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The history of woody notes
If today, woody notes are very popular with our perfumers, this has not always been the case. Woody notes have become like the backbone of perfumes and it is rare not to find woody notes in a perfume. The perfumers have divided the woody notes into 6 categories, namely moss, amber, wet, smoky, resinous and dry woods. In ancient times, people used to burn wood shavings and resins in order to honor and pray to their Gods. Once is not custom, it is the talented Gabrielle Chanel who opened both woody fragrances. With Bois des Iles released in 1926, the house of Chanel offers a floral bouquet on a woody accord, intensely dominated by sandalwood as well as its warmth and power of seduction. In 1992,Serge Lutens (then Shiseido) also astonished by revealing Féminité du Bois, a feminine essence where the base asserts itself between cedar and sandalwood. Among the most representative woody notes are sandalwood, cedar, patchouli, oak moss and vetiver.
Famous fragrances with woody notes
At present, there are very many perfumes that contain woody notes. Initially, the woody notes, especially vetiver, were mostly masculine notes. Among the great perfumes that do him honor, we note Vétiver by Carven, but also by Guerlain and Givenchy, then Bel Ami Vétiver by Hermès… Woody notes blend perfectly well in oriental compositions such as in Alien Sunessence by Thierry Mugler, Amor Amor Forbidden Kiss by Cacharel, and Ambre Éternal by Guerlain. Woody notes can also be found in magnificent woody fragrances such as Fahrenheit by Christian Dior, La Nuit de l'Homme by Yves Saint Laurent or even in the heart of chypre fragrances such as in Aromatics Élixir by Clinique. Of course,the woody notes blend wonderfully with the flowers, and offer us the most resplendent of essences such as Amarige Ylang Ylang des Commores 2010 by Givenchy, 1881 pour Femme by Cerruti, 24 Faubourg by Hermès, Valentina Pink By Valentino, or 1932 by Chanel.
Dear to the hearts of our current perfumers, woody notes are found in many compositions, both feminine and masculine. They bring warmth, depth, sensuality, as well as an indisputable character.
