Woody · Natural material · Heart notes, Base notes
Cedar
Cedar is a wood note made from the oil of several conifers, such as Atlas cedar from Morocco and American junipers sold under the cedar name. It smells dry, clean and slightly sweet, like pencil shavings. Cedar often forms the woody frame in the heart and base notes, keeping a blend neat and not too sweet.
· Written by the FRAG team
What does cedar smell like?
Cedar smells like freshly shaved wood: dry, clean and a little dusty. Many people think of pencils straight away, because the American juniper sold as cedar was once used to make them. Cedar is neither sweet nor smoky, so it feels lighter than oud or patchouli.
The type of tree shapes the character of cedar. Atlas cedar is often described as softer, while Virginia cedar is drier and more pencil-like. On skin, cedar usually becomes clear once the opening fades, then stays as a quiet layer of wood.
Which trees does cedar come from?
Cedarwood oil is distilled from the wood, shavings or sawdust. The name covers several trees. Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica) is a true cedar from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and Algeria. Virginia cedar (Juniperus virginiana) and Texas cedar are actually American junipers, but their wood has long been sold as cedar.
In Indonesian, the true cedar is called aras. Besides using the natural oils, the fragrance industry turns compounds from cedarwood oil into other woody materials, so a single cedar note on a pyramid may come from a blend of several ingredients.
How cedar works in a perfume
Cedar is most often placed in the heart and base notes. It works like a frame: it adds a dry shape that keeps flowers from feeling too sweet and gives the citrus opening somewhere to land. Because it evaporates more slowly than the top notes, cedar is still there once the perfume settles. How long it lasts still varies with your skin, the weather and the concentration.
Cedar often meets bergamot, lavender, vetiver, patchouli, sandalwood and Iso E Super. Cedar shows up across many families, from fresh and floral to amber, so you will meet it very often on note lists.
When to wear a cedar perfume
Cedar is a light wood note, so it is comfortable in hot, humid weather. A cedar perfume with citrus or lavender suits work, campus and daytime. When cedar meets amber, vanilla or spice, it turns warmer and fits evenings or air-conditioned rooms.
