Oriental perfumes, for the most part, consists of quite powerful, rich and exotic smells that come from the Eastern regions of the world. These smells and scents originate from the Middle east and Asia.
These types of perfumes have been used for thousands of years by the ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians. They were then picked up by the Persians and Romans. These ancient civilizations often turned fragrant materials into balms in order to anoint their bodies and smell nice.
The world’s first recorded chemist is considered to be a woman named Tapputi. She was a perfume maker from the 2nd millennium BC. She distilled flowers, oil, and calamus with other aromatics, then filtered and put them back in the still several times.
By the 1920’s, we saw a huge growth in oriental perfumes and fragrances. This was mainly driven by a very western idea of the orient – sensuous and warm, usually around an extract of vanilla.
Ouds, which have become immensely popular in recent years thanks to big name brands have popularised oriental fragrances even more.
They are often described as seductive and sensual. These scents captivate hearts and are dominated by natural ingredients such as amber, vanilla, resins, and balsams. These all fall under the category of oriental perfumes.
Often, these notes are mixed with spices and woods. You will also find oriental notes mixed in with herbs such as lavender, thyme or mint.
This bring us to floral. This is when floral notes are added to the fragrance in order to boost it up with those floral notes. This typically includes things like tuberose, ylang-ylang, or Lilly of the valley.
Subcategories of Oriental Perfumes
You could argue that there are many types of sub categories of oriental perfumes. If you find your self drawn to the oriental perfume family, there are a lot of options available. With so many options out there, it can feel a bit over whelming when searching for your perfect match, for instance.
The good news for you; we have a list below that speak volumes: the 5 most popular sub categories of oriental fragrances for 2020 and thereafter. Furthermore, check out the following list to find an oriental perfume that agrees to your own unique style.
Oriental Woody
This category for the most part combines notes that you tend to see in perfumes much of the time coined oriental. They would also have extra notes of patchouli, sandalwood, cedar, or any other notes that would boost up those woody notes. These are then combined with notes such as your ambers and things similar to that. So these types of oriental perfumes are commonly strong, woody and smoky.
Oriental Vanilla
This category a lot of the time consists of those notes that boost up the vanilla notes. It is common that notes such as caramel and chocolate are mixed with the oriental notes; this sweetens things up. This is a perfect combination where the oriental warmth meets with those sweeter smells.
Any fragrance associated with desserts or cookies or thing along these lines would of course fall under this sub category.
Oriental Spicy
These types of oriental perfumes and fragrances are mixed with natural ingredients such as cloves, ginger, pepper and cardamom. Oriental spicy perfumes embody more than memories of apple-picking and holiday cheer – it evokes a sense of exoticness that is difficult to resist.
This subcategory of oriental perfume is perfect for evenings and winter months.
Oriental Aromatic
While the word ‘aromatic’ means ‘having a pleasant smell’, you would think anything pleasant would then come under this heading. Although this is technically correct, try thinking of your fragrant roses, savoury spices, freshly cut grass or spring rain. These are the types of notes blending in the mix to come up with oriental aromatic fragrances.
Oriental Floral
You don’t have to guess which type of notes are included in this subcategory. Yep, that’s right, flowers. These types of fragrances combing your warm and bold oriental notes with flowers such as rose, tuberose, jasmine, gardenia (cape jasmine) and cestrum nocturnum.
These are typically your most popular of the 5 subcategories listed above. as they include those more familiar notes. However, you will come across exemplary fragrances in all five categories.
How to find your match?
One word, experiment. There are many beautiful fragrances out there. This combined with your eagerness to find your oriental perfume match is a great combination that will only end with good.
Be sure to try fragrances from each subcategory in order to familiarize yourself with the different styles of scents. Once you have done this, you will be able to decide which blends compliment you the most.
Why not visit our online store and check out our unique list of oriental perfumes.