This is a hotch-potch of information on the various fragrances and some examples of each. It was compiled only for use as background to my second novel and thus I've lost all references and links.
Please, if you recognize your web article, rather than be angry, mention it in comments and I'll insert the appropriate link in the text.
Here are the categories:
FloralThe majority of feminine fragrances are floral. Some are a bouquet of different flowers, with each individual flower complementing the others; some use one main flower and complement it with other notes and accords; others are very simple and can just be the scent of a flower alone. (This are called single-note scents)
While in the past, floral scent has been considered as very masculine, nowadays, especially in the west, these are slightly less popular as a men's category.
Examples include:
Masculine: Agua Lavanda by Puig, Insensé by Givenchy
Feminine:Chanel No 19, Anaïs Anaïs by Cacharel, L'Air du Temps by Nina Ricci, Charlie by Revlon
Floral - This is the largest category, and it includes fragrances whose primary ingredients are derived from flowers such as jasmine, rose, violet, carnation, orange-blossom, gardenia, ylang-ylang, etc.
Examples: Carolina Herrera, Paris, White Diamonds
Subcategories: Floral-Green
Floral-Ambery
Floral-Fruity
Floral-Citrus
Floral-Woody Example: Bvlgari, Chanel 19
Example: Adrienne Vittadini
Example: Amarige, Baby Doll
Example: Curve
Example: Romance, L'Eau D'Issey, 1881 Cerruti
FLORAL:
Chanel No. 22: a bouquet of white flowers, jasmine, tuberose, ylang-ylang (an Asian tree), and rose, that develops slowly, moving through vanilla to incense, spiked with a touch of vetiver (an East Indian grass). (No. 22 is named for the year it was created.)
Joy by Jean Patou: (Zhan Pa-too) this is a classic, created in 1930 and still one of the best sellers. Joy has a reputation of being the costliest perfume in the world and it’s worth every penny. According to its publicity, “A single ounce of Joy perfume contains 10,600 jasmine flowers and 28 dozen May roses.”
L'air Du Temps by Nina Ricci: (Lair-due-ton; “l‘iair du temps” is a French idiom that roughly translates as “the flow of time” but it means “a sense of timelessness”) a light blend of gardenia, musk, rose, carnation and sandalwood.
Arpege by Lanvin: (Are-pezzh by La-vaw, ) a classic for the woman of good taste, with jasmine, rose, camellia, and lily of the valley.
Floral
Acte 2 by Escada: is a gentle floral fragrance; a blend of rose, tangerine, amber and soft powdery flowers with notes of the fresh cool sea and the pure ocean air. It is recommended for daytime wear.
Blue Perfume for Women by Ralph Lauren: is a blend of lotus flower, gardenia, pink peony, tuberose, rose de mai, orange flower, musk, ambrette, and sandalwood.
Celine Dion by Coty: is a light floral fragrance including water lily, orange blossom, and exotic tiare flower, balanced with warm, rich amber, sheer musk, and pristine blonde woods.
Chanel Chance: (Shawnz) a young, unexpected floral constellation of hyacinth, pink pepper, jasmine, vetiver (an East Indian grass), citrus, iris and amber of patchouli (an East Indian mint plant).
Chanel No. 22: a bouquet of white flowers, jasmine, tuberose, ylang-ylang (an Asian tree), and rose, that develops slowly, moving through vanilla to incense, spiked with a touch of vetiver (an East Indian grass). (No. 22 is named for the year it was created.)
Curious Britney Spears: start with Louisiana magnolia, add Anjou pear and lotus flower, followed by a fresh bouquet of white flowers and pink cyclamen. This is a very floral scent in a pretty blue atomizer.
Dolce Gabbana by Dolce & Gabbana: (Dole-che) a romantic blend of basil, tangerine, orange flowers, carnation, marigold and vanilla. I love anything with carnation.
Donna Karan for Women: a predominantly floral fragrance of rose, cassia, jasmine, heliotrope, Casablanca and apricot. Notes of suede, patchouli, amber and sandalwood add an air of Manhattan sophistication to this scent.
DKNY by Donna Karan: the main notes are vodka, orange, tomato leaf, white birch and daffodils. This is a daring blend that reflects the cutting edge of New York City.
Estee Lauder Pleasures: a light floral bouquet notes of white lily, black lilac, white peony and violet leaves.
Estee Lauder White Linen: a clean, delicate floral bouquet where peach and citrus oils mix with jasmine, lilac, rose, hyacinth, lily of the valley, orchid, and ylang-ylang (an Asian tree).
Gap Dream: flowery and refreshing, with high notes of freesia, combined violet, jasmine and orange flower.
Glamourous by Ralph Lauren: Glamorous has notes of clementine, calla lily, tuberose and vetiver. It is an extravagant floral. Ralph Lauren’s perfume bottles are usually ugly, in my opinion, but Glamourous has a sophisticated, stylish bottle.
Happy by Clinique: this citrusy floral is suitable for daytime wear. It’s a bright blend of red grapefruit, boysenberry bush flower, and Hawaiian wedding flower.
Glow by JLo: an unsophisticated mix of citrus fruits, florals, vanilla and musk. Not one of my favorites.
Joy by Jean Patou: (Zhan Pa-too) this is a classic, created in 1930 and still one of the best sellers. Joy has a reputation of being the costliest perfume in the world and it’s worth every penny. According to its publicity, “A single ounce of Joy perfume contains 10,600 jasmine flowers and 28 dozen May roses.”
L'air Du Temps by Nina Ricci: (Lair-due-ton; “l‘air du temps” is a French idiom that roughly translates as “the flow of time” but it means “a sense of timelessness”) a light blend of gardenia, musk, rose, carnation and sandalwood.
Arpege by Lanvin: (Are-pezzh by La-van, but go very lightly on the “n”) a classic for the woman of good taste, with jasmine, rose, camellia, and lily of the valley.
Marc Jacobs: a subtle blend of gardenia, wild muguet, musk, cedar, and ginger.
Ralph Perfume by Ralph Lauren: This flowery fragrance is suitable for the office. It’s a fresh blend of florals and fruits.
Safari for Women by Ralph Lauren: the most popular of Ralph Lauren’s scents is meant to evoke the freshness of a morning in the savanna: galbanum, mandarin, hyacinth, aldehydes, rose, lily of the valley, narcissus, orris, vetiver, moss, tonka, and tyrax.
Taste by Jessica Simpson: a girly, edible combo of Tahitian vanilla, white chocolate, coconut cream, and honey.
Tiffany: contains a blend of jasmine, rose, orange and iris.
Vera Wang: begins with Bulgarian rose, calla lily, and mandarin flower with a middle of gardenia, lotus, iris, and white stephanotis, and ends with musk, white woods, and precious floral nectar.
Chypre/woody Chypre (pronounced 'sheep-r')
A Chypre fragrance contains woody, mossy and floral notes. Often will contain Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Patchouli Bergamot and Vetiver. This was named after a feminine fragrance by Coty called 'Chypre' in 1917. The name 'Chypre' is French for Cyprus, which is where many of the notes that make up this fragrance could be found.
Examples include:
Masculine: Givenchy Gentleman, Fendi Uomo, Vetiver by Guerlain, Aramis, Van Cleef and Arpels, Quorum by Puig, Antaeus by Chanel, 212 Men by Carolina Herrera.
Feminine: Cuir de Russe by Chanel, Mitsouko by Guerlain, Chypre de Coty.
Chypre - pronounced "sheepra", French for "Cyprus" and first used by Francois Coty to describe his impression of aromas he encountered on the island of Cyprus. He created a woodsy, mossy, citrusy perfume named Chypre, which is no longer made, but the word is still used to describe fragrances that are made in that style. Chypre fragrances generally owe their soft, sweet, earthy natures to ingredients like bergamot, oakmoss, citruses, and that 60's favorite, patchouli (making a comeback!).
Example: Y, Dalimix
Subcategories: Chypre-Fruity
Chypre-Floral
Chypre-Animalic Example: Femme
Example: Paloma Picasso, Fendi
Example: Miss Dior, Ysatis
CHYPRE:
Chanel No. 19: floral, woody, and green. Notes of neroli (a flower oil), galbanum (a resin from some Asain plants), may rose, and irises from Florence finish with a chime of chypre with a subtle, woody vetiver (an East Indian grass). The number 19 refers to Coco Chanel's birthday on August 19.
Christian Dior Miss Dior: chypre, sage, gardenia, rose, patchouli, and labdanum. This classic scent is perfect for the office.
Fougere/fern Fougère (pronounced 'foo-jer')
Fougere fragrances are one of the most popular men's families. These will often contain Lavender and Oakmoss.
The term 'Fougere' is French for 'fern' but fern's don't actually smell like this. The name derives from a now discontinued fragrance by Houbigant called Fougere Royale (Royal Fern) which was the first fougere fragrance.
Examples include:
Masculine: Polo Sport by Ralph Lauren, Platinum Egoiste by Chanel, Cool Water by Davidoff, Jazz by YSL, Paco Rabanne pour homme.
Fougиre - pronounced "foozh-air", French for "fern", these are fragrances with fresh, herbaceous notes on a mossy fernlike base.
Example: Cool Water
MuskL’Aminant by Coty: (La-mee-naw; “l’aminant” means the magnent) jasmine, citrus, Bulgarian roe, Italian bergamot, Algerian geranium, vanilla from South America, vetivert from East India, and civet musk from Ethiopia.
Shalimar by Guerlain: (Gare-lahn) contains bergamot, lemon, and patchouli accented with vanilla, sandalwood and musk. A perennial favorite for every woman in your life.
Musk, when diluted for perfumes, has a sweet smell and is the most powerful of the perfume oils. Musk for perfumes usually comes from the musk–ox or the musk-rat, but the most prized source is the male musk-deer that lives in the Himalayas.
L’Aminant by Coty: (La-mee-naw; “l’aminant” means the magnent) jasmine, citrus, Bulgarian roe, Italian bergamot, Algerian geranium, vanilla from South America, vetivert from East India, and civet musk from Ethiopia.
Dolce & Gabbanna for Women: (Dole-che) petit grain, tangerine, basil, accented with freesia, musk and rose.
Shalimar by Guerlain: (Gare-lahn) contains bergamot, lemon, and patchouli accented with vanilla, sandalwood and musk. A perennial favorite for every woman in your life.
Caleche by Hermes: (Ka-leesh by Air-mezz; ) a subtle combination of rose, gardenia, lilac, and civet musk.
Lagerfeld Sun * Moon & Stars: jasmine, orange blossom and narcisse are blended with notes of musk, sandalwood and amber,
O Oui by Lancome: (Oh-wee) scents of clementine, water lily and musk.
Revlon Ciara: for a young woman, a crowd-pleasing mix of vanilla and musk.
Sporty/cleanCitrus - These are compositions where the inclusion of citrus fruits like lime, lemon, tangerine, mandarin and bergamot (often called hesperides) are blended to create a fragrance that has effervescent or exhilarating qualities. More common in men's fragrances, but increasingly popular in women's, too. One of the oldest fragrance categories, dating back to ancient times.
Example: CK One
Subcategories: Citrus-Floral Examples: Jess
Sporty/Clean
Cashmere Mist by Donna Karan: A blend of bergamot and lily of the valley is merged with sweet tones of vanilla, sandal wood and amber for this fresh, warm scent.
Estee Lauder Alliage: The one that started this category of fragrances in 1972, it blends jasmine, citrus, nutmeg, rose, armoise (it’s French, and I don’t know what it means), oakmoss, vetiver (an East Indian grass), and cedarwood.
Lily Chic by Escada: (Lily Sheek) strong notes of lily of the valley, grapefruit, yellow peony, marigold, sandlewood, starfruit and Lemon Tree bark combine for a fresh, airy fragrance.
Ralph Lauren Polo for Women: sporty, grassy with orange flower and melon, with hints of water mint and freesia.
Tommy Girl by Tommy Hilfiger: a clean, refreshing scent with notes of camellias, apple blossoms, mandarin and spearmint blended with honeysuckle, desert jasmine, and Dakota lily.
Green/natural
Green - These are compositions where the predominant notes are derived from green plant parts and notes such as pine, juniper, grass, leaves, and herbs.
Example: Safari, Bvlgari Extrкme
GREEN:
Chanel No. 5: notes of ylang-ylang (an Asian tree), neroli (a flower oil), jasmine and may rose. Sandalwood and vanilla round out this classic fragrance with an unforgettable woody note. (Named for Coco Chanel’s lucky number.)
Green/natural
Angel by Thierry Mugler: (Tear-ree Moo-glay) a swirl of chocolate, caramel, honey and vanilla, with wooded notes.
Burberrys London: a blend of peach, apricot, sandalwood, cedar, amber and musk.
Calvin Klein Eternity for Women: blend of mandarin, marigold and white lily, lightly touched by amber and sandalwood.
Calvin Klein Escape for Women: blend of apple, mandarin, rose, plum,
peach, and finishes with musk and sandalwood.
Calvin Klein Truth for Women: Woody notes of wet woods and bamboo accompanied by white clover, peony, sapling, sandalwood and white amber. Light enough for casual wear.
Chanel No. 5: notes of ylang-ylang (an Asian tree), neroli (a flower oil), jasmine and may rose. Sandalwood and vanilla round out this classic fragrance with an unforgettable woody note. (Named for Coco Chanel’s lucky number.)
Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds: notes of Italian neroli, living Amazon lily, Egyptian tuberose, Turkish rose, Italian orris, living narcissus, living jasmine, Italian sandalwood, patchouli, amber, and oakmoss.
L'Instant de Guerlain by Guerlain: (Lan-stawn da Gare-lahn) fresh, crystalline amber is finished with notes of citrus, honey, and magnolia.
Lacoste: a natural scent with notes of pepper, bergamont, ambrette seed oil, heliotrope, jasmine, hibiscus, cedarwood, gaiacwood and musk.
Magnetism by Escada: a charming fragrance of leafy greens, freesia and black currant added to the musky energy of amber, sandalwood and vanilla. Includes top notes jasmine, iris, muget and almond blossom.
O de Lancome: A cool scent: lemon, mandarin, jasmine, honeysuckle, sandalwood and wild rosemary.
Curve by Liz Claiborne: Hints of citrus and water lily with sheer tones of sandalwood.
Poison by Christian Dior: strong scent of jasmine with lower tones of amber, almond and woods.
Romance by Ralph Lauren: A blend of velvety woods, extravagant florals and seductive musk.
True Star by Tommy Hilfiger: with Beyonce as the inspiration, this is an unusual scent that has florals as well as grains: sweet pea, syringa, honeysuckle, rice pudding, kashi cereal, and toasted wheat grains. The ads indicate that this is an Oriental scent, but I think it more properly belongs in the Green category.
Oriental/spicy
Oriental fragrances are common in both male and female fragrances. They are often warm, spicy and sweet and contain ingredients such as Vanilla and Tonka bean. Sandalwood is also very common in these fragrances
Examples include:
Masculine: Obsession for Men by Calvin Klein, Joop! Homme by Joop!, Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier, Equipage by Hermes, Egoiste by Chanel
Feminine: Jean Paul Gaultier "Classique", Angel, Opium by Yves Saint Laurent
Oriental - Generally full-bodied compositions that create an exotic, warm impression due to the inclusion of ingredients like spices, musk, balsams and resins.
Example: Shalimar, Royal Secret, Contradiction
Subcategories: Oriental-Citrusy
Oriental-Ambery
Oriental-Spicy
Floriental
Oriental-Gourmand Example: Candies
Example: Obsession
Example: Opium
Example: Wings, Hugo Woman
Example: Casmir, Angel, Wish
ORIENTAL:
Chanel Allure: bergamot (a herb), mandarin, water lily, magnolia, jasmine and may roses, vetiver (an East Indian grass) and, finally, velvety vanilla.Coty
Emeraude: introduced in 1923, its blend of jasmine, orange blossoms, and bergamot were exotic and new at the time. Emeraude retains its original charm.
Estee Lauder Youth Dew: Warm and exotic, this classic from 1953 has moss, vetiver and sandalwood are combined with a blend of warm rose, amber and geranium
Chanel No. 19: floral, woody, and green. Notes of neroli (a flower oil), galbanum (a resin from some Asian plants), may rose, and irises from Florence finish with a chime of chypre with a subtle, woody vetiver (an East Indian grass). The number 19 refers to Coco Chanel's birthday on August 19.
Miss Dior by Christian Dior: chypre, sage, gardenia, rose, patchouli, and labdanum. This classic scent is perfect for the office.
Envy Me by Gucci: has a base of sandalwood, musk, and teakwood, with a blend of pink peony, pink pepper, and water jasmine, and middle notes of lychee, pomegranate, pink musk, and white tea.
Michael Kors: freesia, tuberose, blue orris and white peony are topped with Moroccan incense, musk, and vetiver.
Paloma Picasso Perfume: a strong, rich blend of oakmoss, woods, citrus, bergamot (an herb) with notes of neroli (a flower oil) and jasmine.
Prada Perfume: a sophisticated blend of bergamot, orange, rose, patchouli, raspberry, sandalwood and vanilla.
Romance by Ralph Lauren: this sexy evening fragrance has hints of sungoddess rose, marigold, ginger, chamomile oil, yellow freesia, followed by white violet, lotus flower, day lily, and a base of patchouli and oakmoss.
Oriental/Spicy
Amarige by Givenchy: (ah-mah-reesh by Shee-von-shee; “amarige” is a fake French word) this is a sharp fragrance. Fruity notes of melons, peaches and plums are combined with a blend of orange flowers, soft sweet spices, violet and mimosa.
BCBG Girls: (Bay-say-bay-zhay Girls) for a young woman, spicy mandarin is combined with jasmine and clove.
Calvin Klein Obsession: a blend of vanilla, amber, orange blossom, oakmoss and other Oriental spices. Recommended for daytime wear.
Chanel Allure: bergamot (a herb), mandarin, water lily, magnolia, jasmine and may roses, vetiver (an East Indian grass) and, finally, velvety vanilla.
Emeraude by Coty: introduced in 1923, its blend of jasmine, orange blossoms, and bergamot were exotic and new at the time. Emeraude retains its original charm.
Estee Lauder Youth Dew: Warm and exotic, this classic from 1953 has moss, vetiver and sandalwood are combined with a blend of warm rose, amber and geranium.
Lancome Magie Noir: (Mah-zhee Nour, means “black magic”) a bouquet of Bulgarian rose and blackcurrant bud, with notes of jasmine, ylang-ylang (an Asian tree), cedar rose and incense.
Lancome Tresor: (Tray-zore) a modern "floriental" that combines the rose, lily of the valley (the most difficult flower to reproduce in a perfume), and lilac with the sparkle of apricot blossom, heliotrope and iris.
Must de Cartier: rose, carnation, jasmine, jonquil and orange blossom are combined with wooded notes of sandalwood , vetvier and amber.
Organza by Givenchy: (Shee-von-shee) this spicy scent is a blend of gardenia, ylang-ylang and tuberose. At the base are amber, nutmeg, vanilla, cedarwood and mace. It has a sexy bottle, too.
Organza Indecence by Givenchy: (Shee-von-shee) is an elegant fragrance with top notes of cinammon blended with patchouli and jacaranda with a hint of amber and musk.
Still by Jennifer Lopez: a surprising blend of saked, white pepper, mandarin, earl grey, pink freesia, honeysuckle, orange flower, rose, wild jasmine, sandalwood, musk, amber, and orris.
Ysatis by Givenchy: (Ee-sahr-tis by Shee-von-shee) a blend of mandarin, oakmoss, rose, iris, vanilla, clove, and amber.
Opium by Yves Saint Laurent : (Eaves San-la-raun) a refined blend of coriander, clove, and bayleaf accented with vetiver (an East Indian pgrass), pepper, lily of the valley (the most difficult of the flowers to reproduce in a fragrance), amber and patchouli. Very feminine.
Marine/oceanic
The Marine fragrance family is relatively new and is used to describe scents that evoke a feeling of the sea air. An ingredient called calone is used to give the marine scent.
Examples include:
Masculine: Kenzo Pour Homme, L'Eau D'Issey pour Homme by Issey Miyake, New West for Him by Aramis
Feminine: Escape by Calvin Klein, Inis by Fragrances of Ireland, Aquawoman by Rochas.
Labels: fragrances
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