The Olfactory Wheel

The perfumery world has a wide variety of knowledge to digest. From the different Olfactory families and subfamilies, the notes used to make the perfume, the different categories of fragrances depending on the concentration levels and many other intricate details. For a customer new to perfumes, all of this can be extremely overwhelming. One very useful tool to understand fragrances is the Olfactory Wheel or Fragrance Wheel.

The various scent families and subfamilies are depicted on a wheel-shaped graphic called the Fragrance Wheel, first developed by Micheal Edwards in 1983. To demonstrate the relationships between the fragrances, they are grouped based on their similarities and dissimilarities. The scent groups that are close to one another have similar olfactory traits, whereas those that are farther apart don't have as much in common.

The scent families are broken into four major Families: Floral, Oriental, Fresh, and Woody. These families are then further divided into Subfamilies. This is where the real intricacies of fragrance notes begin.  This article will help you understand about scents slightly more than what you knew before reading it. There are several sub-category descriptions that will immediately grab your attention as you read through them. Choosing some scents that you already know you love is a great method to figure out which categories on the fragrance-wheel work best for you. See if you can figure out where they would be on the wheel after looking at their primary elements. Then look for further scents with the same kind of notes.

Floral Fragrances

Floral scents might provide a pleasant, feminine, or sultry impression. If you have a bright, light, and airy vibe, these aromas are ideal for you. Additionally, nothing is more uplifting than donning a spray of a light floral fragrance and heading outside in a breezy sundress during the hot summer.You can discover this scent on practically any well-known perfume brand, especially in female-oriented products.

Subfamilies:

1. Floral: Floral fragrances are the quintessential bouquet of fresh flowers. The most commonly used notes in this classifications are of Rose, Jasmine, Lily and other major flowers found in the blooming gardens 
2. Soft Floral: Soft floral fragrances are rather perfect for those who find pure floral fragrances overbearing. These scents have a musky, powdery and sweet tone, making the fragrance elegant and refined
3. Floral Oriental: Floral Oriental is yet another popular sub category, proudly including fragrances that are luxurious and blended uniquely to radiate warmth and mystery with hero components like musk, oud and spices. exotic floral notes like the lavender flower or "spicy" blooms like the carnation accompany the traditional Oriental base, which offsets a spicy, deep and warm fragrance.

Oriental Fragrances

Oriental fragrance family is a prominent and long withstanding family in the world of fragrances. Due to their warm and deep undertones, these fragrances are perceived as mature and mysterious,a perfect blend for men and women alike . Major members of the family are Aromatic resins like incense, and amber, as well as rich spices like vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves.

1. Soft Oriental: Most soft oriental fragrances have a floral and spicy base that is emphasised by incense and amber tones. Both the warm, honey-like richness of amber and the incense's sweet-smoky aroma combine to lighten and round the composition.
2. Oriental: Simply named Orientals, it is the next subfamily of oriental family. The Soft Orientals have been improved upon in this category. All of the herbs, resins, and flowers are more substantial, bolder, and intense. The oldest and most traditional subset of perfumes in human history belongs to this group.
3. Woody Oriental: Woody Oriental is the final division of the family of oriental scents. The woody notes, the broader fragrance family that follows, have already made their presence known in this group. The predominant aroma of perfumes in this category should always be dominated by woody notes, particularly patchouli and sandalwood.

Fresh Fragrances