Best Chypre Perfumes For Men & Women 2022
Despite belonging to the most popular fragrance families, The 10 Best Chypre Perfumes are not as immediately noticeable as those that fall into better-known categories such as aromatic or floral citrus scents. The cypress fragrances are based on a floral and musky accord. Although there was some trace of them dating back to Roman times, it was Francois Coty who popularized them when he released one in 1917. Since then, perfumers have invented chypre fragrances, giving rise to an entirely new olfactory classification.
While the exact notes in the scent may vary, you can always expect a standard triplet of bergamot, oakmoss, and labdanum. The bergamot note provides the citrus top notes necessary for a classic perfume. In particular, oakmoss smells like a forest floor: earthy, green, and woody. The contrast between the citrus and earthy notes creates a true chypre fragrance. From there, the perfumer has the freedom to add style and character with the notes he desires.
10 Best Chypre Perfumes & Colognes to Buy in 2022
1. Calvin Klein One Eau De Toilette
At the lighter end of the chypre scale, this pure and understated fragrance is practically the olfactory equivalent of Bradley Cooper; has a mass appeal. Atop a musky and amber base is a series of notes so fresh and so clean, namely green tea, violet, mandarin, and lavender.
2. Tom Ford Noir de Noir Eau de Parfum
This sensual chypre has a decidedly oriental character; notes of saffron, black rose, and black truffle overlap with vanilla, patchouli, oud, and “musky” accents. It dissolves quickly in your skin and permanently softens in minutes.
3. Hermes Terre D ‘Parfum
Hermes launched Terre D ‘Hermes in 2008. It is a woody scent with a mix of notes of grapefruit, orange, oakmoss, and benzoin. It is one of those scents that people either love or hate. Those who hate it think that orange is too prominent. It is refreshing and perfect for the summertime.
4. Dior Eau Sauvage Parfum
Eau Sauvage for Parfum is a masterpiece on all fronts. It is good for all seasons, it could work day or night. In fact, with 9 hours of longevity, it could easily last a whole day.
When it was reformulated in 2011, they decided to go the less is more path, so it has a very simple composition with a top note of bergamot, a heart note of vetiver, and a base note of myrrh.
5. Aramis Eau De Toilette
Aramis EDT is probably the best known of the current men’s chypre perfumes. First launched in 1992, it is a casual scent that looks perfect for a weekend outdoors. It has all the classic notes: top notes of mugwort, bergamot, cinnamon, and gardenia that blend into a heart of pelargonium, patchouli, vetiver, and sandalwood followed by a dry leather, oakmoss, and amber.
6. Chanel Antaeus Eau de Toilette
Chanel Antaeus is an exquisite fragrance created in 1981 by Jacques Polge. Some of Chanel’s all-time bestsellers like Bleu de Chanel, Allure Pour Homme, and Egoiste (just to name a few) were created by Polge, so you know you’re getting a true work of art with Antaeus too. This fragrance begins with a fresh burst of citrus accords and a couple of herbaceous notes.
Not long after this wonderful opening, there is a scent of rose, some jasmine, and even more fresh herbs. Then suddenly a rough animalic aroma begins to take over. This castoreum note is strong, musky, aggressive, dark, sweaty, and eerie.
While it may be too much for some people, this primeval animal scent is exactly what gives Antaeus that extremely masculine, rebellious, mysterious, and edgy vibe. When this scent reaches the drying stage, the woody, balsamic, leathery, spicy, smoky, earthy, and animal scent remains. As you can see from the description, Chanel Antaeus is an absolutely complex fragrance that takes some time to fully develop, but it is an excellent experience for those who truly love distinct creations which is precisely why it is one of the best chypre fragrances.
Notes: The top notes of Chanel Anteo are lime, clary sage, Amalfi lemon, myrrh, bergamot, and coriander. The heart notes are thyme, basil, rose, and jasmine. The base notes are castoreum, patchouli, French labdanum, and oakmoss.
Best for: Chanel Antaeus is one of the chypre perfumes for men for true fragrance connoisseurs. Due to Antaeus’ brute strength, it should not be worn in spring or summer. During the winter, this is the perfect fragrance to wear if you want to get noticed by women.
7. Davidoff Zino EDT
Zino Davidoff is an extremely unique and truly masculine perfume. What you get from Zino is a well-blended vintage fragrance that smells like a high-quality niche cologne, but is extremely affordable, also downright cheap. It is fresh, woody, alcoholic, musky, balsamic, floral, rosy, aromatic, warm, and spicy. Zino is a very interesting fragrance that has a dark, sexy, refined, and deeply rich vibe.
Zino’s opening contains some flowers, woods, and herbs. Then a wonderful note of rose emerges along with a couple of additional flowers. There is also an alcoholic wine element added to this really nice point. Further on, a tobacco accord appears with a slight whiff of animal musk and a woody undercurrent. A sweet but subtle hint of vanilla is felt at the bottom, adding to the overall creative approach of Zino Davidoff.
Notes: Zino Davidoff’s top notes are lavender, bergamot, clary sage, and Brazilian rosewood. The heart notes are jasmine, lily of the valley, rose, and geranium. The base notes are sandalwood, tobacco, tonka bean, labdanum, patchouli, vanilla, and cedar.
Best for: Zino Davidoff is a fantastic woody chypre fragrance to wear throughout the fall and also throughout the winter. Zino can definitely be worn during the day, but it really shines at night because it has a strong sex appeal. You can wear this fragrance at outdoor parties, in bars and nightclubs, or for a romantic evening with your girlfriend. It can also be worn in the office and for formal events such as weddings.
8. Chanel N ° 19 Eau de Parfum
Its mint-colored chypre is not made up of 19 ingredients (the name derives from Mademoiselle’s birthday, which falls on August 19). But the notes we can explain are mostly fresh and green, there are also accents of powdery iris and a base of cedarwood and vetiver.
9. Clinique Aromatics Elixir
The dark shade of the juice gives it an almost medicinal, tonic-like quality. In fact, when it was launched in the 1970s, it was the first perfume for aromatherapy; a soothing blend of rose and chamomile, with notes of jasmine and seductive patchouli, vetiver, and amber.
10. Citizen Queen Juliette Has a Gun
This enviable French fragrance manages to mimic the typical Parisian style as it is bold but not gaudy. A rich base note of labdanum (labdanum is a dark, bitter resin from citrus shrubs) is warmed by a creamy leather heart, topped with notes of aldehyde.
See More: 5 Best Citrus Perfumes for Women