The 9 Different Types of Perfume, Explained

Common notes: vanilla, coffee, caramel

In the world of perfume, scents like Mugler Angel are classified as gourmands. "Gourmand refers to scents that evolve around sweet, edible smelling notes," says Brown. "They’re often youthful, comforting and nostalgic." Gourmand notes vary more than the options in an ice cream shop. "They include notes such as vanilla, Tonka (a bean that has a sweet hay-like note), candy floss, chocolate, honey, and even coffee. They can also include nutty notes such as almond or pistachio," adds Brown, who notes that gourmand perfumes often have a soft musk base.

Common notes: rose, gardenia, jasmine

According to Brown, florals are "forever at the heart of perfumery." Though nearly all fragrances feature floral notes of some kind, those that are primarily floral "can be sensual, sophisticated or playful, and capture the ephemeral beauty of flowers in full bloom."

Florals can range from the more "innocent," to borrow Brown's terminology—such as soft Bulgarian rose, tulip, and Lily of the Valley—to "heady" white florals such as tuberose or Jasmin Sambac, the heart note of Altra’s Jasmin XXX genderless scent.

Common notes: Lemon, neroli, bergamot

Citrus scents like Henry Rose's Windows Down are perennially popular. "Fresh and uplifting, citrus notes feature as a top note in countless perfumes, but as a category of their own, citrus scents are the light, bright and often juicy scents," explains Brown. "They’re refreshing, cooling and invigorating. Great mood boosters too."

Common notes: peach, strawberry, coconut

"Playful and optimistic, fruity scents capture the juicy sweet and sometimes fresh fruity notes that make them a popular choice for summer months," explains Brown. Like your local farmer's market, the blend can feature "anything from aquatic melon notes, to soft peach, bright berries, and tropical fruits like mango and pineapple. These scents can go from sweet and youthful to sophisticated and soft, such as Mûre & Musc by L’artisan Parfumeur."

Common notes: pepper, ginger, cinnamon

According to Mastenbroek, spicy scents such as Aesop Gloam have become increasingly popular in the last 20 years or so. "Notes like pink pepper and saffron can bring sophistication into the top notes, while cinnamon and clove are more full-bodied and full-on," she says.

Common notes: salt, seawater, fresh linens

More of a sentiment than a specific class of fragrances, "Aquatic notes are marine-like, like an ocean breeze," explains Mastenbroek, who adds that "They are often enhanced with citrus or mint to boost their cool freshness." Armani Acqua di Gio is an iconic aquatic fragrance, but Mastenbroek points out that aquatic blends "are used in many women’s fragrances, such as Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey."

Common notes: Sandwalwood, pine, oud

Though formerly considered more masculine, woody scents like Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 have entered the genderless category. "Woody scents have many subcategories, but are typically warm, dry scents which have a sensual sophisticated edge," says Brown. "They can be soft, sweet and creamy, fresh and uplifting, or intense deep and sensual."

Common notes: basil, green tea, vetiver

Not to be confused with fresh fragrances, green scents like Frédéric Malle Synthetic Jungle have a grassy, vegetal quality. "The natural smell of the great outdoors is evoked using ingredients that smell of foliage, or moss; they can be peppery-green (from Galbanum) or silky-smooth (from Hexenol)," explains Mastenbroek.

Common notes: mint, bergamot, water

Sisley Paris L'Eau Rêvée d'Hubert and other fresh perfumes combine elements of citrus, green, and aquatic scents into something refreshing of its own. "Fresh notes are often citrus bursts of lemon, lime, and mandarin, perhaps leading into elegant bergamot oil, which lasts longer on the skin and carries the freshness along," explains Mastenbroek, who adds that her own Signature Perfume offers a combination in this style.