Welcome!

Welcome to my unique perfume blog! Here, you'll find detailed, encyclopedic entries about perfumes and companies, complete with facts and photos for easy research. This site is not affiliated with any perfume companies; it's a reference source for collectors and enthusiasts who cherish classic fragrances. My goal is to highlight beloved, discontinued classics and show current brand owners the demand for their revival. Your input is invaluable! Please share why you liked a fragrance, describe its scent, the time period you wore it, any memorable occasions, or what it reminded you of. Did a relative wear it, or did you like the bottle design? Your stories might catch the attention of brand representatives. I regularly update posts with new information and corrections. Your contributions help keep my entries accurate and comprehensive. Please comment and share any additional information you have. Together, we can keep the legacy of classic perfumes alive!
Showing posts with label what are. Show all posts
Showing posts with label what are. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

What are Marine Fragrances?

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

Marine:

themes are one of the newest members of the fragrance family. These notes are also called aquatic, oceanic, aqueous  and these fragrances evoke the odor of fresh sea air. It is virtually impossible to capture the true essence of oceanic air, so to create this special note, the ingredient Calone is added.



Other notes are used to evoke the watery scent of freshly fallen rain these include florals such as water lily, water hyacinths, lotus, as well as fruits and vegetables such as melon, and cucumber.



Fragrances that are classified as Marine are:
  • Acqua di Gio by Giorgio Armani
  • Aqua Motu by Comptoir Sud Pacifique
  • Aquawoman by Rochas
  • Aspen by Coty
  • Bleu Marine by Pierre Cardin
  • Charlie White by Revlon
  • Cool Water Woman by Davidoff
  • Dune by Christian Dior
  • Escape by Calvin Klein
  • Flore by Carolina Herrera
  • Ghost Myst by Coty
  • Inis by Innisfree
  • Kenzo Pour Homme by Kenzo
  • L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme by Issey Miyake
  • Nautica by Nautica
  • Nilang by Lalique
  • Ocean Dream by Giorgio Beverly Hills
  • Polo by Ralph Lauren
  • Ralph Lauren Blue
  • Sunflowers by Elizabeth Arden
  • Sunwater by Lancaster
  • 360 degrees by Perry Ellis

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

What are Citrus Fragrances?

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

Citrus: 

also known as hesperidic, have the familiar, fresh, crisp scents of lemons, oranges, tangerines and grapefruit peels, as well as the more exotic of scents of bergamot, petit grain and neroli (orange blossom). Eau de Cologne is the classic citrus scent. Citrus notes are generally found in men’s colognes and women’s sporty type perfumes or colognes. There are subdivisions of classifications in this family and they are:floral chypre citrus, citrus spicy, citrus woody, citrus amber, and citrus aromatic.



Fragrances that are classified as Citrus are:
  • Armani by Giorgio Armani
  • Boss by Hugo Boss
  • California for Men by Max Factor
  • Calyx by Prescriptives
  • Cool Water for Men by Davidoff
  • Eau de Courreges
  • Eau de Guerlain
  • Eau de Rochas
  • Eau de Patou by Jean Patou
  • Eau Fraiche by Christian Dior
  • Eau Sauvage
  • Guess by Georges Marciano
  • Herrera for Men by Carolina Herrera
  • Imperiale by Guerlain
  • Lagerfeld Photo by Karl Lagerfeld
  • Lauder for Men by Estee Lauder
  • Listen for Men by Herb Alpert
  • Liz Claiborne by Liz Claiborne
  • Monsieur de Givenchy
  • Nobile by Gucci
  • O de Lancôme by Lancome
  • Poison by Christian Dior
  • Santa Fe for Women
  • Tiffany for Men by Tiffany & Co
  • Tuscany per Uomo by Aramis
  • 4711

Thursday, August 27, 2015

What are Green Fragrances?

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

Green:

the odor of a crushed leaf characterized by a fresh, clean, natural, outdoorsy scent and can include pine, mint, lavender, camphor and herbal notes. These notes are often found in men’s colognes and women’s sporty perfumes. The subdivision of classification in this family is floral green.




Sunday, July 12, 2015

What are Fruity Floral Fragrances?

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


Fruity Floral: 

one of the newest members of the perfume family, mainly used in women’s fragrances. These fragrances are comprised of blending traditional floral notes with the youthful addition of fruity notes such as peach. There are subdivisions of classifications in this family and they are: floral fruity woody, and fruity chypre.


Monday, June 1, 2015

What are Ambery (Oriental) Fragrances?

Fragrances can be classified by certain olfactive families, or themes, or accords. In this guide I will briefly discuss the various themes.

Ambery Fragrances, formerly known as Oriental: 

The term Oriental was originally used to describe fragrances which are warm, spicy, intense, heady and are the longest lasting type of women’s perfumes. As of July 2021, The Fragrance Foundation and The Council of British Society of Perfumers have both made a decision to stop using “Oriental” as a fragrance descriptor with immediate effect because the term is perceived as Eurocentric and as such is both outdated and derogatory. Henceforth, all fragrances that were once termed as Oriental are now being replaced with the term “Amber/Ambery”, this updated verbiage reflects the inclusiveness, diversity, equity and respect of Asian heritage. The world of fragrance is always evolving and its language should always go along with these changes. 

Monday, January 5, 2015

What are Woody Fragrances?

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

Woody:

fragrances derive their scents from aromatic woods such as sandalwood, patchouli, aloes, cedar, agarwood (oud), rosewood, cypress, tobacco, tonka, pine and scents like oak moss which are reminiscent of the odor of the forest floor. Usually accompanied by other notes such as citrus, herbs, spices, incense, and balsamic notes like vanilla or benzoin. Animalic notes such as ambergris, leather, musk, castoreum and civet often give depth to woody fragrances and enhance their longevity.

The subdivisions of classifications in this family are:

  • Woody Amber
  • Woody Aquatic
  • Woody Aromatic
  • Woody Chypre
  • Woody Floral 
  • Woody Floral Musk
  • Woody Hesperidic Coniferous
  • Woody Oriental
  • Woody Spicy
  • Woody Spicy Leather




          • Sunday, April 27, 2014

            What are Leather or Animalic Fragrances?

            Fragrances can be classified by certain olfactive families, or themes, or accords. In this guide I will briefly discuss the various themes.

            Leather/Animal: 

            These notes are characterized by their warm, heavy and persistent quality. These fragrances are comprised of blending honey, tobacco, synthetics, cassie flower & bark, cade oil, myrtle, and wood tars such as birch tar to create the scent reminiscent of leather. Musk, ambergris, civet and castoreum are animal notes. Most animal odors used today are made of synthetics. Leather and animal notes have been used as aphrodisiacs for centuries.



            Ambergris (the synthetic is known as amber in the perfumery world) is a substance excreted by the sperm whale after eating cuttlefish, and found in lumps of varying size floating in tropical seas or washed ashore. Ambergris must be weathered for at least three years before use. Although ambergris was used for centuries as a perfume, no one knew the exact source until more recent times.

            Amber notes are typically found in Oriental type fragrances. Ambergris has a sweet, woody odor.

            True ambergris has not been used in perfumery in over thirty years due to the concerns of whale farming and is considered unethical and cruel. Plant sources such as labdanum resin, Tolu balsam, Peru balsam and ambrette seed have been used in place of true ambergris. Synthetic substitutes such as Ambrox, Ambrarome, Lorenox, Ambretone, Cetalox and Kephalis are used in today's fragrances to impart the coveted amber scent.




            Civet is a butter like secretion taken from a pouch in the glands under the tail of the civet cat, found in Ethiopia Burma and Thailand. This odor is used to impart a musky fragrance in perfumes. Synthetic substitutes are often used in today's fragrances as the natural harvesting of castoreum is considered unethical and cruel.



            Castoreum is a creamy reddish brown secretion taken from sacs in the glands on the beaver, it was first used by Arab perfumers since the 9th century AD. It is used to impart a leathery odor in perfumery. Castoreum has often been described as sharp, birch tar-like, resinous, warm, musky and slightly fruity. Synthetic substitutes are often used in today's fragrances as the natural harvesting of castoreum is considered unethical and cruel.



            Musk grains are collected from a walnut sized pod in the glands of the male musk deer of the Himalayas. The strongest fragrance of all, it is said that a single drop left on a handkerchief can last 40 years. Today, most musky fragrances are made using synthetic substitutes as the natural harvesting of musk is considered unethical and cruel. Chemicals such as Cashmeran, Iso E Super, Muscone and Nitromusks lend a long lasting musk tone to many fragrances today.


            Hyraceum is the petrified and rock-like excrement composed of both urine and feces excreted by the Cape Hyrax, (Procavia capensis), commonly referred to as the Dassie. After aging and petrifying over hundreds, if not thousands of years, it is a sought-after material that has been used in both traditional South African medicine and perfumery. The material hardens and ages until it becomes a fairly sterile, rock-like material (also referred to as "Africa Stone") that contains compounds giving it an animal, deeply complex fermented scent that combines the elements of musk, castoreum, civet, tobacco and agarwood. The material is harvested without disturbing the animals by digging strata of the brittle, resinous, irregular, blackish-brown stone; because animals are not harmed in its harvesting, it is often an ethical substitute for deer musk and civet, which require killing or inflicting pain on the animal.



            Beeswax and honey are also used in perfumery to impart subtle musky, animalic amber notes accented with tobacco and hay like balsamic sweetness, soft traces of powdery pollen and just a whisper of delicate flowers. This ingredient is often used to enhance certain facets in a perfume, such as flowers and citrus notes. Different flowers produce honey with particular characteristics. Herbaceous flowers produce camphor-like or mint-like honey. Clover honey has a sweet, spicy carnation-like essence. Both honey and beeswax absolute are also known to have a slight urinous odor due to certain chemicals present in their make up. Because bees are in no way harmed during the collection of honey or the beeswax, these two perfume ingredients can be considered ethical.



            There are subdivisions of classifications in this family and they are:

            • floral leather
            • tobacco leather
            • soft amber fougere
            • floral amber fougere
            • leather chypre
            • woody spicy leather
            • musky
            • woody amber
            • floral spicy amber
            • citrus amber
            • soft amber


            Perfumes which are classified as Leather/Animal notes are:
            • Tabac Blond by Caron
            • Cuir de Russie by Chanel
            • Scandal by Lanvin
            • Baume Tolu by Esteban 
            • Feminite du Bois by Shiseido
            • Miss Dior by Christian Dior
            • Tigress Musk by Faberge
            • Caleche by Hermes
            • Antaeus by Chanel
            • Cabochard by Gres
            • Musk by Jovan
            • Moss Breches by Tom Ford
            • Bandit by Robert Piguet
            • Equipage by Hermes
            • Miel de Bois by Serge Lutens
            • Bel Ami by Hermes
            • Diorama by Christian Dior
            • Khiel's Original Musk
            • Bal a Versailles by Jean Desprez
            • Desert by Fragonard
            • French Lime Blossom by Jo Malone
            • Film Noir by Ayala Moriel
            • Oud Cuir D'Arabie by Montale 
            • Aramis by Aramis
            • Avant Garde by Lanvin
            • Chypre Noir by Ava Luxe
            • Piroguier by Comptoir Sud Pacifique
            • Cuiron by Helmut Lang
            • Intreccio No. 1 by L'Artisan 
            • Boucheron by Boucheron
            • Myrrhe Ardente by Annick Goutal
            • Zadig by Emilio Pucci
            • Chai by Robert Piguet
            • Cuirelle by Ramon Monegal
            • Royal English Leather by Creed 
            • Spellbound by Estee Lauder
            • Cuir de Lancome
            • Mon Numero 10 by L'Artisan
            • Gendarme by Carriere
            • Jovan Musk
            • Dzing! by L'Artisan
            • Jolie Madame by Balmain
            • Wild Musk by Coty
            • Givenchy Gentleman
            • Derby by Guerlain
            • CK Be by Calvin Klein
            • Empreinte by Courreges
            • Daim Blond by Serge Lutens
            • Cuir Beluga by Guerlain
            • Persian Leather by Caswell Massey 
            • Jules by Christian Dior
            • Knize Ten by Knize
            • Marquis de Sade by Histoires de Parfums
            • Cuir Mauresque by Serge Lutens 
            • Feuilles de Tabac by Miller Harris
            • Jicky by Guerlain
            • Romeo Gigli by Gigli
            • Woman by Jovan
            • Dunhill by Dunhill
            • Sung by Alfred Sung
            • Peau d'Espagne by Santa Maria Novella 

            What are Gourmand Fragrances?

            Fragrances can be classified by certain olfactive families, or themes, or accords. In this guide I will briefly discuss the various themes.


            Gourmand: 

            Gourmand notes are another newly added member to the fragrance family. These notes are characterized as edible, dessert like, citrus, sweet, vegetable, nutty, sorbet, candy-like, tea, fruits, almonds, cupcake, whiskey, or coffee scents. Many scents used in gourmand perfumes are vanilla, chocolate, creme brulee, milk, cotton candy, honey, maple syrup, pumpkin, hot milk, brown sugar, date, marzipan, caramel, hazelnut, cream, butter, coffee, nougat, praline, custard, cognac, licorice, cinnamon, gingerbread, toffee, marshmallow, marmalade and others.

            Related olfactory groups include: citrus gourmand, fruity gourmand, floral fruity gourmand




            Perfumes which are classified as Gourmand are:
            • Alien Essence Absolue by Thierry Mugler
            • Ambre L’Occitane en Provence
            • Amour Nocturne by L’Artisan
            • Angel by Thierry Mugler
            • Anima Dulcis by Arquiste Parfumeur 
            • Aomassai by Parfumerie Generale 
            • Aoud Café Mancera 
            • Arabie by Serge Lutens
            • Bergamot Truffle by Payard
            • Black Star by Avril Lavigne
            • Blue Agave & Cacao by Jo Malone 
            • Bois Farine by L’Artisan 
            • Brown Sugar & Fig by Bath and Body Works
            • Cacao by Aftelier Perfumes 
            • Café Noir
            • Candy by Prada
            • Casual Friday
            • Cocoa Tuberose by Providence Perfumes
            • Comptoir Sud Pacifique’s fragrances
            • Delicious by DKNY
            • Delicious Cotton Candy by Gayle Hayman
            • Dinner by BoBo
            • Doolciiisssimo by Hilde Soliani
            • Downtown by Calvin Klein
            • DSH perfumes
            • Eau De Charlotte by Annick Goutal
            • Elixir des Merveilles by Hermes
            • Extraordinary by Avon
            • Fabulous by Isaac Mizrahi
            • Fancy by Jessica Simpson
            • Fancy Choco by Alice & Peter
            • Fantasy by Britney Spears
            • Figue Amere Miller Harris 
            • Five O'Clock Au Gingembre by Serge Lutens 
            • Forbidden Euphoria by Calvin Klein
            • Haram by Brecourt 
            • Hungry, Hungry Hippies by smell bent
            • Hypnotic Poison by Dior
            • Histoires de Parfums - 1969
            • Ici by Coty
            • Intoxicated By Kilian
            • Juicy Couture by Juicy Couture
            • La Petite Robe Noire by Guerlain
            • Le Couvent des Minimes Cologne of the Missions-
            • Lemon Tart by Jo Malone
            • Lolita Lempicka by Lolita Lempicka
            • Loukhoum by Ava Luxe 
            • Magic Circus by MiN New York ‘Scent Stories’ 
            • Mackie by  Bob Mackie
            • Milk by Ava Luxe 
            • New Haarlem by Bond No. 9 
            • Nina by Nina Ricci
            • Nutmeg & Ginger Jo Malone 
            • NYC by Sarah Jessica Parker
            • Or du Sérail by Naomi Goodsir 
            • Philosykos Diptyque 
            • Piment Brûlant L’Artisan 
            • Pink Sugar by Aquolina
            • Plaisir by Laura Tonatto
            • Pomegranate Noir by Jo Malone 
            • Pretty Petals by Ellen Tracy
            • Provocative Interlude
            • Pure Purple
            • Rahat Loukhoum Serge Lutens 
            • Rock-N-Rebel by Flirt
            • Sensuous Nude by Estee Lauder
            • Sepia by Aftelier
            • Sire des Indes by Jean Patou
            • Spark by Liz Claiborne
            • Spiriteuese Double Vanille by Guerlain 
            • Star Flower by Anya`s Garden
            • Sugar by Fresh
            • Tilda Swinton Like This by Etat Libre d’Orange
            • Too Too by Betsey Johnson
            • True Religion Love, Hope, Denim
            • Un Bois Vanille Serge Lutens 
            • Unbreakable Bond by Khloe Kardashian
            • Vanille Aoud by Parfums M. Micallef
            • Vanilla Fields by Coty
            • Vanilla Grapefruit by Lavanila
            • Vanilla Musk by Coty
            • Vetiver Tonka
            • Vince Camuto by Vince Camuto
            • Wakely by Abercrombie & Fitch
            • Wish by Chopard
            • Womanity by Thierry Mugler
            • Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift
            • many of Demeter's Pick Me Up sprays are gourmand

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