In the perfume industry, the term chypre refers to a type of fragrance characterized by a combination of woody, earthy, and slightly animalistic scent notes. As with many perfume terms, the word "chypre" is a variation of a French word "Cyprus”. The reference is to the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean and pays homage to the island’s fragrant agricultural elements that are prevalent. This type of fragrance accord or impression was first created by the perfumer François Coty in 1917 and has continued to be utilized today.
Chypre described fragrances typically have a strong, bold, and earthy character, and they are often described as "stylish" or "refined." Classic blends are known to combine top notes such as bergamot and lemon, middle notes of florals like jasmine and rose and end in mossy-animalic base notes like oakmoss and patchouli. Chypre fragrances are often used in perfumes marketed for women, but have evolved to men’s and unisex formats.
The chypre fragrances generally fit into the Woody and Amber Family of fragrance wheel classification as does our PHLUR fragrance Sandara.
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