Heidi Norton
Woody fragrances are perfumes created using and inspired by woods. They are one of the six olfactory families used to classify perfumes into categories according to the classification of the Comité Français du Parfum (CFP). The woody family is one of the most popular and dominant families, particularly in the colder months, due to its rich, warm and earthy character. Woody fragrances are characterised by notes derived from wood materials such as trees, roots, resins, moss, bark, pine cones, and some leaves and grasses that hold earthy qualities. They can be both cool and warm, hard and soft, rich and sparse, and spicy and mineral. The most prevalent types of wood used in perfumery are sandalwood and cedarwood, with other popular types being patchouli, vetiver, pine, cypress, and agarwood (oud).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Notes | Wood, trees, roots, resins, moss, leaves, grasses, citrus, floral, fruity, spices, herbs |
| Woods | Sandalwood, cedarwood, pine, vetiver, patchouli, cypress, agarwood (oud), guiaiacwood |
| Style | Cool, warm, hard, soft, rough, smooth, rich, sparse, spicy, mineral |
| Gender | Masculine, shared, feminine |
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What You'll Learn
- Woody fragrances are one of the six olfactory families used to classify perfumes
- They are characterised by notes derived from wood materials such as trees, roots, resins, moss, and some leaves and grasses
- Woody fragrances are often seen as masculine, but this is not exclusively true
- Common natural woody notes include cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, pine and cypress
- Perfumers can add spices, fruity notes, herbs, florals or citrus to woody fragrances to create sub-families such as Woody Oriental, Woody Leather, Woody Chypre, Woody Aromatic, Woody Floral, Woody Fruity and Woody Spicy
Woody fragrances are one of the six olfactory families used to classify perfumes
Woody fragrances are one of the seven olfactory families used to classify perfumes. The seven olfactory families are used as a starting point for understanding perfumes and narrowing down one's choices. The olfactory families are:
- Floral: This is one of the largest and oldest families in the history of perfumery. Perfumes in this family have one or several types of flowers as their common denominator. Common notes include jasmine, orange blossoms, tuberose, rose, violet, lilac, lily of the valley, and narcissus.
- Citrus: Also known as Hesperides, this family includes essential oils extracted from the zest of fruits such as lemon, orange, bergamot, and grapefruit. Citrus fragrances are often fresh and soft and can be worn all year round.
- Chypre: Named after a perfume created by François Coty in 1917, this family includes fragrances that evoke a forest with multiple scents of nature, including ingredients such as moss, ciste-labdanum, and bergamot.
- Fougère: This family traditionally includes notes of lavender, moss, geranium, coumarin, and aromatic herbs such as rosemary.
- Oriental: This family includes fragrances with a base built exclusively on ingredients of animal origin, such as ambergris.
- Aromatic: This family includes green fragrances reminiscent of a forest.
Woody fragrances, as the name suggests, are characterised by notes derived from wood materials such as trees, roots, resins, moss, bark, pine cones, and bushes, as well as some leaves and grasses that hold earthy qualities. Common notes include sandalwood, cedarwood, patchouli, vetiver, and oud. Woody fragrances can be paired with aromatic, citrus, or floral top notes and are popular all year round, especially during the colder months. They are often seen as masculine, but this is not exclusively true, as fragrances like Feminite du Bois by Serge Lutens have explored the theme of woods from a feminine point of view.
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They are characterised by notes derived from wood materials such as trees, roots, resins, moss, and some leaves and grasses
Woody fragrances are derived from a variety of wood materials, including trees, roots, resins, moss, and selected leaves and grasses. They are characterised by their opulent woody character, with notes that are rich, warm, and elegant, adding depth to the perfume.
Trees are a key source of woody fragrances, with sandalwood being a widely used scent due to its versatility and ability to blend well with other notes. It has a creamy, rich, and sensual aroma, making it highly addictive. Sandalwood is sourced from the Santalum genus of trees, with Australian sandalwood being a preferred choice due to sustainable harvesting practices. Cedarwood, another prevalent tree-derived scent, offers a subtler aroma than sandalwood but boasts a unique depth and longevity, enhancing the fragrance's fixative properties.
Roots also play a significant role in woody fragrances, with patchouli and vetiver being notable examples. These root-derived scents possess an intensely earthy and woody character, contributing to the depth and richness of the fragrance.
Resins, such as the resin of evergreen trees Aquilaria and Gyrinops, are used to produce oud or agarwood, a distinctive and exotic ingredient in perfumery. Oud has a bittersweet scent, combining subtle smokiness with hints of leather, musk, and sweet-spicy incense nuances.
Additionally, certain leaves and grasses are incorporated into woody fragrances for their earthy qualities. These carefully selected leaves and grasses enhance the overall woody character of the perfume.
Woody fragrances are often associated with masculine perfumery, but fragrances like Feminite du Bois by Serge Lutens have explored the theme of woods from a feminine perspective. The woody family of fragrances offers a diverse range of scents, from the sensual softness of Le Cedre to the bold and exotic Santal Royal, showcasing the versatility and intrigue of woody notes.
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Woody fragrances are often seen as masculine, but this is not exclusively true
Woody fragrances are perfumes created using and inspired by woods. They are characterised by notes derived from wood materials such as trees, roots, resins, moss, and some leaves and grasses that hold earthy qualities. The main natural woody notes are cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, pine, and cypress.
Woody fragrances are often seen as masculine, and much of mainstream masculine perfumery uses wood notes. However, to say that woody fragrances are exclusively masculine isn't true. Feminite du Bois by Serge Lutens was one of the first fragrances to explore the theme of woods from a feminine point of view. In this iconic scent, spicy, skin-like cedar is contrasted by plum, creating a bold fragrance that showcases the feminine elegance of woods. Le Labo's cult Santal 33 also approaches this rich, woody note from a new angle that is both fresh and expansive.
Woody fragrances can be both cool and warm, hard and soft, rich and sparse, spicy and mineral, and much more. They can overlap with other fragrance families, blurring all gender lines. For example, the Chypre family will always be included in the woody facet, but generally without the floral flourishes of the chypres. Perfumers have a wide range of woody elements to work with, including sandalwood, cedar, agarwood (oud), guiiacwood, patchouli, and vetiver. These fragrances can be given a twist by adding spices, fruity notes, herbs, or florals, creating sub-families such as Woody Chypre, Woody Fruity, and Woody Floral.
While woody fragrances are commonly associated with masculine perfumery, they are not limited to this category. Perfumers have explored the use of woody notes in feminine fragrances, creating bold and elegant scents that showcase the versatility and complexity of woods.
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Common natural woody notes include cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, pine and cypress
Woody fragrances are dominated by woody scents and typically contain notes of cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, pine, and cypress. These fragrances are characterised by aromatic or citrus head notes, with crisp, dry woody notes in the heart, and dominant resin or wood in the base notes.
Cedar, or Cedrus, is commonly used in woody fragrances for men. Virginia cedar oil, for example, can be found in fragrances such as Givenchy Gentleman and Roberto Cavalli Black. Texas cedar oil, which is not actually derived from cedar but from the Ashe juniper, is another common ingredient in men's fragrances, such as Cartier Declaration and Acqua di Parma Cipresso di Toscana. Atlas cedar oil, derived from Cedrus deodara, is widely used in perfumery as a fixative and base component.
Sandalwood is a creamy and sensual fragrance that is often considered a secondary player in the perfume industry. However, Le Labo's Santal 33, a luxury fragrance, has brought this scent to the forefront, with its woodsy-sweet and androgynous appeal.
Vetiver is a complex, rich, and smoky fragrance with earthy, woody, and green notes. It is derived from the Vetiveria Zizanoides plant and has many different varieties, such as Haitian vetiver, which is clean and ethereal, and Javanese vetiver, which is smoky and dusty.
Patchouli is a deep woodland fragrance that is commonly used in indie perfumes and niche fragrances. It is often paired with woody notes and can be found in perfumes such as Ineke and Arquiste Parfumeur.
Pine is another woody fragrance with a deep, warm, and textured character. It is often found in indie perfumes and niche fragrances that celebrate the wonder of the woods.
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Perfumers can add spices, fruity notes, herbs, florals or citrus to woody fragrances to create sub-families such as Woody Oriental, Woody Leather, Woody Chypre, Woody Aromatic, Woody Floral, Woody Fruity and Woody Spicy
Woody fragrances are characterised by their dominant woody accords, which give the scent its core character. These accords are derived from wood materials such as trees, resin, moss, bark, pine cones, bushes, and roots. Woody fragrances typically have aromatic or citrus head notes, dry woody notes at their heart, and dominant resin or wood base notes.
Perfumers can modify woody fragrances by adding spices, fruity notes, herbs, florals, or citrus, creating sub-families such as:
- Woody Oriental: This blend combines rich oriental notes with woody notes like patchouli and sandalwood.
- Woody Leather: This fragrance is drier and smokier, featuring notes of cedar, tobacco, burnt wood, and fresh citrus to lighten the deeper heart notes. An example is Clive Christian's C Woody Leather, which combines saffron and tobacco with mandarin.
- Woody Chypre: This family combines the traditional chypre notes of oak moss and labdanum with dominant woody notes, resulting in an opulent and intensive scent.
- Woody Aromatic: This group has a large number of fragrances, with 169 for women, 2425 for men, and 1972 shared fragrances.
- Woody Floral: This sub-family celebrates the beauty of floral fragrances, from fresh spring blossoms to dark spicy roses.
- Woody Fruity: This family combines the warmth and depth of woody fragrances with the freshness and sweetness of fruits, such as raspberry-rose blends with tobacco, guava and sea salt with sandalwood, or ripe figs and honey.
- Woody Spicy: This sub-family adds spices to the woody fragrance, creating a robust and warm scent. An example is Clive Christian's X Masculine, a spicy woody perfume.
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Frequently asked questions
Woody fragrances are perfumes created using and inspired by woods. They are characterised by notes derived from wood materials such as trees, roots, resins, moss, and some leaves and grasses that hold earthy qualities.
Some examples of woody fragrances are sandalwood, cedarwood, patchouli, vetiver, pine, cypress, and agarwood (oud).
The woody fragrance family can be further classified into sub-families such as Woody Oriental, Woody Leather, Woody Chypre, Woody Aromatic, Woody Floral, Woody Fruity, and Woody Spicy.
Although woody fragrances are often seen as masculine, they are not exclusively for men. Feminite du Bois by Serge Lutens, for example, explores the theme of woods from a feminine point of view.
