Maison Asrar notes, explained
The Maison Asrar perfumes in this guide list 141 different notes between them. 47 notes return in six or more scents and have a page of their own; every note is explained below in a sentence.
The most listed notes
With the number of scents that list each. Musk leads with 66.
Musk (66)Vanilla (52)Bergamot (41)Rose (35)Jasmine (33)Patchouli (31)Ambergris (26)Lily of the valley (26)Cedarwood (24)Moss and oakmoss (24)Leather (21)Sandalwood (21)Tonka bean (21)Amber (20)Lemon (19)Caramel (17)Mandarin (17)Grapefruit (16)Lavender (16)Saffron (14)Apple (13)Blackcurrant (13)Cardamom (13)Cashmere wood (13)Orange (12)Peach (12)Pink pepper (12)Iris and orris (11)Ginger (10)Incense (10)Orange blossom (10)Vetiver (10)Oud (9)Pear (9)Geranium (8)Labdanum (8)Pineapple (8)Red fruits (8)Cashmeran (7)Cinnamon (7)Coconut (7)Freesia (7)Plum (7)Sugar (7)Violet (7)Magnolia (6)Ylang-ylang (6)
Citrus
Bergamot
A citrus fruit grown mainly in southern Italy, pressed from the peel to give an oil that is sparkling, slightly floral and less sharp than lemon.
Listed by 41 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with bergamot
Lemon
Lemon peel oil gives the familiar sharp, zesty and slightly tart smell of freshly cut fruit, clean and bright.
Listed by 19 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with lemon
Mandarin
Cold-pressed from the peel of a small, sweet citrus fruit, the oil smells juicier and softer than orange, with a gentle sourness and a faint floral edge.
Listed by 17 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with mandarin
Grapefruit
Pressed from the peel of the fruit, grapefruit oil smells zesty, juicy and tangy, with a faintly bitter edge that reads as pink and fresh.
Listed by 16 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with grapefruit
Orange
Sweet orange peel is cold-pressed to an oil that smells of ripe, juicy fruit, with a sunny sweetness and a slightly waxy, zesty finish.
Listed by 12 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with orange
Fruit
Apple
The fruit gives no usable oil, so perfumers rebuild the apple note from aroma molecules, aiming for a crisp, juicy and lightly green smell.
Listed by 13 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with apple
Blackcurrant
Made from the buds of the blackcurrant bush (known as cassis), this ingredient smells tart, fruity and green, with a slightly animalic edge.
Listed by 13 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with blackcurrant
Peach
Velvety and juicy, the peach note has sweet fruit flesh with a lightly creamy, milky tone and is usually built from lactone aroma molecules.
Listed by 12 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with peach
Pear
A light, juicy, slightly watery fruit note with green and sugary facets, created from aroma molecules to evoke ripe pear flesh.
Listed by 9 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with pear
Pineapple
A bright tropical fruit note, sweet and tart with a sparkling, slightly sharp edge, recreated from aroma molecules.
Listed by 8 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with pineapple
Red fruits
A collective term for the sweet-tart smell of strawberries, raspberries, cherries and similar berries, built from several aroma molecules rather than one material.
Listed by 8 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with red fruits
Plum
A dark, jammy fruit note, sweet and slightly tart with a winey undertone, usually composed from aroma molecules.
Listed by 7 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with plum
Mango
A tropical fruit note, sweet, creamy and a little resinous, recalling the ripe flesh of the fruit and built from aroma molecules.
Listed in Date Night (top), Dubai Milano (top), Hilm (top), Nada (top) and Whisper (top).
Raspberry
A sweet and tart red berry smell with a faint violet-like floral facet, built from aroma molecules rather than extracted from the fruit.
Listed in Basma (top), Date Night (heart), Italian Leather (top), Pink Crush (top) and Rosé Bouquet (top).
Lychee
A pale, translucent fruit with a sweet, juicy and slightly floral smell that recalls rose and grape, usually reconstructed from aroma molecules.
Listed in Jawhara Rouge (top), Lily (top), Pink Crush (top) and Tornado (top).
Apricot
A soft, velvety stone-fruit note with the sweetness of ripe apricot flesh and a faint touch of almond-like skin, usually built from aroma molecules.
Listed in Dubai London (heart), Harmony (top) and Rose (top).
Melon
A watery, green, lightly sweet note recalling cantaloupe and honeydew, created with aroma molecules because the fruit yields no extractable oil.
Blackberry
A dark, juicy berry note, sweet and slightly tart with a hint of green stalk, recreated from aroma molecules rather than extracted from the fruit.
Passion fruit
A tropical fruit with a tart, juicy and slightly sulphurous sweetness; the note is recreated with aroma molecules rather than extracted.
Listed in DXB Jumeirah (top) and Jawhara Rouge (top).
Dried fruits
Not one material but a blend of aroma molecules suggesting the sticky sweetness of raisins, dates, figs and prunes.
Listed in Alonoud (top).
Guava
A tropical fruit note, sweet and musky with a slightly sour, green and almost floral edge, recreated from aroma molecules.
Listed in Dubai Milano (top).
Pomegranate
A tart, juicy red-fruit note, sweet and a little sour with a faint woody seed edge, recreated with aroma molecules.
Listed in Veyra (top).
Strawberry
A sweet, juicy berry note with a creamy, faintly caramel-like facet, recreated from aroma molecules because the fruit gives no usable oil.
Listed in Red Velvet (top).
Watermelon
A watery, crisp and lightly sweet note that recalls the juice of ripe watermelon, created with aroma molecules and often blended with green facets.
Listed in Fairy Tale (top).
Flowers
Rose
Petals are distilled to an oil or extracted to an absolute, giving a sweet, honeyed, slightly spicy and fruity smell widely used in perfumery.
Listed by 35 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with rose
Jasmine
Extracted from fragrant white blossoms, jasmine absolute smells sweet and indolic, with a warm floral richness and a hint of green and fruit.
Listed by 33 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with jasmine
Lily of the valley
A clean, fresh and dewy floral note with a green, slightly citrusy sweetness, made from aroma molecules because the flower gives no extractable oil.
Listed by 26 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with lily of the valley
Iris and orris
Made from the aged rhizomes of certain iris plants, orris butter smells powdery, earthy and cool, with a violet-like and faintly carroty character.
Listed by 11 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with iris and orris
Orange blossom
The flowers of the bitter orange tree give a sweet, honeyed and slightly indolic white floral smell, captured as an absolute or built from aroma molecules.
Listed by 10 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with orange blossom
Geranium
Obtained by distilling the leaves of a scented pelargonium, geranium oil smells rosy, minty and green, with a slightly metallic, lemony edge.
Listed by 8 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with geranium
Freesia
A fresh, delicate floral note with a green, slightly citrusy sweetness, created from aroma molecules since the flower gives no usable oil.
Listed by 7 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with freesia
Violet
Violet leaf absolute smells green and cucumber-like, while ionone molecules give the powdery, sweet floral scent that recalls the flower itself.
Listed by 7 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with violet
Magnolia
Recalling the large blossoms of the magnolia tree, this note is creamy and softly floral, with a lemony, slightly woody freshness, and is typically built from aroma molecules.
Listed by 6 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with magnolia
Ylang-ylang
Oil from the flowers of a tropical tree smells sweet and creamy, mixing jasmine-like floral tones with a banana-like fruitiness.
Listed by 6 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with ylang-ylang
Tuberose
A white flower whose absolute smells creamy, buttery and narcotic, with green, rubbery and camphor-like undertones alongside a sweet floral warmth.
Listed in Dear Jasmine (heart), Hamsat Gharam (heart), Joy (heart), Lolita (heart) and Zenobia (heart).
Gardenia
A creamy white floral note with green, mushroomy and coconut-like facets, recreated with aroma molecules because the blossom cannot be extracted well.
Listed in Luna (top), Never Forget Me (heart) and Qamar (heart).
Carnation
A spicy floral note taken from the clove-like scent of carnation petals, usually built from eugenol-rich materials and other aroma molecules.
Heliotrope
A sweet, powdery floral note with a soft almond, vanilla and cherry-like character, rebuilt from aroma molecules such as heliotropin.
Neroli
Steam-distilled from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree, neroli oil smells fresh, honeyed and floral, with a slightly green, bitter citrus edge.
Lotus
Lotus is a water flower; its scent is recreated by perfumers from soft, green and slightly watery floral materials, because the blossom gives no usable oil.
Listed in Rose (heart).
Orchid
Orchid blossoms hold little extractable oil, so the note is a composed accord, usually soft, creamy and floral with a faint vanilla-like or chocolatey sweetness.
Listed in Hamsat Hob (heart).
Osmanthus
The small flowers of the osmanthus shrub give an absolute that smells of apricot and leather, with a floral, tea-like sweetness.
Listed in Tornado (heart).
Peony
Airy and pink, the peony note is lightly rosy, fresh, watery and faintly peppery, and is built from aroma molecules since the flower yields no oil.
Listed in Hamsat Hob (heart).
Spices, herbs and tea
Lavender
Lavender oil comes from the flowering spikes of the plant and smells floral, herbal and clean, with a camphor-like freshness and hay-like sweetness.
Listed by 16 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with lavender
Saffron
Taken from the dried stigmas of the crocus flower, saffron smells leathery, hay-like and warm, with a metallic, slightly bitter and honeyed sweetness.
Listed by 14 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with saffron
Cardamom
Cardamom oil comes from the seeds of a ginger-family plant and smells aromatic, fresh and warm, with a camphor-like, citrusy and slightly sweet spice.
Listed by 13 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with cardamom
Pink pepper
Pink pepper comes from the dried berries of a tree unrelated to true pepper, and smells peppery, fresh and rosy with a sparkling, slightly resinous citrus edge.
Listed by 12 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with pink pepper
Ginger
Distilled from the rhizome of the ginger plant, the oil smells fresh, sharp and woody-spicy, with a citrus-like, slightly warm bite.
Listed by 10 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with ginger
Cinnamon
Taken from the bark or leaves of the cinnamon tree, the oil smells hot, sweet and woody-spicy, mainly because of its cinnamaldehyde content.
Listed by 7 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with cinnamon
Clary sage
Clary sage oil comes from the flowering tops of a sage relative and smells herbal, sweet and slightly musky, with hay-like and winey nuances.
Listed in III Thriller (heart), Hamsat Ghazal (top), Icon (top), Wadi (heart) and Zenobia (top).
Nutmeg
Nutmeg oil, taken from the seed kernel of the tree, smells warm, sweet and woody-spicy, with a slightly camphor-like and peppery freshness.
Listed in Imperial (heart), Basma (top), Flair (heart), Larimar (top) and Turath Malaki (top).
Black pepper
Black pepper oil, distilled from dried peppercorns, smells dry, sharp and woody-spicy, with a slightly fresh, citrus-like bite.
Clove
Clove oil, from dried flower buds, smells hot, sweet and warmly spicy because of eugenol, with a slightly medicinal edge.
Listed in Masterpiece (top), Rose Honey (top) and Throne Eclipse (top).
Pepper
A general pepper note, dry, warm and sharply spicy, usually referring to black or pink peppercorn materials or accords built to mimic them.
Listed in III Thriller (top), Emerald (top) and Oscar (top).
Cumin
Obtained from the seeds of a parsley-family plant, cumin oil smells warm, earthy and savoury, with a slightly sweaty, animalic spice.
Davana
An Indian herb related to wormwood provides davana oil, which smells fruity, sweet and herbal, like dried apricot with a boozy, tea-like warmth.
Sage
Made by distilling the leaves of common garden sage, the oil smells herbal, camphoraceous and dry, with a slightly bitter green freshness.
Tea
Tea notes come from extracts of tea leaves or accords built to match them, and smell green, slightly smoky, dry and lightly floral.
Basil
Basil oil, steam-distilled from the leaves, smells fresh, green and herbal, with a hint of anise and a slightly peppery sweetness.
Listed in Vision (heart).
Chamomile
Steam-distilled from daisy-like flowers, chamomile oil smells herbal, sweet and slightly fruity, with warm hay, apple and tobacco-like facets.
Listed in Hilm (top).
Coriander
Coriander seed oil smells fresh, woody and lightly citrusy, with a sweet spice and a faint rosy brightness.
Listed in Vision (heart).
Juniper berry
Juniper berries, dried and distilled, yield an oil that smells piney, resinous and fresh, with a hint of camphor and a gin-like bitterness.
Listed in Aseel (top).
Mate leaf
Taken from the dried leaves of a South American holly, mate smells green, herbal and slightly smoky, with a tea-like dryness and a hint of tobacco.
Listed in Rose Honey (heart).
Mint
Mint oil, steam-distilled from the leaves, smells cool, sweet and sharply fresh, with a menthol-like tingle and green, herbal tones.
Listed in Black (heart).
Rosemary
Rosemary is a woody Mediterranean herb whose leaves give a camphor-like, green and resinous aroma.
Listed in Timeless (heart).
Thyme
Distilled from the leaves of a Mediterranean herb, thyme oil smells herbal, warm and slightly medicinal, with a green, camphor-like freshness.
Listed in Italian Leather (top).
Woods, moss and earth
Patchouli
Patchouli oil comes from the dried, fermented leaves of a tropical plant and smells earthy, woody, damp and sweet, with camphor and chocolate-like facets.
Listed by 31 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with patchouli
Cedarwood
Obtained by distilling the wood of cedar and similar conifers, cedarwood oil smells dry, like pencil shavings, with a sweet, balsamic warmth.
Listed by 24 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with cedarwood
Moss and oakmoss
Oakmoss is a lichen that grows on oak trees, extracted as an absolute with a damp, earthy, green and slightly sweet forest-floor smell.
Listed by 24 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with moss and oakmoss
Sandalwood
Distilled from the heartwood of sandalwood trees, the oil smells creamy, soft, milky and woody, with a subtle sweetness.
Listed by 21 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with sandalwood
Cashmere wood
Not a literal wood: the term describes a soft, warm, woody-musky effect, usually built around the aroma molecule cashmeran and other woody-ambery materials.
Listed by 13 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with cashmere wood
Vetiver
Vetiver oil, taken from the roots of a tropical grass, smells earthy, smoky, woody and green, with a dry, slightly grassy bitterness.
Listed by 10 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with vetiver
Oud
Oud comes from agarwood, the dark, resin-infused heartwood that forms in infected Aquilaria trees, and smells woody, smoky, animalic and slightly sweet.
Listed by 9 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with oud
Cypriol
Also called nagarmotha, cypriol is distilled from the roots of an Indian sedge and smells smoky, earthy and woody, with a leathery, slightly spicy edge.
Listed in Fairyland (heart), Patchouli with Love (top) and Turath Malaki (heart).
Cypress
Cypress oil, from the needles and twigs of the tree, smells fresh, resinous and green, with a dry, slightly smoky, balsamic woodiness.
Listed in Dubai Milano (heart).
Ebony
Ebony is a dense dark wood that gives no useful oil, so the note is an accord suggesting dry, smooth, dark and faintly smoky wood.
Listed in Hamsat Hob (base).
Rosewood
Traditionally distilled from a South American tree, rosewood oil is rich in linalool and smells softly woody, floral and slightly citrusy. Today it is often recreated or substituted.
Listed in Hamsat Ghazal (top).
Amber, resins and incense
Ambergris
Natural ambergris is a waxy substance from sperm whales that weathers into a salty, sweet, musky material; today it is usually suggested with aroma molecules.
Listed by 26 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with ambergris
Amber
In perfumery amber is not the fossil resin but an accord, built from labdanum, vanilla, benzoin and musks, that smells warm, sweet, powdery and resinous.
Listed by 20 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with amber
Incense
Incense is a broad term for the smoky, resinous, balsamic smell of burning resins and woods, often built from frankincense, myrrh and other materials.
Listed by 10 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with incense
Labdanum
A sticky resin gathered from the rockrose (cistus) shrub, labdanum smells warm, ambery, leathery and sweet, with animalic and balsamic tones.
Listed by 8 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with labdanum
Benzoin
A resin tapped from Styrax trees in Southeast Asia, benzoin smells sweet, balsamic and vanilla-like, with a creamy, almost cocoa-like warmth.
Listed in III Thriller (base), Hamsat Ishq (heart) and Pink Crush (base).
Elemi
A resin from a tropical tree, elemi smells fresh, lemony, peppery and piney, with a slightly spicy, incense-like and woody dryness.
Listed in III Thriller (top), Hunter (top) and Timeless (top).
Frankincense
A resin tapped from Boswellia trees, frankincense (olibanum) smells fresh, lemony, piney and balsamic, with a smoky, peppery dryness.
Listed in Ameer (heart) and Italian Leather (heart).
Styrax
A balsamic resin from Liquidambar trees, styrax smells smoky, leathery and sweet, with a slight spicy, animalic and hay-like warmth.
Galbanum
Galbanum is a gum resin from a plant of the parsley family and smells intensely green, bitter and slightly earthy, like crushed stems.
Listed in Flair (heart).
Myrrh
A gum resin from Commiphora trees, myrrh smells smoky, bitter, balsamic and slightly sweet, with a medicinal, earthy depth.
Listed in Ameer (heart).
Peru balsam
A balsam tapped from a Central American tree, Peru balsam smells sweet, warm and vanilla-like, with cinnamon, clove and soft resinous tones.
Listed in Alonoud (heart).
Leather and tobacco
Leather
Leather is an accord, not a material: smoky, dry, slightly animalic notes, often built from birch tar and quinolines, suggest tanned hide.
Listed by 21 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with leather
Suede
Suede is an accord that suggests soft, brushed leather, usually combining powdery, slightly fruity and musky materials with a gentle animalic warmth.
Tobacco
Tobacco notes come from dried-leaf absolutes and accords, smelling sweet, hay-like, honeyed and slightly smoky, with dried-fruit and woody facets.
Listed in Muharib (base) and Rose Honey (heart).
Vanilla, sweet and gourmand notes
Vanilla
Extracted from cured vanilla pods or built from vanillin, vanilla smells sweet, creamy and warm, with soft balsamic, woody and slightly smoky facets.
Listed by 52 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with vanilla
Tonka bean
The seed of a South American tree, tonka bean smells sweet, warm and creamy, with notes of vanilla, almond and hay from its coumarin content.
Listed by 21 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with tonka bean
Caramel
A gourmand note recreated with aroma molecules such as maltol and furaneol, smelling of sweet, toasty, cooked sugar with a slightly burnt edge.
Listed by 17 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with caramel
Coconut
Coconut notes are built from lactones, which smell creamy, milky, sweet and slightly tropical, like coconut flesh and milk.
Listed by 7 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with coconut
Sugar
Sugar notes are accords built from caramel-like molecules such as maltol and furaneol, smelling sweet, warm and slightly toasty, like melted or brown sugar.
Listed by 7 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with sugar
Chocolate and cocoa
Chocolate and cocoa notes are accords, built from cocoa absolute and aroma molecules, smelling dark, bittersweet, roasted and slightly milky.
Listed in Vanilla Aura (heart), Fresh Iris (heart), Mohra (top), Turath (heart) and Vanilla Rouge (heart).
Honey
Honey notes come from beeswax absolute, honeycomb accords and molecules such as phenylacetic acid, smelling sweet, waxy, floral and slightly animalic.
Listed in Vanilla Voyage (heart), Muharib (heart), Oh Honey! (heart) and Rose Honey (base).
Milk
Milk notes are accords built from lactones and soft musks, smelling creamy, warm and slightly sweet rather than like any specific dairy product.
Listed in Monarch (heart), Coffee Blend (top), Milky Way (top) and Whisper (heart).
Coffee
Coffee notes come from roasted bean extracts and accords, smelling dark, roasted, bitter and slightly sweet, sometimes with a smoky or cocoa-like edge.
Listed in Bonita (heart), Coffee Blend (top) and Flair (heart).
Praline
Praline is a gourmand accord of caramelised nuts and sugar, smelling sweet, nutty, toasted and buttery, often built from vanilla, caramel and nutty molecules.
Liquorice
Liquorice notes recall the root of the liquorice plant and aniseed, sweet and slightly salty, and are built from anethole-rich materials and accords.
Listed in Faris Al Arab (top) and Coffee Blend (heart).
Sweet almond
Almond notes are mostly built from benzaldehyde and related molecules, smelling nutty, creamy and marzipan-like, with a touch of cherry.
Listed in Coffee Blend (top) and Lily (top).
Chestnut
A warm, nutty and lightly sweet note recalling roasted chestnuts, built as an accord because the nut yields no usable extract.
Listed in Daham (base).
Hazelnut
A warm, nutty note recreated with aroma molecules, smelling of roasted hazelnuts with a sweet, buttery and slightly woody character.
Listed in Dubai London (heart).
Marshmallow
A soft, sugary, airy gourmand note, usually made from vanilla-like and caramel-like molecules plus musks to suggest whipped sweetness.
Listed in Date Night (base).
Toffee
A buttery, sweet gourmand accord that suggests melted sugar and cream, built from caramel-like molecules and lactones.
Listed in Soirée (top).
Musks and aroma molecules
Musk
Musk was once taken from the glands of male musk deer, but today it is made synthetically and smells soft, warm, clean and skin-like.
Listed by 66 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with musk
Cashmeran
A synthetic aroma molecule that smells woody, musky and warm, with spicy, powdery and slightly fruity facets and a soft, velvety feel.
Listed by 7 scents. All Maison Asrar perfumes with cashmeran
Ambroxan
An aroma molecule, today made from sclareol or fermented sugars, that smells woody, ambery, mineral and slightly salty, with a warm, skin-like feel.
Listed in Treasure (base), Kiss My Lips (base), Qamar (base) and Rosé Absolute (base).
White musk
White musk names a family of synthetic musk molecules that smell clean, soft, powdery and faintly floral, like fresh laundry or clean skin.
Listed in Dubai Miami (base), Harmony (base), Khayyal (base) and Lumiere (base).
Ambrette
Pressed from the seeds of a hibiscus-like plant, ambrette oil smells musky, soft and slightly fruity, with a pear-like, floral and skin-like sweetness.
Listed in Veyra (base) and Patchouli with Love (base).
Marine and mineral notes
Ozonic
Ozonic is an accord that suggests clean, airy, watery air after rain or near the sea, built from aroma molecules rather than any natural extract.
Salt
Salt in perfumery is an accord suggesting sea spray and mineral skin, built from aroma molecules since actual salt has no scent.
Listed in Treasure (top).
Collective terms
Ambery
Ambery is shorthand for the warm, sweet, powdery and resinous effect of an amber accord, built from several materials rather than one.
Listed in Legacy (base), Vanilla Voyage (base), Imperial (base), 1963 (base), Adorable (base) and Emessa (base) and 13 more.
Woody
Woody groups dry, warm, resinous or creamy effects from woods such as cedar, sandalwood, vetiver and patchouli, and is not a single ingredient.
Listed in Legacy (heart), Vanguard (base), Adorable (heart), Daham (base), Emerald (top) and Emessa (heart) and 10 more.
Aquatic and marine
Watery, sea-breeze and ozonic effects, built from aroma molecules rather than any single natural ingredient, are grouped under this term.
Listed in Treasure (top), Cascade (heart), Desire (heart), Fairy Tale (heart), Flair (top) and Icon (heart) and 4 more.
Citrus
A collective term for the bright, tangy, zesty effect of fruits such as lemon, orange, mandarin, bergamot and grapefruit, rather than one ingredient.
Listed in 1963 (top), Dubai London (top), Heritage (top), Jawhara Rouge (top), Librae (top) and Lolita (top) and 3 more.
Spicy
Spicy covers warm, tingling, peppery or sweet-spiced effects from materials such as pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove and saffron, not a single ingredient.
Listed in Emessa (top), Gentle Oud (top), Librae (top), Magic Night (top), Omniya (top) and Silver Elixer (heart) and 2 more.
Aromatic
Aromatic names herbal and spicy-fresh effects, pointing at materials such as lavender, sage, rosemary, thyme and basil, rather than one ingredient.
Listed in Gentle Oud (top), Jawhara Black (top), Librae (top), Petra (heart), Rey (heart) and Silver Elixer (top).
Floral
A broad term for effects that smell of flowers, pointing at materials such as rose, jasmine, violet and lily of the valley rather than a single flower.
Listed in 1963 (heart), Fairy Tale (heart), Gentle Oud (heart), Heritage (top), Librae (heart) and Magic Night (top, heart, base).
Fruity
Fruity covers the juicy, sweet effect of fruit notes such as apple, peach, berries or tropical fruit, and is not a single ingredient.
Listed in Fairy Tale (top), Hamsat Gharam (top), Heritage (heart), Khateer (heart), Magic Night (top) and Omniya (top).
Dry woods
Describes woods that smell crisp and dry rather than sweet or creamy, pointing at cedar, vetiver, cypress and similar materials, not at one ingredient.
Listed in Treasure (base), Cascade (heart), Hamsat Ghazal (heart), Oscar (base) and Rose Vanilla (heart).
White flowers
Jasmine, tuberose, gardenia, orange blossom and ylang-ylang are the creamy, often indolic blossoms this collective term points at, not a single flower.
Listed in Coffee Blend (heart), Fakhama (heart), Hamsat Ishq (heart), Oh Honey! (heart) and Soirée (heart).
Green
Green names fresh, leafy, grassy and stem-like effects, drawn from leaves, herbs and cut greenery rather than one ingredient.
Listed in Fairy Tale (top), Lumiere (top), Never Forget Me (top) and Trophy (top).
Edible
Shorthand for notes that evoke food or dessert, such as caramel, vanilla, chocolate and nuts, and not a single ingredient.
Listed in Bonita (heart), Joy (base) and Magic Night (base).
Balsamic
A descriptive term, not an ingredient, for the sweet, warm, resinous smell of balsams and resins such as benzoin, Peru balsam and styrax.
Listed in Emessa (base) and Wood Intense (heart).
Creamy
A loose descriptive term for a smooth, soft, milky effect, drawn from materials such as sandalwood, coconut, lactones and vanilla rather than a single ingredient.
Fougere
Fougere, French for fern, names a classic fragrance structure built on lavender, oakmoss and coumarin. It is neither a single ingredient nor the smell of ferns.
Fresh
A general term for clean, bright, light-feeling effects drawn from citrus, green notes, herbs, aquatic accords or clean musks, not a single ingredient.
Listed in 1963 (top) and Jawhara Black (top).
Gourmand
A fragrance style rather than a single material, describing dessert and food-like effects built from vanilla, caramel, chocolate, nuts, coffee and sugar.
Musky
Musky points at the soft, warm, skin-like effect given by musk molecules, naming a character rather than one specific ingredient.
Buttery
Shorthand for a smooth, milky-fatty effect that usually comes from lactones, orris butter or creamy white florals rather than any actual butter.
Listed in Vanilla Voyage (top).
Metallic
A descriptive term for cold, sharp, mineral effects that recall polished steel or coins, usually created with aldehydes, ozonic molecules or certain spices.
Listed in Treasure (top).
Nutty
A descriptive term for roasted, creamy, nut-like effects that suggest almond, hazelnut or chestnut, and not a single ingredient.
Listed in Coffee Blend (base).
Oriental
A fragrance family and descriptive term rather than a material, pointing at warm, sweet, spicy and resinous compositions built from amber, vanilla, spices and woods.
Listed in Faris Al Arab (top).
Powdery
Soft, dry and cosmetic-like, a powdery effect is drawn from iris, violet, heliotrope, musk and vanilla rather than from a single ingredient.
Listed in Librae (heart).
Silk
Silk refers to a smooth, soft, slippery texture rather than a smell, and points at sheer musks, soft woods and gentle florals.
Listed in Dubai Milano (top).
Solar
Solar describes a warm, sun-warmed impression rather than a single material, pointing at sunny florals, salty skin-like musks and coconut effects.
Listed in Joy (heart).
Sweet
Sweet describes sugary, soft, warm effects drawn from materials such as vanilla, tonka bean, honey, caramel and fruit, not a single ingredient.
Listed in Heritage (base).
Notes and families
A note list tells you what a perfume is built from; the family tells you where it is heading. The range is sorted both ways: see Maison Asrar perfumes by scent family.
Top, heart and base
Top notes are what you smell straight after spraying. Heart notes follow once those have faded. Base notes stay the longest. A note list tells you what a perfume is built from, not how it will smell on your skin; for that there is no substitute for trying it.
Collective terms such as woody, fruity or edible are in the glossary as well. They name an effect without naming a material, so this guide does not count them when it compares two scents. The brand lists them in many of its pyramids, and the guide shows them as the brand writes them.
Shop Maison Asrar at FragranceGemsOpens the Maison Asrar collection of FragranceGems, an independent reseller.