Amber
Amber in fragrance is not the fossilised resin but a constructed accord · usually labdanum + benzoin + vanilla + occasionally styrax · yielding the warm, golden, faintly powdery base of every "oriental" composition.
About Amber
There is no single "amber" raw material in perfumery. The amber accord is constructed by combining labdanum (a sticky resin from the cistus shrub), benzoin (a balsamic resin from the Styrax tree), vanilla, and sometimes other resins. The result is warm, golden, slightly powdery, faintly sweet · the foundation of the entire "oriental" fragrance category from Shalimar (1925) to modern niche compositions. Real fossilised amber yields no usable extract for fragrance · the name refers to the colour and character of the accord, not the gemstone.
Featured in 32 The Fragrance World perfumes
Common questions about Amber
- What does Amber smell like?
- Amber in fragrance is not the fossilised resin but a constructed accord · usually labdanum + benzoin + vanilla + occasionally styrax · yielding the warm, golden, faintly powdery base of every "oriental" composition.
- Where does Amber come from?
- Constructed accord (labdanum from Spain/Morocco, benzoin from Laos/Sumatra)
- Is Amber a top, heart, or base note?
- Base
- Which TFW fragrances feature Amber?
- 32 TFW fragrances currently feature Amber. See the list on this page for the full set.