Fragrance Files
The word “fragrance” or “parfum” on a cosmetic ingredient list usually represents a mix of dozens of scent chemicals and ingredients used as fragrance dispersants. Fragrance mixes are prone to causing allergies, skin irritation, respiratory distress and potential reproductive issues. Despite these issues, most personal care products contain fragrance along with masking agents that prevent the human brain from perceiving odours. Click for More
Choosing the right perfume can be as challenging as finding the perfect lipstick shade or the ideal outfit. It’s tempting to smell every bottle of perfume and cologne in the store, but it can quickly become overwhelming for both you and your nose.
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Fragrance, or parfum, is the name given to a blend of distilled oils and extracts that are combined with other chemicals in order to create a unique and recognizable perfume. A typical perfume consists of a top note (the initial burst of odour that fades quickly), middle notes (the olfactory heart of the perfume) and a base note (the foundation).
The most common natural materials used in perfumery include flowers, herbs, leaves, seeds and berries. The perfumer can also use synthetic aromatic compounds, which are better approximations of certain scent concepts than the extracts themselves.
Woods are a key component of any perfume, including sandalwood, rosewood, ylang-ylang, cedar and juniper oil. Many perfumers also use agarwood, a resinous material harvested from the bark of a special tree that is only found in a few forests around the world. Other materials are also used, including tonka bean and coumarin. Leaves and twigs are valued for their odours, with lavender leaf, patchouli, sage, and rosemary all being used. Other materials are more exotic, such as ambergris, a lump of oxidized fatty compounds secreted by the sperm whale.