The Ultimate Fragrance Glossary: 250+ Perfume Terms Explained

The world of fragrances has its own language. From accords and aldehydes to sillage and dry down, understanding these terms helps you choose perfumes with more confidence.

This glossary explains the most important perfume terms in clear language. Whether you're buying your first perfume, comparing dupes, or building a brand, you'll find understandable explanations here. 

Absolute

A highly concentrated aromatic extract from flowers, resins, or plant materials. Absolutes are usually obtained through solvent extraction rather than steam distillation. They are particularly suitable for delicate flowers like jasmine or tuberose, which lose their aroma when heated. Absolutes often contain more natural complexity than essential oils.

Accord

A blend of fragrance notes that together form a new, distinct scent character. An accord works similarly to a musical chord, where several elements combine to create a new overall impression. For example, a leather accord can contain smoky, woody, and resinous notes without using actual leather.

Acetate

A synthetic fragrance component that often creates fruity, floral, or fresh effects.

Agarwood

A rare, resinous wood used for intense oud fragrances.

Airy

A fragrance character that appears light, clean, and ethereal.

Aldehydes

Aromatic molecules that give a perfume sparkle, brightness, and a special radiance. Depending on the type, they can be soapy, metallic, fresh, or citrusy. They became famous through classics like Chanel No. 5, where they create a modern, clear effect.

Amber

A warm fragrance family based on resinous, sweet, and soft notes. In modern perfumery, amber is usually an accord of labdanum, benzoin, vanilla, and similar materials.

Ambergris

A rare material historically derived from the sea, valued for its complex, marine, sweet, and musky scent. Today, synthetic alternatives are mostly used.

Amberwood

A modern fragrance category based on woody amber molecules. It appears drier, clearer, and more modern than classic amber accords.

Ambrette

A natural ingredient from the seeds of the musk mallow. It has a soft, musky, and slightly fruity scent structure.

Amber Accord

An artificially constructed amber scent made from resins, vanilla, and balsamic materials.

Ambroxan

One of the most important modern fragrance molecules. It is a synthetic alternative to ambergris with woody, musky, and slightly salty notes. Perception can vary greatly individually.

Animalic

Animalic notes add warmth, depth, and a skin-like effect. Today, they mostly come from synthetic sources. They can appear intimate, soft, or slightly raw.

Anise-like

Anise-like notes are reminiscent of licorice and sweet spices. They are often used in floral compositions.

Anosmia

Anosmia describes the inability to perceive certain scents. Some molecules like Iso E Super or Ambroxan are barely perceived by some people.

Aroma Chemical

A single fragrance molecule that can be synthetically or naturally produced. It forms the basis of modern perfumery.

Aromatic

Fragrances with herbs like lavender, rosemary, or sage. They appear fresh, green, and invigorating.

Artisan Perfumery

Small, artisanal perfume houses with a focus on creativity and quality.

Attar

A traditional fragrance oil produced by distilling plants into an oil base, usually sandalwood oil.

Atomizer

The spray mechanism of a perfume bottle.

Aquatic

Fragrances that mimic water, sea, rain, or fresh air. Often with marine molecules and fresh notes.

Baccarat Effect

A community term for fragrances reminiscent of Baccarat Rouge 540. Characteristic are sweet, airy, and amber-like structures.

Balsamic

Warm, soft, and resinous fragrance notes like benzoin or labdanum.

Base Notes

The longest-lasting fragrance notes of a perfume. They form the foundation and remain on the skin the longest.

Batch Code

A production number used to identify the manufacturing time and place of a perfume.

Beast Mode

Colloquial term for particularly strong and long-lasting fragrances.

Benzoin

A sweet resin with vanilla-like, warm, and balsamic notes.

Bergamot

A citrus note with an elegant, fresh, and slightly floral effect.

Blend

The complete mixture of all fragrance ingredients in a perfume.

Blind Buy

Purchasing a perfume without prior testing.

Blue Fragrance

Modern fragrance category with fresh, aquatic, and woody elements.

Body Chemistry

How skin, temperature, and individual characteristics influence fragrance development.

Bottle Design

The visual design and styling of the perfume bottle.

Bouquet

The overall scent profile of a perfume as a whole.

Calone

A molecule that creates a maritime, watery freshness.

Camphoraceous

Fresh, cooling, and medicinal-smelling fragrance notes.

Cashmeran

A synthetic fragrance ingredient with a soft, woody, and slightly spicy structure.

Carrier Oil

Oil that serves as a base for perfume oils or attars.

Cedarwood

A dry, woody fragrance material with a clear structure.

Cetalox

An ambergris-like molecule with a woody-musky character.

Chypre

A classic fragrance family consisting of citrus, oakmoss, patchouli, and woods.

Civet

Historical animalic fragrance note, today mostly replaced synthetically.

Clean Scent

A fresh, pure, and well-groomed scent character.

Fragrance Clone

A perfume that imitates another scent, also called a "dupe."

Cold Press Extraction

Gentle extraction method to preserve delicate fragrance compounds.

Coumarin

A sweet aroma with vanilla, almond, and hay-like notes.

Diffusion

How widely a fragrance spreads in the air.

Dry Down

The final phase of a perfume, where the base notes dominate.

Eau de Cologne (EDC)

Light fragrance concentration with a low oil content.

Eau de Parfum (EDP)

Medium to high fragrance concentration with good longevity.

Eau de Toilette (EDT)

Lighter fragrance concentration with a fresh character.

Eau Fraîche

Very light fragrance form with a high water content.

Earthy

Notes reminiscent of earth, roots, and forest.

Elemi

A resin with citrus, spicy, and slightly smoky notes.

Extrait de Parfum

Very highly concentrated perfume with an intense scent effect.

Fougere

Classic fragrance style with lavender, moss, and coumarin.

Fragrance Pyramid

Model for representing top, heart, and base notes.

Gourmand

Fragrances with edible notes like vanilla, caramel, or chocolate.

Hedione

A jasmine molecule that creates lightness and radiance.

Incense

Smoky, resinous notes from aromatic resins.

IFRA

International organization for regulating safe fragrance ingredients.

Iso E Super

A woody molecule with a soft, skin-like character.

Jasmine Sambac

An intense jasmine variety with fruity and floral nuances.

Longevity

How long a fragrance remains perceptible on the skin.

Musk

Soft, clean, and skin-like fragrance notes.

Niche Fragrance

Fragrances from independent perfume houses with a focus on creativity.

Oud

A precious resinous wood with smoky, woody, and animalic notes.

Patchouli

Earthy, woody, and slightly sweet fragrance component.

Projection

How far a fragrance is perceptible from the skin.

Sillage

The scent trail a person leaves behind.

Sandalwood

Creamy wood with a soft, warm structure.

Vetiver

Grass root with earthy, smoky, and woody notes.

White Musk

Modern, clean, and skin-like musk.

Woody Amber

Modern combination of wood and amber molecules.

Ylang-Ylang

Tropical flower with a creamy-floral and fruity structure.

Zinc Ricinoleate

An ingredient used to neutralize unpleasant odors.