Ingredient Guide
Geosmin, also rendered in Japanese as geosumin or jeosumin, is an organic compound that smells like the ground after rain. Its name comes from the Greek geo (earth) and smin (smell). It was first isolated and named geosmin by Gerber and Lechevalier in 1965.
It is also responsible for musty odors from sewers and the muddy smell of freshwater fish such as carp. This is because it is produced by microorganisms. In perfume, a synthetic fragrance material is used.
A similar fragrance material is petrichor.
What Does It Smell Like in Perfume?
In perfume, geosmin gives a cool, damp, earthy outline reminiscent of wet soil, roots, moss, and the air after rain. Geosmin is a single molecule also produced by soil microorganisms. Because its earthy or musty scent can be perceived at very low concentrations, a slight difference in amount can greatly change the impression. Petrichor, in which green, earthy, and watery elements overlap, is an expression of a complex scent, not the same thing as geosmin on its own.
Choosing Geosmin Fragrances
Your choice may depend on whether geosmin appeals as the smell of earth after rain or as a damp shadow around flowers. Paired with rose, it offers a contrast between flowers and soil. Fragrances with vetiver, patchouli or incense also bring the depth of roots and resins.
Fragrances to Explore
Hermann à mes côtés me paraissait une ombre (Etat Libre d’Orange)
The official notes name geosmin alongside rose, incense, black pepper, vetiver and patchouli. A fragrance in which damp earth adds shadow to bright flowers.
Find Your Next Fragrance
To explore more fragrances through the notes you enjoy, open our Fragrance Finder. Choose “Favorite fragrances & notes”, then search under “Favorite notes”. Select from the suggestions shown and press “Next”. You can start with notes even if you do not have a favorite fragrance.
