The building blocks of every fragrance, explained in plain language. Jump to a family:
The smell of dry earth after the first rain. Mitti attar is traditionally made by baking clay and capturing its scent in sandalwood oil. It feels cool, mineral and nostalgic.
Feels like: rain, monsoon, nostalgic, calm, earthy, fresh, home
The root of a tall grass. It smells green, smoky and a little like damp soil. In India, khus is also used for cooling screens and summer drinks.
Feels like: summer, cool, earthy, green, calm, office, fresh
A leaf oil that smells earthy, dark and slightly sweet, like a damp forest floor. It gives many fragrances their depth.
Feels like: earthy, bold, evening, mysterious, boho
A dark, resinous wood formed when agar trees respond to infection. It can smell smoky, leathery, sweet or animalic, and is one of the most prized materials in perfumery.
Feels like: night, bold, luxurious, smoky, wedding, winter, mysterious
Soft, creamy and milky wood. It sits close to the skin and feels calm and comforting. Indian sandalwood from Mysore has a long history in attars and temple rituals.
Feels like: calm, warm, comfort, spiritual, soft, everyday, temple
A rich white flower, sweet and heady, with a slightly fruity and animalic depth. Mogra strings in the hair are a familiar summer evening scent across India.
Feels like: romantic, evening, summer, wedding, festive, floral, date
Ranges from fresh and dewy to deep and jammy. Rose water, gulkand and ruh gulab show how many sides one flower can have.
Feels like: romantic, classic, floral, festive, wedding, soft, date
A creamy, buttery white flower that becomes stronger at night. Bold and sensual, often found in wedding garlands.
Feels like: night, bold, romantic, wedding, floral, party
Warm, leathery and slightly honeyed, with a metallic edge. A little goes a long way, adding a golden, luxurious glow.
Feels like: luxurious, warm, festive, winter, wedding, bold
Fresh, green spice with a cool, almost minty lift. It smells like the first sip of masala chai.
Feels like: chai, morning, fresh, warm, cozy, office
Dry, sparkling spice that adds energy at the top of a fragrance without much sweetness.
Feels like: energetic, fresh, office, modern, bold
A citrus fruit that smells brighter and more floral than lemon, with a slightly bitter peel. It is the classic opening of many fresh fragrances.
Feels like: fresh, morning, office, summer, clean, energetic
Sharp, juicy and clean. Lemon fades quickly on skin but gives an instant feeling of freshness.
Feels like: fresh, summer, clean, gym, morning, energetic
Distilled from bitter orange blossoms. It smells green, honeyed and sunny, somewhere between citrus and white flowers.
Feels like: fresh, summer, clean, soft, beach, morning
Sweet, creamy and comforting. Real vanilla can also feel slightly smoky and boozy, not just sugary.
Feels like: cozy, sweet, comfort, winter, date, soft
Smells like vanilla, almond and fresh hay together. Warm and a little nutty.
Feels like: cozy, warm, sweet, winter, evening
Milky and tropical. It can feel like a beach holiday or like a warm sweet dessert.
Feels like: beach, summer, sweet, holiday, playful
Not a single material but a warm, resinous accord, often built from labdanum, vanilla and benzoin. It feels golden and glowing.
Feels like: warm, winter, evening, cozy, luxurious, night
A tree resin that smells peppery, lemony and smoky, like incense in a quiet temple or church.
Feels like: spiritual, calm, smoky, temple, mysterious, winter
Modern musks are lab-made and smell clean, soft and skin-like, often compared to fresh laundry.
Feels like: clean, soft, everyday, office, comfort, minimal
An accord that suggests a new leather jacket or an old book binding: smoky, dry and slightly sweet.
Feels like: bold, night, confident, winter, modern
Herbal, clean and slightly sweet. Calming, and a backbone of classic barbershop fragrances.
Feels like: calm, clean, sleep, fresh, classic
Light, transparent and gently bitter. It feels like a quiet, clear morning.
Feels like: calm, fresh, morning, minimal, office, clean
Fig leaf smells green and milky; the fruit is soft and sweet. Together they feel like shade under a tree in summer.
Feels like: green, summer, calm, holiday, soft