Lily is a rich, creamy floral note inspired by lilies such as the Madonna lily, Easter lily and Oriental hybrids like Casablanca. It smells sweet, spicy and green, with a honeyed, slightly indolic depth, and because lilies yield almost no extract, the note is usually recreated as an accord.
What does Lily smell like?
Lily smells lush and intense: creamy and honeyed, with a spicy, clove-like side, a fresh green stem note and sometimes a slightly animalic, indolic warmth. Certain varieties add a peppery facet and an almost savoury, meaty undertone. It is creamier and spicier than lily of the valley, which is fresh and green, and less heady than tuberose. Perfumers can interpret lily as fresh and aquatic or dense and exotic.
How perfumers create Lily
Perfumers build lily from materials such as linalool, benzyl salicylate, eugenol, isoeugenol, methyl benzoate and indole, often supported by ylang-ylang, jasmine, tuberose and spicy notes. Green and aquatic molecules give a fresher effect, while vanilla and musk make it richer.
- Also known as: Lys, Lilium
- Fragrance family: Floral (white floral)
- Type: Accord (created by the perfumer)
- Key aroma molecules: Linalool, eugenol, isoeugenol, benzyl salicylate, indole
Lily in perfume history
Lilies have been symbols of purity and beauty for millennia, especially the Madonna lily in Christian iconography. In antiquity, lily perfumes such as the Greek and Roman susinum were made by macerating flowers in oil. Modern lily perfumes emerged in the 20th century, with Serge Lutens's Un Lys and Frédéric Malle's Lys Méditerranée (2000) often cited as benchmarks.
Lily in modern perfumery
Lily is a popular note in white floral and fresh floral fragrances, and it is often combined with other white flowers. Niche perfumers use it to create dramatic, spicy compositions, while mainstream fragrances often focus on its fresh, green side.
How Lily wears and what it pairs with
Lily is a heart note with strong diffusion and good longevity. It pairs with jasmine, tuberose, ylang-ylang, clove, vanilla, musk, sandalwood and green notes.
Fragrances featuring Lily
- Serge Lutens Un Lys
- Frédéric Malle Lys Méditerranée (2000)
- Cartier Baiser Volé (2011)
- Tom Ford Lys Fumé (2012)
Safety and regulation
Lily accords often contain eugenol and isoeugenol, which are EU-declarable allergens, and isoeugenol is restricted by IFRA.
