Amber in perfumery: what it really is
By Atyab
It is the most ambiguous word in perfumery. On an olfactory pyramid, "amber" refers neither to the fossilized resin found in jewelry nor to the ambergris of the sperm whale. It refers to an accord: a blend of several materials that, together, produce an impression of powdery warmth.
What makes up an amber accord
- Labdanum — a resin from rockrose, warm, balsamic, and slightly leathery. It is the backbone of the accord.
- Benzoin — a sweet, vanilla-like resin that rounds out the composition.
- Vanilla — for roundness and persistence.
- Balms and resins — incense, myrrh, opoponax, depending on the composition.
It is this combination, rather than a single material, that gives Arabian perfumes their immediately recognizable signature.
Amber, ambergris, ambroxan: do not confuse them
Ambergris
A concretion produced by the sperm whale, mineral and marine in nature, a world away from the amber accord. Extremely rare and now almost exclusively reconstructed.
Ambroxan
A synthetic molecule derived from clary sage that reproduces the mineral facet of ambergris. It has become omnipresent in contemporary perfumery for its strength and lasting power.
Solid amber
The fossilized resin used in jewelry. It has practically no scent and is not used in the composition of perfumes.
How to recognize an amber perfume
By an impression of warmth that settles in after about twenty minutes and remains constant: sweet, slightly powdery, and never fresh. The perfume seems to "cling" to the skin rather than float around it.
See, for example, Reef 31 — saffron, amber, vanilla — or Reef Niche 4 — red apple, cinnamon, amber.
When to wear an amber perfume
Autumn and winter suit them best: the cold contains the sillage and highlights the warmth of the base notes. In summer, reserve them for the evening and reduce the dosage by half.
Our selection: amber perfumes.
Frequently asked questions
Are amber and oriental the same thing?
"Oriental" has become a broad term used to describe an entire genre of perfumery; "amber" refers specifically to the accord. For this reason, the French Society of Perfumers now favors the term "amber."
Is an amber perfume suitable for the daytime?
Yes, with a single spray. It is the dosage, not the family, that can be an issue.
Amber and gourmand: where is the line?
Vanilla is common to both. The gourmand leans toward caramel and pastry notes; the amber remains focused on resins.
Discover: the amber perfumes collection.