Woody fragrances

Almost every fragrance you can name stands on wood. Cedar, sandalwood and vetiver are the load-bearing walls of perfumery: they give a scent dryness, spine and that faintly expensive furniture-shop warmth that reads as "put together" rather than "wearing perfume". Because woods sit in the base, this accord is less about the first spray and more about how a scent smells at hour four, which is why woody fragrances tend to age well on skin and rarely embarrass you at the office. The range is huge: Dior Sauvage uses woods to anchor a loud fresh opening, Bleu de Chanel wraps them in citrus polish, and Baccarat Rouge 540 turns them airy and strange. If you are new to the family, sample Bleu de Chanel first; it is the textbook.