Spicy notes
Coralie Frébourg
Spices in perfumery:
Although widely used in perfumes, Spicy notes are not part of the 6 original families (Floral, Citrus, Woody, Oriental, Fougère, Chypre) according to the SFP (French Society of Perfumers).
They go particularly well with woody and floral notes because their facets are numerous. They bring both heat and freshness, spice, bursting.
Spicy notes are classified into two sub-categories. Here are some raw materials:
Most woody notes are top/middle notes. Natural notes are followed by an *:
- Hot spices:
Cinnamon Essence*: cinnamic.coca.baumé
Carrot Seed Essence*: iridescent.fruity.tea
Safranol: rubber.fruity.honey
- Cold spices:
Isoeugenol: vanilla.carnation.smoked
Eugenol: clove.powdery.pepper
Clove Essence*: peppery.carnation.powdery
Coriander Seeds Essence*: spicy.citrus.seeds
Methyl Isoeugenol: green.balsamic.woody
Black pepper Essence*: spicy.aromatic.woody
Elemi Essence*: peppery.zesty.incense
Baie Rose Essence*: peppery.fresh.terpene
Nutmeg Essence*: cinnamic.terpenic.pepper
Cis-Jasmone: celery.dusty.dairy
Cardamom Essence*: citral.pepper.terpenic
Ginger Essence*: peppery.citral.resinous
Cumin Essence*: cumin.cinnamic.dusty
Some emblematic perfumes:
"The air of time" - Nina Ricci 1948 - Francis Fabron / Carnation Floral
"Opium" - YSL 1977 - Jean-Louis Sieuzac / Spicy Oriental
"EDP Legacy" - Guerlain 1992 - Jean-Paul Guerlain / Woody Spicy
"Statement" - Cartier 1999 - Jean-Claude Ellena / Spicy Musk Woody
"Troubling Saffron" - The artisan perfumer 2002 - Olivia Giacobetti / Spicy Oriental
"Ginger five o'clock" - Serge Lutens 2008 - Christopher Sheldrake / Spicy Oriental
"Cardamusc" - Hermès 2018 - Christine Nagel / Spicy Oriental
"Ginger Piccan" - Guerlain 2019 - Delphine Jelk / Aromatic Spicy
This list is not exhaustive because there are a lot of beautiful launches: some emblematic, some more commercial.
