Carnation
peppery clove-like flower, spicier than it looks
In 50 of 1747 fragrances here, most often worn in spring
What it is
Restricted and now mostly reconstructed, built around eugenol, the same molecule that dominates clove.
What it smells like
Peppery and clove-like with a soft floral underneath, spicier than the flower looks. It was a staple of early twentieth century perfumery and now reads as distinctly old fashioned, which some houses use deliberately.
Where it sits
Which layer of the pyramid it is listed in, across every fragrance here that carries it. A base note is one you smell for hours; a top note is usually gone within the first.
What it turns up with
How much more often than the catalogue average. 1.0x would be chance, so these are the things that genuinely travel with it rather than the things that are simply common.
When it is worn
Against the average fragrance here. The line marks that average, so a bar past it means this is worn in that season or setting more than most.
Houses that use it most
Counted across the fragrances here, which reflects what we cover as much as what a house makes.
Versace (6), Givenchy (5), Hugo Boss (5), Guerlain (4), Hermes (4), Amouage (3).
The description above is written here. The counts, pairings and seasons are measured across every fragrance on this site that lists it. We have not smelled every bottle behind those numbers.
Fragrances with carnation
The best known of them, each with its full note pyramid and its cheaper alternatives.
