Classic Perfumery Ingredients - A brief Overview

For the creation of a perfume, in addition to requiring a professional perfumer for the alchemy, combinations, and recombination of ideas, the use of raw materials is essential for crafting a fragrance. From the most classical to the contemporary, we find the ingredients that make up this entire process in nature, sometimes through the secondary involvement of certain animals (although these are rarely used today). These animals initially process natural elements that will subsequently become a future ingredient in perfumery, much like the case of coffee harvested from the feces of Kopi Luwak, who 'process' the beans through their own intestines. Most of the substances of animal origin or those involving wild animals in their production have now been replaced by synthetic ingredients, which effectively meet the same needs, safely replacing any contact and/or manipulation of animals that would cause them suffering or harm. In this regard, I invite you to read a brief exploration of classic perfume ingredients, which are typical and widely used in the fragrances we have in our collections and in our closets, based on our observations and the knowledge we've gained over time. The inspiration for this article came from in-depth studies with perfumers Justine Crane and Ane Walsh and their natural perfumery materials.

Rose
Rosa Damascena, Rosa Centifolia, Rosa Galica

We can consider rose oil as one of the most coveted materials for a perfumer since ancient times, among those fragrances that have become classics. There is a wide variety of rose oils, but the types most frequently used in antique perfumery were the centifolia rose, which later gave way to the cabbage rose, the May rose, the Indian rose, and the Moroccan rose, all of which were identified by their pink petals. Additionally, there is the Damask rose, which later became the Bulgarian rose and the Turkish rose, recognized by their reddish-toned petals. Other beautiful roses that are also used in natural perfumery today, in addition to those mentioned earlier, include the tea rose, the Chinese rugosa rose, and the Bourbon rose (which is a variety of the centifolia). To acquire rose oils, they can be obtained as either hydrodistilled essential oil (otto) or in concrete and absolute forms through solvent extraction. For a long time, rose oil and rose floral waters were used in the medical field for a variety of issues, including digestive disorders, menstrual problems, fevers, and skin conditions. Rose oils are very rare and valuable, and they can add delight and richness to a fragrance that cannot be achieved in any other way or with any other perfumery material. Over time, it was discovered that rose oil (otto, not the solvent-extracted absolute) creates aldehyde molecules in a perfume composition, another ingredient known to have an immediate enhancing effect, expanding the aroma.

​Aroma Characteristic: fragrant, aldehydic, floral, sweet

Honorable Mention: Chloe Eau de Parfum Chloé
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Jasmine
Jasminum Grandiflorum (Oleaceae)

In ancient times, jasmine oils were obtained through enfleurage, where delicate flowers were placed one by one on screens or glass plates and covered with a quantity of purified fat. The resulting pomade, created through this meticulous process, was then washed with alcohol to obtain the alcoholic extract. Almost all perfumers in antiquity used generous amounts of jasmine in their natural compositions. Nowadays, jasmine is extracted using solvents. Currently, jasmine is one of the most highly valued oils among all natural ingredients, with about 30ml of jasmine grandiflorum oil (a daytime-scented plant) the darkest and most delightful and intense of the two main jasmine oils, costing around $250 or more, while sambac jasmine (scent-releasing at night) is a bit more expensive, often found at a price of $245 for every 30ml. It's worth noting that approximately 80% of modern perfumes contain jasmine in their fragrance structures. However, since 2015, when jasmine extracts were added to the IFRA/EU restrictions list, jasmine has been included less and less in perfume reformulations and other products.

Aroma Characteristic: floral, musky, sweet, intense and striking aroma

Honorable Mention: My Way Giorgio Armani

Lavender
Lavandula officinalis; Lavandula angustifolia; Lavandula dentata

Lavender is a raw material that has been used copiously since ancient times because it is an easily cultivated natural ingredient, and its aroma can be readily extracted through steam distillation and oil maceration. In medieval times, the hallways and floors of houses were often strewn with the abundant use of lavender and other aromatic herbs (also known as strewing herbs), such as rosemary and balms, as well. There are many lavender varieties found in nature, ranging from the wilder, more rugged types to the herbaceous, bitter ones, as well as milder and more floral varieties. Lavenders were primarily used in aromatic-fougère type perfumes, mixed with mosses and sometimes with coumarin (tonka bean) to impart a fresh fern-like quality to the fragrance. Lavender is almost ubiquitous in fragrances targeting a male audience.

Aroma Characteristic: floral, fragrant, astringent and refreshing

Honorable Mention: Mon Guerlain Guerlain
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Olibanum (Frankincense)
Boswellia Carterii (Burseraceae)

​Known as frankincense, luban, olibanum, incense and boswellia, it is one of the oldest — perhaps the most ancient — recorded perfume ingredients known to man. Olibanum has been used throughout history to perfume spaces and rooms; as a fumigator against minor pests, insects, and diseases; to disinfect unpleasant odors; and most importantly, to burn in honor of the gods. The raw material was used in the embalming of Egyptian pharaohs, burned during fixed rituals such as funerals, and is a scent commonly detected as soon as one enters a Catholic church today, be it Orthodox or not. It was also widely used (and still is) as an ingredient in ointments and cosmetics for skin enhancement and to maintain a youthful appearance. Olibanum was also used as a significant remedy, with the property of reducing bleeding from serious wounds, aiding in healing, and widely employed as a topical antiseptic. It grows in arid regions, such as the deserts of Arabia and Africa, and was one of the main raw materials transported by caravans on the Silk and Spice Routes, on the Incense Route, in Yemen, and in Arabia Felix, according to the book Caravans of the Moon: In Search of the Queen of Sheba (2007) by Fernanda de Camargo-Moro. Olibanum belongs to the Burseraceae family and grows as a tree with twisted and wind-bent branches that can live for hundreds of years. Its resin is collected by making incisions in the tree's bark and allowing the resin, which comes from the sap, to flow and solidify. Olibanum has a bitter, citrusy, warm aroma with a very clean and translucent dry down. Its aromatic structure offers a variety of different fragrance levels, and thanks to its versatility, it can be used in any part of the perfume — in the top notes, heart notes, and even base notes — serving as a bridge, modifier, and even a fixative.

Aroma Characteristic: warm and balsamic, with a citrusy and perfumed touch

Honorable Mention: Incense & Cedrat Jo Malone London
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Myrrh
Commiphora Myrrha

Myrrh, since ancient times, has been extensively used for skincare, in the preparation of ointments, creams, and other cosmetics due to its healing and anti-aging properties. Similar to frankincense, myrrh is also highly sought after, but its cost has always been approximately three times that of frankincense. In medieval times, a gift involving myrrh was as good as — or even more precious than — gold. Just like frankincense, myrrh has always found many uses, including embalming, fumigation, specific medicinal applications, and in perfumery, as we can well presume. The raw material grows in regions that also mirror the aridity where frankincense thrives, spreading across the dry regions of Arabia and harvested in the same way as its cousin frankincense: by cutting the bark and waiting for the formation of dense tears. The aroma of myrrh is warm, balsamic, and almost rubbery, with a lot of tenacity from start to finish. Ovid even wrote the legend of myrrh in his book Metamorphoses (8 AD). According to the legend, Myrrh was a young princess, the daughter of King Cinyras from the region of Cyprus, who fell deeply in love with her own father. As her sin against humanity, she was transformed into a tree, and her tears, the color of blood, flowed from her twisted branches. Myrrh had a son and named him Adonis, who was conceived inside the tree. Adonis was loved by Aphrodite.

​Aroma Characteristic: warm, balsamic, earthy

Honorable Mention: 1 Million Privé Paco Rabanne
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Tuberose
Polianthes Tuberosa

A sweet raw material, similar to honey and creamy and delightful, with nuances reminiscent of orange blossom and jasmine, tuberose is another ancient and significant flower in the world of perfumery, used in rich, classic perfumes. It is exclusively obtained through the enfleurage process. Tuberose has been used since Victorian times as a flower designated for funerals and in tropical islands as a necklace or garland for wedding celebrations and the like. Nowadays, modern solvent extraction techniques are used to obtain tuberose absolute. It is a native flower of Mexico and Central American countries but was brought to Europe in the late 1500s by Spanish and Portuguese explorers. Today, with much greater intensity, the luxurious tuberose is a flower cultivated for the perfume industry from France to China, India, Egypt, and even Morocco.

Aroma Characteristic: sweet, narcotic, intense, creamy, indolic
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Honorable Mention: L'Interdit Eau de Parfum Intense Givenchy

​Neroli
Citrus Aurantium Vr. Amara

Neroli oil is obtained through steam distillation of the flowers of the bitter orange tree. It differs significantly from bitter orange flower absolute/concrete in both the extraction method (formerly, bitter orange flower absolute was obtained through the enfleurage/alcohol wash process, but nowadays, it's extracted using solvents) and its aromatic profile. Neroli has a cleaner, cooler, translucent character, with less of the flower and more of the orange itself. It's a more floral version of petitgrain, while bitter orange flower absolute/concrete has the aroma of a fully blooming orange orchard — narcotic, vibrant, dense, and deeply overwhelming, more like a white floral reminiscent of gardenia, jasmine, and tuberose. Neroli received its name due to Anne-Marie de la Tremouille de Noirmontier, Princess of Nerola, who, according to history, adored the scent of distilled orange flower blossoms. Its historical contribution to perfumery is significant, heralding and marking the era of colognes, as it is used in popular fragrances. Neroli has a light, soft, floral, petitgrain-like aroma, and its essence also manages to display some tenacity.

Aroma Characteristic: fresh, citrusy, airy and floral

Honorable Mention: Versace Pour Homme Versace

Petitgrain & Citruses
Citrus Aurantium Amara

Citrus essential oils have been widely used throughout the history of perfumery. The oils of orange, lemon, lime, mandarin, bergamot, and grapefruit are necessary and virtually indispensable ingredients in the construction of any perfume. A traditional cologne is incomplete without citrus components, and many historical perfumes feature bergamot as a top note, which pairs well with almost all other listed notes and boasts its distinctive floral quality, unlike other citrus oils. Citrus oils are typically pressed, although some can also be distilled. Regarding petitgrain, it is a distilled oil derived from the leaves and branches (and sometimes including the flowers and small fruits) of the bitter orange tree. It is commonly used to modify neroli oil since many varieties contain fewer terpenes (which are the characteristic molecules responsible for the citrus aroma). Petitgrain oil is milder and somewhat floral, with green and citrusy notes in its nuances. Nowadays, petitgrain oils are derived from various trees within the citrus family, including lemon, grapefruit, mandarin, lime, Kaffir lime (combava), and other orange varieties.

Aroma Characteristic: herbal, fresh, floral and fragrant
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Honorable Mention:  Eau Sauvage Cologne Dior

Civet, Musk, Ambergris
Paradoxurus Hermaphroditus

These three perfume materials derived from animals were highly sought after and expensive, used by perfumers for their noticeable ability to overwhelmingly enhance the longevity of their compositions. It has been written that in the past, both musk and civet were used in compositions to such an extent that they became all one could detect when smelling a perfume. In Shakespeare's play As You Like It, the character Touchstone says, "Civet is a ground more for the flatterer than the flattered."
Musk and civet have a very strong and animalic aroma, like dirty fur and skin, with notes of indole and skatole (especially in civet). Ambergris, on the other hand, is more subtle, as it doesn't have such an overtly unpleasant or unbearable smell on its own, just a faint nuance of bad breath. It has a quality of rounding and warming a final formulation and enhances a fragrance when used in the right measure. All three animal-derived ingredients in perfumery have "technically" illegal sales, as well as their primary use, in the United States and most other countries. Nevertheless, their sales and demand continue to grow because novice and unscrupulous perfumers still seek them out.
Castoreum from the beaver was also used, as well as muskrat musk, but to a much lesser degree than the other animal essences. Some perfumers use cruelty-free animal-derived substances, such as hyraceum (African stone) from fossilized hyrax excrement; tinctures and extractions from domesticated farm animals, like goat hair, horse hooves, or horse mane tinctures; and the ambergris found on beaches. In some cases, molecules extracted from cheeses are used to give the perfume a certain animalic scent.

Aroma Characteristic: indolic, fecal, sweet, earthy
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Honorable Mention:  Tuxedo Yves Saint Laurent

Orris Root
Iris Pallida

Orris root, derived from the rhizomes of the Iris Pallida plant, is the source of a rich aroma with sweet, floral and tenacious notes, often serving as a fixative in orris/iris extracts. The iris rhizomes must mature for a period of 3 to 5 years before their aroma can be definitively extracted, historically through maceration in oil or alcohol. Today, orris is extracted using volatile solvents or CO2 to create orris oils or orris butter. Orris possesses a very delicate and sought-after aroma, ideal for blending with violets. When combined with violet leaf absolute, boronia, and other selected florals, it can come very close to replicating the scent of violet flowers, which can be the theme or accord of a perfume. Orris also functions as an excellent fixative. Historically, orris was used in talcum powder to form the final aroma and give body, and the entire rhizome was formerly used as a teething toy for babies!

Aroma Characteristic: creamy, floral, woody, sharp
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Honorable Mention: Bvlgari Man Terrae Essence Bvlgari

Benzoin
Styrax Benzoin, Styrax Tonkiniensis (Styracaceae)

Primarily used as a fixative, benzoin has a resinous and sweet essence, similar to vanilla, which has been highly valued by perfumers. It has been important for ancient perfumed rituals for thousands of years, much like frankincense and myrrh. Benzoin has been used in all segments of perfumery, from its early days as incense to later when everything that could be imagined was perfumed, from gloves, belts, hats, all attire, to papers and fine ornaments. Benzoin also serves as an excellent fixative in small quantities, helping to extend the time the perfume lingers on the skin without turning the composition into an unpleasant scent. Instead, it adds a delightful and addictive quality to the fragrance as it endures. Some forms of benzoin can be sensitizing.

Aroma Characteristic: balsamic, sweet, reminiscent of honey and vanilla
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Honorable Mention: Hero Eau de Parfum Burberry