Perfumes 101- Winter Fragrances and Popular Notes

Winter scents

As summer melts and transitions from monsoon to autumn and moulds into winter the fragrances that abound us also transition. The weather dictates the performance of the perfumes and it is essential to decide the perfect fragrance based out of the accords you prefer and the perfume family they belong to for the ultimate beast performance during this season.

Winter perfumes are designed to be stronger as compared to summer perfumes owing to the weather. The wind is try , people are covered in layers of clothes and body heat is a factor that changes as well. For perfume lovers winter is the time to go all out and use their beast mode perfumes. They are not meant to be overpowering scents but are made of a stronger mixture.  Some of the most preferred winter accords include Vanilla, Cinnamon, Incense, Amber, Spices, etc.

Some of the Fragrance Families that are ideal for winter wear are:

• The Oriental Family

The Oriental family notes are characterised by rich and exotic spice accords and dry and powdery notes of resin. The carnal notes of the oriental family are a combination of luxurious exotic essences of oriental accords that comprise of exotic herbs and spices such as soft vanilla and cistus along with aldehydes. Resins, woods and amber create markedly warm and sensual aromas that can be powdery or dry. This family is known for their carnal and opulent fragrance accords that romance the chilly winter just perfectly.

Subfamilies of the Oriental Family:

1. Citrus Amber
2. Woody Oriental Amber
3. Oriental Amber
4. Spicy Oriental Amber
5. Floriental
6. Floral Hep Amber
7. Oriental Gourmand

Fragrance Recommendations: Armani Code, Old Spice Original , Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male, Lalique le Parfum, Versace Oud Oriental, Black Opium by YSL, Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford, Slumberhouse Ore.

• The Woody Family

Woody notes are known for their luxurious textures. Commonly adorning the perfumes at the base / dry down level, woody notes are also seen at the heart of many winter perfumes. The two main components that are frequently seen in woody fragrances are Sandalwood and Patchouli whereas Cedar or Vetiver can be used for a drier finish for perfumes. The opulent hery in woody fragrances can comprise of oily resins . To reduce the warmth radiated from woody fragrances they are sometimes combined with citrusy  or aromatic notes on the top notes to make them a little more zesty.

Subfamilies of the Woody Family

1. Woody Coniferous Citrus
2. Woody Aquatic
3. Woody Aromatic
4. Woody Chypre
5. Woody Floral Musk
6. Woody Fruity Musk
7. Woody Spicy

Fragrance Recommendations : Mugler Alien, Paco Rabanne 1 Million Intense, Tom Ford Oud Wood, Gucci Guilty, Dsquared2 He Wood Rocky Mountain, Fendi Fan Di Fendi Pour Homme Assoluto, Woody by Arabian Oud, Kenzo Pour Homme

• The Leather Family

Leather fragrances are constituted from elements such as Birch Tar which is known for its leather like smokiness, or juniper berries, aldehydes or through synthetic elements that are curated to provide a more skin like fragrance.  Patchouli, black tea and tobacco can also conjure up that old library/leather-jacket sensuality. Earlier , the oriental, woody and leather fragrance families would borrow off one another to mimic different aromas.  However overtime , ventually leather became so appealing that perfumers sought to simulate its characteristic fragrance. Therefore, leather fragrances can be identified today by  dry or smokey brews or even floral, crisp compositions.

Subfamilies

1. Floral Leather
2. Tobacco Leather
3. Woody Spicy Leather

Fragrance Recommendations: Acqua di Parma Colonia Leather, Givenchy Gentleman, L’Artisan Parfumer Dzing!, Tuscan Leather Tom Ford, Chanel Les Exclusifs 28 La Pausa, Chanel Les Exclusifs Cuir de Russie, Mercedes Benz Black Leather, Guerlain l’Homme Ideal