Fragrance note guide

What Does Patchouli Smell Like in Perfume?

Patchouli in perfume usually smells earthy, woody and deep, with herbal, slightly sweet and sometimes camphor like sides. It can feel dark and damp in one fragrance but smooth, warm and almost chocolate like in another. Its character depends on the quality, treatment and amount used.

Fresh green patchouli leaves and natural stems

What Does Patchouli Smell Like?

Patchouli has a strong earthy character, but it is not always heavy or muddy. Refined patchouli materials may feel clean, soft and woody, while traditional patchouli oil can have darker green, herbal and camphoraceous facets. As the material ages or is further processed, it can become rounder and smoother.

Where Does Patchouli Come From?

Patchouli oil comes mainly from the leaves of Pogostemon cablin, a plant from tropical Asia. The leaves are harvested and dried before the oil is collected through distillation. Modern perfumery may also use refined patchouli fractions or materials created through biotechnology to highlight cleaner or softer parts of the patchouli smell.

How Patchouli Is Usually Described

  • Earthy
  • Woody
  • Deep
  • Herbal
  • Slightly sweet
  • Camphoraceous

How Is Patchouli Used in Perfume?

Patchouli is usually used in the base. It adds depth and lasting character to chypre, woody, amber, floral and gourmand perfumes. It blends particularly well with rose, citrus, vanilla, chocolate, woods, leather and spices. In a small amount, it can provide structure without smelling clearly earthy.

Notes Commonly Paired With Patchouli

White jasmine flowers and green leaves against a soft blue green background
Fragrance note

Jasmine

Jasmine in perfume usually smells rich, sweet and floral. It can also seem creamy, green, fruity or slightly spicy, depending on the type of jasmine and the other...

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Silvery wormwood leaves, star anise and fennel seeds representing an absinthe perfume accord
Fragrance note

Absinthe

Absinthe in perfume usually smells bitter, green and herbal, with anise-like, liquorice, camphoraceous and slightly medicinal sides. It can feel sharp and cool rather than sweet. The note...

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Golden labdanum and benzoin resins used in amber perfume accords
Fragrance note

Amber

Amber in perfume usually smells warm, sweet and resinous, with soft vanilla, balsamic, powdery or slightly smoky sides. It is not normally taken from fossilised amber. In perfumery,...

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Wood fragments, mineral stones and amber-toned materials representing the dry woody character of Amberwood
Fragrance note

Amberwood

Amberwood in perfume usually smells dry, warm and strongly woody, with ambery, cedar-like, mineral and sometimes musky sides. It is generally sharper and drier than a sweet traditional...

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Fresh bergamot oranges with glossy green leaves
Fragrance note

Bergamot

Bergamot in perfume smells fresh, bright and citrusy, with a soft floral character and a slightly bitter green edge. It is less sharp than lemon and often feels...

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Pale birch bark, green leaves and charred wood representing the smoky birch note in perfume
Fragrance note

Birch

Birch in perfume usually smells smoky, dry and leathery, with tarry, burnt, woody and slightly medicinal sides. The familiar perfume note normally refers to a birch-tar effect rather...

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Ripe blackberries with green leaves, thorny stems and a pale flower on a sage-grey background
Fragrance note

Blackberry

Blackberry in perfume usually smells dark, juicy and tart, with sweet, green, wine-like and softly woody sides. It is generally deeper and less sharp than blackcurrant. Some blackberry...

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Ripe blackcurrants with green leaves and unopened buds on a pale sage background
Fragrance note

Blackcurrant

Blackcurrant in perfume usually smells dark, tart and juicy, with green, leafy and slightly sharp sides. It can suggest ripe berries, crushed leaves or a rich fruit syrup,...

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Open cacao pod with fresh cacao beans, dried cocoa beans and green leaves on a dusty rose background
Fragrance note

Cacao

Cacao in perfume usually smells dark, powdery and chocolate-like, with bitter, earthy, roasted and softly sweet sides. It may suggest dry cocoa powder rather than a sugary chocolate...

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Pale wood, soft natural fibres and warm amber-toned stones representing the character of Cashmeran
Fragrance note

Cashmeran

Cashmeran in perfume usually smells warm, woody and musky, with spicy, powdery, amber-like and slightly earthy sides. It may also show soft animalic, fruity or pine-like qualities. Cashmeran...

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Pale wood, soft fibres and amber-toned stones representing the warm character of cashmere wood
Fragrance note

Cashmere Wood

Cashmere wood in perfume usually smells soft, warm and woody, with musky, ambery, spicy and velvety sides. It is not a natural tree or one fixed ingredient. The...

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Cedarwood pieces with wood shavings and fresh cedar foliage
Fragrance note

Cedarwood

Cedarwood in perfume usually smells dry, warm and woody, with resinous, slightly smoky or pencil like sides. Some cedarwood notes feel smooth and creamy, while others are sharper...

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Dark chocolate pieces, roasted cocoa beans and a broken cacao pod on a soft rose-grey background
Fragrance note

Chocolate

Chocolate in perfume usually smells sweet, creamy and cocoa-like, with dark, powdery, roasted and vanilla-like sides. It is often smoother and more dessert-like than a dry cacao note....

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Cinnamon sticks, curled bark and green cinnamon leaves on a light pale lilac background
Fragrance note

Cinnamon

Cinnamon in perfume usually smells warm, sweet and spicy, with dry, woody and sometimes slightly hot sides. It can feel comforting and smooth in one fragrance but sharper...

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Sliced lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime and bergamot with green leaves on a pale sky-blue background
Fragrance note

Citrus

Citrus in perfume usually smells bright, fresh and zesty, with juicy, bitter, green and peel-like sides. The term does not describe one fruit because lemon, bergamot, orange, mandarin,...

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Dried clove buds beside glossy green leaves and unopened clove flower buds on a pale yellow-grey background
Fragrance note

Clove

Clove in perfume usually smells warm, sweet and spicy, with woody, powdery, smoky and slightly medicinal sides. It is sharper and more intense than cinnamon, with a recognisable...

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Cumin plant with fine leaves, white flowers and dried seeds on a muted lavender background
Fragrance note

Cumin

Cumin in perfume usually smells warm, dry and spicy, with earthy, herbal and softly animalic sides. In small amounts, it can add realistic warmth and depth without smelling...

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Pale elemi resin pieces and a leafy elemi branch on a dusty blue background
Fragrance note

Elemi

Elemi in perfume usually smells fresh, resinous and peppery, with bright citrus, aromatic wood and incense-like sides. It is lighter and more sparkling than many dark balsamic resins....

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Rose geranium with textured green leaves and small pale pink flowers on an apricot-grey background
Fragrance note

Geranium

Geranium in perfume usually smells rosy, green and aromatic, with minty, leafy, herbal and lightly fruity sides. It resembles rose but generally feels sharper, fresher and more strongly...

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Pale frankincense resin pieces with Boswellia tree bark and green leaves on a pale lavender-grey background
Fragrance note

Incense

Incense in perfume usually smells resinous, smoky and woody, with warm amber, dry spice and sometimes fresh citrus or mineral sides. It does not always smell like thick...

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Natural smooth leather, grained leather and suede textures on a light cool-stone background
Fragrance note

Leather

Leather in perfume usually smells dry, warm and slightly smoky, with woody, animalic, tarry or soft suede like sides. It does not normally come from untreated animal hide...

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Liquorice roots with green leaves and pale flowers on a muted teal-grey background
Fragrance note

Licorice

Licorice in perfume usually smells sweet, dark and aromatic, with anise-like, herbal, earthy and balsamic sides. In British English, it is normally written as liquorice. Some liquorice accords...

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Reddish mahogany wood, natural bark and green leaves on a pale warm grey background
Fragrance note

Mahogany

Mahogany in perfume usually smells dark, warm and woody, with polished, dry, slightly smoky and ambery sides. It is not normally an oil extracted from furniture timber. Instead,...

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Fresh green forest moss on damp bark with woodland leaves on a pale stone-grey background
Fragrance note

Moss

Moss in perfume usually smells earthy, damp and green, with forest-floor, woody, resinous and slightly smoky sides. It is a broad description rather than one precise material. A...

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Natural myrrh resin pieces and a leafy myrrh branch on a dusty blue background
Fragrance note

Myrrh

Myrrh in perfume usually smells warm, resinous and balsamic, with smoky, earthy, liquorice-like and softly sweet sides. Some myrrh materials feel dark and medicinal, while others are smoother,...

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Natural oakmoss lichen on weathered oak branches against a light warm-grey background
Fragrance note

Oakmoss

Oakmoss in perfume usually smells earthy, green and woody, with damp, mossy, slightly salty, leathery or forest like sides. It can create the impression of shaded woodland, wet...

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Dark agarwood chips with natural resinous streaks
Fragrance note

Oud

Oud in perfume usually smells dark, woody and resinous, with smoky, leathery, sweet or animalic sides. Some oud notes feel dry and medicinal, while others are smooth, warm...

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Dried papyrus reeds and fibrous stems with green leaves on a muted aqua background
Fragrance note

Papyrus

Papyrus in perfume usually smells dry, woody and earthy, with smoky, fibrous, green and slightly leathery sides. It is designed to suggest dried reeds, paper-like fibres and warm...

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Ripe peaches, one sliced in half, with green leaves on a light pale lavender background
Fragrance note

Peach

Peach in perfume usually smells juicy, sweet and fruity, with a soft velvety or creamy texture. Some peach notes feel fresh and slightly green, while others are richer,...

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Black peppercorns on a green pepper vine with fresh leaves on a pale peach background
Fragrance note

Pepper

Pepper in perfume usually smells dry, fresh and spicy, with aromatic, citrus-like and woody sides. It can create a lively tingling sensation without necessarily smelling hot like food....

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Dark Peru balsam resin with tree bark and green leaves on a dusty rose background
Fragrance note

Peru Balsam

Peru balsam in perfume usually smells sweet, balsamic and warm, with vanilla, cinnamon, amber and powdery sides. It has a smooth resinous character that can resemble dark vanilla,...

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Fresh pineapple partly sliced with green leaves on a soft aqua background
Fragrance note

Pineapple

Pineapple in perfume usually smells juicy, sweet and tropical, with tart, green and lightly creamy sides. Some pineapple accords are bright and freshly cut, while others feel riper,...

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Ripe purple plums, one sliced in half, with green leaves on a pale mint-grey background
Fragrance note

Plum

Plum in perfume usually smells rich, juicy and darkly fruity, with sweet, jammy, wine-like or slightly spicy sides. Some plum notes feel fresh and tart, while others are...

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Toasted nuts, caramelised sugar and cocoa representing a praline perfume accord
Fragrance note

Praline

Praline in perfume usually smells sweet, nutty and caramelised, with vanilla, chocolate, toasted almond or hazelnut-like sides. It is a constructed gourmand accord rather than one natural fragrance...

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Fresh pink and cream roses with green leaves
Fragrance note

Rose

Rose in perfume usually smells floral, fresh and softly sweet, but it can also have green, fruity, honeyed or spicy sides. Some rose notes feel light and dewy,...

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Pale sandalwood pieces with smooth wood shavings and green leaves
Fragrance note

Sandalwood

Sandalwood in perfume usually smells warm, creamy and softly woody. It can also have milky, balsamic, powdery or lightly spicy sides. Unlike sharper woods, sandalwood often feels smooth...

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Cinnamon bark, cardamom pods, nutmeg, cloves and pink peppercorns on a soft lavender-grey background
Fragrance note

Spices

Spices in perfume can smell warm, dry, sweet, peppery, fresh or aromatic. The term does not describe one ingredient because cinnamon, cardamom, clove, nutmeg and pepper all smell...

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Dark styrax resin with tree bark and green leaves on a pale rose-grey background
Fragrance note

Styrax

Styrax in perfume usually smells balsamic, smoky and sweet, with leather, vanilla, resinous and slightly animalic sides. It is darker and smokier than benzoin and can resemble warm...

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Dark truffles with woodland soil, fine roots, dry leaves and moss on a pale stone background
Fragrance note

Truffle

Truffle in perfume usually smells earthy, dark and mushroom-like, with damp, musky, woody and slightly animalic sides. Some truffle accords feel rich and luxurious, while others are sharper,...

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Natural vanilla pods with a vanilla orchid flower and green leaves
Fragrance note

Vanilla

Vanilla in perfume usually smells sweet, warm and creamy. It can also have soft woody, powdery or spicy sides, depending on the material used and the notes around...

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Washed vetiver roots and fresh green vetiver grass on a light dusty blue background
Fragrance note

Vetiver

Vetiver in perfume usually smells earthy, woody and dry, with smoky, green, grassy or slightly bitter sides. Some vetiver notes feel dark, rooty and rugged, while others are...

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Yellow-green ylang-ylang flowers with glossy leaves on a pale lavender-grey background
Fragrance note

Ylang-Ylang

Ylang-ylang in perfume usually smells rich, creamy and floral, with sweet, spicy, fruity and slightly banana-like sides. It is a warm tropical white-floral note with more density than...

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Luxaro Perfumes With Patchouli as a Heart Note

These fragrances reveal Patchouli through the central body of the scent.

Luxaro Perfumes With Patchouli as a Base Note

These fragrances use Patchouli in the lasting foundation of the scent.

Related Fragrance Notes

Cedarwood, sandalwood and pale natural wood pieces on a light mist grey background
Fragrance note

Woody Notes

Woody notes in perfume can smell dry, warm, earthy, smoky, creamy or resinous. They do not describe one single ingredient because different woods and woody materials have very...

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Accords and Fragrance Families Connected to Patchouli

Oud wood, saffron, nutmeg, patchouli and lavender representing an oud accord in perfume
Fragrance accord

Oud

An oud accord usually smells deep, woody and earthy, often with resinous, leathery, smoky or slightly sweet sides. Some oud effects are dark and intense, while others are...

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Cedarwood, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, papyrus and oakmoss representing a woody accord in perfume
Fragrance accord

Woody

A woody accord can smell dry, smooth, creamy, earthy, smoky or resinous depending on the materials used. Cedarwood often gives a dry, structured quality, while sandalwood can feel...

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Jasmine, rose, tuberose, orange blossom, vanilla and warm resins representing the Floral & Warm fragrance family
Fragrance family

Floral & Warm

Floral & Warm fragrances typically smell floral first or have a clearly noticeable floral character, with a softer and deeper background that prevents the scent from feeling purely...

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Cedarwood, vetiver, patchouli, oakmoss, tobacco and charred birch representing the Woody & Smoky fragrance family
Fragrance family

Woody & Smoky

Woody & Smoky fragrances usually smell dry, earthy or woody, often with touches of smoke, leather or tobacco. Cedarwood can give a clear, dry structure, while vetiver and...

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Cedarwood, sandalwood, patchouli, cardamom, nutmeg, saffron and oud representing the Spicy & Woody fragrance family
Fragrance family

Spicy & Woody

Spicy & Woody fragrances generally smell warm, dry and structured, with noticeable spice layered over woods or deeper earthy materials. Nutmeg can bring dry warmth, while cardamom often...

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