Floral, oriental and fruity families have traditionally been marketed towards women in the UK, though as with men’s marketing, this reflects packaging and advertising convention far more than any real chemical rule about who a scent suits.

The traditional “women’s” categories

Rose, jasmine and other floral-forward compositions have been positioned as feminine since perfumery’s earliest commercial days, and oriental blends heavy on vanilla, amber and spice followed a similar pattern once they became popular in the 20th century. Fruity-floral scents, a category that boomed from the 1990s onwards, have also been marketed almost exclusively at women, packaged in bright, often pink or pastel bottles regardless of how the scent itself might actually smell.

Why it’s worth ignoring the label

A gorgeous rose-oud blend or a rich amber oriental will smell exactly the same regardless of whose face is on the advert, and there’s genuinely no reason to let bottle colour or marketing dictate what you wear. Our women’s fragrance guide and fragrance families guide cover this properly, alongside the complete guide to perfume.