Two of the most confused words in perfumery, and they refer to almost entirely unrelated things.

Amber

As covered in our main guide, perfumery amber is a resin-based accord — labdanum, benzoin, vanilla — with no animal origin at all. It’s the warm, golden note found across countless mainstream and Arabian fragrances.

Ambergris

Ambergris is a rare, waxy substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales, historically found washed ashore and highly prized as a fixative and fragrance material in its own right. Genuine ambergris is scarce, its trade is restricted in various countries, and in modern perfumery it has been very largely replaced by synthetic alternatives — most notably ambroxan, developed to recreate its warm, musky-woody character without any animal material.

So which is in your bottle?

Almost certainly perfumery amber (the resin accord) or, if a fragrance description mentions ambergris-like qualities, a synthetic ambroxan-based material rather than genuine whale-derived ambergris — genuine ambergris is now a rare, specialist material rather than a mainstream ingredient.

Frequently asked questions

Is ambergris ethical to use?

Historically, ambergris was collected after naturally washing ashore rather than through harming whales, though modern perfumery has largely moved to synthetic ambroxan regardless, avoiding the question altogether.

Continue reading: What Is Amber in Perfume? · Resins Explained

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