Jasmine smells floral and sweet. It has an exotic scent with delicate undertones specific to white flowers. Its relaxing smell is an aphrodisiac and one of the popular feminine scents used in perfumery.
The smell is influenced by intoxicating nuances as well as a honey-like sweetness that recommends the smell in attractive perfumes as well as for intimacy.
As a result, jasmine is used as one of the best wedding flowers in many parts of the world. It has been associated with attraction and intimacy which recommends it for such occasions as well as in perfumery where it blends well with other florals and sweet scents.
While the rose is certainly associated with love, there are cultures where jasmine is also associated with romance. It has the same delicate smell of rose but with a white flower appeal. The term ‘white flower’ is sometimes used by perfume enthusiasts to describe jasmine and jasmine-like scents.
What is Jasmine?
Jasmine is a flower of the Jasminum genus from the Oleaceae olive family. It grows in tropical and subtropical climates in either evergreen plants or plants that have their leaves fall in autumn. There are more than 200 species of jasmine around the world, mostly native to Asia. Only 1 jasmine species is native to Europe.
Jasmine produces jasmine flowers, typically in clusters of 3-4 per branch. These flowers are collected and turned into jasmine essential oil with primary uses in perfumery and aromatherapy. Jasmine sambac is one of the most popular types of jasmine used in perfumes. The species is cultivated around Southeast Asia successfully and sold as a raw ingredient later used in perfumes. It can take hundreds of jasmine flowers to make a very good floral perfume with natural ingredients.
Where does jasmine come from?
Since ancient times, Jasmine is one of the most popular flowers in India. There are over 200 species of jasmine and they are all part of some type of culture where its smell is appreciated either as a gift or when turned into perfume.
Most jasmine species still grow in subtropical regions. However, a few have been acclimatized to other regions of the world and their scent is also somewhat different. Among them, there’s Brazilian jasmine, Spanish jasmine, Hawaiian jasmine, and Florida jasmine.
What Does Jasmine Smell Like?
Jasmine smells floral and sweet, almost honey-like. It has an exotic scent that exudes sensuality. The smell is both relaxing and attractive being considered an ideal example of how aphrodisiac flowers smell like.
The smell of jasmine is subject to changes from one species to another. It also smells differently in the sun or in the rain when it gets more intense. Jasmine is an ideal scent to wear in summertime perfumes as it doesn’t last long and because it’s too delicate to pierce through the winter cold to make its presence felt.
Jasmine smells floral
The first characteristic of the jasmine smell is its floral profile. It looks and smells like a flower, more specifically a white flower. In perfumery, white florals are known as smells or notes that are delicate, highly suitable for summertime wear, and ideal for mixing with citruses, fruits, and other sweet notes.
White jasmine smell is characteristic of flowers. Jasmine sambac flowers are small but very fragrant. These are some of the most suitable flowers for an intense aroma concentrated in essential oil. Jasmine essential oil is used in jasmine perfumes as well as in all other types of perfumes for women and even in cologne for men.
Jasmine smells sweet
There’s a sweet quality to jasmine that accompanies the floral smell as an undertone. This is a syrupy sweetness similar to the sweetness of honey and not to the sweetness of sugar or candy. It’s as if jasmine flowers smell of natural honey (from its linalool compound) instead of smelling cloying sweet like candy.
The sweet nature of jasmine recommends it in perfumes for women of various ages. Sweet scents are also ideal in aromatherapy as they’re more relaxing than spicy oriental scents.
Floral sweetness is a characteristic that accompanies other flowers such as carnation or roses as well. However, not to the extent in jasmine.
Jasmine smells sensual
The smell of the jasmine flower is sensual. It’s delicate and feminine. This smell is never too herbal or too spicy. It’s dominated by a sensual side and this is why it’s often recommended as an aphrodisiac or in perfumes for dates where personal attractiveness is of a high priority.
Jasmine smell is relaxing
The sensual nature of jasmine is both attractive and relaxing. It doesn’t energize the senses but it relaxes them, similarly to white flower smells such as orange blossom. This smell is the complete opposite of piercing scents that revitalize and cool the senses such as frankincense.
Jasmine smells exotic
The exotic nature of jasmine is often overlooked. But this flower is native to Southeast Asia, not Europe or North America. It brings a bit of an exotic undertone to floral notes and floral combinations in perfumery.
As an exotic odor, it also comes with plenty of pleasant surprises. One of the surprises of the jasmine smell is its intensification in the rain. Jasmine loves rain and it releases its fragrance during late spring and short summer rain weather changes. It also smells very good in the sun but its sweet syrupy nature shines in the rain.
It can be one of the ideal fragrances to wear in humid climates such as parts of Asia during the rainy season, parts of Northern Europe, and Northern US and Canada. Ideally, you can wear jasmine perfume no matter where you live in the world, particularly when it rains.
Jasmine smells inoffensive
The delicate nature pushes the jasmine scent to an inoffensive nature. There’s no person that doesn’t like its aroma due to its inoffensive profile. This is why jasmine is an ideal scent to make your home smell good. It’s also a perfect choice in perfumes for the office where it doesn’t bother anyone and it relaxes everyone.
In the world of flower collectors, the term ‘one-flower collection’ is used to describe a unique plant that is sufficient to enrich a home with its looks and smell. Jasmine is often named as an excellent one-flower stop for its sensual rich smell, similar to geranium.
Its smell is based on small volatile organic compounds. Among them, benzyl acetate, methylbenzoate, and methylsalicylate (benzenoid esters) and (E)-β-ocimene, linalool, and α-farnesene (terpenes) are mostly responsible for its unique scent. Many of these organic compounds responsible for the smell of jasmine peak after petal opening.
What does jasmine mix well with?
Most types of jasmine mix well with other floral notes as well as with base accords such as amber. Jasmine sambac.
Green notes
Green tea can be one of the great combinations for jasmine, given its already used in similar infusions to create delicious tea in certain areas around the world.
Lemon
Bergamot can be overly spicy for the delicate nature of jasmine but lemon can be an interesting addition to give it a more summer-like vibe.
Jasmine Smell Benefits
The exotic floral smell of jasmine with its honey-like sensuality has a few benefits worth noting.
- Jasmine makes you smell sensual
There’s no way a jasmine perfume can make you smell daring. It makes you smell sensual, like a little white flower. This is the main benefit perfumers try to put in a fragrance bottle when using jasmine essential oil.
- Jasmine highlights your feminine side
Jasmine is a supportive note or the main note in perfumes for women. It tends to shine in women’s perfumes where its delicate nature highlights the feminine. It can even be combined with other florals for a complex scent.
- Jasmine scent lifts the spirit
There’s an uplifting effect smelling jasmine is associated often with. Its smell is ideal for just about anyone who likes to briefly feel better. Its inviting and relaxing smell works wonders for social occasions as well.
- Jasmine is an ideal aphrodisiac
Jasmine has been traditionally used as an aphrodisiac in various cultures around the world. This side of the smell is often overlooked. But it is an aroma that makes you smell attractive.
- Jasmine is a unique scent that shines in the rain
Not many floral scents can perform up to twice as good in the rain. Jasmine lets out its true nature in mild rain or high humidity. It’s a flower that grows delicately and this transcends into its smell.
FAQ
What smell is similar to jasmine?
Gardenia’s smell is highly similar to jasmine. Gardenia is more floral, however. Jasmine has a syrupy smell that resembles honey while gardenia is more carnal and a bit less sweet. Both are ideal aphrodisiac smells.
Does jasmine smell bad?
Jasmine only smells bad to those who don’t like linalool. This is a compound that offers sweetness to the flower. People who expect jasmine to smell like gardenia without too much sweetness typically dislike the smell of jasmine.
The best jasmine perfumes made today
You can test out various pure jasmine perfumes or consider the notes mixed in more complex compositions. Here are a few top jasmine perfumes that last to consider.
- Serge Lutens Sarrasins
Carnation, flowers, musk, and jasmine are the top notes in this incredible composition. The jasmine here is not pure in this perfume but rather enriched with spices to make it stand out. Jasmine is the most intense here but it’s underlined by cardamom and cumin.
Animalic base notes are also present in the jasmine perfume for women. They include civet and musk. Performance is top class here as the perfume lasts at least 12 hours on the skin.
- Mugler Alien
Mugler Alien is one of the most popular jasmine perfumes. While there are supporting notes in its composition, jasmine is present from start to finish. The pure jasmine opening is followed by a mix of jasmine and woods and a mix of jasmine plus amber in the drydown.
Its highly-discussed silage is what made the perfume even more popular. There was a time when it even seemed most women only wore Mugler Alien if they wanted to stand out. The longevity of the perfume is also impressive with 12 hours staying power.
- Serge Lutens A La Nuit
Egyptian, Morrocan, and Indian jasmine are mixed in this attractive scent. The main advantage of the perfume is that it doesn’t feel like you’ve applied it to the skin. It feels like you are carrying a jasmine bouquet around.
There’s a note of honey added to the jasmine here. It has been highly appreciated and women say it helps the perfume stand out even more at night. Longevity on the perfume is short as it starts to fade away after 2 hours.
- Olene Diptyque
Jasmine, honeysuckle, narcissus, wisteria, and green notes are mixed wonderfully in this spring and summertime jasmine perfume.
The jasmine in this perfume is probably the most realistic on the list and it even comes with green leaves accords later in the drydown. The perfume is not as complex as all others listed above but it leverages the true potential of jasmine with quality ingredients. Going back to the recommended jasmine green tea combination above, Olene might just be the best representation of such a traditional scent.
- Jasmine Rouge Tom Ford
Jasmine, ylang-ylang, and amber as the stars in this complex perfume. If you want something a bit more daring, Tom Ford certainly has the recipe in Jasmine Rouge.
Supportive spicy notes include ginger, bergamot, cardamom, and cinnamon.
Clary sage, broom, and neroli enrich the perfume further in the drydown. Amber, vanilla, leather, and French labdanum add longevity to the floral perfume. The perfume projects strongly for 2 hours turning into a skin scent with total longevity of up to 5-7 hours.
Jasmine smell might be hard to concentrate on perfume without disturbing its fresh sensual appeal. Only a few perfumes managed this and the ones listed above are probably the best at it.
The sweet white floral saturated jasmine scent is what many decide to wear for the summer months. Since not all jasmine types are highly aromatic, you can even find jasmine combinations such as those in A La Nuit to be far more interesting if you have a nose for more complex perfumes.