Types of Perfume – The Complete Guide

Perfumes and fragrances come in different types and forms. And there are various ways to classify a scent either by its fragrance family, concentration, brand, or gender when companies do their marketing campaign. 

You may come across some terms and classifications about fragrances and perfumes that you couldn’t understand at the time.

What is a woody fragrance? What is a floral oriental scent means? What is a green perfume smells like?

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between Eau de Parfum and Eau de Toilette? Is there a real difference in composition and characteristics between those types, or it’s just scientific and technical jargon that doesn’t mean anything? 

Is there a clear definition of what’s masculine and feminine in the fragrance world?

This article will answer all of these questions and give you a better understanding of the different types of perfume and their characteristics to help you choose the right one for you. 

Types of Perfume by Fragrance Family

The first and most common way to classify perfumes is by their fragrance families. The most recent classification was inspired by the famous Fragrance Wheel created in 1983 by perfumery taxonomist Michael Edwards.

Michael Edwards

We simply can’t talk about The Fragrance Wheel without mentioning the legend who invented it. His full name is Michael Anthony Edwards. He was born on 10 December 1943. 

Michael Edwards is a British fragrance expert, author, and founding editor of Fragrances of the World, the most extensive guide to perfume classification and fragrance families.

Mr. Edwards’s book Perfume Legends: French Feminine Fragrances, which was first published in 1996, is considered one of the most influential books written on modern perfumery.

Perfume Legends explores the evolution of modern French fragrances through the eyes and words of their creators.

Michael Edwards,
Author of Perfume Legends

His book is one of a kind. A six-year effort of interviewing many unknown soldiers in the fragrance industry. Mr. Edwards interviewed more than 150 perfumers, couturiers, bottle designers, and industry executives who rarely discussed their work publicly and preferred the fragrance industry’s secrecy.

In the book, they spoke openly to Mr. Edwards about their fragrances. He revised and updated his book in 2019. Perfume Legends II presents new research, stunning images, and eight new fragrance legends.

Fragrances of the World

Fragrances of the World is the most extensive guide on fragrance classification globally. It was first published in 1984 by Michael Edwards. The guide was originally named The Fragrance Manual before it became Fragrances of the World in 2000.

The guide is printed annually in a bilingual English-French edition. In 2004, The Fragrances of the World online database was launched. It is the most accurate resource for fragrance designers and evaluators, marketing and training executives, researchers, and retailers.

The database is updated daily by Mr. Edwards and his team of skilled and knowledgeable evaluators, and it has detailed information on over 36,000 fragrances from around the world.

Fragrance Wheel

The Fragrance Wheel is a circular diagram that explains the relationship between fragrance preferences and fragrance families.

Fragrance Families

The 2010 version of the Fragrance Wheel divides the fragrance families into four main categories, Floral, Oriental, Fresh, and Woody. 

Floral

The Floral family divides into three subcategories:

1. Floral: as the name implies, this type of fragrances’ primary focus is the floral notes, like roses, Jasmin, and lily.
2. Soft Floral: these floral perfumes are usually soft, powdery, sweet, musky, and creamy.
3. Floral Oriental: scents that combine floral notes like Orange Blossom with incense and amber to make the fragrance smooth, sweet, and subtly spicy.

Examples of this family:

1. Weekend for Women by Burberry
2. Eternity by Calvin Klein
3. Bvlgari Man In Black by Bvlgari

Oriental

The Oriental family is also divided into three subcategories:

1. Soft Oriental: perfumes that use smooth Carnation, incense, and warm spices to form soft and sensual scents.
2. Oriental: some of the main notes of these fragrances are Vanilla, musk, cinnamon, and cardamom, which give the scents an opulent, sweet, and warm feel.
3. Woody Oriental: these perfumes are usually formed by combining notes like patchouli and sandalwood with spices and sweet notes. 

Examples of this family:

1. Shalimar Eau de Toilette by Guerlain
2. Prada L’Homme Intense by Prada
3. A*Men by Mugler

Fresh

There are four subcategories in this family:

1. Citrus: this family’s primary focus is the citrusy notes like lemons and mandarins to give the fragrance a zesty, tangy, and juicy vibe that invigorates and energizes the wearer.
2. Water: perfumes that reflect the smell of fresh sea sprays or wet air after a thunderstorm, which perfectly suits the summertime.
3. Green: the green family puts a lot of emphasis on the smell of freshly mown lawns and crushed green leaves.
4.  Fruity: perfumes center around sweet, juicy, and edible Tropical fruits, peaches, pears, and orchard-fresh summer apples. These notes usually form a mouth-watering scent.

Examples of this family:

1. CK One by Calvin Klein
2.  Acqua di Gio by Giorgio Armani 
3. 212 Men by Carolina Herrera

Woody

There are four main subcategories in this family:

1. Woods: Cedarwood, sandalwood, vetiver, freshly sanded floors, and sawdust are some of its notes. It’s usually the cornerstone of many masculine scents.
2. Mossy Woods: this family reflects one of the traditional style fragrances with sweet, smooth, sometimes earthy woody, and mossy notes.
3. Dry Woods: perfumes that combine the smokiness of smoldering embers and the unmistakable leathery smell of new shoes are some of the olfactory sensations connected to this family.
4. Aromatic Fougère: fragrances with a clean, uncomplicated, and fresh vibe that blend the lavender and other herbs such as rosemary or basil teamed with the warmth of wood.

Examples of this family:

1. Emporio Armani Stronger With You by Giorgio Armani 
2. L’Homme by Yves Saint Laurent
3. Eternity For Men by Calvin Klein

Types of Perfume by Concentration

There are four main types available in the market today regarding the different kinds of concentrations in perfumes and fragrances. And these types are:

Parfum

This perfume concentration is the strongest, and it comes in different names like “Parfum Extrait,” “Pure Perfume,” or “Extrait de Parfum.” The parfum concentration usually contains approximately 15-40% fragrance oil. This type’s main characteristic is its heavy oil components, and it’s usually the most expensive one.

The parfum concentration sometimes comes in smaller quantities due to its price and heavier composition. When the perfume comes in this concentration, niche fragrance companies often produce the highest quality. Most parfum fragrances usually last for longer than 12 hours.

Examples of this type:

1. Dior Homme Parfum by Dior
2. Bleu de Chanel Parfum by Chanel
3. Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait de Parfum by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Eau de Parfum (EDP)

The Eau de parfum is the second most heavier type of perfume concentration. The Eau de parfum contains approximately 10-20% fragrance oil, and most women’s perfumes come in this type of concentration. This type of scent is usually less expensive than the parfum variant. Most Eau de parfum fragrances typically last from 8 to 12 hours.

Examples of this type:

1. Hypnotic Poison Eau de Parfum by Dior
2. Bleu de Chanel Eau de Parfum by Chanel
3. Gentleman Eau de Parfum by Givenchy 

Eau de Toilette (EDT)

The Eau de Toilette concentration is the most common type in men’s perfumes. It contains approximately 5-15% fragrance oil and is usually less expensive than the previous ones. This type’s main characteristic is its better projection due to a higher alcohol concentration, which makes it evaporate farther from the skin. As a general rule, most Eau de Toilette fragrances typically last from 5 to 8 hours.

Examples of this type:

1. Versace Pour Homme
2. The One for Men by Dolce & Gabbana
3. London for Men by Burberry

Eau de Cologne (EDC)

The Eau de Cologne is even less concentrated than the Eau de Toilette, with approximately 2-5% fragrance oil at most. With this kind of concentration, you won’t expect it to last more than a few hours, but, on the flip side, it’s usually cheap and has a light and citrusy composition.

Examples of this type:

1. 4711 Original Eau de Cologne by 4711
2. Eau de Cologne Imperiale by Guerlain
3. Les Exclusifs de Chanel Eau de Cologne by Chanel

There are also AFTERSHAVES that contain scented water with a very low oil concentration, which helps soothe the skin after a shave. But, as we all know, It doesn’t last more than half an hour at most.

Which Type of Perfume Lasts the Longest? The Real Truth

As a general rule, when the fragrance has a higher oil concentration in the world of perfumes, it will last for a longer time. But, in the real world, THIS IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. If you are planning on purchasing a new perfume according to its concentration, you have to take into consideration the following points:

• A high concentration perfume like the PARFUM usually stays closer to the skin and doesn’t project away from you, so you have to be close to someone for him to smell you.
• A low concentration perfume like the Eau de Toilette usually has a better projection with moderate longevity. Due to the high alcohol concentration, this type will evaporate quicker but, on the other hand, will radiate from your body for a longer distance.
• A medium concentrated perfume like the Eau de Parfum usually has a decent projection with good longevity, making it the best of both worlds.
• All the above can vary from one company to another or from one perfume to another, so take the previous points with a grain of salt.
• Every perfume is unique in its composition and materials, so that no rules can apply to all of them. 
• Everyone is different in skin chemistry. There is oily skin, dry skin, and in-between, and those types of skin can react differently to different perfume types, so make sure to TRY any perfume or cologne on your skin before you buy it, or you will often be disappointed.

Types of Perfume by their Manufacturers

When it comes to perfume manufacturing and perfume brands, there are two main types: Designer and Niche Perfumes.

Designer Perfume

A designer perfume or cologne is a Designer House product like Gucci, Dior, Chanel, and Versace. These fashion houses have a separate line of production that is specifically assigned to colognes and perfumes.

The general characteristics of this type are:

• The scent profile is more mass-appealing.
• The available prices are more affordable.
• It has higher availability and production.

Examples of designer perfumes:

1. Gucci Guilty Pour Homme by Gucci
2. Dior Fahrenheit by Dior
3. Chanel Allure Homme Sport by Chanel

Niche Perfume

A niche perfume or cologne is a product that is produced by a niche company like Creed, Parfums de Marly, Amouage, and Xerjoff. These companies are specialized in producing colognes and perfumes only, without any other fashion or accessory products.

The general characteristics of this type are:

• The scent profile is more on the daring and artistic side.
• It has a more expensive price tag.
• The availability and production, in general, are lower.

Examples of niche perfumes:

1. Creed Aventus by Creed
2. Herod by Parfums de Marly
3. Reflection Man by Amouage

Types of Perfume by Gender

Fragrances and perfumes are subjective and are heavily dependent on the wearer himself and his state of mind. Therefore, you will not find a definite answer to whether a particular fragrance is masculine, feminine, or in-between.

However, fragrance companies are accustomed to defining particular perfumes as masculine, feminine, or unisex to plan their marketing campaign accordingly.

Some notes in perfumery could be more rough and masculine in their nature, which may lend themselves well to be used on men’s fragrances. 

On the other hand, other perfumery notes are considered soft and feminine in their nature, which is more suitable for women’s perfumes.

Masculine Perfume

 A Masculine Perfume is a fragrance that contains masculine and rugged notes like leather, woods, tobacco, and booze.

Examples of masculine perfumes:

1. Bently for Men Intense by Bently
2. Azzaro Pour Homme by Azzaro
3. CH Men Prive by Carolina Herrera

Feminine Perfume

A Feminine Perfume is a fragrance centered around soft and feminine notes like flowers, roses, Vanilla, and light fruits.

Examples of feminine perfumes:

1. Idôle by Lancome
2. Alien by Mugler
3. Mon Guerlain by Guerlain

Unisex Perfume

A Unisex Perfume is a fragrance that has facets of both sides that balance each other in the blend.

Examples of unisex perfumes:

1. Santal 33 by Le Labo
2. CK All by Calvin Klein
3. Black Orchid by Tom Ford