Osmagora — the agora of scent
Osmagora / The Lexicon

The Lexicon

A living reference for the language of scent

Concentration

Concentration is the share of aromatic oils dissolved in a perfume's alcohol and water base. More oil generally means a richer, longer, costlier scent. Two honest caveats: there is no legal standard, so the same label can differ between houses, and the ranges overlap at the edges. Read this as a map, not a law.

Eau Fraîche
1–3% oil
Longevity 1 to 2 hoursProjection Very soft, stays close

The lightest wearable form. Mostly base with a whisper of oil, made to refresh rather than to last.

Also labeled Eau Fraîche
EDCEau de Cologne
2–6% oil
Longevity 2 to 3 hoursProjection Light, arm's length

The classic bright splash of crisp citrus and herbs, applied generously. Here cologne is a strength, not a gender.

Also labeled EDC, Cologne, Eau de Cologne
EDTEau de Toilette
5–15% oil
Longevity 3 to 5 hoursProjection Light to moderate

The everyday spray. Fresh and top note forward, and the most common designer format.

Also labeled EDT
EDPEau de Parfum
15–20% oil
Longevity 5 to 8 hoursProjection Moderate

The modern default for niche and designer alike. A balance of strength and staying power.

Also labeled EDP, Eau de Parfum
Parfumalso Extrait de Parfum
20–30% oil
Longevity 8 to 12 hours or moreProjection Soft to moderate, often intimate

The classic pure perfume tier. Dense and refined, and often worn close to the skin despite its strength. Parfum, Extrait and Extrait de Parfum all name the same thing.

Also labeled Parfum, Extrait, Extrait de Parfum, Le Parfum
Elixirflagship intense
about 30–50% by label
Longevity 8 to 12 hours or moreProjection Moderate to strong

A house's most intensified edition. Elixir is not a regulated concentration, so we group here the scents a brand markets as its strongest.

Also labeled Elixir, Intense, Extrême, Absolu
Oilperfume oil
oil based, alcohol free
Longevity 6 to 12 hours or moreProjection Intimate, sits on the skin

A format rather than a rung on the ladder. The composition is carried in oil and dabbed on, soft in projection and long on the skin. This includes traditional attars.

Also labeled Perfume Oil, Oil, Attar

The first six are a strength ladder, lightest to strongest. Oil sits apart because it is a format, not a point on that ladder. And a word on projection, how far a scent radiates: it follows concentration only loosely. It depends far more on the specific materials and the base than on the percentage, which is why some extraits stay quiet and close while a light eau de toilette can fill a room. Treat projection as a tendency, not a promise.

Olfactive families

A fragrance family names the dominant character of a scent. Osmagora uses twelve, drawn straight from the two standards perfumery itself uses: the seven classic families of the Société Française des Parfumeurs (1912) and Michael Edwards' Fragrance Wheel, which groups them into four.

Fresh
bright, sharp, lifted
CitrusGreenAquaticFruityAromatic
Floral
the scent of flowers
Floral
Amber
warm, sweet, resinous
Amber/OrientalGourmand
Woody
dry to opulent woods
WoodyChypreLeatherFougère

Read left to right as the wheel turns: fresh and sharp, into flowers, into warm amber, into deep woods. Neighbouring groups smell related; opposite ones contrast.

The classical reference

The founding classification splits seven families into detailed subdivisions. Structure and names follow the Société Française des Parfumeurs; the descriptions below are our own. Source: SFP.

ACitrus

Zests of bergamot, lemon, orange and mandarin, often lifted with orange flower. The home of the classic Eau de Cologne.

A1CitrusThe pure citrus accord.
A2Spicy CitrusCitrus laced with clove, pepper, nutmeg or cinnamon.
A3Aromatic CitrusCitrus lifted by thyme, marjoram, rosemary or mint.
A4Floral Chypre CitrusA modern cologne: citrus joined by fresh and floral notes over a woody, mossy base.
A5Woody CitrusA softer citrus over a woody, lightly powdered base; the floral is barely there.
A6Floral Woody CitrusCitrus carrying light florals and contrasting woods.
A7Musky CitrusCitrus with an immediate clean (synthetic) musk, plus floral and woody notes.
BFloral

Built around a flower as the main theme: jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, violet, tuberose, narcissus.

B1SolifloreA single flower reconstructed: rose, jasmine, violet, lilac, lily of the valley.
B2Floral MuskyA floral with musk up front, plus fruity, woody or aldehydic touches.
B3Floral BouquetSeveral flowers combined into a richer, more complex composition.
B4Floral AldehydicA bouquet topped with aldehydes, often powdery and lightly animalic.
B5Floral GreenA floral sharpened with a green freshness, typically galbanum.
B6Floral Fruity WoodyA floral bouquet with a woody undertone and fruit: peach, apple, plum, apricot.
B7Floral WoodyA dominant flower over woody, powdery, vanillic notes.
B8Floral MarineA classical bouquet meeting sea-breeze notes.
B9Floral FruityThe floral body carrying modern fruits: apricot, raspberry, melon, litchi, pear, apple.
CFougère

Not literally a fern: a blend of lavender, wood, oakmoss, coumarin and bergamot.

C1FougèreThe core fougère accord.
C2Floral Amber FougèreA fougère opened by a floral note over an amber-labdanum base.
C3Soft Amber FougèreA classic fougère softened by vanilla.
C4Spicy FougèreA classic fougère with floral and spicy notes such as clove or pepper.
C5Aromatic FougèreA fougère tied to citrus and aromatics: thyme, wormwood, coriander, rosemary.
C6Fruity FougèreA classic fougère carrying fruity tones.
DChypre

Named for Coty's 1917 Chypre. Built on oakmoss, cistus, labdanum, patchouli and bergamot.

D1ChypreThe core chypre harmony.
D2Fruity ChypreA fuller chypre enhanced with peach, plum and exotic fruit.
D3Floral Aldehydic ChypreThe floral-aldehyde canvas set on a floral chypre.
D4Leather ChypreChypre with leather, smoke and animalic notes, often a fresh citrus top.
D5Aromatic ChypreChypre with lavender-floral and aromatics: thyme, wormwood, juniper, coriander.
D6Green ChypreA fresh green top of cut grass and crushed leaves against a warm base.
D7Floral ChypreChypre lifted with florals: lily of the valley, rose, jasmine.
EWoody

Warm, opulent woods such as sandalwood and patchouli, or dry ones like cedar and vetiver, usually under lavender-citrus tops.

E1WoodyThe core woody accord.
E2Woody Citrus ConiferousWoods where pine plays a large part, with citrus tops.
E3Woody SpicySoft woods led by spice: pepper, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon.
E4Woody AmberA warm base of vanilla, hay, coumarin, cistus, labdanum, patchouli and sandalwood.
E5Woody AromaticWoody harmonies with an aromatic top: thyme, wormwood, myrtle, rosemary, sage.
E6Woody Spicy LeatherWoody-spicy raised with leather and animalic notes such as birch tar and castoreum.
E7Woody MarineA woody-aromatic accord combined with marine notes.
E8Woody FruityWoods carrying the newest fruity notes.
E9Woody MuskyWoods blended with musk, plus spicy, fruity or ambery notes.
FAmber-Oriental

Soft powdery notes, vanilla, cistus, labdanum and animalic warmth, with a dominant, enveloping aura.

F1Soft AmberThe most classic ambers, soft and warm with a dominant trail.
F2Floral Spicy AmberAn amber base with a distinct spicy and floral note such as carnation.
F3Citrus AmberAn amber with a pronounced citrus top, sometimes floral.
F4Floral Woody AmberAn amber with a typical woody character and floral tops.
F5FlorientalAmber woven subtly into a floral, fresh and spicy bouquet.
F6Floral Fruity AmberAmber with diversified florals and fruit: apple, pear, apricot, raspberry, strawberry, plum.
GLeather

Dry, sometimes very dry notes evoking leather: smoke, burnt wood, birch and tobacco, with floral tops.

G1LeatherThe core leather accord.
G2Floral LeatherLinear, gentle leather softened by florals: violet, iris.
G3Tobacco LeatherLeather tempered by wood, honey and hay, echoing Virginia tobacco.