Much like a fine wine or a musical composition, fragrances are composed of several notes, and the overall impression these notes create are what defines it as a 'type'. When it comes to male fragrances, three of the most popular types are fresh, woody and oriental – but they often overlap one another. For example, if a woody scent has a lot of cinnamon or pepper in it, it could be described as a woody-oriental.
So, which type of fragrance would best suit the man in your life? We're going to walk you through the types to help you decide.
Fresh
Fresh fragrances are light, crisp and cool-smelling. These could be watery, citrusy or herbaceous with 'green' notes like grass. As these notes are uplifting in their nature, fresh fragrances are often considered sporty and more youthful. They're also a nice choice for the warmer months when men like to feel refreshed.
We recommend: Inspired by the ocean, Davidoff Coolwater EDT features a sea water note as well as lavender and icy mint. Dunhill Blue Desire EDT also includes a sea water note along with citrusy orange and bergamot top notes.
Oriental
Oriental fragrances typically contain spicy notes from the East, like cinnamon, clove or pepper, as well as resins like amber or balsam and even smoky incense. Due to their exotic nature, oriental fragrances are considered more sensual and warm, making them a great choice in the cooler months, or for an evening out.
We recommend: Lapidus Pour Homme Black Extreme EDT is a mysterious oriental featuring pepper, saffron and tonka bean (a type of vanilla), while Paco Rabanne Invictus Intense EDT is a warm, sexy scent that includes amber and a shot of whiskey!
Woody
Dry and earthy, woody fragrances feature predominant wood notes like cedar or sandalwood that give them a masculine, down-to-earth nature. Still, they're pretty versatile as they could be freshened up or made spicy depending on what other notes are included in the mix. This makes the woody fragrance easy to wear, regardless of the season or time of day.
We recommend: Guess Dare for Him EDT is a fresh-woody scent thanks to citrusy top notes but also contains a dash of spice due to pepper. Hugo Boss Bottled Night EDT is an aromatic woody-floral (yep, many male fragrances contain flowers too) made up of lavender, violet, musk and woods.
IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images