Fragrance note
Leather Perfumes
A leather perfume is a fragrance in which a leather note sets the character – sometimes soft as suede, sometimes smoky, dry and dark. Because leather itself yields no fragrance oil, the note is built as an accord, classically from birch tar and the molecule isobutyl quinoline.
More about Leather Perfumes
Knowledge
How the note behaves
Soft suede
Velvety, light and powdery, often with iris, violet or flowers. Elegant for every day.
Oriental with oud
Leather with saffron, oud and rose. Deep, warm and festive.
Smoky & dark
With birch tar, tobacco or incense. Bold, for autumn and winter evenings.
Curious factGrasse was a tanning town first: because the leather smelt so strongly, gloves began to be perfumed. In 1614 the king recognised the guild of glovers-perfumers – the beginning of Grasse as the city of perfume.
Knowledge to share
Myth or truth?
Statement 1
The leather scent in perfume comes from real leather.
Myth. Leather accords are built from birch tar, resins and molecules – real leather never goes into the bottle.
Statement 2
Russia leather owes its scent to birch.
True. The famous Russia leather was treated with birch-bark oil, and its smoky scent was regarded as a mark of quality.
Statement 3
The perfume town of Grasse has its roots in tanning.
True. In the 17th century, tanners in Grasse grew jasmine to perfume their leather.
Your result
DISCOVER LEATHER PERFUMESFrequently asked questions
Is real leather used in leather perfumes?
No. Leather yields no fragrance oil. The note is an accord, built from materials such as birch tar, isobutyl quinoline, resins and animalic accents.
Are leather fragrances only for men?
No. Suede with iris or flowers feels distinctly feminine, while smoky leather is bolder. Many fragrances in this edit are unisex.
How long does a leather fragrance last?
Leather usually sits in the base and is among the most long-lasting parts of a perfume. Exactly how long depends on the concentration and your skin. With every bottle from 30 ml, we include a 2 ml sample of the same fragrance.
Related notes
4D Journal
Leather in perfume: How does something smell that was never in the bottle?
Read more
2 ml samplewith every bottle from 30 ml
Free shippingto Austria and Germany from €200
Boutique Bregenzevery fragrance to try
