The groups perfumers use to sort scents, and how to work out which one is yours.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 15 November 2026
What are the main fragrance families?
The widely used Fragrance Wheel, developed by the fragrance expert Michael Edwards, groups scents into four: floral (rose, jasmine, tuberose), amber (vanilla, resins and spices, once called “oriental”), woody (sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, oud) and fresh (citrus, green, aquatic). Most perfumes sit between two neighbours, such as a woody floral.
What is a chypre?
Pronounced “sheep-ra”, it is a classic structure of bright bergamot over a dry, mossy base of oakmoss and labdanum. It takes its name from François Coty’s Chypre of 1917 (chypre is French for Cyprus). Guerlain’s Mitsouko is the most famous example. Modern versions use substitutes, because regulations restrict real oakmoss.
What is a fougère?
French for fern, though ferns have no scent. It is a blend of lavender, coumarin (a sweet, hay-like note) and oakmoss, named after Houbigant’s Fougère Royale of 1882. It became the backbone of men’s barbershop fragrances.
What is a gourmand, and how do I find my family?
Gourmands smell edible: vanilla, caramel, chocolate, praline. The genre began with Thierry Mugler’s Angel in 1992 and dominates bestseller lists today. To find your family, list three perfumes you love and look up their notes; you will usually spot a pattern. Then test neighbours from the same family on your skin.
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