Notes A–Z
Bergamot in Perfume: Bitter Citrus, Floral Peel and Safer Sampling
Bergamot smells like bright citrus peel with a bitter, green edge and a soft floral undertone.
Read the article →An independent guide to the language of scent
Get to know
what you smell.
What every perfume note smells like, where it comes from and how to wear it. A library for curious noses, one material at a time.
Explore the note library ↗In the library
All 49 articles →Fragrance families
The Fragrance Families Wheel: Find Your Bearings
Fragrance families group perfumes by their dominant character, such as citrus, floral, woody or amber.
4 min readHow to wear fragrance
How to Test Perfume in a Store or With Samples
Test perfume by limiting competing scents, assessing an opening on paper, and giving a suitable finished sample a separate skin-wearing day.
4 min readNotes A–Z
Vanilla in Perfume: Cured Pods, Cream and Dry Balsamic Wood
Vanilla smells warm, softly sweet and balsamic, with possible creamy, woody, smoky or dried-fruit facets. It can suggest a cured pod rather than frosting.
4 min readFollow a fragrance family
Start with a mood or texture, then meet the notes that give it shape.
Read the fragrance families wheel →The notes, A–Z
From amber to vetiver
A scent description is a starting point.
Two perfumes can list the same note and smell entirely different. Learn the materials, test the finished fragrance and leave room for your own perception.
How we research the library →