An olfactory concept used as a descriptor for a chorus of scents, amber perfumes are typically rich and spicy, with hints of honeyed sweetness. Uncover the notes typically found within amber fragrances together with The House of Creed's most alluring ambery creations, including new masterpiece Centaurus and Delphinus.
Your Guide to Amber Perfumes
Amber is a 'fantasy' scent in perfumery, that is, it is not a single ingredient, but an evocative descriptor for an intimately related group of scents. From the sultry, woody notes of labdanum to the syrupy caramel accents of vanilla, amber fragrances comprise warming notes that reflect the deep orange hues of the semi-precious stone.
What is Amber?
Amber, in its purest form, is a resin that forms to create a semi-precious stone with glowing hues of golden orange and vibrant ochre. Extracted from pine trees or other conifers, amber resin is produced to repair wounds to bark. It is both thick and sticky in texture, and an unmistakable shade of orange-gold. The color of the stone can charge depending on where in the tree it is found; clearer amber is usually extracted from bark resin, while cloudier amber is typically taken from the inside of the trunk.
Although amber resin does carry a subtle scent, it is not an ingredient used in most modern perfumery itself. Instead, the scent we describe as amber is an exquisite concoction of natural and synthetic ingredients, all united by their warm and luminous aromas.
What do Amber Scents Smell Like?
Amber scents lend a rich allure and sensuality to any composition. Between layers of leather and spice, discover sweetened aromas of caramel and maple, all wrapped in a symphony of distinctive woody and tobacco notes. These notes are sometimes teamed with other textures to intensify or dilute the amber fragrance profile.
What ingredients are found in amber fragrances?
In modern perfumery, most amber fragrances are a harmony of three signature ingredients: labdanum, benzoin, and vanilla. Combined, these ingredients are the classic characteristics of an amber scent; labdanum gives the fragrance its spicy, woody notes, benzoin captivates with its smoky, leathery aroma, and vanilla offers accents of sweetness. Delve into a world of olfactory sensuality with a tour of these distinctive amber notes.
Labdanum
Labdanum is perhaps the ingredient most associated with amber fragrances. Rich and balsamic, it is often compared to the caramelized spiciness of root beer or cola. The ingredient comes from the cistus ladanifer plant, a flowering shrub that grows in the Western Mediterranean region. The plant secretes a sticky substance that is extracted by boiling its leaves, and the dark brown absolute is then used in amber fragrances.
Benzoin
Layered with labdanum, benzoin is another signature ingredient in modern amber fragrances. It is often used as it complements the musky, caramelized spiciness of labdanum, lending a coziness and warmth. Given its comforting nature, benzoin is often used in incense to create a grounding ambience. Benzoin - like labdanum - is extracted from the natural world, coming from the styrax tree, which grows in the warm and tropical regions of eastern and southeastern Asia, as well as in South America.
In amber fragrances, benzoin is often used as a base note, allowing each ingredient to linger on the skin for longer. On its own, it is often compared to whisky and cinnamon: its notes are warm, spicy and smoky, with a hint of vanilla, without being too sweet.
Vanilla
In amber fragrances, vanilla strikes a decidedly syrupy tone. It elevates the subtle vanilla nuances of benzoin and complements the dark headiness of labdanum with its lightness, carrying the sumptuously sweet notes of toffee, maple and caramel.
Vanilla is extracted from the seeds of the vanilla plant, grown throughout Madagascar and Indonesia. The seeds are scraped from dried pods and used as the base of vanillin, the synthetic compound used in modern perfumery. The profile of amber perfumes often depends on the quantity of the vanilla; in higher quantities, it cuts through the darker notes of labdanum and benzoin, giving the fragrance its sweet top notes. In amber fragrances with higher quantities of vanilla, you can expect a fluffy, creamy - and almost powdery - scent.
What other ingredients are used in Amber fragrances?
Labdanum, benzoin and vanilla are the signature ingredients of amber perfumes, though they are often complemented by a rich tapestry of scents. Read on to reveal these commonly paired notes.
Tolu Balsam
Tolu balsam is a gum-like resin from the bark of myroxylon balsamum trees found in South America. It is often used in cosmetics, as its antioxidant properties soothe the skin, as well as in modern perfumery. In amber perfumes, Tolu balsam acts as a complement to labdanum, largely due to its subtle, smoky vanilla and treacle notes.
Peru Balsam
Similar to Tolu balsam, Peru balsam is also a tree resin. This resin – an oily, dark brown substance – is taken from myroxylon balsamum, a tree grown in El Salvador. With its subtle vanilla notes, Peru balsam is also frequently layered with labdanum in amber perfumes, although, unlike its Tolu counterpart, this balsam is lighter, milder and sweeter.
Tonka Bean
With its sweet notes of gingerbread, almond and fresh hay, tonka bean is found in many an amber perfume. Tonka seeds come from the fruit of the dipteryx odorata tree, a tropical flowering species found in Central America and northern South America.
Once grated, the seeds are fragrant, carrying a sweet spice and praline aroma. In amber perfumes, tonka bean amplifies vanilla notes, while balancing the heavier character of labdanum.
The House of Creed's Amber Creations
Crafted from the finest ingredients, The House of Creed's amber fragrances promise sensual elegance, conjuring sultry evenings and ochre sunsets. Read on to uncover a selection of the house's most beloved amber masterpieces.
Original Santal
Bold and unforgettable, this Eau de Parfum is a rich infusion of amber scents. Benzoin, ginger, cinnamon and sandalwood combine to offer a warm, spicy and leathery aroma, while vanilla and tonka bean charm with their caramelized sweetness. A signature amber perfume from The House of Creed, Original Santal is both indulgent and enticing: a classic portrait of an amber fragrance.
White Amber
Amber notes are given a floral, fruity twist in White Amber. The tangy opening notes of blackcurrant and green apple are joined by fresh jasmine and rose essence – and layered above a seductive amber base of benzoin and sandalwood. Benzoin provides its distinctive warmth and spice, while floral accords revitalize with their green scent. Timeless and mysterious, White Amber represents an amber fragrance with a fresh reimagination.
Royal Princess Oud
Woody notes meet warm floral accents in this opulent amber musk. Royal Princess Oud features a lavish bouquet of rose, jasmine and sweet violets at its heart, coupled with fresh top notes of grapefruit, pineapple and raspberry, as well as a hint of warm vanilla. This dries down to a base of benzoin and oud, offering the woody notes typically associated with amber musk. Sensual and captivating, Royal Princess Oud is crafted to entice.
The Amber Universe
The latest additions to The House of Creed's amber fragrance portfolio are Centaurus and Delphinus, together forming the new Amber Universe. Each creation explores different amber facets, from rich woods and hints of honeyed sweetness to supple leathers and sumptuously soft vanilla, leaving their own lingering trail of warmth reminiscent of the glow of distant stars.
Capturing the magnitude of the largest constellation in the cosmos, bold and fiery, Centaurus blazes brightly with incandescent tobacco ignited by spices, before yielding to sumptuous sandalwood and velvety bourbon vanilla at its base. Meanwhile, Delphinus is a luminous creation that mirrors the magnificence of a star-adorned sky. Resinous incense sets a smoky stage for precious orris to shine, while leathery Bourbon vanilla surrounds the wearer with the warmth of a starlit night.
Discover all amber fragrances from The House of Creed on the official online boutique or venture to your nearest location to find the right alluring creation for you.
