In This Story:
Simply put: The fragrance space is as beautifully diverse as it is saturated. From the age ol’ classics, and celebrity fragrances to the latest glittery launches and ‘mix-it-yourself’ bespoke scents – there are infinite perfume choices out there. However, as much as we love navigating through the gorgeous glass-laden aisles and sniffing our hearts out, fragrance shopping can truly get a tad too overwhelming at times (not to mention an assault on the olfactory senses). Needless to say, the struggle of picking a perfect fragrance, let alone the indecision of how to select perfume is all too real.
Well, just so that you don’t have to douse your nose in coffee beans for an eternity, a great starting point to embark on this aromatic journey is to get some deets on fragrance families and types of fragrance. Since fragrances are more nuanced than you can ever imagine, this will help you identify your signature scent or find the perfect aroma for all those special occasions in your life. Plus, filter out your best fits, without putting your nose out of joint.
From spicy notes and woody bases to fresh florals and zesty citrus, here’s everything you need to know on how to choose a perfume that’s tailor-made for you.
Types Of Fragrances
Floral
Love the fresh and feminine scent of roses, jasmine, and lilies? Then consider florals to be your fragrance personality. Elegant, light, powdery and romantic, these scents are feminine, soft and subtly sweet. As the name suggests, the scent comes from flowers; either a single flower scent or a combination of different flower scents. Known to be one of the most common families in the perfume universe, it might also encompass fruity accents such as delicious peaches, pears, green apples and orange blossoms for a fresh fruity punch. Summer in a bottle? Yes, please.
Where: Day weddings or an evening at the ballet.
Nykaa Recommends:
Oriental
Also known as ‘amber’ fragrances, these stand out because of their unique blend of warmth and sensuality. Oriental scents draw their richness from heady musk, vanilla and precious woods and are exotic, musky and understatedly seductive, Oriental notes are the ‘LBD’ equivalent of the fragrance world. These sensual scents feature a powerful blend of heady notes; think musk and ambergris interspersed with warm notes such as amber, sweet notes such as vanilla and cinnamon or earthy notes such as patchouli and sandalwood that leave behind a trail of mystery wherever you go. Va va voom.
Where: Cocktail hour with your girlfriends or candlelight dinner with your soulmate.
Nykaa Recommends:
Woody
Woody scents are earthy and warm with mossy and leathery notes. Wood perfumes are very important when it comes to providing the base notes to a perfume scent and are the main basis for fragrance. Built on base notes of vetiver, sandalwood, and oakmoss, these fragrances will remind you of winding roads and smouldering leather aromas. Intensely earthy with a whiff of masculinity, woody notes are most often infused with citrusy notes to tone down intensity and impart a hint of freshness. If you are looking to be taken seriously, this one will send all the right messages.
Where: Important business meetings or elegant charity galas
Nykaa Recommends:
Spicy
Sugar, spice, and everything nice, that’s what defines spicy fragrances to a T. Spicy fragrances are perfume scents imbued with spices you would ordinarily find in a spice rack in the kitchen like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, pepper, cloves, and nutmeg, combined with oriental materials, such as woods and resins to form a base of notes that is at once distinct and pleasant. If it sounds too intense, pick one with hints of rose, vetiver, and orange blossom for a dash of sweetness. Take it from us: You can’t do better than this.
Where: Sultry Saturday night vibes or glamorous red carpet events.
Nykaa Recommends:
Fresh
This one includes all kinds of clean happy scents such as citrus, aqua, and oceanic notes to evoke your day-dreaming adventurous side. Look out for zesty notes like mandarin and bergamot if you like lime everything or pick an aquatic scent that takes your back to that sand and surf beach vacay. More often than not, you will find them paired with spicier notes for that perfect balance.
Where: Job interviews or tropical holidays.
Nykaa Recommends:
Aquatic
Are you one of those people who would rather sip on a mocktail by the beach than head on to work every day? Well, that does describe me aptly, and if it’s you too, then opt for an aquatic fragrance type. These types of fragrances have marine notes such as algae, salt, sand, and fresh sea air. You may or may not be next to a coast every day, but you can surely smell like a freshly sea-bathed marine goddess.
Where: Summer sailing, beach parties, or tropical holidays.
Nykaa Recommends:
Gourmand
You either love gourmand fragrances or hate them, they offer a tantalising experience that not only satiates your olfactory senses but also smells yummy. A sweet and exotic combination of chocolate, caramel, vanilla, sugar, and burnt wood – these types of fragrances evoke a sense of richness and indulgence. Some people find the scent intoxicating and others find it alluring, it’s up to you to balance it out with a fresh scent if you wish to lower the strong effect.
Where: Date nights, cosy evenings, casual social gatherings.
Nykaa Recommends:
8. Citrus
Citrusy fragrances offer a fresh, crisp, and seductive vibe with quintessential citrus notes such as tangerine, oranges, grapefruit, and an assortment of lemons. It feels like the fresh summer breeze that awakens your senses every time you sniff this pleasant scent. You can also pair this fresh scent with something like a gourmand to balance out the spectrum of aromatics. Make every day feel like you are taking a stroll on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
Where: Summer mornings, pool parties, and winter evenings.
Nykaa Recommends:
9. Leather
This leather fragrance type is what equestrian dreams are made of, the perfect symphony of hay, wood, leather, and spicy aromatic compounds will make you feel exotic and elegant at the same time. This family of fragrance notes evokes a sense of rugged charm that is commonly found in the countryside where people are more one with nature. It exudes adventure and in every spritz.
Where: Formal occasions, cosy evenings, and date nights.
Nykaa Recommends:
Categories Of Perfumes
The categories of perfume differ on the basis of the aromatic compounds present in them. Depending on the level of concentration, the kinds of perfume vary. They go from 1% to 40% offering a spectrum of strength and stay. Let’s see the different types of fragrances according to their formulation.
- Eau Fraiche: This kind of fragrance only houses 1–3% of the aromatics and the rest is water and spirit making it last only for two hours. Since water evaporates faster than pure perfume oils, this perfume is a lightweight fragrance enhancer that is rather short-lived.
- Eau de Cologne: These kinds of fragrances are formulated with 2–4% of aromatic oils. This type of fragrance can last up to 3–4 hours which is still not enough for the day, but with reapplication, you can keep smelling the way you did in the morning.
- Eau de Toilette: This is an ideal concentration for everyday wear, made with 5–15% of aromatic components. They can offer the same aromatic experience for up to five hours without reapplication.
- Eau de Parfum: This is an even higher concentration that lasts up to seven hours and is made of 15–20% perfume oils. This is the most expensive daily-wear perfume that is available in the market making it an exclusive choice among the elite.
- Parfum: A parfum is the strongest perfume with concentrations up to 30% that can last all day and even the night. It’s a luxurious aromatic and often worn in very small quantities to avoid feeling overwhelmed with the strength of the formulation.
Navigating Fragrance Notes
There are three notes that every perfume possesses, and these notes together give every perfume its distinct fragrance – top, heart, and base notes. You need to understand the job of each of these notes to navigate through them and smell the way you desire.
Top notes: Top notes are fragrances that you experience as soon as you wear your perfume. They often consist of fresh, fruity, citrusy, and spicy notes. They are also the first scents to evaporate and lose their essence. Their fragrance fades to make way for more complex notes which are the heart and base notes.
Heart: These notes are what the perfume is mostly made of, they are usually floral, spicy, or aquatic fragrances that slowly emerge as the top note fades.
Base: Finally, woody, musky, grassy, and leathery notes make up for base notes that linger on your skin the most. These notes evaporate slowly, changing the way your skin smells throughout the day as the other scents lose their strength.
While selecting a perfume, look at the base notes to know what your skin will smell like all day, look at the heart notes to know what your perfume is mostly made of, and the top notes to know what you can smell as soon as you wear a perfume.
Parting Thoughts
Understanding different perfumes and fragrance types is crucial before investing in a scent. The first thing people notice about you is the way you smell, and a good smell can really help you create a positive and lasting impression. Choose your notes wisely to select the kind of vibe you wish to exude when it comes to buying perfume.
FAQs
-
What are the different types of fragrances?
The different types of fragrances depend on the heart notes of a perfume. Some of the fragrance types are listed below:
- Citrus
- Aquatic
- Gourmand
- Woody
- Spicy
- Green
- Fresh
- Fruity
- Floral
- Leather
-
What kinds of perfume are suitable for a formal event
A formal event calls for a sophisticated scent that elevates your personality and the vibe of the occasion, we recommend opting for luxurious scents such as leather, wood, spice, and gourmand instead of causal fragrances such as floral, fruity, and fresh.
-
What are the categories of perfume?
Depending on the concentration of the aromatic compounds you can choose from different categories of perfume. The lightest category of perfume is an Eau Fraîche with 1–3% perfume oils, followed by Eau de Cologne with 2–4%, then an Eau de Toilette with 5–15%, then an Eau de Parfum with 15–20%, and finally a Parfum with 20–40% perfume concentrate.
-
What makes every perfume unique?
The concentration and combination of notes make every perfume unique. With different top, heart, and base notes and a different concentration offers a unique experience in every bottle.
-
What is the main purpose of a perfume?
Unlike deodorants, antiperspirants, and roll-ons, a perfume doesn’t mask your existing body odour. A perfume is supposed to be applied to a freshly clean body for it to be absorbed into your body so you can smell great all day. Other reasons to wear perfume are to boost self-confidence, create a good impression, and increase self-appeal.
