Fragrance guide to the olfactory family

A fragrance family groups together perfumes that share a dominant characteristic. It serves to classify a perfume according to its main accords and the sensation it evokes, for example, floral, woody, amber, or citrus. It's a simple guide to better understand a perfume and help you choose one.

Yes, it's the same principle. "Fragrance family" is a common term for "olfactory family." In both cases, the aim is to group perfumes into broad olfactory categories to facilitate discovery and comparison.

Fragrances are generally categorized into major families such as floral, woody, amber, hesperidic (citrus), aromatic, chypre, musky, gourmand, spicy, leathery, and aquatic. Depending on the classification system, some families are further subdivided into more specific subfamilies.

There is no single number, as classifications vary between perfume houses and schools of perfumery. Most often, we speak of about ten main families, supplemented by sub-families that allow for a more refined profile of a perfume.

Yes. A fragrance can be classified within one dominant family while still possessing facets of other families. For example, a woody fragrance can also be ambery, spicy, or musky depending on its composition. This is why two "woody" fragrances can have very different personalities.

To begin with, fresh and bright fragrance families like citrus, certain florals, or aromatics are often easy to wear every day. If you're looking for a more distinctive signature, woody scents are a great starting point. Amber and gourmand fragrances are generally more enveloping and well-suited to evenings or cooler seasons.

A floral design highlights the idea of ​​a bouquet and petals (softness, brightness).

A woody finish relies on materials like cedar, sandalwood or vetiver (structure, elegance).

An amber color evokes a more resinous and enveloping warmth, often associated with vanilla, balms or oriental notes.

A gourmand plays on “comfort” notes, often sweet or milky, around vanilla, tonka bean, caramel or chocolate.

Less and less so. Fragrance families primarily describe a style and a feeling, not a gender. Many perfumes are now worn freely according to personal taste. The terms "men's" or "women's" can help you find your way, but the best guide remains the fragrance family you like.

The easiest way is to look at the fragrance family listed on the product page and identify the main notes (citrus, floral, woody, vanilla, musk). With practice, you'll quickly recognize the recurring profiles. Filters by fragrance family also allow you to compare several perfumes within the same category.