Fragrance Families Buying Guide

There are four main fragrance families  that form the basis for all scents on the market. They are sometimes classified by way of the fragrance wheel which was developed in 1983 to show the relationships between each family of scents. Below, an overview the big 4 and the scents in between. Also keep in mind that when describing scents, the terminology often used is 'notes.' These are the various scents that strike us when smelling a perfume.

Female Fragrances

The female fragrance wheel differs slightly than the male one, so they are categorized a little bit differently.

Floral  Sub Groups: floral, soft floral, floral oriental These include scents like orange blossoms,  fresh cut flowers,  aldehydes and sweet spices. Famous Floral Scents Covet Pure Bloom by Sarah Jessica Parker  Daisy by Marc Jacobs  Wings by Giorgio Beverly Hills	Oriental  Sub Groups: soft oriental, oriental, woody oriental Incense, amber, vanilla, sandalwood and patchouli make up this scent grouping. Outstanding Oriental Scents Calvin Klein Obsession for Women  Prada by Prada  Yves St. Laurent Opium for Women	Woody  Sub Groups: woods, mossy woods, dry woods These groups have scents of oakmoss, amber, drywoods and leather.  Wonderful Woody Scents Azuree by Estee Lauder  Bvlgari Omnia Perfume for Women  Organza by Givenchy	Fresh  Sub Groups: citrus, fruity, green, water These scents smell just like their names. Green is a fresh scent and water includes marine or aquatic notes. Fabulous Fresh Scents Ck One by Calvin Klein   Colonia by Acqua di Parma  Gucci by Gucci

Male Fragrances

The male fragrance wheel contains similar scents to the above with the addition of two more.

Fougere  Contains notes of lavender  and oakmoss, and is a strongly woodsy scent. Fantastic Fougere Scents Cool Water by Davidoff  Jazz by Yves St. Laurent  Polo Sport by Ralph Lauren  Platinum Egoiste by Chanel	Chypre  This fragrance is a mix of woody, mossy and floral notes including oakmoss, sandalwood, patchouli and vetiver. Class A Chypre Scents Gentleman by Givenchy  Quorum by Puig  Vetiver by Guerlain  Uomo by Fendi

Shopping For Fragrance

Now that you are familiar with your fragrance families, here are some tips to remember when picking out your signature scent.

• Remember that all perfumes  and colognes  are layered. This means when you first put them on, they will smell one way, but over time the smell will be a bit different. The best way to pick out something you like is to put it on and smell it at intervals throughout the day. If it's pleasing to your nose after a few hours, then you've found a winner!
• Sometimes it helps to have a few choices in your collection of scents. For example, a lighter daytime scent for work or outdoors may differ from the fragrance you want at night when going out. Have a few options handy for whatever your mood.
• If you don't want to commit to buying a whole bottle, consider buying a small sample  of something first.  If you look around, you'll find there are a few sites out there that let you do just that.
• It sounds obvious, but when choosing a perfume, go with scents you like. If you like the smell of roses or enjoy vanilla candles,  then check out the descriptions on the scents you are buying. Typically, you can find out what to expect from the scent, and then you will have an idea whether you will like it or not.

Related Guides

Award Winning Fragrances	Fragrances	Health and Beauty

External Links

• BlackPhoenixAlchemyLab.com: This company not only produces their own fragrances, but accompanies each one with a Gothic back-story.