There are various families that are used to classify various scents that are used in perfume making. But, perfume will hardly ever fall under a single family. There will generally be an overlap therefore it's not likely that you will find a truly pure citrus scent or a pure floral. If you want to learn more please visit our complete Perfume Buying Guide.
All perfume creators work with a mix of components, however generally a single primary ingredient will be shining through that places these right into a perfume family as detailed below.
Perfume Families
1. The Fresh Family
The fresh family of perfume features notes that are very light, frequently fruity or perhaps citrusy. They are ideal fragrances for spring, summer, day events, and daytime activities because they are quite mild. These are very "young" scents, overall fun, frolicsome and reminds one of a summer day in a field of fresh grass. Shop discount Gucci perfumes.
Fresh Family Perfume Brands
- Calvin Klein offers Escape and CKOne.
- Blue Grass by Elizabeth Arden
- Eau de Cartier by Cartier
- Versus Time for Energy by Versace
- Sunflowers by Elizabeth Arden
- Charlie White by Revlon
- L'Eau de Issey and L'Eau de Issey Summer by Issey Miyake
2. Citrus Family
The citrus family is one of the oldest and most widely used by perfumers. The oils for these fragrances come from fruit essence and fruit peel. They are extracted by using a process called pressing or steam distillation. These are the most volatile, thus disperse quickly. They have fresh, zesty aromas that blend well with floral and spice families. Family flavors include, lemons, citrus blossoms and any kind of citrus fruit essence, like orange, and grapefruit.
Top Citrus Family Perfumes
- L’artisan The Pour Un Ete by Olivia Giacobetti
- Eau Sauvage and Diorella by Christian Dior
- Tommy Summer by Tommy Hilfiger
- Image by Nino Cerruti
- Jeans Couture (pictured on right) by Gianni Versace
- City Glam by Giorgio Armani
- Masculine by Dolce & Gabbana
- Cristalle by Chanel
- Exotic Beaches by Avon
3. Fruits Family
These fragrances come from fruits themselves, as well as from leaves, stems, and seeds. This category includes tree fruits and vine fruits. Chloe perfumes
The scents are usually quite strong and long lasting. Many of these essences are often blended with spices and woods to create a perfect concoction. Some favorites are mango, almond, honey, honey almond and various berries, like mulberry. Also commonly use are apple and apple cider.
Top Fruit Family Perfume
- Dream by Salvatore Ferragamo
- Tommy Girl by Tommy Hilfiger
- Green Tea and 5th Avenue by Elizabeth Arden
- I love love by Moschino
- One by Dolce & Gabbana
Heiress by Paris Hilton- Flight of Fancy by Anna Sui
- Ibiza Hippie by Escada
- Heat by Escada
- Cherry Blossom by Loccitane
- Hanae Mori by Hanae Mori
- Glow by J Lo
- Doll by Yves Saint Laurent
- Angel and Nirmala by Molinard
- L'Eau The One by Dolce and Gabanna
- Grosellina by Guerlain
4. Floral Family
This is one of the most popular of perfume families, and the scents are all founded in some type of flowers. They are actually made by distilling the natural and pure oils from the petals via a distilling process. Floral based scents are very versatile, in fact, more versatile than any other perfume family. A great floral is First by Van Cleef & Arpels Perfume. Common flowers used are roses, freesias, wild flowers, lilacs, as in Joy perfume, jasmine and pretty much any flower that has an alluring and provocative natural scent.
Floral Family Perfume Brands
- Anais Anais by Cacharel
Joy by Jean Patou
Still, Glow and Desed by Jennifer Lopez
Beautiful by Estee Lauder
J'Adore by Dior
Chloe by Chloe
Envy by Gucci
Ralph and Lauren by Ralph Lauren
Red Orchid by Oscar De La Renta
Moon Sparkle or Sunset Heat by Escada
Ralph Lauren Blue by Ralph Lauren
Design by Paul Sebastian
Vera Wang by Vera WangDolce & Gabbana by Dolce & Gabbana
Nude by Bill Blass
Champs-Elysées by Guerlain
English Rose by Yardley
Healing Garden Lavender Perfume by Coty
5. Spices, Herbs, Musks and Orientals
These oils are steam distilled from leaves, roots, barks, seeds, and flowering tops of trees and herbal plants. They are quite strong; slow evaporating, and long lasting. Herbs and spices blend well with oils from citrus and woods family. Common spices used for this perfume family are, cinnamon, woods and cinnamon mixes, orange spices, various mints and others.
Top Oriental Spicy Perfumes
- Red by Estee Lauder is pure cinnamon
- Opium by Yves Saint Laurent
- Shalimar by Jacques Guerlain
- Coco by Chanel
- Youth Dew by Estee Lauder
- Oriental by Avon
- Aviance Night Musk by Prince Matchavelli
- Perry Woman by Perry Ellis
- Pure Poison by Christian Dior
Top Oriental Florals
Burberry for Women by Burberry- Far Away by Avon
- Pure Wish by Chopard
- Rouge Hermes by Hermès
- Priemer Jour by Nina Ricci
- Montaigne by Caron
- Chamade by Guerlain
- Sui Love by Anna Sui
- YRIA by Yves Rocher
- Datura Noir by Serge Lutens
Top Musk Perfumes
- White Musk or Japanese Musk Oil by Body Shop
- Poison by Christian Dior
- Wild Musk Oil by Coty
- Narcisco Rodrgiuez for Her
- Gucci Eau de Parfum
- Serge Lutens Clair de Musc
- Pamplelune by Guerlain
- Féminité du Bois by Shiséido
- Aviance Night Musk by Prince Matchavelli
6. Woods Family
The oils in the woodsy perfume family are actually coming from and extracted in concentrated amounts from trees, actually from the wood itself as well as the roots and the root needles. Woody aromas can be sweet, bitter, green, musky or earthy. They are among the slowest evaporating and longest lasting oils. Woods blend very well with floral and spices. Common woodsy sources are pine, winter woods like evergreen, woody florals and warm vanillas.
Top Woody Family Perfumes
- Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana
- Brit by Burberry
- Very Sexy Hot by Victoria's Secret
- Donna Karan Signature by Donna Karan
- Angel by Thierry Mugler
- Christian Lacroix Rouge by Avon
- Halston by Halston
- Romance by Ralph Lauren
7. The Green Family
The Green family is one of the more recent additions to perfume families, in line with the recent “green” environmentalist movement that has hit the planet. This group is actually quite similar to floras and the chypres family that is described below. The Green family is mostly comprised of foresty, leafy and grassy type scents and flavors. This family consists of two parts, fresh and balsamic.
Top Green Family Perfumes
- Private Collection by Estee Lauder
- Fifth Avenue by Elizabeth Arden
8. Aldehydics
Aldehydics are synthetic based scents. This creation of this family is attributed to Coco Chanel who was the first to demand a perfume that was made only from synthetic materials.
Aldehydics Perfume Family Brands
- Chanel No5 By Chanel
9. Fougère
This one is mostly comprised of lavenders and ingredients like oak moss. It as well yields scents that very strong and masculine and musky. The perfumes that are in the fougere family are excellent for the outdoorsy type girl and the perfect fragrance for those who love to be in control and like to be noticed in a crowd. For the outdoor oriented, adventurous woman, this perfume family is sure to please.
Top Fougere Perfumes
- Adidas Moves For Her by Adidas
- Heaven Sent by Dana
- CK Be by Calvin Klein
- The Lover by Gap
- Hugo by Hugo Boss
- Clean Ultimate by Clean
- Eau Illuminee by DelRae
10. Tobacco - Leather
This family of perfumes smells just like you might imagine, and are very heavy, masculine and have a woody quality, often they can be easily mixed up with the wood family described above.
Miscellaneous
Despite the fact that the majority of perfume brands do fall under one of several families listed above, there are a few that really do not fit into any main family. Included in this are food flavor scents, seasonal scents as well as ocean or perhaps marine type fragrances, which mimic the smell of rain, fresh winds or ocean breezes, though may would argue that they can indeed fall under the Fresh Family.
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