What Does Cedarwood Smell Like? Your New Fave Fragrance

The beautifully aromatic scent of cedarwood has encapsulated fragrance enthusiasts for many years. Its natural, woody tones are timeless and are one of the oldest ingredients in perfumery.

Despite its maturity, cedarwood has stood the test of time and is still a wildly popular scent for both men and women.

But what does cedarwood smell like? In this blog post, you’ll discover:

• What cedarwood smells like,
• What scents smell similar to cedarwood
• Some favorite fragrances containing cedarwood
• And more, so keep on reading

What Does A Cedarwood Fragrance Smell Like?

The fragrance for nature lovers, cedarwood is the perfect blend of soft, woody scents with an undertone of citrus. The notes produced from cedarwood give a lovely fragrance rich in earthy elegance.

Many people experience a feeling of nostalgia with cedarwood, with a scent comparable to No. 2 pencils from their school days.

Others compare the fragrance to times in their childhood when their father would open his cigar box and study the day’s newspaper or when sitting around a crackling campfire.

We like to describe cedarwood with these notes:

• Fresh and earthy
• Gently wood tones
• Slightly spicy
• Hints of balsamic
• Undertones of resin

Compared to other wood fragrances, such as pine and sandalwood, cedarwood offers a consistently softer scent that is cooling and light.

What Scents Smells Similar To Cedarwood?

There are several scents that share similarities with Cedarwood, including:

1. Sandalwood – Like Cedarwood, Sandalwood has a warm, woody aroma with a hint of sweetness. It’s often used in men’s fragrances and is also used in aromatherapy to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety.
2. Patchouli – Patchouli has an earthy, musky scent similar to Cedarwood. It’s often used in incense and perfumes and is known for its grounding and calming properties.
3. Vetiver – Vetiver has a smoky, woody scent similar to Cedarwood but with a hint of grassiness. It’s often used in men’s fragrances and is known for its calming and soothing effects.
4. Pine – Pine has a fresh, woody scent similar to Cedarwood but with a sharper, more resinous quality. It’s often used in cleaning products and air fresheners and is known for its refreshing and invigorating properties.
5. Cypress – Cypress has a fresh, woody scent with a hint of sweetness similar to Cedarwood but with a brighter, uplifting quality. It’s often used in men’s fragrances and is known for its calming and energizing effects.

Overall, these scents share similarities with Cedarwood, but each has its own unique character and fragrance profile.

What Is Cedarwood?

The natural, woody scent of cedarwood is derived from all parts of the cedarwood evergreen tree. Its leaves, needles, bark, and berries – no part of the tree is left out. The oil can be extracted by cold pressing, steam distillation, or carbon dioxide distillation.

There are different types of cedarwood trees, all producing their unique scent of cedarwood. Most cedarwood fragrances are produced in the United States from the Virginian cedar tree, sometimes known as the red cedar.

Why Choose Cedarwood Fragrance?

Cedarwood not only smells great, but it is also widely used in aromatherapy due to its stress-relieving qualities, which can reduce anxiety and decrease hyperactivity.

Studies have suggested this due to the presence of Cedrol in the wood, which is well known for its calming effects on mood.

As well as its soothing effect, cedrol is also known for stimulating the production of serotonin, which is a key component in mood stabilization and inducing feelings of happiness and relaxation.

Therefore, those who suffer from anxiety or depression may benefit greatly from incorporating the soothing scent of cedarwood into their everyday lives. 

What Fragrances Contain Cedarwood?

Some of my favorite fragrances containing cedarwood are:

Byredo Super Cedar Eau De Parfum

Key fragrance notes: rose petals, cedar, musk, vetiver

The deep, woody scents of this will make people think you have just woken up from a deep sleep in a cedar closet. The woody tones meet beautifully with the rose undertones to create the perfect natural fragrance.

Ellis Brooklyn Myth Eau De Parfum

Key fragrance notes: amber, cedar, vanilla

The warm scents of cedar match the sweet vanilla tones in Super Amber. The mixture of fragrances evokes the feeling of walking through the auburn leaves in Autumn.

Estée Lauder Aerin Cedar Violet Eau De Parfum

Key fragrance notes: violet, lily of the valley, cedar, gardenia, amber, sandalwood

An elegant mix of woods and flowers. A few sprays of Aerin Cedar and people will think you are fresh from a mountain hike, surrounded by evergreens and wildflowers.

The Nue Co. Forest Lungs

Key fragrance notes: vetiver, cedar, benzoin, pine, patchouli, bergamot

Forest lung smells as the name suggests. Transport yourself into the crisp wilderness with this scent, with the notes blending seamlessly together to create the scent of mountain hikes and dense forest walks.

Jo Malone Tangy Rhubarb Cologne

Fragrance notes: rhubarb, orange, cedar

A bottle of wood and citrus. The musky wood tones blend seamlessly with the sweet zing of orange and rhubarb to create this mature, fresh scent.

What Other Scents Go Well With Cedarwood? 

If you are looking for the ultimate woody smell, pair cedarwood with the musky fragrance of sandalwood, resulting in a smoky, warm fragrance.

Alternatively, cedarwood is often paired with citruses and florals, balancing the sweet and savory tones to create something beautiful. The best citrus scents to match cedarwood include orange, ginger, and grapefruit.

Conclusion On What Does Cedarwood Smell Like

Cedarwood is a great scent choice if you are searching for that perfect light earthy fragrance. Cedarwood holds enough tones to be a classic scent all on its own, but blending with fresh, citrus, or floral notes can create a crisp freshness to the fragrance.

This timeless fragrance evokes the feeling of standing in a vast forest surrounded by nature.