Natural Base notes

Sandalwood (Santalum album) – Creamy, soft, and lactonic with gentle woody sweetness. Indian sandalwood is highly prized for its meditative, milky quality. Used to round, soften, and fix floral, amber, incense, and oriental blends. A fundamental building block for longevity and warmth.

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) – Earthy, dark, and slightly sweet with camphoraceous and woody facets. A key note in chypres, fougères, and orientals. Aged patchouli is smoother and richer, and works well as both a dominant character and a blender for darker compositions.

Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides) – Dry, smoky, and woody with a strong rooty-earthy quality. Haitian vetiver is clean and fresh, while Indonesian is smokier and darker. Used in masculine blends, woods, and to add sophistication and complexity to floral or citrus formulas.

Cistus Labdanum – Warm, resinous, leathery and ambery. Labdanum provides a rich, sticky base that mimics ambergris in natural perfumery. Crucial in amber accords, leather compositions, and to deepen florals or spices.

Benzoin (Styrax tonkinensis or siamensis) – Sweet, warm balsamic with vanilla-like softness. Used to round compositions, enhance longevity, and add a cozy, gourmand touch. Pairs beautifully with florals, spices, and incense.

Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) – Resinous, bitter-sweet with a subtle smoky quality. Myrrh gives an austere, ancient feel to compositions and is used in incense, oriental, and meditative themes. Works well in sacred, contemplative perfumes.

Frankincense (Boswellia carterii) – Lemony-resinous and slightly smoky. Although also a top/mid material, some forms (especially resinoids and tinctures) act as base notes. Used in incense, woods, and citrus compositions with spiritual or ceremonial themes.

Oakmoss (Evernia prunastri) – Deeply earthy, damp forest note with leather and mossy undertones. Irreplaceable in chypre and fougère structures. Adds a grounding, vintage sophistication and fixative effect. (Modern use is restricted; often replaced or diluted.)

Tolu Balsam – Sweet, warm, and resinous with hints of cinnamon, vanilla, and almonds. Adds a comforting and nostalgic softness, often used in orientals, ambery florals, and gourmand compositions.

Peru Balsam – Warm, soft vanilla-balsamic note with a slight medicinal tone. Acts as a fixative and sweetener, especially useful in ambery, floral, or spicy accords.

Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica or virginiana) – Dry, woody, pencil-shaving-like with slight smokiness or leathery edge. Adds structure and strength to the base. Atlas cedar is softer and sweeter; Virginia cedar is sharper and drier.

Guaiacwood – Dense, smoky-woody with a subtle rosy facet. Guaiacwood acts as a connector between florals and dark woods, especially in incense, oud, and leather blends.

Styrax (Liquidambar orientalis) – Sweet, resinous, balsamic with leathery notes. Used in leather and incense bases. Softens compositions and adds longevity and body.

Oud (Agarwood) – Deep, complex, and animalic with resinous, smoky, and woody aspects. Oud is profoundly tenacious and adds a mystical richness to orientals, florals, and leathers. Varies widely by region and age.

Costus Root (Saussurea costus) – Animalic, sebum-like, and slightly woody. Very powerful; used in trace amounts to add a warm, skin-like depth. Popular in vintage and oriental compositions. Restricted in modern perfumery due to allergens.

Civet (natural, from civet cat) – Intensely animalic, musky, and fecal at full strength, but in dilution it adds warmth, diffusion, and a naturalistic quality to florals and orientals. Rare and ethically controversial; often replaced with synthetics.

Castoreum (natural, from beaver gland) – Leathery, smoky, and musky. Lends animalic richness and a refined leather tone to chypres, tobacco blends, and masculine fragrances. Also ethically problematic; synthetics are widely used.

Vanilla Absolute or CO₂ Extract – Rich, sweet, warm, and comforting with a gourmand depth. Vanilla is a staple in oriental, floral, and gourmand perfumes. Natural vanilla is complex and layered compared to synthetic vanillin.

Tonka Bean Absolute – Sweet, warm, coumarin-rich material with almond, hay, and tobacco notes. Used to soften and extend drydowns in floral, oriental, and gourmand bases.

Opoponax (Sweet Myrrh) – A sweeter, rounder cousin of myrrh, with a syrupy, balsamic character. Excellent for amber, resinous, or incense-rich perfumes.