In short: oakmoss smells like a damp, shady forest floor. It is earthy and green, a little inky or salty, with a soft sweetness underneath.
What oakmoss smells like
Picture the bark of an old tree after rain, or the cool smell of a forest where the sun doesn't reach the ground. Oakmoss is rich and mossy without being sharp, and it has a slightly leathery, almost seaweed-like depth. It is the smell many people mean when they say a candle smells "like the woods."
Where it comes from
Despite the name, oakmoss is not a moss. It is a lichen, Evernia prunastri, that grows on the bark of oak trees and other hardwoods, mostly in the Balkans and Morocco. It is gathered, then extracted with solvents into a thick, dark green material.
Natural oakmoss contains compounds that can irritate sensitive skin, so international fragrance standards now limit how much can be used, and perfumers use specially treated versions or recreations. Our candles use fragrance oils built around the moss note.
How it is used
Oakmoss is a base note, and a famous one. It is the third leg of the chypre, a perfume structure built on bergamot on top, labdanum in the middle and oakmoss at the base. That structure, named after François Coty's Chypre of 1917, sits behind a long line of classic perfumes.
What it pairs with
- Bergamot and other citrus, for the classic chypre
- Patchouli and vetiver, for deep woodland
- Cedarwood and pine, for a forest
- Rain, earth and ozone notes, for wet-weather scents
Our candles with moss notes
- Zeus: oakmoss with cedar and bergamot, a classic chypre-style blend.
- Petrichor: green moss and damp soil, the smell of rain on dry ground.
- Viridian: moss, oak, sage and sandalwood under bright citrus.
- Deep Mountain: moss and balsam with eucalyptus and green apple.
- California Redwoods: moss, cedar, pine and embers.
Common questions
Is oakmoss the same as the moss in my yard? No. Garden moss smells mild and green. Oakmoss is a lichen with a much stronger, richer smell.
What does "chypre" mean? It is French for Cyprus, and names a family of perfumes built on citrus, labdanum and oakmoss.
Explore more notes in our Fragrance Notes A to Z, or browse our Woody & Earthy candles.