The main styles of masculine woods
In men's fragrance, wood is rarely a detail. It is the skeleton, whereas women's perfumes mostly use it to carry flowers. There are several styles. Dry, mineral woods rest on vetiver and cedar, and Terre d'Hermès is the clearest example. Aromatic woods add citrus, mint or sage for freshness, as in Bleu de Chanel and Explorer. Creamy woods push sandalwood forward, which Santal 33 made hugely popular. Spicy woods warm things up with cinnamon or clove, like Boss Bottled. Then there is oud, a resinous wood from the Middle East that Oud Wood helped introduce to Western noses in a gentle form. Leather often shows up in the base, as in Fahrenheit, and toughens everything around it.
How to pick a woody fragrance
Season comes first. Fresh woods with citrus on top and a light vetiver work in spring and summer, and Allure Homme Sport and Terre d'Hermès belong here. Woods with a leather, incense or oud base come into their own in autumn. Setting comes second. At the office, stay at 3 or 4 out of 5 on intensity with a clean trail, which is exactly what Bleu de Chanel does. In the evening, Fahrenheit or Oud Wood give more depth. Skin comes third. Vetiver and cedar stay fairly stable from one person to the next, while the creamy sandalwood of Santal 33 can turn milky or pencil-like depending on the wearer. Always test on your wrist and wait at least an hour. A woody scent is judged on its drydown, not its citrus.
