White flowers are the epitome of refinement, embodying all that is ladylike and graceful. And while they may be delicate in appearance, white flowers also pack a powerful olfactive punch sure to please even the most discerning noses. Among the most popular white flowers used in perfumery are:
Jasmine is a legendary aphrodisiac and perhaps the most popular of all white florals. Its scent is heady, sensuous, exotic, and even quite sweet. It brings a heady presence and a distinctly sunny vibe to most perfumes.
Tuberose is a white, waxy, insignificant-looking bloom with a fragrant scent that takes on an entirely different life after dark. Powerful and perhaps a tad polarizing, tuberose has a lush voluptuousness and distinct medicinal quality, making it stand out rather prominently from the rest of its white floral cousins.
Despite being derived from the same tree as the orange (the fruit), orange blossom is a distinctly different note, both in olfactory profile and function. While it might retain some of that citrus tang, at its heart, this is still a heavy, sweet, rich, and entirely white floral scent.
Gardenia essential oil, despite its incredible scent, is extremely rare and costly to extract, which is why it’s typically only found among the high-end caliber of romantic, feminine fragrances. This white flower has a narcotic, floral scent with green and fruity overtones, infused with metallic elements.
Ylang-ylang is a heady, floral fragrance. It’s slightly sweet with fruity undertones (much like jasmine). And with the right notes, it can also give off a spicy vibe. Ylang-ylang works well with a range of fragrance notes, especially those of the citrus and woodsy variety.
