This page will contain wikis about Perfume, as they become available.PerfumePerfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils and aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents used to give the human body, objects, and living spaces a lasting and pleasant smell. The amount and type of solvent mix with the fragrance oil dictates whether a perfume is considered a perfume extract, Eau de parfum, Eau de toilette, or Eau de Cologne. Bottles of some notable commercial perfumes: (clockwise from top left) Bois De Violette, Serge Lutens, 1992; Angel, Thierry Mugler, 1994; Shalimar, Guerlain, 1925; Beyond Paradise, Estée Lauder, 2003; No. 5, Chanel, 1921 (Pre-1950 bottle); Cabochard, Parfums Grès, 1959 (original bottle); Bellodgia, Caron, 1927; Arpège, Lanvin, 1927 (original bottle); Nombre Noir, Shiseido, 1981; Mitsouko, Guerlain, 1919; Pour Un Homme, Caron, 1934.Description of a perfumeShelves of perfumesIt is impossible to describe a perfume according to its components because the exact formulas are kept secret. Even if the formulas are known, the ingredients are often too numerous to provide a useful classification. On the other hand, it is possible to group perfumes into olfactive families and describe them through the notes that appear as they slowly evaporate. Perfumes can also be classified according to their concentration. Olfactive familiesTraditionally, fragrances can be classified into several olfactive families, by the themes, or accords, of these fragrances.
Fragrance NotesA mixture of alcohol and water is used as the solvent for the aromatics. On application, body heat causes the solvent to quickly disperse, leaving the fragrance to evaporate gradually over several hours. The rate of evaporation (vapor pressure) and the odor strength of the compound partly determine the tenacity of the compound and determine its perfume note classification.
ConcentrationPerfumes oils, or the "juice" of a perfume composition, are diluted with a suitable solvent to make the perfume more usable. This is done because undiluted oils contain volatile components that would be too concentrated for people with sensitive skin or allergies. Although dilutions of the perfume oil can be done using solvents such as jojoba, fractionated coconut oil, and wax, the most common solvents for perfume oil dilution is ethanol or a mixture of ethanol and water. The percent of perfume oil by volume in a perfume is listed as follows:
As the percentage of aromatic compounds decreases, the intensity and longevity of the scent decrease. It should be noted that different perfumeries or perfume houses assign different amounts of oils to each of their perfumes. As such, although the oil concentration of a perfume in eau de parfum dilution will necessarily be higher than the same perfume in eau de toilette form, the same trends may not necessarily apply to different perfume compositions much less across different perfume houses. Famous perfumes classified by year of creation
Natural and synthetic aromaticsPlant sourcesPlants have long been used in perfumery as a source of essential oils and aroma compounds. These aromatics are usually secondary metabolites produced by plants as protection against herbivores as well as to attract pollinators. Plants are by far the largest source of fragrant compounds used in perfumery. The sources of these compounds may be derived from various parts of a plant. A plant can offer more than one source of aromatics, for instance the aerial portions and seeds of coriander have remarkably different odors from each other. Orange leaves, blossoms, and fruit zest are the respective sources of petit grain, neroli, and orange oils.
Animal sources
Synthetic sourcesSynthetic aromatics are created through organic synthesis from various chemical compounds that are obtained from petroleum distillates, pine resins, or other relatively cheap organic feedstock. Synthetics can provide fragrances which are not found in nature. For instance, Calone, a compound of synthetic origin, imparts a fresh ozonous metallic marine scent that is widely used in contemporary perfumes. Synthetic aromatics are often used as an alternate source of compounds that are not easily obtained from natural sources. For example, linalool and coumarin are both naturally occurring compounds that can be cheaply synthesized from terpenes. Orchid scents are usually not obtained directly from the plant itself but are instead synthetically created to match the fragrant compounds found in various orchids. The majority of the world's synthetic aromatics are created by relatively few companies. They include:
Each of these companies patent several processes for the production of aromatic synthetics annually. See Aroma compound Obtaining natural odorantsBefore perfumes can be composed, the odorants used in various perfume compositions must first be obtained. Synthetic odorants are produced through organic synthesis and purified. Odorants from natural sources require the use of various methods to extract the aromatics from the raw materials. The results of the extraction are either essential oils, absolutes, concretes, or butters, depending on the amount of waxes in the extracted product. All these techniques will to a certain extent, distort the odour of the aromatic compounds obtained from the raw materials. This is due to the use of heat, harsh solvents, or through exposure to oxygen in the extraction process which will denature the aromatic compounds, which either change their odour character or renders them odourless.
Fragrant extractsAlthough fragrant extracts are known to the general public as the generic term "essential oils", a more specific language is used in the fragrance industry to describe the source, purity, and technique used to obtain a particular fragrant extract. Of these extracts, only absolutes, essential oils, and tinctures are directly used to formulate perfumes.
Composing perfumesPerfume oils usually contain tens to hundreds of ingredients. Included in the perfume are fixatives, which bind the various fragrances together, include balsams, ambergris, and secretions from the scent glands of civets and musk deer (undiluted, these have unpleasant smells but in alcoholic solution they act as preserving agents). The mixture is normally aged for one year. History of perfume and perfumeryEgyptian scene depicting the preparation of Lily perfumePerfumery, or the art of making perfumes, began in china and India but little evidence remains. In ancient Egypt a great deal was recorded and we have a relativley clear account of the considerable importance of perfume in their daily lives. It was developed and further refined by the Romans and the Arabs. The world centre of perfumery has moved over the centuries depending upon who has had the economic and political power. Knowledge of perfumery came to Europe as early as the 14th century. During the Renaissance period, perfumes were used primarily by royalty and the wealthy to mask bodily odors resulting from the sanitary practices of the day. In the Islamic culture, perfume usage has been documented as far back as the 6th century and its usage is considered a religious duty. The Prophet Muhammad said, "The taking of a bath on Friday is compulsory for every male Muslim who has attained the age of puberty and (also) the cleaning of his teeth with Siwak (type of twig used as a toothbrush), and the using of perfume if it is available." (Recorded in Sahih Bukhari) Partly due to this patronage, the western perfumery industry was created. By the 18th century, aromatic plants were being grown in the Grasse region of France to provide the growing perfume industry with raw materials. Today, perfume creation is dominated by a handful of very large multi national companies - IFF (USA), Givaudan (Switzerland), Firmenich (Switzerland), Takasago (Japan) and Quest (UK). Perfumers were also known to create poisons; for instance, a French duchess was murdered when a perfume/poison was rubbed into her gloves and was, thus, slowly absorbed into her skin. Health and ethical issuesUse of AromaticsIn some cases, an excessive use of perfumes may cause allergic reactions of the skin. For instance, acetophenone, limonene, oakmoss etc while present in many perfumes, are also potential allergens. It is important to note that there is no benefit from creating a perfume exclusively from natural materials. There are several reasons for this:
Natural MuskMusk was traditionally taken from the male musk deer Moschus moschiferus. This requires the killing of the animal in the process. Although the musk pod is produced only by a young male deer in oestrus musk hunters usually did not discriminate between the age and sex of the deers. Due to the high demand of musk and indiscriminate hunting, populations were severely depleted. As a result, the deer is now protected by law and international trade of musk from Moschus moschiferus is prohibited:
Due to its legality, rarity, high price, and ethical reasons, it is the policy of most perfume companies to use synthetic musk in place of natural musk for ethical reasons. Numerous synthetic musks of high quality are readily available. approved safe by IFRA. Celebrity Endorsed PerfumesIn recent years, some celebrities have signed contracts with perfume houses to associate their name with a signature scent, as a lucrative self-promotion campaign. The scents are then heavily marketed; the association with the celebrity's name usually being the selling point of the campaign. Celebrity Scents
Promotional scents associated with fictional characters
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The scents are then heavily marketed; the association with the celebrity's name usually being the selling point of the campaign. Pop may also be used as a name:. In recent years, some celebrities have signed contracts with perfume houses to associate their name with a signature scent, as a lucrative self-promotion campaign. Pop may refer to:. approved safe by IFRA. the name of a character in Happy Tree Friends. Numerous synthetic musks of high quality are readily available. the name of the first month of Haab, the Mayan solar calendar. Due to its legality, rarity, high price, and ethical reasons, it is the policy of most perfume companies to use synthetic musk in place of natural musk for ethical reasons. a colloquial term for 'father'. This means that these musk deer and their derivatives are banned from international commercial trade." [1]. Post Office Protocol. The musk deer populations of Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan are included in Appendix I of CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. a computer program instruction, see stack (computing). "Musk deer are protected under national legislation in many countries where they are found. Pop (television channel). As a result, the deer is now protected by law and international trade of musk from Moschus moschiferus is prohibited:. Pop (album), a 1997 album by U2. Due to the high demand of musk and indiscriminate hunting, populations were severely depleted. Soda pop (shortened form). Although the musk pod is produced only by a young male deer in oestrus musk hunters usually did not discriminate between the age and sex of the deers. Pop is one of three animated mascots of Rice Krispies. This requires the killing of the animal in the process. Popcorn (shortened form). Musk was traditionally taken from the male musk deer Moschus moschiferus. Lollipop (shortened form). There are several reasons for this:. Pop (frozen snack). It is important to note that there is no benefit from creating a perfume exclusively from natural materials. Pop icon. For instance, acetophenone, limonene, oakmoss etc while present in many perfumes, are also potential allergens. Pop art. In some cases, an excessive use of perfumes may cause allergic reactions of the skin. Pop music. Perfumers were also known to create poisons; for instance, a French duchess was murdered when a perfume/poison was rubbed into her gloves and was, thus, slowly absorbed into her skin. Pop culture. Today, perfume creation is dominated by a handful of very large multi national companies - IFF (USA), Givaudan (Switzerland), Firmenich (Switzerland), Takasago (Japan) and Quest (UK). By the 18th century, aromatic plants were being grown in the Grasse region of France to provide the growing perfume industry with raw materials. Partly due to this patronage, the western perfumery industry was created. The Prophet Muhammad said, "The taking of a bath on Friday is compulsory for every male Muslim who has attained the age of puberty and (also) the cleaning of his teeth with Siwak (type of twig used as a toothbrush), and the using of perfume if it is available." (Recorded in Sahih Bukhari). In the Islamic culture, perfume usage has been documented as far back as the 6th century and its usage is considered a religious duty. During the Renaissance period, perfumes were used primarily by royalty and the wealthy to mask bodily odors resulting from the sanitary practices of the day. Knowledge of perfumery came to Europe as early as the 14th century. The world centre of perfumery has moved over the centuries depending upon who has had the economic and political power. It was developed and further refined by the Romans and the Arabs. In ancient Egypt a great deal was recorded and we have a relativley clear account of the considerable importance of perfume in their daily lives. Perfumery, or the art of making perfumes, began in china and India but little evidence remains. The mixture is normally aged for one year. Included in the perfume are fixatives, which bind the various fragrances together, include balsams, ambergris, and secretions from the scent glands of civets and musk deer (undiluted, these have unpleasant smells but in alcoholic solution they act as preserving agents). Perfume oils usually contain tens to hundreds of ingredients. Of these extracts, only absolutes, essential oils, and tinctures are directly used to formulate perfumes. Although fragrant extracts are known to the general public as the generic term "essential oils", a more specific language is used in the fragrance industry to describe the source, purity, and technique used to obtain a particular fragrant extract. This is due to the use of heat, harsh solvents, or through exposure to oxygen in the extraction process which will denature the aromatic compounds, which either change their odour character or renders them odourless. All these techniques will to a certain extent, distort the odour of the aromatic compounds obtained from the raw materials. The results of the extraction are either essential oils, absolutes, concretes, or butters, depending on the amount of waxes in the extracted product. Odorants from natural sources require the use of various methods to extract the aromatics from the raw materials. Synthetic odorants are produced through organic synthesis and purified. Before perfumes can be composed, the odorants used in various perfume compositions must first be obtained. See Aroma compound. Each of these companies patent several processes for the production of aromatic synthetics annually. They include:. The majority of the world's synthetic aromatics are created by relatively few companies. Orchid scents are usually not obtained directly from the plant itself but are instead synthetically created to match the fragrant compounds found in various orchids. For example, linalool and coumarin are both naturally occurring compounds that can be cheaply synthesized from terpenes. Synthetic aromatics are often used as an alternate source of compounds that are not easily obtained from natural sources. For instance, Calone, a compound of synthetic origin, imparts a fresh ozonous metallic marine scent that is widely used in contemporary perfumes. Synthetics can provide fragrances which are not found in nature. Synthetic aromatics are created through organic synthesis from various chemical compounds that are obtained from petroleum distillates, pine resins, or other relatively cheap organic feedstock. Orange leaves, blossoms, and fruit zest are the respective sources of petit grain, neroli, and orange oils. A plant can offer more than one source of aromatics, for instance the aerial portions and seeds of coriander have remarkably different odors from each other. The sources of these compounds may be derived from various parts of a plant. Plants are by far the largest source of fragrant compounds used in perfumery. These aromatics are usually secondary metabolites produced by plants as protection against herbivores as well as to attract pollinators. Plants have long been used in perfumery as a source of essential oils and aroma compounds. As such, although the oil concentration of a perfume in eau de parfum dilution will necessarily be higher than the same perfume in eau de toilette form, the same trends may not necessarily apply to different perfume compositions much less across different perfume houses. It should be noted that different perfumeries or perfume houses assign different amounts of oils to each of their perfumes. As the percentage of aromatic compounds decreases, the intensity and longevity of the scent decrease. The percent of perfume oil by volume in a perfume is listed as follows:. Although dilutions of the perfume oil can be done using solvents such as jojoba, fractionated coconut oil, and wax, the most common solvents for perfume oil dilution is ethanol or a mixture of ethanol and water. This is done because undiluted oils contain volatile components that would be too concentrated for people with sensitive skin or allergies. Perfumes oils, or the "juice" of a perfume composition, are diluted with a suitable solvent to make the perfume more usable. The rate of evaporation (vapor pressure) and the odor strength of the compound partly determine the tenacity of the compound and determine its perfume note classification. On application, body heat causes the solvent to quickly disperse, leaving the fragrance to evaporate gradually over several hours. A mixture of alcohol and water is used as the solvent for the aromatics. Traditionally, fragrances can be classified into several olfactive families, by the themes, or accords, of these fragrances. Perfumes can also be classified according to their concentration. On the other hand, it is possible to group perfumes into olfactive families and describe them through the notes that appear as they slowly evaporate. Even if the formulas are known, the ingredients are often too numerous to provide a useful classification. It is impossible to describe a perfume according to its components because the exact formulas are kept secret. . The amount and type of solvent mix with the fragrance oil dictates whether a perfume is considered a perfume extract, Eau de parfum, Eau de toilette, or Eau de Cologne. Perfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils and aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents used to give the human body, objects, and living spaces a lasting and pleasant smell. Miss Piggy: Moi. Elizabeth Taylor: Passion, White Diamonds. Britney Spears: Curious, Fantasy. Sarah Jessica Parker: Lovely. Jennifer Lopez: JLo, Still, Live, Glow, Miami Glow. Beyoncé Knowles: True Star, True Star Gold. Paris Hilton: Paris Hilton, Paris Hilton for Men, Just Me, Just Me for Men. Alan Cumming: Cumming. Cher: Uninhibited. David Beckham: Instinct. Many synthetics have very beautiful aromas not available in nature. There are many new synthetic aromas that bear no olfactory relationship to any natural material and yet modern perfumery depends on these new odours for the infinite variety of perfumes available today. Unless the essential oil is distilled from a certified organic origin. In the distillation of natural essential oils any biocides (including pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides) that have been applied while the plant is growing may be concentrated into the essential oil making the oil toxic. Synthetic aromatics make possible perfumes at reasonable prices. Perfume composed only of natural materials is more expensive. Many natural materials and essential oils contain the same chemicals used in perfumes that are classified as allergens, many of them at higher concentrations. These naturals have been replaced by safer synthetic materials. Many natural aromatic materials are in fact inherently toxic and are either banned or restricted by IFRA. Tinctures are typically thin liquids. Tincture: Fragrant materials produced by directly soaking and infusing raw materials in ethanol. Pommades are found in the form of an oily and sticky solid. Pommade: A fragrant mass of solid fat created from the enfleurage process, in which odorous compounds in raw materials are adsorbed into animal fats. Oils extracted through expression are sometimes called expression oils. Essential oil: Fragrant materials that have been extracted from a source material directly through distillation or expression and obtained in the form of an oily liquid. Concretes are typically either waxy or resinous solids. As such concretes are usually further purified through distillation or ethanol based solvent extraction. Concretes usually contain a large amount of wax due to the ease in which the solvents dissolve various hydrophobic compounds. Concrete: Fragrant materials that have been extracted from raw materials through solvent extraction using volatile hydrocarbons. Absolutes are usually found in the form of an oily liquid. By using a slightly hydrophilic compound such as ethanol, most of the fragrant compounds from the waxy source materials can be extracted without dissolving any of the fragrantless waxy molecules. Absolute: Fragrant materials that are purified from a pommade or concrete by soaking them in ethanol. This technique is not commonly used in the present day industry due to its prohibitive cost and the existence of more efficient and effective extraction methods. Extraction by enfleurage was commonly used when distillation was not possible due to the fact that some fragrant compounds denature through high heat. Enfleurage: Absorption of aroma materials into wax and then extracting the odorous oil with alcohol. Of all raw materials, only the fragrant oils from the peels of fruits in the citrus family are extracted in this manner since the oil is present in large enough quantities as to make this extraction method economically feasible. Expression: Raw material is squeezed or compressed and the oils are collected. This method is used to obtain fragrant compounds from fossil amber and fragrant woods where an intentional "burned" or "toasted" odour is desired. Fragrant compounds that are released from the raw material by the high heat often undergo anhydrous pyrolysis, which results in the formation of different fragrant compounds, and thus different fragrant notes. Dry/destructive distillation: The raw materials are directly heated in a still without a carrier solvent such as water. This is most commonly used for fresh plant materials such as flowers, leaves, and stems. The water collected from the condensate, which retains some of the fragrant compounds and oils from the raw material is called hydrosol and sometimes sold. This allows for the easy separation of the fragrant oils from the water. The condensate from distillation are settled in a Florentine flask. Steam distillation: Steam from boiling water is passed through the raw material, which drives out their volatile fragrant compounds. The raw material is heated and the fragrant compounds are re-collected through condensation of the distilled vapour.
Distillation: A common technique for obtaining aromatic compounds from plants, such as orange blossoms and roses. Ethanol extraction is not used to extract fragrace from fresh plant materials since these contain large quantities of water, which will also be extracted into the ethanol. Ethanol extraction: A type of solvent extraction used to extract fragrant compounds directly from dry raw materials, as well as the impure oily compounds materials resulting from solvent extraction or enfluerage. Due to the low heat of process and the relatively unreactive solvent used in the extraction, the fragrant compounds derived often closely resemble the original odour of the raw material. Supercritical fluid extraction: A relatively new technique for extracting fragrant compounds from a raw material, which often employ supercritical CO2. The product of this process is call a "concrete".
Fragrant compounds for woody and fibrous plant materials are often obtained in this matter as are all aromatics from animal sources. Maceration lasts anywhere from hours to months. Raw materials are submerged in a solvent that can dissolve the desired aromatic compounds. Maceration/Solvent extraction: The most commonly used and economically important technique for extracting aromatics in the modern perfume industry. Symrise. Takasago. Quest International. Firmenich. Givaudan-Roure. International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF). Honeycomb: Distilled from the honeycomb of the Honeybee. Ambergris is commonly referred as "amber" in perfumery and should not be confused with yellow amber, which is used in jewelry. Ambergris: Lumps of oxidized fatty compounds, whose precursors were secreted and expelled by the Sperm Whale. Castoreum: Obtained from the odorous sacs of the North American beaver. Civet: Also call Civet Musk, this is obtained from the odorous sacs of the civets, animals in the family Viverridae, related to the Mongoose. Musk: Originally derived from the musk sacs from the Asian musk deer, it has now been replaced by the use of synthetic musks due to its price and various ethical issues. Lichens: Commonly used lichen includes oakmoss and treemoss thalli. Some of what is called amber and copal in perfumery today is the resinous secretion of fossil conifers. Pine and fir resins are a particularly valued source of terpenes used in the organic synthesis of many other synthetic or naturally occurring aromatic compounds. Commonly used resins in perfumery include labdanum, frankincense/olibanum, myrrh, Peru balsam, gum benzoin. Highly fragrant and antiseptic resins and resin-containing perfumes have been used by many cultures as medicines for a large variety of ailments. Resins: Valued since antiquity, resins have been widely used in incense and perfumery. The fragrant oil in sassafras root bark is also used either directly or purified for its main constituent, safrole, which is used in the synthesis of other fragrant compounds such as helional. Bark: Commonly used barks includes cinnamon and cascarilla. Commonly used woods include sandalwood, rosewood, agarwood, birch, cedar, juniper, and pine. Woods: Highly important in providing the base notes to a perfume, wood oils and distillates are indispensible in perfumery. The most commonly used fruits yield their aromatics from the rind; they include citrus such as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit. Notable exceptions include litsea cubeba, vanilla, and juniper berry. Fruits: Fresh fruits such as apples, strawberries, cherries unfortunately do not yield the expected odors; if you find such fragrance notes in a perfume, they're synthetic. Seeds: Commonly used seeds include tonka bean, coriander, caraway, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, cardamom, and anise. Roots, rhizomes and bulbs: Commonly used terrestrial portions in perfumery include iris rhizomes, vetiver roots, various rhizomes of the ginger family. Sometimes leaves are valued for the "green" smell they bring to perfumes, examples of this include hay and tomato leaf. Leaves and Twigs: Commonly used for perfumery are patchouli, sage, violets, rosemary, and citrus leaves. Orchid flowers are not commercially used to produce essential oils or absolutes. Although not traditionally thought of as a flower, the unopened flower buds of the clove are also commonly used. Includes the flowers of several species of rose and lavender, as well as jasmine, osmanthus, mimosa, tuberose, as well as the blossoms of citrus and ylang-ylang trees. Flowers and Blossoms: Undoubtedly the largest source of aromatics. 2001 : Nu by Yves Saint-Laurent (Jacques Cavallier). 2001 : Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel (Jacques Polge). 1996 : Acqua di Gió Pour Homme by Giorgio Armani (Alberto Morillas). 1995 : Le Mâle by Jean-Paul Gaultier (Francis Kurkdjian). 1995 : Dolce Vita by Christian Dior (Pierre Bourdon and Maurice Roger). 1995 : CK One by Calvin Klein (Firmenich). 1993 : Jean-Paul Gaultier by Jean-Paul Gaultier (Jacques Cavallier). 1992 : Angel by Thierry Mugler (Olvier Cresp and Yves de Chiris). 1990 : Trésor by Lancôme (Sophia Grosjman). 1987 : Loulou by Cacharel (Jean Guichard). 1985 : Poison by Christian Dior (Jean Guichard). 1984 : Coco by Chanel (Jacques Polge). 1983 : Paris by Yves Saint-Laurent (Sophia Grosjman). 1981 : Nombre Noir by Shiseido (Serge Lutens, Jean-Yves Leroy). 1979 : Anaïs Anaïs by Cacharel (Roger Pellegrino). 1978 : Magie Noire by Lancôme (PFW). 1978 : Azzaro Pour Homme by Azzaro (Gérard Anthony, Martin Heiddenreich, Richard Wirtz). 1977 : Opium by Yves Saint-Laurent (Jean-Louis Sieuzac). 1969 : Ô by Lancôme (Robert Gonnon). 1966 : Eau sauvage by Christian Dior (Edmond Roudnitska). 1959 : Cabochard by Parfums Grès (Bernard Chant). 1959 : Monsieur by Givenchy. 1956 : Diorissimo by Christian Dior (Edmond Roudnitska). 1948 : L'Air du temps by Nina Ricci (Francis Fabron). 1945 : Femme by Rochas (Edmond Roudnitska). 1944 : Bandit by Robery Piguet (Germaine Cellier). 1934 : Pour Un Homme by Caron (Ernest Daltroff). 1930 : Joy by Jean Patou (Henri Alméras). 1929 : Soir by Paris by Bourjois (Ernest Beaux). 1927 : Arpège by Lanvin (André Fraysse). 1925 : Shalimar by Guerlain (Jacques Guerlain). 1921 : N°5 by Chanel (Ernest Beaux). 1919 : Tabac Blond by Caron (Ernest Daltroff). 1919 : Mitsouko by Guerlain (Jacques Guerlain). 1917 : Chypre by François Coty (François Coty). 1889 : Jicky by Guerlain (Aimé Guerlain). 1714 : Eau de Cologne by Farina (Johann Maria Farina 1685-1766). Eau de cologne: 2-3% aromatic compounds. Eau de toilette: 5-20% aromatic compounds. Eau de parfum: 10-30% aromatic compounds. Perfume extract: 20%-40% aromatic compounds. Musk, vetiver and scents of plant resins are commonly used as base notes. The compounds of this class of scents are typically rich and "deep" and are usually not perceived until 30 minutes after the application of the perfume or during the period of perfume dry-down. Compounds of this class are often the fixatives used to hold and boost the strength of the lighter top and heart notes. Base notes bring depth and solidness to a perfume. The base and middle notes together are the main theme of a perfume. Base notes: The scent of a perfume that appears after the departure of the top notes. Top notes and heart notes are sometimes described together as Head notes. Lavender and rose scents are typical heart notes. Not surprisingly, the scent of heart note compounds is usually more mellow and "rounded." Scents from this note class appear anywhere from 2 minutes to 1 hour after the application of a perfume. The heart note compounds form the "heart" or main body of a perfume and act to mask the often unpleasant initial impression of base notes, which become more pleasant with time. Heart notes or Middle notes: The scent of a perfume that emerges after the top notes dissipate. Citrus and ginger scents are common top notes. The scents of this note class are usually described as "fresh," "assertive" or "sharp." The compounds that contribute to top notes are strong in scent, very volatile, and evaporate quickly. Because of this, they are very important in the selling of a perfume. Top notes create the scents that form a person's initial impression of a perfume. Top notes: Scents that are perceived immediately on application of a perfume. Development of newer fragrance compounds has allowed for the creation of primarily citrus fragrances. Citrus: An old fragrance family that until recently consisted mainly of "freshening" Eau de colognes due to the low tenacity of citrus scents. Typically enhanced by camphorous oils and incense resins, which bring to mind Victorian era imagery of the Middle East and Far East. Orientals or ambers: A large fragrance class featuring the scents of vanilla and animal scents together with flowers and woods. Patchouli, with its camphorous smell, is commonly found in perfumes of this fragrance family. Woody: Fragrances that are dominated by the woody scents, typically of sandalwood and cedar. Leather: A family of fragrances which features the scents honey, tobacco, wood, and wood tars in its middle or base notes and a scent that alludes to leather. Many men's fragrances belong to this family of fragrances, which is characterized by its sharp herbaceous and woody scent. Fougère: Fragrances built on a base of lavender, coumarin and oakmoss. Aldehydic perfumes have the characteristic "piquant" note produced by materials like Aldehyde C12 MNA. Others include Je Reviens and Arpege. Chanel No 5 was the first aldehydic perfume (created by the royal Russian perfumer Ernest Beaux in 1923). Aldehydic: Fragrances that incorporate the family of chemicals known as aldehydes. This fragrance family is characterized by a scent reminiscent of apricot and custard. Meaning Cyprus in French, the term alludes to where this base was inspired. This family of fragrances is named after a perfume by François Coty by the same name. Chypre: Fragrances build on a similar base consisting of bergamot, jasmine and oakmoss. When only one flower is used, it is called a soliflore (as in Dior's Diorissimo, with jasmine). Floral: Fragrances that are dominated by the scent of one or more types of flowers. |