Perfumers have long been using “fragrance families” as the way to classify different perfumes based on their dominant scent characteristics. The need to classify different scents led to the creation of the “fragrance wheel”– a diagram that breaks down fragrance families and subfamilies.
The most simplified version of this wheel includes four major fragrance families:
1. Fresh – bright, clean and uplifting
2. Floral – built around floral notes
3. Amber – warm, rich and musky
4. Woody – centered around woods, resins, mosses, and earthy notes
You may already have a good idea of the scent family that you gravitate toward. But many of us don’t think about it until we’re standing in front of a selection of perfumes, completely overwhelmed and trying to decide which to buy. To help, I’ve broken down the 4 fragrance families into subfamilies, and example scent notes:
Fresh
Subfamilies: citrus, greens, water/aquatic, aromatic
Examples: bergamot, lemon, grapefruit, mint, marine notes
Floral
Subfamilies: soft floral, floral, floral amber
Examples: rose, jasmine, lavender, lily of the valley, peony
Amber
Subfamilies: soft amber, amber, woody amber
Examples: vanilla, benzoin, tonka bean, incense, labdanum
Woody
Subfamilies: woods, mossy woods, dry woods
Examples: sandalwood, cedarwood, vetiver, patchouli, oakmoss
If after reading through this breakdown, you’re still unsure of what fragrances you prefer, try one of two ways to determine your ideal perfume scent:
Ask Yourself What Smells You Already Love
What scents do you interact with that make you feel good, happy, relaxed, etc.? What are the smells you always enjoy? Based on that, you could find a similar scent that falls into one of the broader scent families.
Clean laundry, ocean air, citrus, tea, or green leaves? → Fresh
Flowers, gardens, bouquets, or lavender? → Floral
Forests, wood furniture, campfires, earthy scents? → Woody
Warm vanilla, incense, resins, spice, cozy scents? → Amber
Think About the Mood You Want to Evoke
The same way we choose our clothes or accessories to fit the mood we want to embody, we can choose scents to help us feel or present certain ways.
If you’re looking for bright, clean energy – try a Fresh scent.
If you’re looking for something with a romantic and soft feel – try a Floral scent.
If you enjoy all things sophisticated and grounded – try a Woody scent.
If you’re enticed by the warm and sensual – try an Amber scent.
Along these lines... it should go without saying, but you can change your scent up based on occasion. Maybe your daily perfume is fresh, but the perfume you wear in the evening to go out is an amber scent. Your go-to scent may be woody, but maybe you want a romantic floral scent for your wedding day - something different that you'll always associate with that day and those memories.
These families and subfamilies primarily exist to help us determine and categorize what perfumes we like best. They are a very clinical way to look at scent, but they can help you if you’re truly struggling with finding a signature scent you love.
Some scents fall into more than one family or category. Some of my personal favorite scents are a combination of fresh and floral! The blending of two perfumes together is becoming more popular as well, which allows people to even better achieve the scent they're looking for.
If you find yourself dealing with decision paralysis - or wanting to buy a perfume online from your favorite small business friend 😉 - consider what you're drawn to, how certain scents affect your mood, and take a chance! You might just end up trying something new, or outside of your comfort zone... and loving it.
Wallflower Candle Co. Perfumes
Shop our rollerball perfume selection, made with a vegan, all-nature and cruelty-free fractionated coconut oil base.
For reference, our scents fall into the main scent families in the following ways:
Fresh - Desert Bloom, Spellbound, Beach Babe, Agave Glow, Summer Glow
Floral - Bloom, Wallflower, Pretty Peony, Ever After, Summer Glow
Amber - Cashmere, Velvet Kiss
Woody - Wanderlust, Velvet Kiss