Fragrance Families
Every fragrance oil in our shop belongs to a family, a group of scents that share a common character.
We organize ours the way perfumers do, using the same logic as Michael Edwards' Fragrance Wheel, the reference the fragrance industry has used for decades to map how scents relate to each other. (Gourmand is a newer addition many modern fragrance houses now include alongside Edwards' original four.)
How to read the wheel
- Families that sit next to each other on the wheel share notes and blend beautifully together.
- Families across the wheel from each other tend to contrast instead.
- Click a family on the wheel, or a name below, to jump to its full profile, or shop the collection directly.
Meet the families
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Floral
Florals are the heart of classic perfumery: soft, romantic, and instantly recognizable. In candle and soap making, a floral fragrance reads as polished and feminine, equally at home in a wedding favor or an everyday bar.
- Top
- green leaves, a whisper of citrus
- Heart
- rose, jasmine, peony, honeysuckle
- Base
- soft musk, light woods, sometimes a touch of vanilla
In the shopFairy Garden, Honeysuckle, and Monet's Garden each take a different angle on floral, from a single-note rose to a full garden blend.
Blends beautifully withShop Floral fragrance oilsGourmand for a sweeter, modern floral, and Fruity for a brighter, juicier take.
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Fruity
Fruity fragrances are juicy, upbeat, and almost universally likeable, the scent equivalent of biting into ripe fruit. They photograph well, sell fast, and rarely need explaining to a customer.
- Top
- berries, citrus peel, orchard fruit
- Heart
- tropical or stone fruit, sometimes a light floral
- Base
- soft musk or a touch of vanilla so the fruit doesn't smell one-note
In the shopShop Fruity fragrance oilsJuicy Pear, Blackberry Bliss, and White Tea + Pear.
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Citrus
The brightest, most energetic family on the wheel. Citrus fragrances read as instantly clean and wake up a blend, making them a go-to whenever a product is marketed as fresh or energizing.
- Top
- orange, lemon, grapefruit, bergamot
- Heart
- light florals or green notes
- Base
- soft musk or a hint of vanilla to slow the fade
In the shopShop Citrus fragrance oilsSatsuma Orange, Grapefruit + Bergamot, and Coconut Lime Verbena.
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Green
Green fragrances smell like the outdoors on a good day: cut grass, crushed leaves, a garden after rain. They lean crisp and a little sharp rather than sweet, which makes them a natural fit for unisex or spa-style products.
- Top
- cut grass, mint, crushed leaves
- Heart
- herbal accords, light florals
- Base
- soft woods or moss
In the shopShop Green fragrance oilsMad about Mint, Crisp Juniper, and Herb Garden.
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Aromatic
Known as fougère in classic perfumery, aromatic fragrances are herbal and clarifying, like an actual walk through an herb garden or a spa treatment room. They're some of the crispest, cleanest options in the lineup.
- Top
- lavender, mint, rosemary
- Heart
- herbal or spice accords
- Base
- soft woods, sometimes a touch of musk
In the shopShop Aromatic fragrance oilsRosemary Mint, Eucalyptus + Mint, and Lavender + Sage.
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Water
Clean, breezy, and a little ozonic, water-toned (aquatic) fragrances capture that fresh-air, ocean-adjacent feeling. A dependable choice whenever a project calls for something light rather than heavy or sweet.
- Top
- sea spray, a hint of citrus
- Heart
- light florals, soft greens
- Base
- clean musk
In the shop8th & Ocean, Turn the Tide, and Sea Flower.
Blends beautifully withShop Water fragrance oilsAromatic for a spa-fresh feel, and Woods to ground a scent that might otherwise feel thin.
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Woods
Grounded and a little smoky, wood-forward fragrances anchor a blend without overpowering it. A natural fit for masculine-leaning or unisex lines, and they tend to hold up especially well in candles.
- Top
- light citrus or spice
- Heart
- cedar, sandalwood, vetiver
- Base
- amber, musk, sometimes leather
In the shopShop Woods fragrance oilsLeather + Sandalwood, Smoky Vanilla Woods, and Cedarwood Virginia Essential Oil.
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Spicy
Bold and a little fiery, spicy fragrances bring instant warmth to any blend. It's the smallest family on the wheel, but arguably the one with the most personality, and it spikes hard every fall.
- Top
- cinnamon, clove, ginger
- Heart
- warm spice accords
- Base
- amber, resin, sometimes a touch of vanilla
In the shopShop Spicy fragrance oilsCinnamon Supreme, Ginger + Lime, and Palo Santo + Sage.
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Amber
Warm, resinous, and a little mysterious, the amber (oriental) family covers everything from soft and powdery to deep and smoky. It reads as cozy rather than sweet, a strong pick for fall and winter lines.
- Top
- light spice or fruit
- Heart
- labdanum, benzoin, soft florals
- Base
- vanilla, musk, warm resins
In the shopDivinity, Peony + Amber, and Nightfall.
Blends beautifully withShop Amber fragrance oilsSpicy, sharing a warm resinous backbone, and Gourmand for a sweeter, dessert-like amber.
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Gourmand
The newest widely-recognized family on the fragrance wheel, gourmand fragrances smell edible: dessert-like, sweet, and a little indulgent. Reliably one of the strongest-selling categories in the shop, since almost nobody can resist a scent that smells like a bakery.
- Top
- sugar, caramel, or fruit
- Heart
- vanilla, coffee, chocolate
- Base
- warm musk, sometimes a touch of amber
In the shopCaramel Coffee, Sugar Cookie, and Pistachio + Caramel.
Blends beautifully withShop Gourmand fragrance oilsAmber for a warmer, less-sweet gourmand, and Floral for a modern gourmand-floral.
