Woody Notes
26 fragrances with this note
Part of accords: Woody
- Origin
- an accord composed by the perfumer
- Raw materials
- a blend of woody oils and synthetic molecules
- Olfactory group
- woody
- Position in the pyramid
- base
- Synthetic substitutes
- Iso E Super, Cashmeran, Norlimbanol, Javanol, Ambroxan
“Woody notes” is a general name brands put in pyramids when the base contains not one specific wood but a whole woody accord. It is usually a blend of natural oils (cedar, sandalwood, vetiver) with modern synthetic woody molecules.
How it smells: dry, warm and clean — like fresh wood shavings, smooth polished wood or a sun-warmed fence. Depending on the formula, woody notes can be transparent and airy or dense, creamy and smoky.
Synthetic woody molecules changed modern perfumery. The best known is Iso E Super (1970s): a soft, velvety wood that many perceive as the “smell of clean skin”. Next to it are Cashmeran with its fluffy “cashmere” sound and Norlimbanol with a dry, smoky edge.
What it pairs with: practically everything: with citrus — fresh masculine fragrances, with rose and peony — “flowers on wood”, with vanilla and amber — warm woody-amber compositions, with musk — transparent skin scents.
Good to know: Iso E Super sits on the skin so quietly and closely that some people can hardly smell it on themselves, while others notice the trail. That is why there are fragrances made almost entirely of this one molecule.
Fragrances with Woody Notes
