Floral essences capture a type of beauty best expressed in scent. The ancient pull to the sweet, tart, or hazy aroma of a blossoming floral has connected humans to their environment for thousands of years. Florals have played an important role in healing through medicinal applications, aesthetic decorations during milestones in life, and are deeply intertwined with food and our culinary world. They can be an offering of peace, care, celebration, or joyfulness. Thank goodness for flowers!
Types of Floral Fragrances
A floral aroma is considered one of the major fragrance families, or ways of identifying a scent. Within the floral fragrance family, there’s a spectrum of nuanced styles that are reflective of their origins and distinct in their variations. Paying close attention to the experience of smelling allows you to better decipher these differences within the floral family. They may all speak the same floral language, but their scent might be saying something unique. We’ll explore a few key styles of floral fragrances below.
Narcotic Floral
These are night-blossoming flowers with rich, heady aromas that are intensely sweet. Tuberose, jasmine, and ylang ylang carry the intoxicating effect of narcotic florals. They can read tropical, sweet, and seductive.
Scent to try: Zuri
Powdery Floral
Light, elegant florals with powdery essences give off a feeling of softness, delicacy, and romance. Found in florals like rose, peony, mimosa, and violet, this style often includes combinations with musk or vanilla notes for a classic feminine fragrance.
Scents to try: White Tea, Amber Grand
Green Floral
This style feels fresh-cut, sharp, green and grassy, with a palpable dewiness to its aroma. Green florals are fresh, airy and sharp, creating a bright, modern feel with notes like galbanum, violet leaf, or lily of the valley.
Scents to try: Ginger Flower, Springtime
Floral Citrus
Citrusy florals combine notes like bergamot with soft floral notes like neroli or orange blossom for a fresh, sunny feel. The combination of citrus and floral notes weave together seamlessly, for an elegant, fresh effect.
Scents to try: Illuminate, Zesty White Tea
Spicy Floral
Warm, rich, spicy – spicy florals are enticing, rich, deep and mysterious. Notes like jasmine and rose are often combined with warm spices like saffron and black pepper for a bold, sensual profile.
Scents to try: Spice Trader, Saffron Suede
Trends in Floral Fragrances
Ambient floral fragrances are most popular in hotels, retail stores, events, and for personal use in homes. Floral aromas tie in well with elegant interiors, classic or modern styles, and site specific locations that honor the local flora. A floral scent at a pop up event, especially paired with florals in visual design, provide an exceptionally memorable and elegant experience.
Witness some of our signature floral aromas in action at Sofitel, The Lana, Bank of Hawaii, and The Langham.
Get in touch with us if you’d like any guidance choosing the right floral scent for your home or business, including complimentary scent samples. Or, design a custom signature floral scent with us.
