The chypre family in perfumery
Coralie Frébourg
Bergamot, rose, patchouli, oakmoss: chypre has a somewhat old-fashioned image. Yet the most iconic perfumes in history are very often chypres. And the family has found a second wind. Let's decode it.
What is the chypre family?
Chypres are one of the six original olfactory families defined by the French Society of Perfumers (SFP), alongside floral, citrus, woody, oriental and fougère.
A chypre is all about contrast: a fresh, bright citrus top, a floral heart and a dark, woody, mossy base.
A bit of history: Coty, 1917
The family takes its name from Chypre, the perfume created by François Coty in 1917, itself inspired by the scents of the island of Cyprus. It set the structure that generations of perfumers then reinterpreted, from Mitsouko to Miss Dior.
The essential ingredients
- Bergamot, for freshness at the top;
- Rose and jasmine, for the floral heart;
- Patchouli, for depth;
- Oakmoss, for the damp, earthy undergrowth facet.
To strengthen the base, animalic, woody or resinous notes can be added.
And today?
Oakmoss, the pillar of old chypres, is now heavily restricted by IFRA because of its allergenic potential. Most great chypres have had to be reformulated.
But the family has found a second wind: contemporary chypres are more modern, with a twist of unusual facets (green, fruity, fresh floral…) and often replace the moss with patchouli or clean woods.
Iconic perfumes
- Chypre, Coty (1917), François Coty: chypre
- Mitsouko, Guerlain (1919), Jacques Guerlain: fruity chypre
- Ma Griffe, Carven (1946), Jean Carles: chypre
- Miss Dior, Dior (1947), Jean Carles and Paul Vacher: floral chypre
- Pour Monsieur, Chanel (1955), Henri Robert: chypre
- Monsieur Rochas, Rochas (1969), Guy Robert: aromatic chypre
- Eau Dynamisante, Clarins (1987): aromatic chypre
- Sì, Giorgio Armani (2013), Christine Nagel: fruity chypre
- Paris-Deauville, Chanel (2018), Olivier Polge: chypre
This list is not exhaustive: there are many beautiful launches, some iconic, others more commercial.
Where to find these contrasts at Versatile?
We don't sort our perfumes into families, let alone vintage ones. But if you love the fresh-dark contrasts of chypre, go and smell the citrus, jasmine and apricot of Culot Thé, or the smoky rose-leather duo of Accrodisiaque. And to make up your own mind, nothing beats our Discovery Boxes.
FAQ
Why “chypre”?
After Coty's Chypre (1917), itself inspired by the island of Cyprus (Chypre in French) and its scents.
Is oakmoss banned?
Not completely, but it's heavily restricted by IFRA because of its allergens. Perfumers use treated versions or substitutes.
Chypre or fougère: what's the difference?
Fougère is built on the lavender-coumarin accord, fresh and aromatic. Chypre plays on the bergamot-oakmoss contrast, darker and more sophisticated. All about fougère.
