Blending Fragrance Notes (The four basic fragrance families)

In perfumery it is important to make sure that the fragrances meld well together in order to produce a positive olfactory experience. You don't want the fragrance to be over-bearing.

When creating your own perfume you want/need to know which notes pair well with each other. In order to do that you should become familiar with the four basic fragrance families. (There are approximately eight fragrance families in total).

The four basic fragrance families are 1. Floral, 2. Woody, 3. Fresh, 4. Oriental

Here is a simple guide that will assist you in your own perfume creations. 

1. Florals pair well with spicy, citrusy, and woody notes.
2. Woody notes generally pairs well with all categories.
3. Fresh notes pair well with floral, woody, citrus and herbal notes.
4. Oriental notes pair well with woody, citrus and floral notes.