Fragrances are used in a variety of consumer products these days ranging from cosmetics, luxury goods, food services, manufacture of household chemical items, etc and therefore the composition of good fragrances has become increasingly important. The reason behind this is quite simple. Customers get attracted by the fragrance emitted by the product or the perfume and this leads to their purchasing it.

Composing perfumes that has the power to entice customers is the job of a perfumer who is often referred to as ‘the nose’. With their fine sense of smell and the in depth training obtained in the principles of perfume aesthetics, they are able to create delicate compositions which successfully convey a variety of moods and feelings. A good perfumer should have the essential knowledge in differentiating between different fragrances as well as the individual quality of each ingredient used.

The initial step in the composition of perfumes is very important though extremely tedious. The client gives a brief to the perfumer about the specifications required for a particular perfume which they have in mind. Accordingly, the concerned people start their work by researching on various aspects like the description of the smell of the perfume, the feelings that the smell is able to arouse in them, the desirable time of the day the perfume can be worn, the pricing factor, etc which can ultimately lead to the required aromatic ingredients which can be used in its composition.
The next step in the composition of the perfume is the blending of various ingredients so that it meets the specifications arrived during the brief. This process is time consuming and may take months or years, since it is very essential that the perfect blend is arrived at. Once it is achieved, the composition is used either in the manufacture of consumer products like shampoos, soaps, or other household goods, or sold directly as a perfume.

A main thing to be noted is that there is never a ‘perfect technique’ that can be used while formulating perfumes, even though several guidelines are available to this effect. Other than the base ingredients, a lot of perfumes make use of other substances like colorants, anti oxidants, etc with the purpose of enhancing the shelf life of the perfume as well as to influence the marketability of the product in a positive manner.

It is also to be seen that a lot of contemporary perfumers employ the technique of creating perfumes and colognes by making use of fragrances bases like aromatic chemicals and essential oils. There are various techniques employed to create such fragrances, but largely it is seen that ethyl alcohol and water are used to blend the fragrance oils which are left to age in large tanks for a specific period. This is later filtered and marketed as perfumes.

Tim Walt

Perfumes certainly make great gifts. They bring about a smile on the recipient’s faces and are considered as an ideal gift for any occasion. Perfumes can be gifted on just about any event like mother’s day, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. It makes an ideal gift most of the time since it tends to be very valued and treasured, especially if the particular fragrance happens to be a favorite with the recipient. Perfumes are available in a wide range of fragrances, types and packing to suit the taste of just about any individual.

A perfume happens to be a unisex gift. That is one of the reason why it can be safely gifted to both the sexes, since these days perfumes are equally desired not just by females, but by the male gender too. There are a variety of perfumes which cater exclusively to men. But before choosing a perfume as a gift, it would do well to know a bit about the person to whom you are gifting the scent because perfumes are essentially very personal products. The potency of the fragrance depends on the individual taste of the person who wears it and it depends on the person’s skin type too. It would always be better if you gift someone a perfume of their preferences so that it will be valued and appreciated all the time.

Getting to know the preference of the person to whom you are gifting the perfume can sometimes be tricky. But it can be managed in the midst of a casual conversation and once that part is done, the rest is comparatively easy. You can just pick up a fragrance to their liking and gift them at the appropriate time.

But in case it is not possible to find out about the recipient’s preferences, you do not need to despair. The next alternative would be to choose a scent which you feel is good. But nonetheless, it would be advisable to buy it from a store which permits an exchange because in case the scent you choose did not appeal to the recipient, he or she always has an option to get it exchanged for something of their choice.

Perfumes have to be selected according to the season, occasion, and of course, the skin type. The perfume should be brought according to the person’s age too. If you are uncertain about the preferences of the person, it would be a good idea to gift something like an eau de toilette or mist. A good fragrance will be always considered a treasured and pleasing gift.

Tim Walt

We’ve all tasted vanilla in various foods and frozen treats and appreciated its remarkable flavor. Perfumers have long known that the scent of vanilla is even more inspiring in perfume than it is in food and have used it for hundreds of years to impart a warm, velvety fragrance to everything from incense to perfumes for royalty. These days, nearly everyone can enjoy a fragrance of sensuous vanilla weaving its way through the other notes of a fine perfume. 

Vanilla, however, is very costly to grow and manufacture, requiring intense labor from nurturing the plant through pollination and harvest. Vanilla planifolia, a member of the orchid family, is a vine that can climb up to three hundred feet high and often is grown in the shade of larger trees due to its sensitivity to the rays of the sun. The beautiful blossoms of the orchid must be pollinated in order to produce the pods from which the oil for perfumes is extracted by distillation. Insects and hummingbirds are not considered reliable enough so workers begin at dawn to pollinate each blossom, which opens in the morning and closes forever by afternoon. The process is so labor intensive and the fruits of that labor so valuable that each individual pod is marked to prevent theft. 

So you can see why vanilla is so highly prized and is an ingredient in so many of the finer perfumes. Shalimar Light by Guerlain blends vanilla with jasmine petals and bergamot to produce a light and invigorating scent that is unmistakably feminine and alluring. Kenzo uses vanilla with violet and rose to make Kenzo Flower, a refreshingly light floral fragrance. Jean Paul Gaultier, the renowned designer, created a perfume by the same name using amber and wood essences with vanilla for an irresistibly male fragrance that exudes confidence. The use of vanilla in perfume is limited only by the skill and imagination of the perfumer.

Vanilla has also been produced synthetically due to the exorbitant cost of producing the natural product. In creating the aroma artificially, perfumers have put the wonderful fragrance of vanilla within reach of nearly everyone who enjoys its wonderful scent. In fact, synthetic vanilla often retains its aroma longer than the natural version due to its chemical composition. 

The rich, warm bouquet of vanilla has been prized for hundreds of years and rightly so. As far back as 1000 B.C., vanilla was a treasure both for the cupboard and for personal wear. This very basic yet indescribably delicious scent is a must for everyone’s perfume collection.

Tim Walt

Synthetic perfumes can imitate natural scents or create new ones that aren’t found in nature. From a fresh marine scent that can’t be obtained naturally to a sensuous orchid aroma that is highly prized but not attainable from natural sources, synthetic odors have been a boon to the perfume industry. 

Nearly all great perfumes contain synthetic molecules, not because synthetics are less expensive but because perfumers can create scents that evoke memories and emotions that nature lacks the raw materials for. All of Chanel’s perfumes contain synthetic components as do every other truly remarkable perfume. Methyl dihydrojasmonate, for instance, imparts the sense of pure light and clean air that imitates the scent and feel of water, an aroma not possible to imitate with any natural ingredients. 

Many lovers of perfume harbor a strong prejudice against synthetics, thinking they cheapen true perfume. Nothing could be further from the truth! The world-famous Chanel No. 5 would be mediocre without synthetic aldehydes developed in 1903. Cheap? The best synthetic creations, much like rare natural ingredients such as true vanilla, are very expensive. A truly wonderful synthetic ingredient can cost up to $1200 per pound. 

Synthetics can also prevent allergic reactions. There are many people who love the scent of Sandalwood but have allergic reactions when they try to wear perfume containing it. A synthetic named Sandalore prevents that reaction and brings joy to the allergy sufferer. As an added bonus, synthetics help to preserve our natural environment. The sandalwood forests in India have been harvested at an alarming rate to sate our thirst for their fragrance in perfumes, soaps, and other everyday products. Many perfumers, seeing the destruction of natural resources for the sake of commerce, are turning to synthetics in order to serve their customers while preserving the earth’s beauty for their own children and grandchildren. 

Take musk, for example. The musk deer was hunted to the point of endangerment up till a couple of decades ago when synthetic musk was developed and laws enacted to protect the animal. Synthetic musk not only lasts longer than the real thing, the guilt factor is removed completely. You can wear your favorite musk-based perfume knowing that no suffering was involved for innocent animals. 

In summary, you can make a nutritious dinner using only natural ingredients and practices such as baking your own bread over a fire but why would you want to? Artificial methods and growing practices have greatly enhanced our lives and our health. Synthetic perfumes, in the same way, not only protect our natural resources but allow us to enjoy a large spectrum of truly remarkable and memorable scents that would normally be out of reach.

Tim Walt

Perfumes have become an unavoidable part of our final ‘touch up’. Smelling good automatically translates to ‘feeling good’ too and the sort of confidence that a good perfume can impart is indeed noteworthy. Today, a wide range of fragrances are manufactured by different perfume houses and their number keeps increasing by the day too. These products make use of various ingredients and flavors according to the trend of the day or according to the needs of the various clienteles. Due to the increasing influx of perfumes that are available today, it has become increasingly difficult to choose the perfect fragrance that compliments a person.

Perfumes should be chosen with the utmost care and attention. What suits one need not necessarily be suitable for some other person. That is because of the difference seen in their skin and sweat conditions. Therefore, the ideal way to choose the right perfume would be to try it on the skin before making a purchase so that the person gets know if the smell suits them or not.

Today, we find that just about any toiletry or cosmetic for that matter contains fragrance in them. Soaps, lotions, creams, deodorants, after shaves etc come with their own individual stamp of fragrance and they are able to attract a whole lot of consumers. It is very important that you select a fragrance which goes well with your personality and in fact, enhances it considerably. Perfumes are an excellent way to create your style mantra and are very effective in leaving a lasting and lingering impression on others too.

Today, we find various types of perfumes in the market. There are lighter fragrances for day or office wear and heady scents for party occasions. There are fruity scents, citrus scents, floral scents, and a wide range of other combinations which may leave one totally confused. Identifying your type of scent comes out of a lot of trial and error and it is ideal that you try it on your wrist and wait for some time before making that payment.
Perfumes and deodorants helps in keeping the human body cool, fresh, relaxed, sexy and confident all day long. So it is very important that the right fragrance be selected to enhance these qualities. A pleasant smell leaves a lasting impression on people and care should be taken to select a fragrance that suits your personality and increases your confidence. Select the lighter and delicate scents for day wear and leave the stronger and heavier fragrances for that evening party or night out.

Perfumes should be stored carefully so that it lasts for a longer time. Perfumes can retain their freshness and quality for longer times if preserved in the right conditions.

Tim Walt

Perfumes have become an integral and inevitable part of our attire and today, we can find thousands of fragrances in the market. Although, in ancient times, perfumes were created out of pure floral distillations, today we see that perfumes are created with more of synthetic chemicals or various animal and plant matter derived through artificial means. This, though economically feasible, can result in various health hazards, the prime one of which is considered to be perfume allergies.

Allergies caused due to using perfumes or due to being around others who use perfumes can be seen commonly these days. Identifying the cause of these allergies becomes all the more difficult since it is very difficult to know the ingredients which go into the creation of the said fragrance as the formulas are a closely guarded secret in the industry.

The problem is not just restricted to perfumes alone. Regular household cleaners, air fresheners, cosmetics, hair spray, shampoos, scented candles; etc can bring about devastating reactions on people who are allergic to the particular scent. The mildest form of such allergies may be a simple rash or triggering off a headache, but in its most severe form, perfume allergies can also cause a full blown attack of asthma.
Perfume allergies are very commonly found these days. This sometimes happens in confined spaces, say for instance an office, where lots of people are forced to work in close proximity and it becomes inevitable when you are forced to take in the smell of the perfume that your co-worker is wearing, and which in turn results in an allergy. The only solution in this aspect would be to either request the person to stop wearing perfume to work or to shift your seat to a different area. But this is really not practical all the time and it becomes a problem if the company policies are a bit rigid.

Other common symptoms found in the course of perfume allergy are runny nose, watery and itchy eyes, wheezing, coughing, sneezing, etc.  when you come across such symptoms when wearing that particular perfume or being near someone who is wearing the perfume, you can be sure that it is a case of allergy. But it is very difficult to diagnose the problem mainly due to the fact that this is the last thing that comes to the mind of people. Allergies are seldom connected with perfumes and even doctors sometimes confuse it with other seasonal allergies.

Another thing to be taken into account is that not all perfumes may trigger off an allergy since the composition differs according to the type of perfumes.  So, do pay attention to your surroundings so that you are able to identify the particular fragrance that triggers off an allergic reaction in you.

Tim Walt

Base notes, or the longest lasting elements of perfumes, are usually dominated by the scents of wood. There are many different kinds of woods used for perfumes including cedar, rosewood, juniper, pine and agarwood. The oils and distilled essences from these and other woods are very important even to perfumes where you don’t detect their fragrance. In many scents, the woods are used to accentuate other aromas.

Sandalwood, perhaps the best known of all these fragrant woods, grows in India and other parts of Asia. Synthetics are often used for sandalwood, as the forests have been severely decimated from over-harvesting for perfumes and many other wood products. It not only serves as an important note in perfume, it is an excellent fixative that can anchor other scents. B-United by Benetton uses sandalwood as a base note as well as elements of citrus and floral notes.

Agarwood is another Asian tree that grows mainly in Laos and produces a very fragrant oil and resin that perfumers love. Only the smallest bit of the oil is necessary to scent a room and it can take up to twelve hours to unfold. It will last on a person’s skin for more than a whole day and when applied to a porous material such as wooden boxes or cloth the scent can actually last for months. It is also said to have spiritual qualities and to improve access to hidden memories. Perfumers prize its deep and complex aroma. Yves Saint Laurent and Amouage perfumers both use agarwood as a base note in their premium fragrances.

Oudh oil resin, from the Aquilaria tree in Asia, is produced from trees infected with a parasitic fungus. The growth causes them to produce a resin in the heart of the tree over a period of, sometimes, hundreds of years before the infection kills the tree and leaves the resin behind to be chipped away. This resin, called Aloeswood, is very rare and considered the most sacred oil on earth. Its delicious aroma is used only in the finest, most premium perfumes. The lower quality resin is shredded and distilled then dried and used for incense. 

Cedar is another wood valuable in perfumery. Besides the wood’s decay-resistance, its aroma is so fresh and rich that it was used in building the famous temple of King Solomon. Onyx by Azzaro combines spices with citrus and apple, using cedar wood ad juniper to give the scent a refreshing, carefree aroma with delicious lingering signature.

Without aromatic woods, perfumes would lose much of their personality. Synthetic versions of some of these woods have seen increasing use as the forests become decimated from harvesting. Synthetics are often longer lasting than natural oils and give forests time to regenerate, allowing us to enjoy the fragrance of our favorite woods.

Tim Walt

Aldehydes are benzenoid compounds, used to help make synthetic ingredients for perfume. These organic chemicals are a mixture of oxygen, carbon and hydrogen and are often combined with alcohol and natural plant materials and have a strong diffusive effect; that is, they enable the ingredients in a perfume to expand and inundate the formula and enhance their properties. In addition, they can make a perfume “sparkle” and boost the top notes, or the scent immediately noticeable when the perfume is first applied. A perfume with aldehydes is notable for its rich, opulent properties. First used in Chanel no. 5, many modern perfumers such at Yves Saint Laurent and Givenchy take advantage of the sophisticated properties of aldehydes. 

Ernest Beaux, a Russian-born chemist, was the first to use aldehydes in a cologne he named Bouquet de Napoleon to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Borodino. After his work in World War One as both an infantryman and counterintelligence officer with the Russian army, he returned to Paris and continued his experimentation with aldehydes and in 1920 he perfected the fragrances that would become the world famous perfumes, Chanel No. 5 and Chanel No. 22. 

Before adelhydes, nitro benzene was used in perfumes along with fatty acids that mimicked the fragrances of fruit and flowers. With the cost of distilling, pressing and grinding various plants, herbs and other objects in order to get oils and liquid, perfume was out of reach for the woman of ordinary means. Indeed, wealthy women often wore their favorite fragrances specifically for the purpose of flaunting their social station. 

The use of adelhydes with natural oils allowed perfumers to lower their overhead in creating their scents instead of compromising on quality. Scents must have a very precise combination of ingredients with the adelhydes to achieve their aromas. For instance, amyl cinnamic aldehyde is found in many commercial products such as shampoos, fabric softeners and other domestic toiletries and exudes a pleasant floral bouquet. Hexyl adelhydes, on the other hand, produces a fruity fragrance. Aldehydes are particularly well suited to subtle, feminine perfumes or when a more elegant ambiance is desired.

Simply put, aldehydes allow the prime ingredients of a perfume to expand and permeate the base materials. They act as conductive agents, much as a the stalk of a water lily allows the blossom to grow and thrive. Without them, perfumers would still be able to create unique scents but the aroma would not last nearly as long or be consistent throughout the mixture. 

Today, most high quality perfumes make use of aldehydes to enhance not only the scent of their products but the natural ingredients that the contain. Some rare components such as Frankincense can be used a bit more liberally, thanks to aldehydes. The scarcity of Frankincense, a product of the bark of the Boswallia tree, makes perfume containing it very expensive but without aldehydes it would be out of reach for even a millionaire. Other equally hard to find or manufacture ingredients that are highly prized among creative perfumers are available for use thanks to aldehydes. 

Tim Walt

Patchouli, originally native to Asia, is now cultivated in tropical areas throughout the world. 
A bushy herb of the mint family and distantly related to lavender and
rosemary, it is reluctant to flower and is propagated by cuttings. 
Patchouli rocketed to popularity during the hippie movement of the 60’s
when people began challenging traditional ideas. 
Trying different scents that weren’t widely accepted or even known
about was par for the course in that particular era. 
Once Patchouli caught on, however, it eventually became a common
ingredient in perfumes, soaps and incense.  Its
rich exotic scent reminds one of earth and wood, making it a popular ingredient
in perfume. 

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POUR HOMME BY JACQUES BOGART(MEN) – Price : $21.02

Patchouli is also very useful to
perfumers as a fixative that blends well with other ingredients, substantially
slowing their evaporation and allowing the scent to last longer. 
It is usually harvested by steam distillation and has very good yields,
the leaves producing 3.5% of their weight in oil. 
Patchouli leaves are said to be best if processed as quickly as possible
after harvesting but some producers prefer to bale dried leaves and allow them
to ferment a bit to encourage their earthy scent. 
Aging is an important part of processing the leaves, as they have a
rather harsh aroma when first picked.  The
oil mellows with time, becoming sweeter and richer-much as fine wine does as it
ages. 

 

Both men’s and women’s perfumes use
patchouli for its rich, warm fragrance redolent of nature and sunshine. 
High quality oil is demanded by the best perfumers; patchouli that has
been altered by additives to stretch its quantity has a cedar wood or clove-like
scent and its fixative powers are severely impeded. 
The best patchouli oil is fruity, sophisticated and has a wine-like
richness. 

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Patchouli is ideal for men and women who
like to wear fresh scents inspired by nature. 
Bogart Pour Homme by Jacques Bogart, a men’s cologne first marketed in
2004, uses patchouli as a base to preserve and compliment its other notes of
vanilla, bergamot and water lily tempered by tonka bean. 
Cristalle, a women’s fragrance by Chanel, combines patchouli with rose
and amber with an aldehyde fixative for a fresh scent of summer days full of
sunshine and cool, breezy evenings with a hint of dew. 
As you can see, patchouli is very versatile and allows other components
to shine while subtly lending its own unique and earthy bouquet to the formula.  

 

Tim Walt

Amber is well known for its rich, earthy and exotic fragrance.
Popular due to it being natural, good alternative to diluted perfume oils
or synthetic perfumes.  Amber resin
is great to wear as a solid because the scent gets stronger as it’s heated by
the body or the sun.

 

Making amber perfume begins with Liquidambar Orientalis, a deciduous amber
resin tree that is native to the eastern Mediterranean region of Europe ,
sometimes called the Oriental Sweetgum.  The
most basic form of amber perfume is made by mixing it with beeswax and benzoin
gum to create a rather tacky-feeling solid that’s very easy to apply. 
This simple form of amber scent has been shown through biofeedback to
have a psychoactive effect, acting as a relaxant to the brainwaves.

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Amber perfume was distilled hundreds of years ago from ambergris, which was
commonly found floating on the oceans.  Ambergris,
believe it or not, is a digestive secretion of the sperm whale that is flammable
as well as aromatic.  It was natural
that in years past when the whale population was many times what it is today
that ambergris was easily found and used not only for perfuming but as fuel for
lamps.  Since then, of course,
perfumers have discovered amber resin which is the preferred method of producing
not only amber perfume but adding the scent to combinations of other elements.

   

PROVOCATIVE
BY ELIZABETH ARDEN
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Because of its woodsy nature, amber is often used in scents manufactured for
men.  Aramis by Aramis, for example,
combines amber with musk, jasmine and bergamot to produce a very masculine scent
that women love their men to wear.  Cartier
adds lavender, mint, musk and wood to amber to make their popular Pasha De
Cartier for men.

Amber’s basic and earthy properties make it ideal for so many formulas
that there is a wide variety of perfumes both masculine and feminine that
feature it.  It can enhance woodsy
scents as well as floral; Provocative by Elizabeth Arden uses subtle amber
undertones to compliment its lotus, orchid and lily features.

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Amber perfumes have long been popular in the Middle East, Far East and
Europe , particularly because its aroma goes well with so many other scents,
drawing out subtle properties of flowers, herbs and fruits. 
Hundreds of years ago it was distilled, as most perfumes were, drawing
out the liquid from the resin in order to add it to other scents, for use by
itself or even in lamps, incense and candles. 
In India and Persia (now Iran ) it was a luxury reserved for royalty,
used to perfume the hair and clothing of kings and their favorite wives.

 

Amber’s woodsy fragrance is so versatile that today it is used not only in
perfumes but in shampoos and other toiletries, sachets for linens or clothing
and even air fresheners for the house or the car. 
Most scents aren’t as universally liked as amber has always been and
its appeal throughout the centuries certainly hasn’t diminished in modern
times.

 

Tim Walt