Fragrances

The Only Explanation of the Fragrance Wheel You Need

The Only Explanation of the Fragrance Wheel You Need

The fragrance wheel is a concept introduced by Michael Edwards, an esteemed fragrance expert. The wheel categorises fragrances into 4 categories, which can be divided further into subcategories. Providing a simple and logical way to group your fragrances and identify where your preferred scent profiles fall.

Utilising the wheel is beneficial for simplifying layering your fragrances, making choosing complimentary scents easier. In contrast, the wheel as well as establishing opposing contrasts to your preferred scent profile, can offer experimenting with contrasting scent profiles to offer depth and complexity to any layering combination.

The Fragrance Wheel

The wheel is split into 4 main categories: floral, fresh, oriental/amber, and woody notes. The main categories represent the four fragrance families and are umbrella terms for the subsequent subcategories. One thing that I love about the fragrance wheel is the ability to identify your preferred fragrance family, for example, I gravitate towards amber and woody notes. Families that exude warmth, and comfort, and are inviting.

From the fragrance wheel, I identified most of my perfume collection sits between the subcategories, ‘woody oriental’ and ‘soft oriental’. Subcategories inclusive of elements of woody notes, but accompanied with warm spices, such as vanilla, patchouli, and cinnamon. While highlighting the fragrance families I love the most, the wheel also told me which families I haven’t explored yet. Therefore, making it a useful tool to broaden your ‘palette’ for lack of a better word.

Floral Fragrance

Arguably the most popular and diverse fragrance family, and conventionally targeted to the female audience, with the marketing of femininity. Floral notes are seen primarily used as ‘heart’ notes. The subcategories are floral oriental, soft floral, pure floral, and fruity.

Floral oriental fragrances have an element of spice to the scent profile. Whereas, pure floral has a ‘true’ flower smell, and these fragrances are heavily composed of flowers. Soft floral is powdery and creamy in its composition but still has a floral smell.

Examples of Floral Fragrances:

Fresh

With fresh fragrances, it’s all in the name. They often smell like nature and are fresh, uplifting, and smell very clean. When I think of ‘fresh’ fragrances, I think of the soapy, fresh out-the-shower type of scent profiles. Scent profiles inclusive of notes, such as lemon, bergamot, orange, and grapefruit.

Examples of Fresh Fragrances:

Oriental/Amber

The terms, ‘oriental’ and ‘amber’ can be used interchangeably when discussing the fragrance wheel. Amber fragrances are often warm and woody, a good example is ‘the only one’ EDP by Dolce & Gabbana or ‘Opium’ by Yves Saint Laurent. The subcategories of the amber family are woody oriental, pure oriental, and soft oriental.

Your woody oriental fragrances are woody containing notes like cedarwood and sandalwood but possess a hint of oriental notes like patchouli. Unlike pure oriental fragrances that are heavily composed of oriental notes, these can range from spices like cinnamon, and nutmeg to vanilla. Soft oriental fragrances are products of incense and warm spices. However, notes like patchouli and vanilla would still likely feature.

Typically, you would see oriental/amber notes accompanied by fresher notes that you would normally find in fresh fragrances. Fresh notes are blended with oriental notes to create a balance between the lighter and heavier notes. Amber notes are similar to woody notes, both are most commonly used as base notes, and carry the fragrance.

Examples of Oriental/Amber Fragrances:

Woody

Woody fragrances are further divided into the subcategories aromatic, dry wood, mossy wood, and woody. Aromatic fragrances have an aromatherapy-type smell, they include notes such as lavender, peppermint, or ylang-ylang. However, aromatic fragrances have a woody base with their inclusion of notes like sandalwood and cedarwood.

Dry wood is conventionally where masculine fragrances stem from. Despite dry wood fragrances being categorised differently from woody fragrances, I view them to be similar. They are both heavily inclusive of woody notes and unlike other fragrances, they don’t just feature one type of wood. Usually, two or more are used adding depth and dimension to not only the overall scent profile but within the woody notes themselves. When thinking about woody fragrances, I think of the oud fragrances I have in my collection, like ‘Oud Mood’ EDP and ‘Oud Simplicity’ by French Arabian.