Perfume notes

Ember Enigma is an independent UK fragrance guide. We do the legwork on the top ranked fragrances, checking notes and prices, so you don't have to.

What you smell, and where to find it.

Start with one of our edits, read how each fragrance family feels on skin, or look up any note in the library and see the bottles that carry it.

Citrus: Bright, sparkling and quick to lift: bergamot, lemon, grapefruit.

Floral: From fresh petals to heady white flowers: rose, jasmine, tuberose.

Woody: Dry, smooth and grounding: sandalwood, cedar, vetiver.

Amber: Warm, resinous and glowing: labdanum, benzoin, incense.

Gourmand: Edible and comforting: vanilla, praline, tonka, coffee.

Spicy: Heat and sparkle: cinnamon, cardamom, pink pepper.

Green: Crushed leaves and cut stems: fig leaf, galbanum, tea.

Musk: Soft, skin-like and clean: white musk, ambrette, iris.

Notes on Ember Enigma: absinthe, acacia, African marigold, agarwood, agarwood (oud), agave, akigalawood, aldehydes, algae, allspice, almond, almond cream, almond flower, almond milk, almond wood, amalfi lemon, amaretto, amber, amber wood, amber woods, ambergris, ambermax, amberwood, ambery woods, ambrette, ambrette seed, ambrette seeds, ambrofix, ambrox, ambroxan, amyris, angelica, angelica root, angelica seed, angelica seeds, animalic notes, anise, apple, apple blossom, apple martini, apricot, aquatic notes, arabica coffee, artemisia, atlas cedar, atlas cedarwood, australian sandalwood, baked apple, baking spices, balsam, balsam fir, bamboo, banana, barley, basil, basmati rice, bay leaf, bay leaves, beeswax, bellflower, benzoin, bergamot, bergamot zest, berries, birch, birch tar, biscuit, bitter almond, bitter orange, black amber, black amber plum, black cardamom, black cherry, black currant, black hemlock, black musk, black orchid, black pepper, black sugar, black tea, black truffle, black vanilla, black violet, black woods, blackberry, blackcurrant, blackcurrant bud, blond wood, blonde cedar, blonde woods, blood orange, blue lotus, blue tea, blue wisteria, blueberry, boronia, bourbon geranium, bourbon pepper, bourbon vanilla, bourbon vetiver, bourbon whiskey, bran, brandy, broom, brown sugar, bubblegum, bulgarian rose, burnt sugar, butter, cacao, cachalox, cactus flower, cade, cade oil, calabrian bergamot, calamus, calone, camellia, candied apple, candied ginger, candied orange, candy floss, cane sugar, canelo, cannabis, cantaloupe, caramel, caramelized milk, caraway, cardamom, carnation, carrot, carrot seed, carrot seeds, cashmeran, cashmere wood, cassia, cassie, cassis, castoreum, caviar, cedar, cedar woods, cedarwood, cedrat, cedro, centifolia rose, cetalox, chamomile, champaca, champagne, chantilly cream, cherry, cherry blossom, chestnut, chili pepper, chilli pepper, chocolate, chocolate daisy, cinnamon, cinnamon leaf, cistus, cistus labdanum, citron, citrus, citrus accord, citrus notes, civet, civettone, clary sage, clementine, clove, clover, cloves, cocoa, coconut, coconut cream, coconut milk, coconut water, coffee, cognac, cola, copaiba balm, copper, coriander, coriander seed, cosmone, costus, cotton candy, cotton flower, coumarin, cranberry, cream, creamy accord, crème de cassis, cucumber, cuir volynka, cumin, cyclamen, cypress, cypriol, cypriol oil, damascena rose, damask rose, dandelion, dark chocolate, dark red rose, dark rose, dark rum, date, dates, davana, deer musk, deodar cedar, dew drops, douglas fir, dragon fruit, dragonfruit, dreamwood, dried fruits, driftwood, dry amber, dune grass, earth, ebony wood, elemi, enigmatic musks, eucalyptus, exotic floral notes, exotic fruits, fennel, fern, fig, fig leaf, fig tree, finger lime, fir, fir balsam, fir resin, floral accord, floral notes, frangipani, frankincense, freesia, fruits, fruity notes, galanga, galangal, galbanum, gardenia, georgywood, geranium, gin, ginger, gingerbread, ginseng, gourmand accord, grandiflorum jasmine, grape, grapefruit, grapes, grass, grasse rose, green apple, green fig, green hazelnut, green leaves, green mandarin, green mango, green mate, green notes, green pea, green tea, guaiac wood, guaiacwood, guava, gurjan balsam, haitian vetiver, hay, hazelnut, hazelnut cream, hedione, heliotrope, hemlock, henna, herbal notes, herbs, hibiscus, hinoki wood, ho wood, hojari frankincense, honey, honeycomb, honeysuckle, hyacinth, hyraceum, immortelle, incense, indian jasmine, indonesian patchouli, ink, iris, iris root, iso e super, italian bergamot, Italian lemon, italian mandarin, ivy, jasmin de grasse, jasmine, jasmine sambac, java vetiver, javanese vetiver, jonquil, juniper, juniper berries, kaffir lime, kiwi, kumquat, labdanum, lacquer accord, lactonic notes, laotian oud, laurel blossom, lavandin, lavender, leather, leather accord, leathery saffron, lemon, lemon blossom, lemon tree, lemon verbena, lemon zest, lemongrass, lemonwood, licorice, lilac, lily, lily of the valley, lily-of-the-valley, lime, limoncello, linden, linden blossom, linen, liqueur, liquorice, litchi, litsea cubeba, lotus, lychee, madagascar cypress, madagascar vanilla, madeleine accord, madonna lily, magnolia, mahogany, malt, mandarin, mandarin orange, mango, maninka fruit, marcela, marco polo tea, marigold, marine accord, marine notes, marshmallow, mastic, matcha, matcha tea, mate, may rose, melon, metallic notes, milk, mimosa, mineral amber, mineral notes, mint, mirabelle plum, molasses, monoi, moss, mountain fog, mushroom, musk, musks, myrrh, myrtle, mysore sandalwood, mystikal, narcissus, nashi pear, nectarine, neroli, night orchid, nougat, nude musk, nutmeg, oak, oak moss, oakmoss, oakwood, oat milk, olibanum, olive blossom, olive leaf, olive wood, oolong tea, opium, opoponax, orange, orange blossom, orange flower, orange oil, orange peel, orange zest, orchid, oregano, orris, orris butter, orris root, osmanthus, oud, oudh, ozonic notes, palo santo, pandan, papaya, papyrus, paradisone, passion fruit, passionfruit, pastry, patchouli, patisserie accord, peach, peach blossom, pear, pear blossom, pear nectar, peony, pepper, peppermint, peru balsam, petit grain, petitgrain, petrichor, pimento, pimento berry, pimento leaves, pine, pine needle, pine needles, pine resin, pine tree, pineapple, pink dragonfruit, pink grapefruit, pink lotus, pink pepper, pink peppercorn, pink pomelo, pink sugar, pistachio, plum, pomegranate, pomelo, pot marigold, powdery notes, praline, puff pastry, pumpkin, purple passion fruit, quince, radiant wood, rain notes, rangoon creeper, raspberry, raspberry bloom, red apple, red berries, red currant, red mandarin, red pepper, red plum, red rose, redcurrant, redwood, resins, rhubarb, rhubarb leaf, rice, roasted dates, roasted oak, rock rose, rose, rose centifolia, rose de mai, rose petals, rose water, rosebud, rosemary, rosewood, rum, saffron, sage, salt, salted caramel, salty notes, sand lily, sandalwood, scarlet poppy, sclarene, sea amber, sea notes, sea salt, sea water, seaweed, sesame, shangri-la peony, shaving soap, shiso, siam benzoin, sichuan pepper, sicilian bergamot, sicilian lemon, sicilian mandarin, Sicilian orange blossom, silk musk, silk rose, skin musk, smoke, smoked cedarwood, smoked wood, soap, solar notes, somali myrrh, sour cherry, spearmint, speculoos, spice, spices, spicy notes, spun sugar, star anise, star jasmine, steam accord, steamed milk, stephanotis, strawberry, strawberry tree, styrax, suede, sugar, sugar cane, sugar crystals, sugarcane, sugared musk, sweet musk, sweet notes, sweet orange, sycamore, tagetes, tahitian vanilla, taif rose, taif rose absolute, tangerine, tarragon, tea, teak wood, teakwood, thai tea, thyme, tiare flower, tiger lily, timur pepper, toasted almond, toasted praline, tobacco, tobacco blossom, tobacco leaf, tobacco leaves, toffee, tolu balsam, tomato leaf, tomato leaves, tonka bean, tree moss, tropical fruit, tropical fruits, tropical orchid, tuberose, tunisian orange blossom, turkish rose, turkish rose absolute, turkish rose petals, turmeric, vanilla, vanilla absolute, vanilla bean, vanilla bourbon, vanilla cream, vanilla ice cream, vanilla leaf, vanilla madagascar, vanilla orchid, vanilla planifolia, vanilla tincture, vanilla woods, verbena, vetiver, vetiver roots, violet, violet fig, violet leaf, violet leaves, violet petals, virginia cedar, virginia cedarwood, vodka, waffle cone, water, water lily, water mint, waterlily, watermelon, watery notes, western hemlock, wheat, whipped cream, whipped vanilla, whiskey, whisky, white amber, white cedarwood, white floral bouquet, white florals, white flowers, white freesia, white iris, white linen, white lotus, white musk, white orris butter, white peach, white peony, white pepper, white rose, white sandalwood, white tea, white thyme, white tuberose, white woods, wholemeal flour, wild berries, wild mint, wild rose, wild strawberry, wildflowers, wisteria, wood, wood notes, wood smoke, woods, woodsy notes, woody notes, yellow orchid, ylang ylang, ylang-ylang, yuzu, zefir.