Cedar in perfume: what it smells like and which FAAN bottles use it

What cedar smells like, and what it does not

Cedar is dry. It is not creamy like sandalwood, not sweet like vanilla and not smoky like oud. Think of pencil shavings, a cigar box or the inside of a wooden drawer. It is clean and a little sharp, with a faint dusty sweetness.

Because of this, cedar rarely stars in a scent. It gives other notes something to stand on, and it makes a perfume feel tidy.

How perfumers use cedar: top, heart or base

Cedar can appear at any height, but it is most often in the heart or base because wood is a slow material. It lasts longer than flowers and fruit. In the heart, it keeps things dry and firm. In the base, it makes a clean, woody floor. The FAAN range does both, which is a good way to hear the difference. For more on the layers, see top, heart and base notes explained.

Cedar in the FAAN range

Note that Sahm lists "cedar" and Al-Badr and Bidaya list "cedarwood". They are the same family of woody character, written differently on the product pages.

What it is paired with in these pyramids

• Coral: cedar closes a fresh pyramid of pear, citrus and ginger. With ambrofix, musk and akigalawood it makes a clean, almost laundry-like base.
• Sahm: cedar sits between blue coumarin and lavender. It stops the heart from drifting into sweetness, before the oud and leather arrive.
• Al-Badr: cedarwood pairs with iris and sage. The result is the calm, powdery, dry feel the product page promises.
• Bidaya: cedarwood with opoponax, a balsamic resin, so the wood is warmer and slightly sweet. Saffron on top, vanilla bean, benzoin and leather at the base.

How cedar ages on skin

Cedar changes less than most notes. In Coral it arrives late, after the pear, when you lean in around the third hour. In Sahm it is a firm middle that you smell between the fruit and the oud. In Al-Badr and Bidaya it is there from about the first hour, which is why those two feel steadier from start to finish than Coral does.

Wearing advice: season, sprays, who tends to like it

Cedar is season-neutral. The bottles reflect that: Coral for spring and summer, Sahm for autumn and spring, Al-Badr for autumn, winter and spring, Bidaya for autumn and winter. Cedar fans usually like a dry, tailored scent, and they tend to avoid sugar. Two sprays are enough for any of the four. If you want the quietest way to wear cedar to work, take Al-Badr, which is listed for the office. See also how long Al-Badr lasts.

If you like cedar, start with Amjad Coral

Coral is the easiest bottle in the range, with cedar clearly audible in the base once the pear and citrus have gone. It costs €44.99 and is one of our best sellers. For a drier, more powdery take, try Al-Badr. For a deeper, resin-rich take, Bidaya. The Qasida line, the Amjad line and the full range cover all four.

FAQ

Is cedar a woody or a fresh note?

Both, depending on what sits next to it. With pear and citrus, as in Coral, it reads fresh. With resin and leather, as in Bidaya, it reads warm.

Which FAAN bottle is best if I only want a dry wood?

Qasida Al-Badr, which pairs cedarwood with iris and sage and has no strong sweetness in the heart.

What if the bottle is sold out?

Use the notify option on the product page. Delivery takes 3 to 6 working days in the Netherlands and 5 to 8 in the rest of the EU.

Related reading

• A notes map of the FAAN range
• FAAN Amjad Coral described note by note
• Top, heart and base notes explained