Score intensity Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
Sillage72
Longevity86
Versatility54
Complexity88
Cultural impact84
Approachability40
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Score profile Each bar is a 0-100 atlas score for this topic, not a timeline.
Sillage 72
Longevity 86
Versatility 54
Complexity 88
Cultural impact 84
Approachability 40
Trail and hold Notes Notes: Bergamot / Peach lactone / Aldehyde / Green snap Notes / Bergamot / Peach lactone / Aldehyde / Gree Heart: Rose / Jasmine / Patchouli / Carnation Heart / Rose / Jasmine / Patchouli / Carnation Base: Oakmoss / Labdanum / Patchouli / Musk Base / Oakmoss / Labdanum / Patchouli / Musk Timeline Milestones in order. This is history, not a weekly activity grid.
Antiquity Cyprus cosmetics 1917 Coty Chypre 1919 Mitsouko 1944 Femme 1947 Miss Dior 1959 Cabochard 1971 Aromatics Elixir 1977 Knowing / others IFRA 2000s Oakmoss limits 2010s Niche restages Antiquity Cyprus cosmetics 1917 Coty Chypre 1919 Mitsouko 1944 Femme 1947 Miss Dior 1959 Cabochard 1971 Aromatics Elixir 1977 Knowing / others IFRA 2000s Oakmoss limits 2010s Niche restages Explore Floral Floral White floral White floral Rose Rose Jasmine Jasmine Iris & powdery Iris & powdery Fruity Fruity Citrus Citrus Aromatic Aromatic Aquatic Aquatic Green Green Tea Tea Woody Woody Sandalwood Sandalwood Oud & incense Oud & incense Vetiver Vetiver Oriental amber Oriental amber Compare
14 min read
If you only read one thing
Bergamot, oakmoss, labdanum — the 1917 architecture IFRA rewrote, still the most mossy, bitter elegance in the wheel.
Key takeaways
Chypre is bergamot over moss — the 1917 idea IFRA rewrote, still the bitterest elegance on the wheel. Bergamot, oakmoss, labdanum — the 1917 architecture IFRA rewrote, still the most mossy, bitter elegance in the wheel. Chypre sits in the Earth group of this atlas. Wood and moss — dry timber, sandal, oud smoke, vetiver root and chypre.
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Oriental amber
Local systems
IFRA / allergens Annex and allergen labelling language on bottles.
Counter grades EDT/EDP/extrait as shop-floor words, not chemistry.
Duty-free / gift Travel retail and gift seasons for this language market.
Local examples Gift-season wear notes for English counters. Duty-free EDT/EDP wording beside the pyramid.
Local FAQ Is EDT stronger than EDP? Usually not — EDP is typically higher oil; check the bottle.
Do I need allergen lists? Retail labels follow IFRA/region rules; this atlas is educational.
Local terms
Pyramid Top / heart / base teaching layers.
Concentration EDT/EDP/extrait shop grades.
Accord A taught blend, not a legal formula.
Local systems
IFRA / allergens Annex and allergen labelling language on bottles.
Counter grades EDT/EDP/extrait as shop-floor words, not chemistry.
Duty-free / gift Travel retail and gift seasons for this language market.
Local examples Gift-season wear notes for English counters. Duty-free EDT/EDP wording beside the pyramid.
Local FAQ Is EDT stronger than EDP? Usually not — EDP is typically higher oil; check the bottle.
Do I need allergen lists? Retail labels follow IFRA/region rules; this atlas is educational.
Local terms
Sillage
Longevity
Accord
IFRA
Sources IFRA standards (industry) Osmothèque / historic formulae teaching House launch years (dated) Wikimedia Commons (CC/PD)
Local institutions
IFRA standards Industry practice limits for many materials — still check your market’s rules.
Retail / duty-free calendars Launch seasons and gift peaks differ by region.
On-pack allergen labeling Legal disclosures live on the product you purchase.
Myths vs facts Fragrance is strictly gendered → Marketing genders bottles; structures cross those lines constantly. Higher price guarantees longer wear → Concentration, materials, and skin/climate matter more than MSRP. Atlas notes equal full INCI → Notes are olfactory teaching language, not a complete ingredient disclosure.
Deeper FAQ Is this medical or allergy advice? No. Follow clinicians and on-pack allergen labeling.
Do scores rank “best” perfumes? No. They are editorial browsing meters across families and craft dimensions.
Why include culture and market? Wear norms and retail calendars shape what people actually buy and gift.
Can I trust pyramid diagrams alone? Pyramids are teaching sketches; skin chemistry and dosage change the real wear.
Checklist
1 Name occasion and climate before picking a family.
2 Read wear + market, not only icons.
3 Check on-pack allergens for the SKU you buy.
4 Test on skin; paper strips lie about dry-down.
Important caveat Not dermatology or allergy diagnosis. Patch-test guidance belongs with clinicians and product labels.
Editor depth Editorial meters compare browsing dimensions (history, craft presence, market noise) — not lab GC-MS rankings. On VS pages, weigh opening brightness against dry-down and wear context, not only top-note drama.
Deeper sources IFRA standards library (industry practice) On-pack labeling rules in your market Commons-licensed bottle / material imagery credits
Important caveat Not dermatology or allergy diagnosis. Patch-test guidance belongs with clinicians and product labels.
Who this is for Bergamot, oakmoss, labdanum — the 1917 architecture IFRA rewrote, still the most mossy, bitter elegance in the wheel.
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Key scores Sillage 72 Longevity 86 Versatility 54 Complexity 88 Cultural impact 84 Approachability 40
Floral White floral Rose Jasmine
Pin a wear occasion Pick an occasion already in this family’s wear chapter. Last pick stays beside this pick — two uses, no new family.
Teaching notes on skin and season. Not a medical, legal or workplace-scent rule.
Occasion already in wear Evening Tailoring day Vintage dinner Not gym or sea
Stored on this device. Change the pick to compare last against this.
Restore last occasion Keep this occasion Forget occasion
Name materials Prefer Grasse, Taif, Kannauj, IFRA and dated house launches over “a famous perfume”.
Perfume terms
Sillage Trail in air after the wearer passes — relative here.
Longevity How long a composition reads on skin/fabric — context dependent.
Accord A built chord of notes that reads as one idea.
IFRA Industry safety standards for fragrance materials — not medical advice.
How to read a family Open the wheel — See where a family sits among neighbors.Read the pyramid — Top / heart / base are teaching chords, not a formula dump.Check wear — Seasons and occasions are editorial, not rules.Compare next — Related families and VS pages keep traffic looping.
Practical tools
Compare families
Next tool After notes/wear, open the Scent wheel or Compare.
Use this page Open the wheel — See where a family sits among neighbors. Read the pyramid — Top / heart / base are teaching chords, not a formula dump. Check wear — Seasons and occasions are editorial, not rules.
Chypre is bergamot over moss — the 1917 idea IFRA rewrote, still the bitterest elegance on the wheel.
Bergamot, oakmoss, labdanum — the 1917 architecture IFRA rewrote, still the most mossy, bitter elegance in the wheel.
Chypre sits in the Earth group of this atlas. Wood and moss — dry timber, sandal, oud smoke, vetiver root and chypre.
Bergamot over moss — IFRA rewrote 1917
Coty’s 1917 architecture is bergamot, oakmoss and labdanum. IFRA oakmoss limits forced a generation of reconstructions; the idea survived the molecule.
Niche still argues about real moss versus the modern accord. Designer chypres are often a citrus-wood sketch. Between Grasse feedstock, IFRA limits and the split of niche counters versus designer malls, this family is read as a global grammar rather than a single bottle.
Tailored day, autumn air. This is the family where IFRA is not a footnote.
Family Mossy chypre
Key notes Bergamot, oakmoss
Season Autumn
Landmark Coty 1917
Wear Tailored day
Watch IFRA oakmoss
The scent pyramid
Top
Bergamot · Peach lactone · Aldehyde · Green snap
Heart
Rose · Jasmine · Patchouli · Carnation
Base
Oakmoss · Labdanum · Patchouli · Musk
Pin a wear occasion Pick an occasion already in this family’s wear chapter. Last pick stays beside this pick — two uses, no new family.
Teaching notes on skin and season. Not a medical, legal or workplace-scent rule.
Occasion already in wear Evening Tailoring day Vintage dinner Not gym or sea
Stored on this device. Change the pick to compare last against this.
Restore last occasion Keep this occasion Forget occasion
Seven chapters on this family
Frequently asked questions What is Chypre? Bergamot, oakmoss and labdanum — the 1917 idea IFRA rewrote. The architecture survived the molecule.
EDP vs EDT — what changes? Concentration is oil in alcohol, not a quality score. EDT (about 5–15%) shows more top; EDP (about 15–20%) shows more heart and base. Houses vary; this is not a lab assay.
How should I wear Chypre? One or two sprays on skin or cloth — sternum or hair, not a cloud in a lift. Let it turn an hour before you add more.
Which season fits? Autumn, tailored day. Summer heat can turn moss bitter and loud.
Does skin chemistry change it? Yes. Warm, moist skin amplifies sweet and spice; dry or cool skin can turn the same juice woody, soapy or short. Test on your skin, not only a blotter.
What about IFRA and oakmoss? Oakmoss is IFRA-limited. Classic chypre and fougère bases were rewritten; modern “moss” is often a reconstruction. Ask a clinician about reactions — this is not medical advice.
Any ethics or materials I should know? Read the materials chapter for the actual load. Niche and designer often share a family and disagree on dose.
Is this medical or allergy advice? No. This atlas is cultural and editorial. Fragrance can irritate; oakmoss, eugenol, citrus oils and musks are common triggers. See a clinician for reactions. Nothing here is a diagnosis, treatment or safety sheet.