Aromatic Fougère is subfamily C5 of the Fougère family in the SFP table. It keeps the lavender, geranium, coumarin and oakmoss frame and adds clear herbs: rosemary, sage, tarragon, basil, juniper, anise, thyme.
This is the branch tied to most men's fragrance of the 1970s and 1980s. On Michael Edwards' wheel the name Aromatic Fougère covers the whole Fougère family, not only this branch.
Azzaro pour Homme (1978) is often cited as the typical example: lavender, anise, basil and sage at the top over oakmoss, leather and tonka. Davidoff's Cool Water (1988), composed by Pierre Bourdon, keeps the lavender and herbal frame but uses dihydromyrcenol at high dose, adds marine and green fruit notes, and reduces oakmoss. It opened the fresh Fougère style of the 1990s.
The herbs in C5 carry many regulated constituents. Estragole in tarragon, basil and anise is restricted. Anethole, camphor and linalyl acetate are named on the expanded allergen list of Regulation (EU) 2023/1545, as are lavender oil and extracts. Coumarin was already a labelled allergen and has its own IFRA Standard. Oakmoss must be low-atranol.
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, Rosemary, Clary sage, Anise, Tarragon |
| Middle | Geranium, Basil (linalool CT), Juniper, Thyme linalool |
| Base | Oakmoss, Tonka bean, Vetiver, Patchouli, Coumarin |
A natural version relies on lavender or lavandin, rosemary, clary sage, linalool basil and juniper for the herbs; geranium for the heart; tonka or deertongue for coumarin; low-atranol oakmoss, vetiver and patchouli for the base.
The fresh metallic effect of dihydromyrcenol has no natural equivalent; distilled lime and juniper suggest part of it. Total coumarin and estragole must be calculated against IFRA limits. This page gives no formula percentages.
| Name | House | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azzaro pour Homme | Azzaro | 1978 | Lavender, anise, basil over oakmoss and tonka. |
| Cool Water | Davidoff | 1988 | Pierre Bourdon. High dihydromyrcenol; fresh aromatic Fougère. |
| Main constituents and restricted substances · Coumarin · Linalool · Estragole · Anethole e · Camphor | Coumarin, linalool, estragole, anethole, camphor. |
| C5 herbs · Lavender · Lavandin · Rosemary · Clary sage · Basil linalool ct · Juniperberry · Tarragon | Top and middle. |
| Coumarin and moss · Tonka · Deertongue · Oakmoss | The Fougère base frame. |
Updated 09/2026. Figures follow the year stated in each source.
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