxy and sunny.

Freesia note image

Freesia

Peppery and fresh. It adds a sparkling, high-pitched floral energy.

Chocolate Flower note image

Chocolate Flower

Berlandiera lyrata, a flower that actually smells like cocoa. Nature's gourmand.

Edelweiss note image

Edelweiss

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

Fringed Pink note image

Fringed Pink

A type of Dianthus. Spicy, clove-like, and sweet.

Cananga note image

Cananga

A relative of Ylang-Ylang but coarser and woodier. It smells intensely floral and slightly green.

Jujube Blossom note image

Jujube Blossom

The flower of the red date. It smells small, honeyed, and fruity.

Aglaia note image

Aglaia

A tiny yellow flower that packs a fruity, tea-like punch. It smells surprisingly lemon-like with a spicy undertone.

Gladiolus note image

Gladiolus

A faint floral scent. Usually just freshness and green stems.

Albizia note image

Albizia

Also known as the Silk Tree, this smells sweet, fruity, and slightly like berries. It has a fluffy, pink texture to the nose.

Cyclamen note image

Cyclamen

A clean, mysterious floral scent. It smells fresh, slightly soapy, and cool.

Banksia Australian note image

Banksia Australian

An Australian wildflower with a nectar-rich, honeyed scent. It evokes the rugged beauty of the bush.

Christmas Tree or Flame Tree note image

Christmas Tree or Flame Tree

Nuytsia floribunda. It has a honeyed, rooty scent.

Melissa Flower note image

Melissa Flower

Lemon balm flower. Mildly citrusy.

Jacaranda note image

Jacaranda

A tree with purple blooms smelling honeyed and green. It feels breezy and exotic.

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.

Cassowary Fruit note image

Cassowary Fruit

A large plum-like fruit. It smells sweet and fleshy.

Kumbaru note image

Kumbaru

Tonka bean relative. It smells nutty and vanilla-like.

Ground Cherry note image

Ground Cherry

Physalis/Cape Gooseberry. Tart, tomato-like, and sweet.

Almond note image

Almond

Bittersweet and creamy, sometimes leaning towards marzipan or cherry. It adds a comforting, nutty gourmand facet to perfumes.

Cranberry note image

Cranberry

Tart, red, and astringent. It adds a festive bitterness to fruit accords.

Fruity Notes note image

Fruity Notes

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

Akebia fruit note image

Akebia fruit

A unique fruit scent that blends chocolate notes with coconut and pear. It is an exotic, milky-fruity smell that is quite rare.

Serrano Pepper note image

Serrano Pepper

Hot chili. Green and spicy.

Blackberry note image

Blackberry

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

Chia Seed note image

Chia Seed

Mild, nutty, and bland. Mostly adds a textural 'health food' vibe.

Guarana note image

Guarana

Amazonian berry. It smells fruity, slightly medicinal, and energizing.

Nutty Notes note image

Nutty Notes

A generic savory/oily note. Almond, walnut, or hazelnut nuances.

Fig Leaf note image

Fig Leaf

Bitter, green, and coconutty. It brings a sharp, realistic snap of greenery.

Cherimoya note image

Cherimoya

Custard Apple. Creamy, tropical, and sweet like bubblegum.

Moepel Accord note image

Moepel Accord

Milkwood. Smells honeyed, milky, and tobacco-like.

Raspberry note image

Raspberry

Sweet, tart, and seedy. It pairs beautifully with leather and oud for a modern edge.

Pitanga note image

Pitanga

Surinam Cherry. Tart, red, and tropical.

Guava note image

Guava

Pungent tropical fruit. It smells musky, sweet, and faintly of cat pee (in a characteristic way).

Quince note image

Quince

A hard, yellow fruit smelling of rose, pear, and lemon. It is incredibly aromatic and tart.

Chayote note image

Chayote

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

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.

Skatole note image

Skatole

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

Hyraceum note image

Hyraceum

Fossilized Hyrax droppings. Sounds dreadful, smells amazing: leathery, musky, and earthy (and cruelty-free).

Suede note image

Suede

Soft leather. Musky, velvety, and skin-like.

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.

Ambrette (Musk Mallow) note image

Ambrette (Musk Mallow)

A vegetal musk derived from seeds, smelling of pear brandy and clean skin. It is one of the few natural musks and feels incredibly sophisticated.

Coral Reef note image

Coral Reef

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

Habanolide® note image

Habanolide®

A synthetic musk with a metallic, hot-iron undertone. It smells clean and waxy.

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.

Starfish note image

Starfish

Marine animal. Salty and fleshy.

Leather note image

Leather

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

Musk note image

Musk

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

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.

Goat Hair note image

Goat Hair

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

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.

Animal Notes note image

Animal Notes

A catch-all for smells that are furry, warm, and slightly dirty. They add a carnal, living breath to a perfume that makes it sexy.

Exaltolide® note image

Exaltolide®

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

New Magazine note image

New Magazine

Glossy paper and ink. A specific chemical sweetness.

Concrete note image

Concrete

Wet pavement smell. It is mineral, grey, and urban.

Dirt note image

Dirt

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

Asphalt note image

Asphalt

The smell of hot tar and city streets in summer. It adds an urban, industrial grit that I find oddly comforting.

Georgywood note image

Georgywood

A synthetic akin to Iso E Super but woodier and cleaner. It adds a vibrating woody aura.

Flour note image

Flour

Dusty, starchy, and white. It evokes baking or makeup powder.

Dust note image

Dust

Dry, powdery, and tickling. It adds an atmospheric, attic-like quality.

Dihydromyrcenol note image

Dihydromyrcenol

The smell of clean laundry and modern men's cologne. It is intensely fresh, soapy, and lime-like.

Antillone™ note image

Antillone™

A synthetic that mimics the smell of pineapple and pear. It is fruity, fresh, and slightly green, adding a juicy splash.

Eugenol note image

Eugenol

The main component of clove oil. Smells spicy, warm, and medicinal (like a dentist's office).

Helvetolide note image

Helvetolide

A modern musk that smells of pears and ambrette. It feels fruity and soft.

Fish note image

Fish

Marine and amine-like. Rarely used literally, but part of some daring marine accords.

Iso E Super note image

Iso E Super

A molecule that smells of cedar and velvet skin. It creates a transparent, woody aura that flickers in and out.

Ember note image

Ember

Glowing wood and fading smoke. Warm and dry.

Gunpowder note image

Gunpowder

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

Black Leather note image

Black Leather

Intense, tarry, and smoky leather, like a biker jacket. It is darker and harsher than suede.

Money note image

Money

Cotton paper, ink, and metal. The smell of cash.

Aldehydes note image

Aldehydes

The champagne bubbles of perfumery, offering a fizzy, soapy sparkle. It lifts heavy florals into the stratosphere, making them feel abstract and modern.

Crustaceans note image

Crustaceans

Shellfish smell. Salty, oceanic, and savory.

Azarbre note image

Azarbre

A synthetic that combines honey, tobacco, and dried flower notes. It adds a warm, autumnal feeling to the base.

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.

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'.

Cork note image

Cork

Dry, woody, and light. Smells like a wine stopper or bark.

Sandalore™ note image

Sandalore™

A synthetic sandalwood. Powerful and slightly floral.

Thuja note image

Thuja

Arborvitae. Cedar-like and fruity.

Ducke note image

Ducke

A tropical wood from the Amazon. It smells earthy and dense.

Aspen note image

Aspen

A light wood scent that evokes crisp mountain air and trembling leaves. It feels clean and outdoorsy.

Bamboo note image

Bamboo

Clean, dry, and woody-green. It smells like a Zen garden, offering a structured freshness without being heavy.

Tamboti Wood note image

Tamboti Wood

African Sandalwood. Creamy and spicy.

Wolfwood note image

Wolfwood

A Firmenich synthetic. Woody and leathery.

Coffee Tree note image

Coffee Tree

The wood of the plant. Mildly woody with no roasted notes.

Canadian Balsam note image

Canadian Balsam

Balsam Fir resin, smelling piney and sweet. It is the scent of deep northern forests.

Amyris note image

Amyris

Often called 'West Indian Sandalwood,' it is woody but slightly balsamic and oily. It’s a reliable workhorse wood that smells creamy and resinous.

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.

Blonde Woods note image

Blonde Woods

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

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.

Cascarilla note image

Cascarilla

A bark that smells spicy, woody, and peppery. It adds a dry heat to compositions.

Laotian Oud note image

Laotian Oud

Known for being drier and sharper than other ouds. It smells intensely woody and incense-like.

Akigalawood note image

Akigalawood

A biotechnology marvel that smells like patchouli cleaned of its dirt. It is spicy, peppery, and woody, feeling very modern and polished.

Papyrus note image

Papyrus

Dry, smoky, and woody. It smells of ancient scrolls and river reeds.

Thanaka Wood note image

Thanaka Wood

Burmese cosmetic wood. Sandalwood-like.

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.

Karo-Karounde note image

Karo-Karounde

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

Honeysuckle note image

Honeysuckle

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

Datura note image

Datura

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

Carissa note image

Carissa

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

Arum Lily note image

Arum Lily

A fleshy white floral scent that can be slightly animalic. It smells grand and imposing, like a wedding bouquet.

Mandarin Orange Blossom note image

Mandarin Orange Blossom

Floral and honeyed.

Stephanotis note image

Stephanotis

Madagascar Jasmine. Waxy, sweet, and bridal.

Melati note image

Melati

Indonesian Jasmine. Sweet and tea-like.

Lemon Blossom note image

Lemon Blossom

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

Night Blooming Cereus note image

Night Blooming Cereus

A cactus flower. Vanilla-scented and spicy.

Mock Orange note image

Mock Orange

Philadelphus. Smells intensely like orange blossom but sweeter.

Tuberose note image

Tuberose

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

White Flowers note image

White Flowers

A genre (Jasmine, Tuberose, Gardenia). Indolic, creamy, and heady.

Moon Flower note image

Moon Flower

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

Frangipani note image

Frangipani

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

Syringa note image

Syringa

Lilac. Sweet and fresh.

Black Locust note image

Black Locust

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

Grapefruit Blossom note image

Grapefruit Blossom

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

Tangerine Blossom note image

Tangerine Blossom

Sweet white floral.

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.

Lily-of-the-Valley Leaves note image

Lily-of-the-Valley Leaves

Pure green freshness. It lacks the floral bell note.

Geranium Macrorrhizum (Zdravetz) note image

Geranium Macrorrhizum (Zdravetz)

Bulgarian geranium. It smells more woody, herbal, and spicy than the floral variety.

Caper note image

Caper

Pickled flower buds. They smell salty, vinegary, and green.

Garlic note image

Garlic

Pungent and sulfurous. A daring, savory note rarely used in fine fragrance.

Angelica Root note image

Angelica Root

Earthier and muskier than the plant, with a damp soil quality. It serves as a fantastic natural fixative with a dark green character.

Gyokuro Tea note image

Gyokuro Tea

High-grade Japanese green tea. Umami-rich, grassy, and marine (seaweed-like).

Banana Leaf note image

Banana Leaf

Large, waxy, and vividly green. It smells of humid rainforests and crushed vegetation, fresh and slightly bitter.

Deer Tongue Grass note image

Deer Tongue Grass

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

Basil note image

Basil

Peppery and green, like crushing fresh leaves between your fingers. It adds a savory, aromatic zing that feels brilliantly Italian.

Beachheather note image

Beachheather

A coastal shrub that smells salt-sprayed and woody. It captures the rugged scent of seaside vegetation.

Fern note image

Fern

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

Aloe Vera note image

Aloe Vera

Green, watery, and cool, with a slight vegetative bitterness. It creates a soothing, spa-like atmosphere in a scent.

Ginseng note image

Ginseng

Bitter, earthy root scent. It smells medicinal and vital.

Genmaicha note image

Genmaicha

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

Azolla (Water Fern) note image

Azolla (Water Fern)

A small aquatic fern that smells green, damp, and mossy. It evokes the stillness of a pond covered in duckweed.

Fo Ti (Ho Shou Wu) note image

Fo Ti (Ho Shou Wu)

A Chinese medicinal root. Earthy, bittersweet, and herbaceous.

Jin Xuan Tea Leaves note image

Jin Xuan Tea Leaves

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

Chive note image

Chive

Onion-like and green. It adds a savory, culinary freshness.

Buchu or Agathosma note image

Buchu or Agathosma

A South African herb smelling of blackcurrant, mint, and cat pee. It is pungent and fruity-fresh.

Jambu note image

Jambu

The toothache plant. It smells herbal and creates a tingling, electric sensation.

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.

Safraleine note image

Safraleine

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

Toscanol note image

Toscanol

Aromatic chemical. Anise and herbal.

Guinea Pepper note image

Guinea Pepper

Grains of Paradise. Peppery, citrusy, and woody.

Pimento Leaf note image

Pimento Leaf

Greener and sharper than the berry. Very spicy.

Anise note image

Anise

Sweet, spicy, and licorice-like. It adds a polarizing aromatic sweetness that cuts through warmer notes with a cool edge.

Chutney note image

Chutney

Spiced fruit relish. It smells savory, sweet, and vinegary.

Timur note image

Timur

Nepalese pepper. Smells of grapefruit and passionfruit.

Carum note image

Carum

Another name for Caraway. Spicy, anise-like, and sharp.

Curcuma (Turmeric) note image

Curcuma (Turmeric)

Earthy, dusty, and slightly ginger-like. It adds a dry yellow spice note.

Water Pepper note image

Water Pepper

Smartweed. Sharp and peppery.

Green Coffee note image

Green Coffee

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

Tonka Bean note image

Tonka Bean

The scent of coumarin—vanilla, almond, hay, and tobacco rolled into one.

Cinnamon note image

Cinnamon

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

Pink Pepper note image

Pink Pepper

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

Ginger note image

Ginger

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

Galanga note image

Galanga

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

Cubeb or Tailed Pepper note image

Cubeb or Tailed Pepper

A pepper variety with a camphorous, allspice-like scent. Cooler than black pepper.

Curry note image

Curry

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

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.

Wasabi note image

Wasabi

Horseradish-like heat. Pungent and green.

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.

Breu-Branco note image

Breu-Branco

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

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.

Estoraque note image

Estoraque

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

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.

Bushman Candle note image

Bushman Candle

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

Copal note image

Copal

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

Copaiba Balm note image

Copaiba Balm

A Brazilian resin that is sweet, woody, and slightly peppery. It acts as a fixative.

Olibanum (Frankincense) note image

Olibanum (Frankincense)

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

Myrrh note image

Myrrh

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

Bakhoor note image

Bakhoor

Wood chips soaked in perfume oil and burned, creating a smoky, fragrant cloud. It smells traditional, Middle Eastern, and welcoming.

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.

Opoponax note image

Opoponax

Sweet Myrrh. Smells like toffee, balsam, and mushrooms.

Tea Tree Oil note image

Tea Tree Oil

Medicinal and antiseptic. Sharp and clean.

Elemi note image

Elemi

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

Birch Tar note image

Birch Tar

The concentrated essence of smoke and leather derived from birch. It is intensely phenolic, smelling like a bonfire.

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.

Poplar (Populus) Buds note image

Poplar (Populus) Buds

Sticky buds smelling of balsam, honey, and propolis.

Resins note image

Resins

Hardened tree sap. Amber, sticky, and warm.

Incense note image

Incense

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

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.

Red Mandarin note image

Red Mandarin

The sweetest mandarin oil. Floral and candy-like.

Lemon Balm note image

Lemon Balm

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

Lemon Zest note image

Lemon Zest

The oil from the peel. Bitter, shiny, and photorealistic.

Pokan note image

Pokan

Taiwanese mandarin. Sweet and loose-skinned.

Hassaku note image

Hassaku

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

Tangerine Zest note image

Tangerine Zest

Oily orange peel scent.

Limetta note image

Limetta

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

Bitter Orange note image

Bitter Orange

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

Clementine note image

Clementine

Sweet, juicy, and seedless citrus. It smells happier and less acidic than orange.

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.

Citrus Japonica note image

Citrus Japonica

Kumquat. It smells tart and sweet.

Methyl Pamplemousse note image

Methyl Pamplemousse

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

Lemon Tree note image

Lemon Tree

Woody and leafy notes of the tree, plus the fruit. A full orchard smell.

Grapefruit Leaf note image

Grapefruit Leaf

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

Mandora note image

Mandora

A cross between mandarin and orange. Juicy and sweet.

Lime note image

Lime

Sharper, drier, and more tropical than lemon. It has a distinct 'cola' nuance.

Lemongrass note image

Lemongrass

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

Finger Lime note image

Finger Lime

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

Lemon note image

Lemon

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

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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.