Gourmand, floral or fresh? What type of perfume is for you?

If you are scrolling social media in the hope of finding some inspiration for your new fragrance purchase like me, you have most certainly heard about weird names perfume influencers use to describe their findings, such as gourmand, floral, woody, etc.

What is that and how do you eat it? Don't worry, I am here to show and tell!

5 types of perfume

There are many types of perfumes used in the perfume industry to describe, I would say, the vibe of the perfume. But what you hear the most about are gourmand, floral, fresh, skin-like, and woody. Those names will help you during your hunt for the new perfume suitable for the vibe you are going for.

Gourmand

Try thinking about the last time you went to the bakery or a small café. Coffee, pain au chocolat, sugar, milk, vanilla, and other delicious stuff. That, my friend, is the perfect definition of a gourmand perfume. I am a gourmand lover and my perfume collection exists for 30% of gourmand perfumes.

Those perfumes, in general, have a longer longevity and projection, so it is not for everyone, especially not for people who often feel overpowered by perfumes.

Here are some of my favorite gourmand perfumes: Milk by Commodity, Pistachio Gelato by Kayali, and Sticky Dates by Lush.

Floral

The name speaks for itself, the floral type of perfume is gentle, light, and full of flowers. However, don't get fooled by my description, as some of the profiles of this category can be quite heavy and overpowering. Lots of websites describe this type of scent as the most feminine of them all, but I think that there are lots of men's perfumes that fall under this category. 

You can choose from white, tropical, or even spicy flowers.

This type of fragrance is all about smelling like some type of flower. And what kind of flower? This one is up to you! I would kindly suggest you not blind buy it and smell the fragrance at the shop, as the note combinations can be deceiving. 

Some of my favorite floral perfumes are Bloom by Gucci, Flower Market by Maison Margiela, and my all-time favorite You by Glossier.

Fresh

I can most certainly say, that this category is most suitable for everyone. Whether you are a gourmand lover who just needs a summer break from all those vanillas and creams or a person who is not a perfume lover at all.

This category is perfect for the warm summers, as it can even be cooling and refreshing.

I remember my first fresh perfume Bergamot 22 by Le Labo that saved me in Italy when the weather was above 35 degrees. It gave me that refreshed feeling and cooling that I was seeking! Since then, fresh perfumes have been my best friend in the summer.

As you have already guessed by the name, this category includes fresh notes such as citrus, white tea, sea notes, and often in combination with other fruit notes.

My fresh favorites are Bergamot 22 by Le Labo and Blanche by Byredo.

Skin-like

Also known as a musky or clean type of smell., a relatively new genre of perfume in my opinion. Those perfumes are created to be like a second skin and more natural rather than other genres. Often described as "your skin but better" type of perfume. I have a love-and-hate relationship with those types of perfume, as some of them can be too powdery and heavy, but also smell too much like a laundry detergent.

Interesting fact, not only often does it contain notes like musk, flower, or some type of wood, but also one special ingredient. The name of this ingredient is Iso E Super, a synthetic molecule, that smells something like musk and wood, but only noticeable by the ones standing very close to you.

Some of my loved skin-like scents are You by Glossier, L’eau Papier by Diptyque, and Lazy Sunday Morning by Maison Margiela.

Woody

Do you want to smell like you are reading a book by the fireplace in your wood cabinet in the middle of the forest? Or like you are in a luxury spa with eucalyptus and pine saunas? Or maybe you are just a fan of dramatic and deep fragrances? Then the woody category is for you!

When looking at the notes while buying your new gem, I would suggest paying attention to the base notes, as those are the notes that you would smell the whole day after the alcohol dries down. Woody scents will have notes such as sandalwood, patchouli, cedarwood, pine, etc.

Examples of the woody perfumes, as I don't own any, are By the Fireplace by Maison Margiela, Libre Intense by Yves Saint Laurent, and Jazz Club by Maison Margiela.

Which one to choose?

I hope my explanation and selection helped to navigate you through this saturated perfume market, but hey, great that there are so many to choose from! My recommendation to you is to just go to the shop and smell the ones that look interesting, then look at the notes of the ones you like to determine whether it is a skinlike scent or maybe gourmand. Then I would definitely check out online for some examples of the category of fragrance. And of course, don't forget to check out my other articles and my social media for more inspiration.

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Which one is your favorite?

• Gourmand
• Skin-like
• Woody
• Fresh

See All Options