Fragrance wheel
Encyclopedia
Firmenich
Firmenich SA is a private Swiss company in the perfume and flavor business, it is the largest privately-owned company in the perfume and flavor business, and ranks number two worldwide., Firmenich has created many of the world’s favorite perfumes for over 100 years and produced a number of the most...
, and seeks to show the relationships between each individual fragrance family. The fragrance wheel has been shown to be highly consistent with previous studies on odor descriptor and odor profile representations.
The chart was first created in an attempt to develop a fragrance classification method and naming scheme without technical jargon that can be used in consumer settings by retailers.. The main purpose of the wheel is to allow a retailer to suggest different fragrances in a similar category to ones that their customer's may prefer, which since been put into use by retailers such as Sephora
Sephora
Sephora is a chain of cosmetics stores founded in France in 1970 and acquired by Paris-based conglomerate LVMH in 1997. The Sephora chain includes more than 750 stores in 17 countries...
and Nordstrom
Nordstrom
Nordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings...
.
Chart
Since its creation, the wheel and the developed fragrance classification scheme has been modified several times through the addition of different groups to encompass different fragrance types.The four standard families are Floral, Oriental, Woody and Fresh. These are in turn divided into three sub-groups (e.g. in the Floral Family: Floral, Soft Floral, Floral Oriental) and arranged in a circle, each group being related to the next. Each of the subclasses were in turn divided into Fresh, Crisp, Classical, and Rich compositions. Prior to 2010 Fougère
Fougère
Fougère, , meaning "fern-like", is one of the main families into which modern perfumes are classified, with the name derived from the perfume Fougère Royale for Houbigant formulated by the perfumer Paul Parquet. The class of fragrances have the basic accord with a top-note of lavender and...
family was placed at the center of this wheel since they are a large family of scents that usually contain fragrance elements from each of the other four families; citrus from the fresh family, oak moss and woods from the woody family, coumarin and incense from the Oriental family, and lavender from the floral family.
In this classification scheme, Chanel No.5, which is traditionally classified as a "Floral Aldehyde" would be located under Soft Floral sub-group, and "Amber" scents would be placed within the Oriental group. As a class, Chypres is more difficult to place since they would be located under parts of the Oriental and Woody families. For instance, Guerlain Mitsouko, which is classically identified as a chypre will be placed under Mossy Woods, but Hermès Rouge, a chypre with more floral character, would be placed under Floral Oriental.
Originally they are:
| Fougère | Floral | Floral |
|---|---|
| Soft Floral | |
| Floral Oriental | |
| Oriental | Soft Oriental |
| Oriental | |
| Woody Oriental | |
| Woody | Mossy Woods |
| Dry Woods | |
| Fresh | Citrus |
| Green | |
| Water |
With the publication of Fragrances of the World 2008, two new sub-groups: Fruity and Woods, have been added to the wheel.
| Fougère | Floral | Floral |
|---|---|
| Soft Floral | |
| Floral Oriental | |
| Oriental | Soft Oriental |
| Oriental | |
| Woody Oriental | |
| Woody | Woods |
| Mossy Woods | |
| Dry Woods | |
| Fresh | Citrus |
| Fruity | |
| Green | |
| Water |
The chart was again modified in 2010, moving the Aromatics/Fougere group to between Citrus and Dry Woods to synchronize the chart with recent studies on smell perception.
| Floral | Floral |
|---|---|
| Soft Floral | |
| Floral Oriental | |
| Oriental | Soft Oriental |
| Oriental | |
| Woody Oriental | |
| Woody | Woods |
| Mossy Woods | |
| Dry Woods | |
| Aromatic | |
| Fresh | Citrus |
| Fruity | |
| Green | |
| Water |
Sub-groups
The sub-groups of the fragrance wheel are:- Floral (Floral + Fresh Notes). Main notes include fresh-cut flowers.
- Soft Floral (Floral Notes). Main notes include aldehydes and powdery notes.
- Floral Oriental (Floral + Oriental Notes). Main notes include orange blossom and sweet spices.
- Soft Oriental (Oriental + Floral Notes). Main notes include incense and amber.
- Oriental (Oriental Notes). Main notes include oriental resins and vanilla.
- Woody Oriental (Oriental + Woody Notes). Main notes include sandalwood and patchouli.
- Woods Main notes include aromatic woods and vetiver.
- Mossy Woods (Woody + Oriental Notes). Main notes include oakmoss and amber.
- Dry Woods (Woody Notes). Main notes include dry woods and leather.
- Citrus (Woody + Fresh Notes). Main notes include bergamot and other citrus oils.
- Fruity Main notes include berries and other non-citrus fruits.
- Green (Fresh Notes). Main notes include galbanum and green notes.
- Water (Fresh + Floral Notes). Main notes include marine and aquatic notes, generally from the chemical caloneCaloneCalone or methylbenzodioxepinone, trade-named Calone 1951, was discovered by Pfizer in 1966. It is used to give the olfactory impression of a fresh seashore through the marine and ozone nuances...
. - Fougère - The universal fragrance family whose scent includes elements from different families: the freshness of from the Citrus family, floral notes of lavender, the spicy-sweetness of a Floral Oriental, the ambery depth of an Oriental and the Mossy Woods warmth of sandalwood and oakmoss.