Facts to Know About Perfume
Prologue
Perfume (Latin "per fume," meaning "via smoke") was loved by the Egyptians, Romans, and Arabs. Incense was used to make fragrances in East Asia. Perfumes were traditionally made from spices and plants such as bergamot, myrtle, coriander, conifer resin, and almond. Flowers were first used when Avicenna, an Iranian doctor, and chemist, introduced the distillation procedure, which allowed oils to be extracted from flowers. The world's first modern perfume, "Hungary Water," was created in 1370 at the request of Queen Elizabeth of Hungary by blending scented oils in an alcohol solution.
Composition of a perfume
The composition of a perfume is significant and is handled by a perfumer, who works with main fragrances like rose, jasmine, and cola; modifiers such as esters; blenders such as linalool and hydroxy citronellol; and fixatives such as resins, wood scents, and amber bases. The resulting scent is described in the form of three 'notes,' namely, top notes (consisting of fast evaporating small-size molecules) like citrus and ginger scents; middle notes (consisting of slow evaporating medium size molecules) like lavender and rose scents; and base notes (consisting of slowest evaporating largest size molecules) like fixatives and so on. All of these notes combine to form a musical chord.
Perfume oils
Perfume oils contain volatile compounds in high quantities and should be diluted with solvents to avoid harm when applied directly to the skin or clothing. Perfume oils contain volatile compounds in high quantities and should be diluted with solvents to avoid harm when applied directly to the skin or clothing. Pure ethanol or ethanol combined with water is the most commonly used solvent. Fractionated coconut oil or wax, as well as neutral-smelling fats like jojoba, can serve as solvents and dilute the perfume oil. The perfume oil is then mixed with other aromatic components. In general, the proportion of aromatic compounds in perfume extract ranges from 20% to 40%; 10% to 30% in eau de parfum; 5% to 20% in eau de toilette; and 2% to 5% in eau de cologne. The quantity of oil in a perfume, along with other aromatic components, influences the strength, duration, and price of the perfume, making it a carefully guarded secret of every perfumer and perfume business. Varieties of the same brand, such as Chanel's Pour Monsieur and Pour Monsieur Concentree, can be developed by altering the percentage level and the notes of the scent.
Perfume classification
Perfume classification is not ever complete because of its ever-changing nature. Traditional classifications include Single Floral, Floral Bouquet, Ambery, Woody, Leather, Chypre, and Fougere, whereas current classifications include Bright Floral, Green, Oceanic/Ozone, Citrus/Fruity, and Gourmand. Michael Edwards, a perfume consultant, developed "The Fragrance Wheel" in 1983, which classified and sub-grouped five standard fragrance families: Floral (Floral, Soft Floral, Floral Oriental), Oriental (Soft Oriental, Oriental, Woody Oriental), Woody (Wood, Mossy Woods, Dry Woods), Fougere (has fragrance elements from all the families), and Fresh (Citrus, Green, Water). Perfumery has used a wide range of aromatic sources in the making of fragrances, including plants, animals, and synthetic sources. Aroma chemicals and essential oils are extracted from plants. Plant components that are used include:
- Bark (cinnamon, cascarilla);
- Flowers (rose, jasmine, osmanthus, tuberose, mimosa, vanilla);
- Blossoms (citrus, ylang-ylang, clove);
- Fruits (apples, strawberries, cherries, litsea cubeba, juniper berry, vanilla, oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit);
- Leaves and Twigs (lavender, patchouli, citrus, violets, sage, rosemary, hay, tomato);
- Resins (labdanum, myrrh, gum benzoin, Peru balsam, frankincense/olibanum, pine, fir, amber, copal);
- Roots, Bulbs, and Rhizomes (vetiver roots, ginger, and iris rhizomes);
- Seeds (coriander, cocoa, mace, cardamom, anise, nutmeg, caraway, tonka bean);
- Woods (agarwood, birch, rosewood, sandalwood, pine, birch, juniper, cedar).
Ambergris, Castoreum, Musk, Rom terpenes, Honeycomb, and Civet are all of the animal origins. Lichens and protists are two more natural sources. Synthetic sources are derived from petroleum distillates, pine resins, and so on. Modern perfumes are largely manufactured from synthetic materials since they allow for aromas that are not present in nature, such as Calone, a synthetic molecule that imparts a marine metallic ozonous fragrance. Synthetic aromatics are more consistent than natural aromatics and are thus commonly employed in contemporary fragrances.
This blog suggests many perfumes suitable for both men and women. It also discusses when the correct scent should be used. It is an invaluable resource for people looking to purchase the best perfume.
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