Spicy

Pepper

Note Profile

Botanical 2,841 perfumes

Also Known As

Black Pepper, Bourbon Pepper, Hot Pepper, Indian Pepper, Long Pepper, Madagascar Pepper, Pepperwood™, Red Chili Pepper, Tasmanian mountain pepper, Timut Pepper, White Pepper

About

Black or pink pepper

Scent Profile

Pepper in perfumery offers a vibrant, dry spiciness with subtle woody and citrusy undertones. Black pepper is brisk and piquant, while pink pepper is softer, with rosy and slightly fruity nuances. The note can evolve from sharp and sparkling to warm and lingering as it dries down.

ScentWheel

Breadthfocused

EnvelopeHeart · ~8h lasting

Family Spicy

Read off the wheel, not a label applied to the note.

What this is made of

Pepper absolute

A natural extract

CAS 91770-90-0

Pepper absolute (IFRA NCS), Piper nigrum. Deliberately NOT peppermint oil, which a first-word name match returns and which is a different facet entirely.

How the layers join

Origin

Black pepper is sourced from the dried berries of Piper nigrum, primarily cultivated in India, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Pink pepper comes from the berries of Schinus molle or Schinus terebinthifolia, grown in South America. Both are extracted for perfumery use through steam distillation or CO2 extraction.

Usage in Perfumery

Pepper is commonly used as a top or heart note to impart brightness and lift, often paired with citrus, florals, or woods. It adds complexity to both masculine and unisex fragrances, and can enhance the freshness or warmth of a composition depending on its concentration and blending partners.