How do I read scent notes and families?
The scent details on a product page are read in three layers: top notes are noticed first, heart notes carry the character of the scent, and base notes remain in the final phase. The scent family summarises the overall character, and the main accords the impression the notes give together.
Top, heart and base notes
Top notes are the first you notice after spraying and evaporate fastest. As they fade, the heart notes come forward and carry the character of the scent. Base notes evaporate most slowly and stay on the skin in the final phase. On the product page these three layers are listed on separate lines; if the source gives no layers, the notes are shown as one list under “Scent components”.
What is a main accord?
A combination of notes that together create a single impression (e.g. woody, sweet). Accords summarise the overall direction of a scent rather than individual notes, which makes them handy for a quick comparison of two products.
The four scent families
The family is matched from the scent group on Sansiro's official product page: Floral → Floral, Woody → Woody, Fresh Chypre → Fresh, Oriental and Amber → Oriental. If the source gives a group outside these four (e.g. Fruity Gourmand, Aromatic), the product is not forced into a family; the group name is shown as it is (15 products).
- Floral Scents (66)
Soft, elegant scents led by floral accords such as rose, jasmine and iris.
- Woody Scents (30)
Warm, dry tones such as cedar, sandalwood and vetiver.
- Fresh Scents (52)
A light, clean and lively feel with citrus, marine and green accords.
- Oriental Scents (78)
Rich, warm and full scents with vanilla, amber, spices and resins.
The most common notes in the catalogue
Below are the 10 note groups that appear most often in the note lists of the 233 products whose notes are published on this site, each with the number of products containing it and a few example perfumes. Similar names are counted together in one group (e.g. Madagascar vanilla belongs to vanilla), while ambergris is not counted as amber. A note appearing in the list does not mean it dominates the scent.
- Jasmine — in 106 products
Examples: Angel Kadın Parfüm, E-13 Erkek Parfüm, Narcovia Unisex Parfüm, Burning Love Kadın Parfüm
- Vanilla — in 105 products
Examples: Adrent Edge Erkek Parfüm, Burning Sunset Kadın Parfüm, Erba Luxury Unisex Parfüm, E-141 Erkek Parfüm
- Musk — in 103 products
Examples: Brave Erkek Parfüm, Burning Crystal Kadın Parfüm, Niche Atelier Ambreon Unisex, E-125 Erkek Parfüm
- Cedar — in 92 products
Examples: Active Sensation Erkek Parfüm, Burning Night Kadın Parfüm, Niche Atelier Amber Wood Unisex, E-101 Erkek Parfüm
- Patchouli — in 83 products
Examples: Charm Kadın Parfüm, E-111 Erkek Parfüm, Niche Atelier Great Oud Unisex, Just In Love Kadın Parfüm
- Amber — in 81 products
Examples: E-120 Erkek Parfüm, K-118 Kadın Parfüm, Niche Atelier Bordeaux Unisex, E-14 Erkek Parfüm
- Bergamot — in 79 products
Examples: E-146 Erkek Parfüm, K-130 Kadın Parfüm, Niche Atelier Marinus Unisex, E-15 Erkek Parfüm
- Sandalwood — in 77 products
Examples: E-1 Erkek Parfüm, Ivy Kadın Parfüm, Niche Atelier Odina Unisex, E-149 Erkek Parfüm
- Rose — in 65 products
Examples: E-184 Erkek Parfüm, Glamour Kadın Parfüm, Niche Atelier Eclipse Unisex, E-185 Erkek Parfüm
- Mandarin — in 51 products
Examples: E-163 Erkek Parfüm, K-12 Kadın Parfüm, U-19 Unisex Parfüm, E-169 Erkek Parfüm
Do notes tell you how long a scent lasts or how strong it is?
No. Notes and the family describe what a scent contains and its character; they don't tell you how long it lasts or how intense it is. How a scent is perceived varies with the person, the skin and the surroundings; the site has no measured longevity values for these products.
Where does the information come from?
Notes and scent groups are taken from Sansiro's official product pages; the date the source was accessed is shown on the product page. Information that conflicts between sources is not shown and gaps are never filled in by guessing, so some products have a short note list or none at all.
How do I find scents close to one I like?
“Close to this scent” on the product page is based on the same scent family and shared notes; it does not mean the scent is identical. You can type a note into the search box and see up to three products side by side on the comparison page.