alpha aromatics®Floriental is a remarkable sub genre of perfumery that represents a complex synthesis of the floral and ambery (formerly Oriental) fragrance families.
These formulations arouse the senses with their fusion of flowery, warm and intoxicating notes such as: banana-nuanced, sugary ylang-ylang; creamy, gardenia, rich jasmine; honeyed, minty freesia and fresh, sweet orange blossom with piquant, warm, woody notes and aromatic resins that render deep and spicy dry down facets.
Resulting fragrances are bright, earthy and sweetly seductive, but they are usually lighter in tone than true ambery scents.
The history of floriental perfumes was a natural evolution that arose between the delicate white florals that have been in vogue since the 19th century and the more mysterious, exotic and ancient elements that define the western perception of Far eastern cultures.
The 1920s witnessed the growth of ‘oriental’ fragrances that were sensuous, warm and featured resins, such as oud and frankincense.
They were often built around foundations of lush and noble extract of vanilla. Until about 1960, all fragrances were more or less unisex and men and women simply wore those scents that appealed to them.
At that time, scent marketers began promoting scents for one sex or the other.
Down through the decades, floriental fragrances developed amid a sea of perfume reformulations caused by consumer preferences, regulatory requirements and the performance or cost effectiveness of fragrance.
Social mores and the liberation of traditional roles in society in the early 1970s dominated the perfume tastes among the middle class in America.
Bold, masculine ‘oriental” (now ambery) scents arose in the later years of the decade and lasted throughout the 80s. Today, floriental scents can hold their own among other sub genres and they are a dynamic branch of the modern perfume landscape.
With every new formulation, they push the borders of their own definition into new and uncharted territory.
The Sub Genre in Perfumery
Throughout the advancement of the art of perfumery, a system of classification of diverse modes among fragrances known as “genre” gradually developed.
Both the word,”genre” and sub-genre can apply to perfume, literature, music, film, theater, video games, or any other art forms.
Sub-genres are smaller groupings, and they are more specific within the framework of genre, which is the broader category.
They are renegades, so to speak, as sub-genres sharply diverge from the official rules that usually dominate other fragrance families. Every perfume category can and does have sub categories or sub genres.
The explanation of how genres and sub genres works is explained bellow by Louce from Parfumo, the home for all fragrance connoisseurs and enthusiasts.
“There are different olfactive families. You can also call them olfactive genres, similar to movies: Instead of science fiction, action movies or chick flicks. Fragrance genres are chypres, floral, oriental, or fougère. Within those genres there are sub-genres. They are notes that notoriously pop up in olfactive families, like vanilla in orientals, but they are not exclusive to them – they can pop up in other families as well! Notes and accords (a blend of different notes) are what makes an olfactive family.…: There’s a lot of lee-way perfumers have when playing with genres, sub-genres, notorious and extraordinary notes.”
The Attraction To Floriental Fragrances
Our perfumers at Alpha Aromatics are well aware that the choice of a fragrance for a product or product line is extremely personal and represents the essence of self expression.
The complex blend of the floral and amber families arouse the senses, and is such a fast growing sub-genre that it is is now really more of a fragrance family in its own right.
Those who adore ambery fragrances are often excited to try florentals, especially in the warmer months of the year because there is the hint of a breezy character to their formulations.
In the same way, those who prefer floral fragrances may sometimes seek a scent that is more nuanced to experience in summer temperatures.
As far as personality goes, generalizations suggest that those who favor florals are warm, sociable, optimistic souls enamored with the delicious colors and fragrances of spring.
Favorite accords include: creamy magnolia; intense jasmine; musty, light cyclamen, raspberry-tinged iris; dreamy, musky red rose; and delicate, feminine lily-of-the-valley.
For lovers of exotic woody and earthy fragrances, fresh green scents as well as those containing facets of ancient resins are very attractive, albeit these aficionados aren’t likely to appreciate perfumes that are too vanilla or too floral. The combination of both types can be very appealing.
A Few Iconic Floriental Fragrances
The following represent a sampling of some of the many popular floriental scents found in the marketplace today.
Femme Fatale
Provocative and seeping with elegance, the head notes of this intriguing blend feature soft, nutty almond, smoky, complex coffee, spicy, refreshing bergamot and clean, fresh lemon.
An exquisite floral heart soon follows marked by creamy, exciting tuberose, sugary, rich Jasmine Sambac, fresh, sweet orange blossom, powdery, violet-like orris and warm, honeyed and lemony Bulgarian rose.
A dry down of buttery, spicy tonka bean, intensely bitter cacao, lush, noble vanilla, sweet, caramel praline, creamy sandalwood, sensual, passionate musk, warm, honeyed amber, spicy, floral cashmere woods, cozy, inviting cinnamon, dark potent patchouli and dry, balsamic cedar wood completes this memorable fragrance.
Midnight Nymph
Inspired by Black Opium, this compelling, seductive and feminine fragrance streams with opening facets of fruity, green and dense pear, sharp, spicy and rosy pink pepper and fresh, sugary orange blossom.
These facets soon meld into a fragrant heart of rich, intoxicating jasmine, nutty, smoky coffee, piquant, lingering licorice and rich, intense, sugary and nutty bitter almond.
A luxurious dry down of elegant, luscious vanilla, potent, dark patchouli, dry balsamic cedar, and erotic, woody and warm cashmere woods completes this intriguing fragrance.
Reborn Lust
Sensual and tantalizing, this robust fragrance is an intriguing amalgam of earthy delight. Head notes flow with facets of mild, milky tea, citrusy, light bergamot and sugary, redolent and peachy osthmanthus.
These aspects fold into an alluring floral heart of powdery, vanilla-nuanced orchid, intense and rich jasmine, musky, passionate red rose, honeyed, minty freesia and sweet, fresh, white and floral African orange flower.
Aspects of dark, sensual patchouli, sensual, passionate musk and lush, elegant vanilla form the dry down of this irresistible fragrance.
Sweven
Inspired by MFK’s Baccarat Rouge 540, this splendid unisex fragrance is a narcotic, sleepy daydream of hedonistic escape. Head notes stream with facets of intimate saffron, rich jasmine, succulent orange and musty, pungent marigold.
These elements seamlessly drift into a heart note featuring musky/ ambery ambroxan and forest-like, earthy evernyl.
A woody dry down of somber, dry cedar wood, marine, earthy ambergris and potent, medicinal fir balsam completes this glorious scent.
In Conclusion
Introducing a Floriental fragrance into a product or product line can be a strategic game-changer for manufacturers.
This enchanting fusion of floral and amber notes offers a myriad of benefits — they can open doors to a broader customer base, transcending gender and age boundaries with its universal appeal.
Floriental scents evoke a sense of sophistication, romance, and intrigue, enhancing the overall product experience.
Furthermore, in an increasingly competitive market, this unique fragrance genre can help set your brand apart, providing a memorable and desirable edge.
Embracing Floriental fragrance isn’t just about scent; it’s about infusing your products with a touch of timeless allure, creating a winning formula for consumer loyalty and market success.
