Find Your Scent: What Does Balsam Smell Like?

When you’re setting out to find your signature scent, you might come across balsam and be at a loss for what this ingredient is. 

Thankfully, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about this fresh, bright scent to help you find your new go-to Snif fragrance. 

What Is Balsam?

Balsam essential oils come from the twigs and needles of the balsam fir, a coniferous tree belonging to the pine tree family native to Canada and the United States. 

Chances are you’ve seen a balsam fir without realizing it, because they’re a popular Christmas tree choice due to their pyramidal shape, non-prickly needles, and, of course, their amazing smell. 

What Does Balsam Smell Like?

Speaking of that amazing smell, let’s examine the three elements that define balsam's smell: green, woody, and fresh. 

Green

Balsam has an undeniably green smell, which is another way of saying it smells like a plant. Other green fragrances include eucalyptus and pine. 

Woody

Although balsam has a fresh, bright fragrance, it is also woody and earthy. This gives the fragrance a grounding, calming edge. 

Fresh

If you’ve ever walked through a forest after a rainstorm, then you might have an idea about the kind of freshness balsam brings. Slightly sweet and spicy, balsam is the kind of scent that will make you feel energized with just one whiff. 

What Scents Pair Well With Balsam?

Balsam is beloved during the holiday season and in the world of perfumery. In this section, we’ll take a close look at the scents that pair well with balsam. 

Cedarwood

Another member of the woody family, cedarwood offers a slightly rich, fruity take on balsam, a more classic woody fragrance. 

Juniper

Although they say opposites attract, juniper and balsam might be proof that like attracts like. Juniper has a crisp, slightly spicy scent that, combined with balsam, can make a fragrance as invigorating as a hot shot of espresso in the morning. 

What Are Some Scents That Use Balsam?

It’s time to dive into some of our favorite Snif fragrances that use balsam. In this section we’ll take a look at Dead Dinosaur and Sweet Ash, two scents that just might become your new signature. 

Dead Dinosaur

If you sometimes find yourself pining over the classic smells of gasoline and a well-loved engine on a road trip, look no further than Dead Dinosaur. 

With a blend of gasoline accord, pink pepper, ginger, magnolia flower, orris, davana, cedarwood, Peru balsam, and amber woods, this gasoline fragrance is a tribute to the classic car experience. 

Sweet Ash

For something more subtle, there’s Sweet Ash. This vanilla fragrance features juniper, bergamot, fir balsam, tonka, vanilla bean, white moss, and patchouli. Sweet and earthy, this is the kind of scent that you can come back to time and time again. 

Get To Know Your New Go-To

At this point, we hope you’re ready to try a fragrance with balsam, the epitome of woody freshness in the world of perfumery. If balsam sounds right up your alley, consider adding Dead Dinosaur or Sweet Ash to your scent collection. 

Sources:

SPECIES: Abies balsamea | US Forest Service

Cedarwood Oil: Making It More Aromatic, More Available | USDA ARS

Effects of inhaled ginger aromatherapy on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and health-related quality of life in women with breast cancer | NIH

A Master Perfumer's Reflections on Patchouli and Vetiver | The MIT Press Reader