What are Chypre Fragrances?

Fragrances can be classified by certain olfactive families, or themes, or accords.


Chypre: (pronounced shee-pra)


Takes its name from the French name for Cyprus, is the legendary birthplace of Venus, the goddess of love.

Chypre perfumes are based on an accord, or several scents that blend together to create a single soft, warm, and sweet scent. There are two scents that are included in all accords, these would be patchouli and oak moss. Most have gum labdanum which has a sweet honey like note.

Although Chypre perfumes certainly existed during the 19th century, many perfume genealogies forget this and simply say that these perfumes take their name from Coty’s Chypre which debuted in 1917. In my research I have found that numerous chypre fragrances were popular from about 1860-1915. Companies such as Ed Pinaud released one in 1856,  Lubin in 1857, Bourjois in 1890, Roger et Gallet in 1893, Richard Hudnut in 1895, Lentheric in 1897, LT Piver in 1904, D'Orsay introduced theirs in 1912,

Guerlain had several in their vast catalogue of scents. One such was Chypre de Paris. Chypre de Paris was created by Jacques Guerlain in 1909. It was reportedly not like the chypres we are used to but has many of the same ingredients, and is classified as an aromatic spicy leather fragrance.

• Top notes: leather, spicy notes, lavender, bergamot, lemon
• Middle notes: jasmine, orange blossom, rose, ylang ylang, orris, calamus, opoponax, patchouli, Peru balsam, nutmeg
• Base notes: oakmoss, vanilla, musk and civet

A classic chypre perfume might be blended of bergamot, oakmoss, sandalwood, patchouli , labdanum and given a floral note with jasmine and rose.


There are subdivisions of classifications in this family and they are: floral chypre, citrus chypre, floral chypre, fruity chypre, green chypre, aromatic chypre, and leather chypre.



Feminine Floral Chypres often have a combination of some of the following ingredients:

• Top notes: bergamot, coriander, hyacinth, green note, rosewood, gardenia, plum, aldehydes, lemon, clary sage, neroli, angelica, orange blossom, cardamom, peach, calyx note, marigold, spearmint, orange, raspberry, cassis, artemisia, armoise, estragon, basil.

• Middle notes: rose, jasmine, lily of the valley, orris, ylang ylang, carnation, honey, tuberose, honeysuckle, clove, geranium, lily, narcissus, cedar, cinnamon, sandalwood, patchouli.

• Base notes: patchouli, vetiver, castoreum, civet, musk, oakmoss, ambergris, labdanum, benzoin, olibanum, heliotrope, sandalwood, honey, styrax, leather, frankincense, cinnamon.

Feminine Fresh Chypres often have a combination of some of the following ingredients:

• Top notes: spearmint, pineapple, galbanum, marigold, bergamot, aldehydes, green note, lemon, rosewood, basil, peach, orange, mandarin, neroli, coriander, cassis, violet, raspberry, gardenia, lime, reseda

• Middle notes: jasmine, lily of the valley, tuberose, cyclamen, rose, narcissus, orchid, orris, carnation, hyacinth, ylang ylang, honey, lilac, cedar, vetiver, patchouli, spices, gardenia, freesia, clove, cassia, pine, cyclamen, rosewood, thyme

• Base notes: musk, oakmoss, cedar, ambergris, tonka bean, benzoin, sandalwood, patchouli, civet, labdanum, styrax, vanilla, vetiver, leather, myrrh, cinnamon, peru balsam, opoponax

Feminine Fruity Chypres often have a combination of some of the following ingredients:

• Top notes: fruit note, lemon, rosewood, basil, cumin, bergamot, peach, plum, prune, coriander, karo karounde, cardamom, tamarind, orange blossom, aldehydes, green note, strawberry, nutmeg, armoise, gardenia

• Middle notes: jasmine, lily of the valley, rose, carnation, ylang ylang, orris, lilac, tuberose, clove, pimento, gardenia, rosewood, narcissus, geranium, cyclamen

• Base notes: oakmoss, benzoin, sandalwood, musk, ambergris, patchouli, leather, vanilla, civet, vetiver, castoreum, styrax, myrrh

Feminine Floral Animalic Chypres often have a combination of some of the following ingredients:

• Top notes: aldehydes, galbanum, bergamot, lemon, peach, green note, coriander, orange blossom, mandarin, clary sage, armoise, rosewood, raspberry, neroli, artemisia, basil, bay leaf, gardenia, thujone, plum, cassie, pepper, cardamom, hyacinth, marigold, thyme, coconut

• Middle notes: jasmine, rose, orris, patchouli, vetiver, tuberose, lily of the valley, ylang ylang, carnation, cedar, narcissus, melon, geranium, rosewood, lilac, gardenia, jonquil, cinnamon, ginger, sandalwood, styrax, myrrh, honey, leather, heliotrope, orchid

• Base notes: leather, ambergris, oakmoss, musk, civet, patchouli, cedar, vetiver, olibanum, castoreum, vanilla, opoponax, styrax, heliotrope, labdanum, benzoin, frankincense, myrrh, honey, peru balsam, tonka bean

Feminine Green Chypres often have a combination of some of the following ingredients:

• Top: aldehydes, galbanum, gardenia, peach, bergamot, lemon, green note, juniper, hyacinth, spearmint
• Middle notes: jasmine, lily of the valley, rose, orris, jonquil, carnation, pine, thyme, freesia, reseda, narcissus, rosewood, fir, orchid, ylang ylang, hyacinth
• Base notes: patchouli, ambergris, oakmoss, vetiver, castoreum, myrrh, civet, musk, cedar, sandalwood, benzoin, fir, frankincense, leather, styrax

Feminine perfumes which are classified as Chypre are:

• Miss Dior by Christian Dior
• Ciao by Houbigant
• Fete by MolyneuxGem by Van Cleef & Arpels
• Kenzo by Kenzo
• Le temps d'aimer by Alain Delon
• Septieme SEns by Sonia Rykiel
• Azuree by Estee Lauder
• Bandit by Piguet
• Cachet by Prince Matchabelli
• Capucci by Capucci
• Cuir de Russie by Chanel
• Empriente by Courreges
• Forever Krystle by Carrington
• Fendi by Fendi (original)
• Jolie Mdame by Balmain
• Intimate by Revlon
• La Nuit by Paco Rabanne
• Miss Balmain by Balmain
• Miss Dior by Dior
• Montana by Montana
• Mystere de Rochas
• Paradoxe by Cardin
• Parfum Rare by Jacomo
• Senchal by Charles of the Ritz
• Parure by Guerlain
• Sikkim by Lancome
• Timeless by Avon
• Animale by Animale
• Chant d'Aromes by Guerlain
• Diva by Ungaro
• Coriandre by Jean Couturier
• Glamour by Bourjois
• Femme by Rochas
• Cabochard by Gres
• Gianni Versace by Gianni Versace
• Ysatis by Givenchy
• La Perla by La Perla (original)
• Maroc by Ultima 
• Missoni by Missoni (original)
• Halston by Halston (original)
• Niki de St Phalle by Niki de St Phalle
• Norell II by Norell
• Volcan d'Amour by Diane Von Furstenberg
• Sinan by Sinan
• Aphrodisia by Faberge
• Armani by Armani (original)
• Chypre de Coty
• Creation by Ted Lapidus
• Choc de Chardin
• Jean Louis Scherrer by Scherrer
• Nueve Maja by Myrurgia
• Aliage by Estee Lauder
• Sheherazade by Jean Desprez
• Inoui by Shiseido
• Private Collection by Estee Lauder
• Y by YSL
• Vivara by Emilio Pucci (original)
• Ma Griffe by Carven
• Paloma Picasso by Paloma Picasso
• Knowing by Estee Lauder
• Mitsouko by Guerlain
• Cristalle by Chanel
• Givenchy III by Givenchy
• Crepe de Chine by Millot

Masculine Woody Chypres often have a combination of some of the following ingredients:

• Top notes: bergamot, green note, coriander, lemon, rosewood, lavender, cypress, chamomile, neroli, petitgrain, clary sage, aldehydes, pimento, pepper, mandarin, rosemary, orange, basil, honey, rose, cardamom, mace, artemisia, tobacco, lime
• Middle notes: rose, jasmine, geranium, carnation, orris, ylang ylang, cedar, oregano, fern, pine, clary sage, vetiver, cinnamon, myrrh, sandalwood, lily of the valley, cyclamen, patchouli, ginger, coriander, hay, basil, lily, bay leaf, cumin, lavender, rosemary, juniper, thyme
• Base notes: patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver, ambergris, civet, oakmoss, leather, musk, olibanum, vanilla, liatrix, tonka bean, labdanum, benzoin, honey, castoreum, cedar, myrrh

Masculine Green Chypres often have a combination of some of the following ingredients:

• Top notes: green note, galbanum, lemon, bergamot, petitgrain, juniper, marjoram, artemisia, clary sage, fruity note, mint, lavender, peach
• Middle notes: violet, clary sage, fern, geranium, carnation, pine, cinnamon, jasmine, cedar, thyme, patchouli, orris, rose, aldehydes, fruity note, fir, juniper, sandalwood, vetiver, spearmint
• Base notes: musk, cedar, oakmoss, tonka bean, olibanum, ambergris, myrrh, benzoin, labdanum, leather, sandalwood, patchouli, fir, vanilla, civet, pine

Masculine Fresh Chypres often have a combination of some of the following ingredients:

• Top notes: bergamot, lemon, lavender, peppermint, petitgrain, green note, juniper, basil, coriander, tarragon, clary sage, gardenia, cypress, galbanum, artemisia, estragon, aldehydes, pineapple, orange, rosewoood, fruity note, anise, verbena, spikenard, violet, chamomile, mace
• Middle notes: clary sage, rose, jasmine, carnation, cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, cinnamon, geranium, cyclamen, orris, fern, pine, coriander, cypress, wormwood, thyme, ylang ylang, lavender, lily of the valley
• Base notes: musk, oakmoss, ambergris, leather, labdanum, olibanum, benzoin, patchouli, vetiver, tonka bean, sandalwood, castoreum, heliotrope, vanilla, fir

Masculine Coniferous Chypres often have a combination of some of the following ingredients:

• Top notes: bergamot, artemisia, juniper, basil, thyme, aldehydes, lemon, green note, fruity note, rosemary, anise, spearmint, laurel, spikenard, clary sage, petitgrain, lavender, marigold, galbanum, lime, cumin, marjoram, neroli, mandarin, mace
• Middle notes: pine, patchouli, geranium, rose, carnation, cedar, green note, clary sage, honey, lily of the valley, orris, jasmine, lavender, cardamom, artemisia, fir, cinnamon, vetiver, coriander, sandalwood, pepper, basil, petitgrain, thyme, fruity note, tarragon, cypress, cyclamen, estragon
• Base notes:  leather, musk, olibanum, oakmoss, ambergris, patchouli, cedar, tobacco, cinnamon, fir, leather, labdanum, tonka bean, castoreum, vanilla, sandalwood, myrrh, vetiver

Masculine Leathery Chypres often have a combination of some of the following ingredients:

• Top notes: bergamot, lemon, lime, fruity note, cedar, coriander, artemisia, aldehydes, gardenia, cumin, green note, petitgrain, clary sage, basil, juniper, mandarin, grapefruit, lavender, rosemary, tarragon, peppermint, oregano, galbanum, neroli, marjoram
• Middle notes: orris, thyme, basil, rose, jasmine, patchouli, vetiver, sandalwood, carnation, cinnamon, cedar, marjoram, pepper, geranium, fir, coriander, hay, myrrh, pimento, nutmeg, neroli, clary sage, olibanum, cypress, cananga, juniper
• Base notes: patchouli, leather, ambergris, olibanum, castoreum, musk, oakmoss, civet, vetiver, benzoin, labdanum, vanilla, styrax, myrrh, tonka bean, fir, cedar, frankincense, costus

List of men's chypre fragrances: 

• Aramis 900 by Aramis
• Balafra by Lancome
• Giorgio for Men by Giorgio
• Gentleman by Givenchy
• Iquitos by Alain Delon
• Monsieur Jovan by Jovan
• Oleg Cassini for Men by Oleg Cassini
• Vetiver by Carven
• Vetiver by Guerlain
• Vetyver by Lanvin
• Andron for Men by Jovan
• Antaeus by Chanel
• Bel Ami by Hermes
• Basile Uomo by Basile
• Cravache by Robert Piguet
• Denim by Elida Gibbs
• Derby by Guerlain
• French Line by Revillon
• Ho Hang Club by Balenciaga
• Knize Ten by Knize
• Krizia Uomo by Krizia
• Lancetti Uomo by Lancetti (original)
• Lanvin for Men by Lanvin
• Leonard Pour Homme by Leonard
• Macassar by Rochas
• Quorum by Puig
• Portos by Balenciaga
• Yatagan by Caron
• Bowling Green by Geoffrey Beene
• Drakkar Noir by Guy Laroche
• Ebene by Balmain
• Kipling by Weil
• L'Homme by Roger et Gallet
• Punjab by Capucci
• Wall Street by Victor
• Xeryus by Givenchy
• Halston Z-14 by Halston
• Eau Cendree by Jacomo
• Metropolis by Estee Lauder
• Phileas by Nina Ricci
• Fahrenheit by Dior
• Tactics by Shiseido