When a perfume is described as "woody" or "amber", it is being placed in a fragrance family: a group of scents built around similar materials and moods. Knowing the families is the fastest way to shop with confidence, because if you love one fragrance you will very often like others from the same family.
Fresh and citrus
Bright, clean and easy to wear. Expect bergamot, lemon, orange, grapefruit and neroli, often with herbs or a light musk underneath. Fresh scents are popular for daytime, warm weather and the office. Their one weakness is longevity: citrus oils are very volatile, so these fragrances tend to fade faster than heavier families.
Aromatic and fougère
Built on lavender, herbs, geranium and a soft mossy base. This is the classic "barbershop" structure behind many traditional men's colognes. Aromatic scents feel polished and familiar, and they work well year round.
Floral
The largest family. It ranges from single-flower scents (rose, jasmine, tuberose) to bouquets, and from airy, powdery florals to rich white florals. If a fragrance is described as romantic or feminine, it is usually floral at heart.
Woody
Cedar, sandalwood, vetiver and patchouli give a dry, warm or earthy backbone. Woody fragrances feel calm and grounded and are often worn by everyone, whatever the label on the box says.
Amber and oriental
Warm, rich and slightly sweet: vanilla, resins, tonka bean, spices and amber accords. These fragrances project more and last longer, which makes them favourites for evenings and cooler months.
Gourmand, leather and smoky
Gourmands smell edible, with notes like vanilla, caramel or praline. Leather and smoky scents use birch tar, tobacco or incense for a darker, more dramatic finish. Both are smaller families, but very distinctive.
How to use the families when you shop
- Start from a fragrance you already like and find its family on the product page.
- Browse that family first, then try a neighbouring one (fresh to aromatic, floral to amber, woody to leather).
- Think about when you will wear it. Fresh and aromatic suit daytime and heat; amber, gourmand and leather suit evenings and cold weather.
You can browse every family on our collections page, where each product also lists its top, heart and base notes.