Sweet Amber Fougère is subfamily C3 (Fougère Ambrée Douce) of the Fougère family in the SFP table. It keeps lavender and coumarin but replaces the bitter moss with a sweet base: vanilla, benzoin, Tolu balsam, labdanum, tonka. The SFP also has C2 Floral Amber Fougère (Fougère Fleurie Ambrée) where the floral layer is stronger. This page uses the path fougere-amber for the C2 and C3 area, focused on C3.
This is the border zone between the Fougère and Amber families. The same structure can be placed in either, depending on whether lavender or vanilla dominates.
Guerlain's Jicky, composed by Aimé Guerlain in 1889, is the earliest example of this area: lavender, bergamot, coumarin and synthetic vanillin over balsams and animalic notes. Jicky is placed sometimes in Fougère, sometimes in Amber. Synthetic vanillin was then available only since 1874 and synthetic coumarin since 1868; Jicky used both.
In structure, the top is lavender, bergamot, sometimes clary sage; the heart is geranium, orris, sometimes orange flower or rose (a strong floral layer tilts the structure towards C2); the base is coumarin, vanilla, benzoin, Tolu balsam, labdanum and musks. The sweetness of vanilla softens the hay-like dryness of coumarin.
Coumarin is a labelled allergen in the EU and has its own IFRA Standard. Vanillin, lavender oil and extracts, and linalyl acetate are named on the expanded list of Regulation (EU) 2023/1545. Crude Peru balsam must not be used under IFRA; only extracts are allowed.
The SFP website publishes only subfamily names; perfume lists per subfamily are in the printed Classification officielle des parfums. Perfumes named here are commonly cited examples, not official SFP placements.
| Layer | Materials |
|---|---|
| Top | Lavender, Bergamot, Clary sage |
| Middle | Geranium, Iris (orris), Orange flower absolute |
| Base | Tonka bean, Vanilla, Benzoin, Balsam Tolu, Labdanum, Coumarin, Vanillin |
A natural version stays close to the original structure: lavender and FCF bergamot at the top; geranium and a little orris in the heart; tonka, vanilla absolute or CO2, benzoin, Tolu balsam and labdanum in the base. Tonka supplies both coumarin and a caramel facet.
Without synthetic animalic notes, ambrette can add musk-like warmth. Total coumarin from all sources must be calculated against IFRA limits. This page gives no formula percentages.
| Name | House | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jicky | Guerlain | 1889 | Aimé Guerlain. Lavender, coumarin, synthetic vanillin; classified variously as Fougère or Amber. |
| Coumarin, vanillin, linalyl acetate · Coumarin · Vanillin · Linalyl acetate | The three molecules of the structure. |
| Top and middle · Lavender · Bergamot fcf · Geranium | Lavender, bergamot, geranium. |
| Sweet base · Tonka · Vanilla · Benzoin · Tolu balsam · Labdanum · Ambrette | The amber part of C3. |
Updated 09/2026. Figures follow the year stated in each source.
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