Mint

What it is

Peppermint and spearmint, steam distilled from the leaves. Different species differ sharply: spearmint is sweeter, peppermint carries far more menthol.

What it smells like

Cool and sharp, with an actual cooling sensation on skin caused by menthol triggering the same receptors cold does. That physical effect is why mint reads as refreshing rather than merely smelling green.

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.

Jean Paul Gaultier (14), Armaf (7), Hugo Boss (7), Azzaro (6), Calvin Klein (5), Paco Rabanne (5).