What are the characteristics of feminine oriental perfumes with spicy and amber notes? Here are the best and most representative fragrances of this olfactory family.

Warm, opulent, and rich with sweet, woody, and spicy nuances: oriental perfumes vibrate with character and provide sensuality and mystery to those who wear them.

Let’s get to know them in all their splendor and discover which are the best oriental perfumes currently on the market.

 

Oriental Perfumes: the Olfactory Family

The olfactory family of oriental perfumes is full of facets. The underlying idea is to evoke the imaginative worlds of an East conceived (and stereotyped) by Westerners, exotic and mysterious.

Traditionally present notes in oriental perfumes include sandalwood, patchouli, vanilla, resins, and spices.

Oriental Perfumes: a Bit of History

Shalimar, created by Jacques Guerlain in 1925, is considered the first oriental perfume in history. The typical citrus-vanilla accord creates a perfect harmony with notes of incense and leather.

Oriental perfumes made a big comeback in the ’70s, when hippie culture brought the exoticism of patchouli back into the spotlight. The opulence of these perfumes persisted throughout the ’80s, characterized by a baroque taste for fragrances; YSL’s Opium and Guerlain’s Samsara are examples.

Oriental Perfumes: Spicy and Floral Accords

Among the facets of feminine oriental perfumes, spicy and floral fragrances stand out, where spicy accords are juxtaposed with a floral heart. A classic example is Chanel’s Coco, where rose is enhanced in its richness and softness by spices and resins.

The emblem of floral and oriental perfumes is Guerlain’s L’Heure Bleue, even before oriental fragrances were codified. An accord with moving notes, where anise and vanilla join iris and heliotrope.

A more modern interpretation is certainly Tom Ford’s Black Orchid. A perfume with a dark soul where sweet spices are combined with orchid and vanilla, creating a seductive accord.

Oriental Perfumes: Amber Notes

The amber accord should not be confused with gray amber, an animal resin nowadays recreated with various synthetic molecules, such as ambroxan. An amber accord generally refers to the union of labdanum, benzoin, and vanilla.

The most iconic amber fragrance is undoubtedly Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens, a resinous and balsamic accord. Among niche creations, a high-impact amber is Ambre 114 by Histoires de Parfums, with very spicy notes.

The Best Oriental Perfumes of the Moment

Discover below which oriental perfumes for women are must-haves. Then let yourself be enchanted by the history and secrets of this particular olfactory family.

1. Guerlain Shalimar

The first oriental perfume in history, a symbol of femininity and sensuality. This eau de parfum wraps with notes of bergamot, jasmine, and rose, combined with balsamic and sweet notes of tonka bean and vanilla. Its secret? The notes of the famous “guerlinade,” the olfactory signature of the Maison Guerlain.

 

2. Gleam London Golden Star

An exquisitely retro oriental amber, reminiscent of the peculiar smell of vintage dolls and dollhouses. Among its notes, saffron, leather, oud, patchouli, and amber stand out, for a velvety finish on the skin.

3. Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan

Amber, vanilla, and patchouli masterfully intertwined to create an iconic fragrance, a symbol of oriental perfumes and a must-have from the French brand. Unmissable.

4. Mes Bisous Amberique

Amber and spicy, this perfume is pure seduction. Contained in a beautiful book-shaped case, it captivates with an opening of grapefruit, cinnamon, and pink pepper, and a voluptuous heart of rose, rum, and cocoa resting on a solid base of patchouli and amber.

5. Madamirma Bohémienne

An opulent oriental perfume with a rebellious spirit. Sweet vanilla wraps around a body of incense and patchouli, combined with tonka bean. Vibrant and original.

6. Reminiscence Oriental Dream

A floral oriental perfume characterized by notes of ylang-ylang, amber, and oud. A refined journey to the East, appreciated by both women and men.

7. Guerlain Samsara

Presented as “profoundly seductive,” Samsara is one of the symbol fragrances in perfumery. Created by Jean-Paul Guerlain for his wife, who did not like to wear perfumes, it tells a sacred love story based on jasmine flowers, sandalwood, vanilla, and ylang-ylang.

8. Tom Ford Black Orchid

Black Orchid is a sensual perfume with an unmistakable trail. A dense and hypnotic fragrance infused with black orchid, ylang-ylang, and vanilla, combined with an earthy touch of patchouli and truffle.

9. Fragonard Rose Ambre

Inspired by the Far East, Rose Ambre explores these two emblematic notes – combined with almond, patchouli, tonka bean, and vanilla – yielding a discreet and refined perfume, perfect for those who like to stand out with grace.

10. Chanel Coco EDP

Coco is a baroque and captivating perfume, named after the fashion icon Coco Chanel. Among oriental perfumes, this one shines with sophistication and opulence thanks to the brilliant flow of notes. This eau de parfum opens with mandarin, leading to a floral heart of jasmine, ylang-ylang, and orange blossoms. Completing the composition are intense patchouli, tonka bean, and benzoin with a resinous finish.

11. L’Erbolario Notte a Tangeri

Like a warm night full of mystery and magic in Tangier, this warm and round perfume captivates everyone. With an excellent quality/price ratio, it enchants with bright notes of tangerine, spicy cardamom, and voluptuous amber and vanilla.

12. The House of Oud Golden Powder

Golden Powder describes the scent of the fine dust of the desert, the lightest and most emotionally charged. A woody and spicy fragrance, dotted with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, combined with guaiac wood, sandalwood, labdanum, and, of course, oud.

13. The Merchant of Venice Andalusian Soul

Oriental and gourmand notes blend to create a sweet and attractive fragrance that blossoms on the skin, providing an interesting sensation of warmth. Key notes include rum, labdanum, vanilla, amber, and animalic notes.

14. E.Coudray Ambre et Vanille

Dusty notes characterize this classic and sophisticated perfume, which combines iris and heliotrope with citrusy and typically oriental notes of vanilla, patchouli, and amber.

15. Salvatore Ferragamo Amo Ferragamo Oriental Wood Special Edition

The Italian brand looks to the East with a sumptuous special edition creation. The famous bottle of the fragrance is dressed in midnight blue and contains a dense juice with exceptional notes, including jasmine, saffron, vanilla, and oud.

16. Hermes Eau Des Merveilles

Like a journey to Wonderland, this fragrance with strong amber notes is pure elegance. A “smiling” perfume that uplifts the mood with notes of bitter orange, benzoin, and spicy elemi.

17. Guerlain L’Heure Bleue

A play of contrasts between warm and cold notes for an ambery floral perfume that recreates the magic of twilight. A marvel of violet, iris, and vanilla to be tried at least once in a lifetime.

18. Francesca Dell’Oro Ambrosine

An expression of delicate femininity, this perfume shines with white flowers and spices, featuring sandalwood, patchouli, and enveloping woody notes. Charming.

19. Grazia’s Recommendation: Teatro Fragranze Uniche Pura Ambra Home Fragrance

Love oriental perfumes? Try Pura Ambra to give character and a touch of magic to the home environment. This home fragrance offers a rich olfactory pyramid composed of Bulgarian rose and violet in the opening, followed in the heart by patchouli, cedar wood, and cloves. In the base, Arabian amber and vanilla berries reign. A must-try!

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Photos Credits: Gleam London, Guerlain & Serge Lutens + Getty Images