Floral
A fragrance direction centered on flower-like impressions, from a single floral theme to a bouquet. Floral perfumes can also include green, fruity, spicy, woody or musky facets.
Floral describes a broad range of flower-like scents. Rose, jasmine, tuberose and lily-of-the-valley impressions can each provide a different starting point. Some perfumes focus on one flower; others bring several floral effects together.
A floral note is a description of smell, not proof that a flower was extracted into the bottle. Chanel’s Gardénia Eau de Parfum, for example, describes a gardenia accord combining jasmine, tuberose and ylang-ylang with orange blossom. The named flower and the materials shaping its impression need not be identical.
When looking for a floral fragrance, narrow the direction. You might want green freshness, powdery softness, creamy white flowers or rose with fruity sweetness. Other notes can change the balance considerably, so compare the flowers with the woods, musk or amber around them.
Sample beyond the first impression and notice whether the floral character remains the part you enjoy. Choose how sweet, prominent or soft you want it to be rather than treating every floral as a light daytime perfume.