Fragrance wheel guide

Have you ever tried to describe a scent to someone, but struggled to find the right words? With so many different scents and fragrance notes, it can be challenging to accurately convey what a perfume or cologne smells like. That's where the fragrance wheel comes in. It's a tool that helps categorize scents based on their dominant notes, making it easier to understand and describe them. 

What is a Fragrance Wheel? 

A fragrance wheel is a circular diagram that categorizes scents into different groups based on their dominant fragrance notes. It was first created by Michael Edwards, a fragrance expert, in 1983 and has since become a standard tool for both professionals and enthusiasts in the fragrance industry. 

The wheel is divided into four main categories: Floral, Oriental, Woody, and Fresh. Each of these categories is further divided into subcategories, creating a total of 14 fragrance families. These families include floral, fruity, spicy, citrus, green, aquatic, fougère, aromatic, woody, leather, tobacco, musk, amber, and oriental. 

Fragrances can be categorized into 14 different fragrance families, each with its unique characteristics and ingredients. 

Floral: As the name suggests, this family is composed of fragrances that are primarily derived from floral ingredients like rose, jasmine, and lavender. 

Oriental: This family is characterized by warm and spicy scents that often include notes of amber, vanilla, and musk. 

Woody: Fragrances in this family typically include notes of cedar, sandalwood, and other wood-based scents. 

Fruity: This family is composed of fragrances that feature prominent fruit notes, such as citrus, apple, and berry. 

Green: This family includes fragrances that evoke the scents of fresh-cut grass, leaves, and other greenery. 

Aquatic: This family features fragrances that are inspired by the sea, with notes of salt, sea air, and marine plants. 

Chypre: This family is characterized by a combination of citrus top notes, floral middle notes, and woody base notes. 

Citrus: As the name suggests, this family is composed of fragrances that are primarily derived from citrus ingredients, such as lemon, orange, and grapefruit. 

Gourmand: This family includes fragrances that evoke the scents of food, such as vanilla, chocolate, and coffee. 

Spicy: This family features fragrances with notes of cinnamon, clove, and other warm spices. 

Leather: This family includes fragrances that feature notes of leather, suede, and other animal hides. 

Tobacco: Fragrances in this family feature notes of tobacco and other smoky scents. 

Aldehydic: This family includes fragrances that are composed of synthetic ingredients that give off a metallic or soapy scent. 

Hesperidic: This family is composed of fragrances that are derived from the peel of citrus fruits, such as bergamot, lemon, and grapefruit. 

Each fragrance family can be further broken down into subcategories, but knowing the basic 14 fragrance families is a great way to start exploring the vast world of fragrances. 

How to Use the Fragrance Wheel 

To use the fragrance wheel, start by determining which fragrance family your perfume or cologne belongs to. This can be done by identifying the dominant fragrance notes in the scent. For example, if the scent has a strong floral note, it would fall into the floral category. 

Once you've determined the family, you can then narrow it down further by identifying the subcategory. For example, if the scent falls into the floral category, you can then identify whether it's a fruity floral, a spicy floral, or a green floral, depending on the other notes that are present in the scent. 

By using the fragrance wheel, you can more easily identify scents that you enjoy and find new scents to try based on your preferences. For example, if you know that you enjoy woody scents, you can explore the different subcategories within that family to find scents that you might like. 

Final Thoughts 

The fragrance wheel is a valuable tool for anyone who is interested in fragrance, whether you're a professional in the industry or simply someone who enjoys wearing perfume or cologne. By understanding the different fragrance families and how they relate to one another, you can more easily navigate the world of fragrance and find scents that you truly love. So the next time you're trying to describe a scent to someone, or trying to find a new fragrance to add to your collection, remember the fragrance wheel and all that it has to offer.

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There you will be able to discuss and get recommendations from other Rosa Salas customers and fragrance enthusiasts that already tried their fragrances.