What is the fragrance wheel and how to use it?

The world of aromas is fascinating. If you consider that smells can make people feel good or bad, it is easy to understand that the importance of scents cannot be underestimated. Learning how to classify scents and how to pair them is essential in order to create a harmonized smell experience in your home, and this is where the fragrance wheel comes into play, pointing you in the right direction. 

What is the fragrance wheel?

The aroma wheel is similar to the color wheel we all know from school. It indicates the fragrances’ relationship with each other. The scents’ place on the wheel shows what aromas blend well and what clash.

The scent wheel has existed since 1949, when an Austrian perfume maker, Paul Jellinek, published the first aroma diagram. The modern fragrance wheel was created by Michael Edwards in 1992. It is used mainly in the perfume world, but its principles are valid for all types of fragrances, and it can also be very well used for home scents.

So, whether you are looking for a new perfume or wish to find the perfect scents for your house, the scent wheel will certainly help you decide which aromas work well together.

Scent families

The fragrance wheel is divided into four main scent families: floral, oriental, woody, and fresh. A scent family is a fragrance group that includes aromas that are similar to each other, share the same characteristics, or have complementary differences.

Moreover, there are 14 subfamilies under each group that indicate what additional notes an aroma has, which helps to describe a scent in closer detail.

Floral

Floral fragrances are among the most popular ones. Aromas belonging to this family are often considered feminine scents, with flowery notes like jasmine, lily, and roses.

The impression of a fragrance that belongs to the floral scent family can be complex and delicate, too, depending on how intense the aroma is and what other notes are added.

Floral fragrance subfamilies

The floral scent family includes these subfamilies: floral, soft floral, and floral oriental.

Floral: core floral fragrances with straight flowery smells such as roses or lily
Soft floral: light and powdery floral scents with musky note
Floral oriental: floral fragrance with a hint of spicy note (often orange blossom)

For a floral scent example, imagine the calming aroma of French lavender in a jar candle. Its minimalist design, eco-friendly soy wax, and subtle, soothing notes make it perfect for relaxation.

Oriental

The most luxurious fragrance family that features rich scents with sweet, spicy notes such as orchid, vanilla, cinnamon, and cardamom. Oriental aromas are often described as sensual and exotic.

Oriental fragrance subfamilies

The oriental family includes the following subfamilies: oriental, soft oriental, and woody oriental.

Soft oriental: light oriental fragrances blended with floral and anise notes
Oriental: core oriental aromas with musky notes like vanilla or cinnamon
Woody oriental: earthy sweet oriental scents mixed with spicy sandalwood or patchouli

Imagine the exotic warmth of an oriental reed diffuser with notes of Moroccan amber, sweet patchouli, bergamot, and eucalyptus, creating a long-lasting, luxurious aroma.

Woody

The woody scent family is identified by warm aromas and earthy tones with smells like sandalwood, amber, or cedarwood. Because of the woody notes’ sweetness, they are often combined with floral and fresh notes to make them a bit lighter and bright.

Woody fragrance subfamilies

Subfamilies that belong to the woody family are woody, mossy woods, dry woods, and aromatic.

Woody: aromatic woody fragrances, the core scent of this scent family with wood notes such as sandal- or patchouli
Mossy wood: light woody scents with smooth earthy aroma like oakmoss
Dry wood: woody smells (usually sandalwood) with smoky notes like leather
Aromatic: woody tones combined with aromatic fresh fragrances like lavender (this is a subcategory that is between the woody and fresh scent families on the aroma wheel)

A woody candle combining notes like pink pepper, clove, guaiac wood, and vanilla offers a harmonious blend with long burn time and environmentally friendly materials.

Fresh

The fresh scent family includes the most refreshing and vibrant aromas with citrus-based, watery, herbal, and green notes. They are known to create a clean and bright feeling in any room, therefore are commonly used in air freshener products.

Fresh fragrance subfamilies

Citrus, water, green, and fruity are the subfamilies of the fresh family.

Citrus: zesty, bright fragrances usually created with bergamot, citrus, orange, mandarin, grapefruit
Water: airy aromas with aquatic oceanic notes
Green: uplifting fresh herbal and leafy smells with the scent of green leaves or freshly mowed lawn
Fruity: sweet aromas with common notes like peach, pear, and apple (this is a subcategory that is between the fresh and floral scent families on the scent wheel)

Imagine a linen spray infused with a soothing Beach Days scent, offering a natural, vegan-friendly way to refresh your home and fabrics.

How to use the fragrance wheel to choose the best scent for your home?

Houses are divided into different spaces with different atmospheres, so it is normal to use various scents to create the right ambience in each room. If you understand how to use the scent wheel when deciding what scents to add to your home, you will be able to select aromas that match each other and help harmonize the environment.

Pair neighboring fragrances

Side-by-side subfamilies almost always complement each other, so pairing your favorite aroma with the one on its side on the fragrance wheel is a no-brainer.

Choose opposite scents

If you have selected your best-loved fragrance subfamily, you can pair it with one across from it on the smell wheel, and the result will be a pleasant aroma.

Select aromas that form a triangle

Choosing subfamilies that are in a triangle shape on the wheel complements each other, creating a pleasant smell experience.

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