The amber perfume family (sometimes referred to as Oriental) is vast – it includes super-sweet vanillas and caramels, spicy cloves and gingers, and skin-hugging musk notes. Soft amber perfumes explore the gentler side of this large family.
While looking for soft amber scents, keep an eye out for notes like incense, cloves, and tonka bean. While most fragrances of this type have a distinct amber note in dry down, others use musk, ambroxan, or other warm notes.
Read on to see our top nine soft amber perfumes, including masculine, feminine, and unisex scents.
Our Top 9 Soft Amber Fragrances
Best Niche Soft Amber Perfume
Inspired by Frank Herbert's Dune series, Spice Must Flow by Etat Libre d'Orange is both addictive and worth invading a planet for. Anything but subtle, this 2019 unisex fragrance is excellent for any time you want to make a statement.
A top note of cardamom transitions into a heart of Turkish rose and ginger. The dry down offers a warm, but not too heavy, incense note. Do not be afraid of the rose here – it gives anything but old lady vibes.
PROS: Big, bold, and unique
CONS: Not a good work perfume, too heavy for some
- Sillage: Very good
- Longevity: Very good
- Appropriate for: Date night
- Price: $$$
Best Value Soft Amber Perfume
Dead Sexy by Tokyo Milk is true to its name. Orchid, vanilla, and woodsy notes combine to make a slightly powdery and sweet amber perfume. The vanilla in this 2000 unisex fragrance by Margot Elena is not gourmand, just spicy and warm.
The sillage and longevity here are pretty good for the price point. If you want extra staying power, this one is a great candidate for layering with spicy or gourmand scents.
PROS: Warm scent at a great price point
CONS: Too powdery for some
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Good
- Appropriate for: The office, cold weather
- Price: $
Best Floral Amber Perfume
There is something for everyone to like in Mmmm… by Juliette Has A Gun. This feminine amber perfume from 2016 has fruity raspberry in the top notes, fresh tuberose, iris, and jasmine in the heart, and warm vanilla and sandalwood in the dry down.
If you like perfumes with amber and sandalwood, you should definitely check this one out. It is light enough to wear to work but sweet and romantic enough for date night.
PROS: Gently sweet amber perfume
CONS: Too basic for some
- Sillage: Very good
- Longevity: Very good
- Appropriate for: Everyday
- Price: $$
Best Soft Amber for Men
Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier is a classic for a reason. This early Francis Kurkdjian scent from 1995 is as bold as its blue torso-shaped bottle.
Top notes of lavender, mint, and cardamom move into a heart of cinnamon, orange blossom, and caraway. Notes of vanilla, tonka bean, and amber come in the dry down. Wear this one out on the town - you will make it a night to remember.
PROS: Spicy and distinctive
CONS: Can be a little overwhelming
- Sillage: Very good
- Longevity: Very good
- Appropriate for: Date night
- Price: $$
Best Amber Vanilla Perfume
Vanilla and almond make delicious additions to a soft amber base in Almond Harmony by House of Oud. If you find most gourmand fragrances too sweet and overwhelming, give this subtle, floral-infused unisex scent from 2016 a try.
Almond, orange blossom, and bergamot are the top notes. A heart of rose, ylang-ylang, and iris shifts to a dry down of vanilla, tonka bean, and musk. The overall scent is reminiscent of Chinese almond cookies.
PROS: Sweet, subtle, and creamy
CONS: Some find it a bit artificial
- Sillage: Excellent
- Longevity: Very good
- Appropriate for: Everyday
- Price: $$$
Best Deceptively Simple Soft Amber
Alien by Mugler is a bit divisive. It only has three main notes, and detractors find it too heavy and blunt. But for us, this 2005 feminine scent by Dominique Ropion and Laurent Bruyere is powerful and unique.
There is a top note of jasmine, a heart of woods, and a dry down of amber. The scent tends to wear differently depending on skin type, so definitely try it before you buy. If you like Ropion's other big, distinctive scents, you will feel at home here.
PROS: Distinctive and attention-grabbing
CONS: Jasmine is overpowering to some
- Sillage: Excellent
- Longevity: Excellent
- Appropriate for: Date night
- Price: $$$
Best Soft Amber Perfume from a Major House
Perfume can inspire wonderful feelings, and L'Ambre des Merveilles by Hermes smells like a used bookstore from a dream. Amber and labdanum notes combine to evoke old ink and paper, and a salty-sweet vanilla note smells like warm skin. Patchouli adds a touch of earthiness.
This 2012 unisex-leaning feminine amber perfume by Jean-Claude Ellena is light enough for the office but more than sexy enough for a date. It is also great for layering with other scents. This may be the best amber perfume ever.
PROS: Soft, sweet, and evocative
CONS: Fades too quickly for some
- Sillage: Very good
- Longevity: Very good
- Appropriate for: Everyday
- Price: $$$$
Best Masculine Niche Soft Amber
Equal parts charming and edgy, 1740 Marquis de Sade by Histoires de Parfums lives up to its namesake. And as you might expect, this 2000 masculine scent is not for the faint of heart, either. Save this one for special occasions or when you really want to make an impression.
Top notes of artemisia and bergamot move into a heart of patchouli, cardamom, and coriander. The dry down is complex, with cedar, leather, labdanum, and elemi just some of the notes.
PROS: Bold perfume
CONS: Too bold for the office
- Sillage: Excellent
- Longevity: Excellent
- Appropriate for: Special occasions
- Price: $$$
Best Soft Amber Perfume for Summer
Even soft amber can sometimes be too heavy or sweet for hot weather. That is not the case with Pink Canyon by Skylar. This unisex vegan, cruelty-free, and clean beauty fragrance from 2021 is light enough to wear anytime.
Top notes of grapefruit, lemon, and sage transition into magnolia and lily-of-the-valley in the heart. The dry down features salt, amber, and musk notes. If you are a fan of Jo Malone or Juliette Has a Gun's Not a Perfume, give this one a go.
PROS: Great for summer or the gym
CONS: Citrus smells a bit chemical to some
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Very good
- Appropriate for: Warm weather
- Price: $$
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Final Thoughts
Soft amber scents have a ton of variety – they can be sweet, spicy, woody, and warm.
They can work in the office, on a date, and more. Use our top picks to start exploring this great fragrance sub-family.
Selena Marc is a fragrance enthusiast, freelance writer, and dog mom living in Houston, Texas. When she's not writing about her favorite new perfumes, you can find her enjoying yoga or a morning hike.
