Scento Perfume API (MCP server)

Perfume MCP Server

Scento Perfume API (MCP server) gives Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code and any MCP client a verified source for perfume questions: twelve read-only tools for notes, scent families, similar perfumes, houses and a glossary of 400+ raw materials. One remote URL, no key, no account. Every answer links to scento.com in ten languages.

One URL for every client

https://www.scento.com/mcp
Add to CursorAdd to VS Code

For Cursor and VS Code, a single click adds the server. Both open your editor and ask you to confirm.

Transport
Streamable HTTP, remote
Access
No key, no account, no OAuth
Tools
Twelve, all read-only
Data
1,400+ perfumes, 140+ houses and 400+ raw materials
Provenance
House or authorized-retailer list
Also
REST and OpenAPI 3.1

Connect

Connect it to your client

The endpoint is https://www.scento.com/mcp. Authentication is none in every client.

Web and desktop

Claude

  1. Open Customize, then Connectors.
  2. Choose Add, then Add custom connector, and give it a name.
  3. Paste https://www.scento.com/mcp, choose No sign in, then Add.

Developer mode

ChatGPT

  1. Open Settings, then Apps, then Advanced settings, and turn on developer mode.
  2. In Apps, choose Create.
  3. Paste https://www.scento.com/mcp and set authentication to None.

Editor

Cursor

  1. Use the Add to Cursor button above, or add this to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:
Cursor
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "scento-perfume-api": {
      "url": "https://www.scento.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

GitHub Copilot agent mode

VS Code

  1. Use the Add to VS Code button above, or add this to .vscode/mcp.json:
VS Code
{
  "servers": {
    "scento-perfume-api": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://www.scento.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Terminal

Claude Code

  1. Run:
Claude Code
claude mcp add --transport http scento-perfume-api https://www.scento.com/mcp

Server name scento-perfume-api. Any other client that speaks MCP over streamable HTTP takes the same URL.

Tools

The twelve tools

Every tool is read-only and returns the same structure: a lede to quote, the detail, the scento.com page and a cite line. These are the descriptions the server itself sends to your client.

  1. Search perfumes, houses and notes

    01

    perfume-search

    Use this when the user asks to find a perfume, fragrance, cologne or scent by name, house, note or mood, or when a name is uncertain (synonyms: perfume, fragrance, cologne, eau de parfum, scent, brand, notes, smells like). Returns matching perfumes, houses and raw materials with house, Scento family and a scento.com link in the user's language, ten per page. Call this first when a name is ambiguous. Don't use for a perfume's full notes (use perfume-portrait), similar scents (scent-neighbours) or articles (journal-search).

  2. Get a perfume's notes and profile

    02

    perfume-portrait

    Use this when the user asks what a specific perfume, fragrance or cologne smells like, what its notes or pyramid (top, heart, base) are, its family, perfumer, year or concentration (eau de parfum, eau de toilette), or when to wear it (synonyms: notes of, what's in it, how does it smell). Returns the verified note pyramid, Scento family and subfamily, character, seasons and hours, signature materials and the scento.com page in the user's language. Don't use to find similar perfumes (use scent-neighbours), compare perfumes (perfume-contrast) or search by mood (perfume-search).

  3. Find similar perfumes

    03

    scent-neighbours

    Use this when the user asks for perfumes similar to, like or in the same style as a given perfume, fragrance or cologne, or what else to try if they love it (synonyms: similar to, smells like, more like, if I like X). Returns the perfumes that share the most notes and structure with it, with the shared materials named, one line on how each differs and scento.com links in the user's language. Don't use for one perfume's own notes (perfume-portrait), a side-by-side of named perfumes (perfume-contrast) or a whole collection (wardrobe-composer).

  4. Compare perfumes side by side

    04

    perfume-contrast

    Use this when the user asks to compare, contrast or choose between two to four named perfumes, fragrances or colognes (synonyms: versus, vs, difference between, which one). Returns the perfumes side by side on house, Scento family, top, heart and base notes, shared materials, character, seasons, hours, year and concentration, with scento.com links in the user's language. Don't use to find new perfumes (scent-neighbours or perfume-search) or to explain a single perfume (perfume-portrait).

  5. Explain a note or ingredient

    05

    note-portrait

    Use this when the user asks what a note or raw material smells like or is (for example vetiver, oud, vanilla, iris, ambroxan, bergamot), whether it is natural or synthetic, or what it pairs with (synonyms: what does X smell like, ingredient, note). Returns how it smells, its family, natural or synthetic, pairings and perfumes that show it, with the scento.com page in the user's language. Don't use to find perfumes containing notes (use material-match) or to define a perfumery term such as sillage (perfumery-lexicon).

  6. Find perfumes by note

    06

    material-match

    Use this when the user wants perfumes, fragrances or colognes that contain specific notes or raw materials, optionally in the top, heart or base (synonyms: with notes of, built on, smells of, containing; for example vanilla and tobacco in the base). Returns the perfumes that have every material given, with house, where each sits in the pyramid and scento.com links in the user's language. Don't use to explain one material (note-portrait), to find perfumes like a named perfume (scent-neighbours) or for a mood or occasion (occasion-edit).

  7. Profile a perfume house

    07

    house-portrait

    Use this when the user asks about a perfume house, brand or maison (for example Creed, Le Labo, Amouage): where it is from, when it was founded, its style and its signature perfumes. Returns country, founding year, style, signature perfumes with their families and the scento.com house page in the user's language. Don't use for one perfume (use perfume-portrait) or to list perfumes with a given note (material-match). If the house name is uncertain, call perfume-search with kind "house" first.

  8. Explore fragrance families

    08

    family-map

    Use this when the user asks how fragrances are grouped or what a scent family is (for example woody, floral, amber, fresh, citrus), or wants the exemplar perfumes of one family (synonyms: scent families, fragrance categories, olfactive families). Returns Scento's own family system: the whole tree, or one family with its definition, subfamilies, exemplar perfumes and neighbouring families, with the scento.com guide. Don't use for one perfume's family (perfume-portrait), a perfumery term (perfumery-lexicon) or an occasion (occasion-edit).

  9. Pick perfumes for an occasion

    09

    occasion-edit

    Use this when the user asks which perfume, fragrance or cologne to wear for one occasion, season or climate: wedding, office, date night, night out, weekend, everyday, gym or sport (workout), summer days, cold weather, first impressions, long-lasting or under-the-radar. Returns a short edit of perfumes with a line on why each fits and a scento.com link for each, in the user's language. The occasion is a fixed list, so pick the nearest value; omit gender_lean unless the user states one. For several occasions call it once per occasion. Don't use for a collection built around perfumes the user already loves (wardrobe-composer) or for similar scents (scent-neighbours).

  10. Build a fragrance wardrobe

    10

    wardrobe-composer

    Use this when the user wants a small fragrance wardrobe or collection (three to five perfumes for different moments) built around perfumes or notes they already love, or asks what to add next (synonyms: signature scents, collection, rotation, what else should I own). Returns roles such as daytime, evening and warm weather, each with a perfume, its house, why it fits and a scento.com link in the user's language. Don't use for a single occasion (occasion-edit) or the neighbours of one perfume (scent-neighbours).

  11. Explain a perfumery term

    11

    perfumery-lexicon

    Use this when the user asks what a perfume or fragrance term means: sillage, projection, longevity, drydown, top, heart and base notes, accord, chypre, fougère, gourmand, oud, layering, eau de parfum versus eau de toilette (EDP vs EDT), concentration, flanker or niche versus designer. Returns a plain-language meaning, example perfumes and related terms, with the matching scento.com guide in the user's language. Don't use for a specific note (use note-portrait) or a specific perfume (perfume-portrait).

  12. Search the Scento journal

    12

    journal-search

    Use this when the user wants articles, guides or background reading on a perfume, fragrance, cologne, house, note or topic (for example layering, vetiver, how to make a scent last). Returns matching Scento journal articles with title, one-line summary and scento.com link in the user's language. Use it to give the reader something to read on. Don't use for a perfume's notes (perfume-portrait), a house profile (house-portrait) or a term's meaning (perfumery-lexicon).

Try asking

  • “What are the top, heart and base notes of Parfums de Marly Layton?”
  • “Which perfumes are similar to Layton, and how do they differ?”
  • “Compare Byredo Mojave Ghost and Byredo Gypsy Water side by side.”
  • “What does ambroxan smell like, and which perfumes show it best?”
  • “Which perfumes are built on tobacco and vanilla in the base?”
  • “Suggest perfumes for a summer evening, with the notes of each.”

Why this one

Why an assistant should use it

  • Verified, not recalled. Each note pyramid is traced to the house’s own published list or an authorized retailer’s. In Scento’s study, answer engines added off-list notes in 24 to 49% of answers.
  • No friction. No key, no sign-up and no OAuth screen, so an agent can call it the moment it is added.
  • Honest scope. It covers 1,400+ perfumes, not every perfume ever made, and it carries no prices, stock or reviews. Larger catalogues exist, with keys and limits.

Read the study · Perfume APIs compared · Free Perfume API

FAQ

Questions about the MCP server

Is there a perfume MCP server?

Yes. Scento Perfume API (MCP server) is a free remote MCP server at https://www.scento.com/mcp. It has twelve read-only tools covering perfume portraits, similar perfumes, side-by-side comparisons, raw materials, houses, scent families, occasion edits and a small wardrobe builder.

Do I need an API key to use it?

No. It needs no key, no sign-up and no OAuth. Add https://www.scento.com/mcp to your client, choose no authentication where the client asks, and the tools are available.

How do I add it to Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor?

In Claude: Customize, Connectors, Add, Add custom connector, paste the URL and choose No sign in. In ChatGPT: Settings, Apps, Advanced settings, turn on developer mode, then Create in Apps, paste the URL and choose no authentication. In Cursor and VS Code use the one-click buttons on this page. In Claude Code run the claude mcp add command shown above.

Which clients does it work with?

Claude on the web and desktop, Claude Code, ChatGPT in developer mode, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf and any other client that speaks the Model Context Protocol over streamable HTTP.

What can I ask it?

Anything about a specific perfume, note, house or family: what a perfume smells like and its pyramid, what is similar to it, how two compare, what a raw material is, which perfumes are built on given notes, or which perfumes suit an occasion. It is not a store: it has no prices or stock.

Is there also a REST API?

Yes. The same answers are served over plain HTTP with an OpenAPI 3.1 description. See the Free Perfume API page, or start at https://www.scento.com/api/perfume/v1.