Glossary: Perfumery Terms

A product obtained from the extraction of plants, using volatile solvents. The concrete can be integrated as such in a fragrance, but, more often than not, it is an intermediary step when making an absolute.

 

Refers to those notes that assert themselves as the top notes fade. Not as volatile as the top notes, they can last a few hours. Core notes are mainly floral, fruity or spicy.

 

An accord mainly comprising oak moss, bergamot, labdanum, patchouli, rose.
The expression “chypre” or “chypre perfume” comes from the eponymous Coty perfume, launched in 1917. It was hugely successful and later inspired other perfumes, such as Mitsouko by Guerlain and _Femme by Rochas.

 

An extraction method that allows one to collect essential oils of fresh or dried plants by steam evaporation.

 

Translates to ‘water from Cologne’. It’s a perfume that originated from Köln, Germany, (Cologne in French). Eau de Cologne is a formula primarily consisting of 80-90% hesperidic notes. Like citrus notes of bergamot, lemon, orange; and up to 10% Orange Blossom and 1- 2% rosemary and aromatic notes. At 2-6% formula to alcohol, ‘eaux’ are the lightest way to wear scent.
The very first formulas were ‘cure all’ elixirs that came from monks and nuns in Italy. Later in the early 18th century an Italian barber, Gian Paolo Féminis, marketed his formula in Cologne, Germany where it became popular and copied. It then was introduced in France by his nephew, Jean-Marie Farina. Today the term "cologne" is widely used to describe fresh perfumes that don’t only have citrus notes. It is also used interchangeably as a term for men’s fragrance.

 

A term used by perfume brands to refer to fragrances whose concentration usually stands between 5% and 10%. Originally, these products were created by brands for their best-selling perfumes, of which they were a lighter version using slightly less precious raw materials. In the past, women would use these fragrances for their toilette.

 

A term used by perfume brands to refer to fragrances whose concentration usually stands between 10% and 20%. This designation dates back to the late 1970s.

 

A product obtained following the steam distillation of fresh or dried plants.

 

A term used by perfume brands to refer to fragrances whose concentration exceeds 20%. It is the most concentrated form of perfume. Originally, extracts would be sold in bottles without sprays and the quality of the raw materials was superior to all other versions of the same fragrance. A few drops or sprays are enough to reveal the perfume over a very long period and create an alchemy with the wearer’s skin.

 

The expression “fougère” (French for fern) derives from the perfume Fougère Royale created by Houbigant in 1882. This fragrance is mainly structured around lemon, lavender, geranium and a coumarin accord. This accord was successful and inspired many men’s fragrances (Pour un Homme by Caron, Azzaro pour Homme…). Today, this term is more generally used to describe fresh men’s perfumes.

 

A technology developed in the 70’s that captures the scent of living odors. It allows perfumers to analyze and then recreate certain smells. One may capture the smell of objects that do not lend themselves to extraction, thanks to an apparatus resembling a bell-jar. Once a sensor has soaked up the smell, it is then analyzed by mass spectrometry. The technology is like a camera that takes a snapshot of the components of a scent and allows them to be recreated in a laboratory by a chemist.

 

Hesperidic perfumes are perfumes which contain hesperidic notes, which is another word to say citrus.

 

A technique that allows one to rework essences and absolutes to get rid of undesired facets and obtain very pure raw materials.

 

The time required for a perfume (i.e. the perfume concentrate mixed with alcohol) to stabilize and realize its full potential from an olfactive standpoint. In order to be truly efficient, maceration most be conducted on large batches of perfume prior to bottling. Once the fragrance has been bottled, it does not macerate in the same way.

 

The time required for a perfume concentrate to stabilize and realize its full potential from an olfactive standpoint. This step takes place prior to maceration.

 

The terms natural, or naturals are used to describe raw materials, also known as ingredients, that come from a natural plant. The term is generally applied to a specific raw material rather than the perfume composition. Most perfumes have both natural and synthetic parts.

 

Of, or relating to the sense of smell.

 

A classification system used by many perfumery professionals. Perfumes are organized in “families” according to their dominant notes: cologne, floral, woody, amber, chypre etc.

 

See extract.

 

A paste obtained after an extraction using volatile solvents, which is then used to make absolute (example: benzoin resinoide).

 

Raw materials are ingredients created by perfume laboratories. Synthetic raw materials appeared in the late 19th century: coumarin obtained from tonka bean in 1868; vanillin obtained from vanilla in 1874 etc. At the time, these synthetic raw materials allowed perfumers to free themselves of the smells of nature and to create the first abstract fragrances such as Jicky by Guerlain (1889), Chanel N°5 (1921) and Shalimar by Guerlain (1925). Since the end of the 19th century, the discovery of new molecules has soared, enabling perfumers to gain access to a growing range of smells. These new molecules also allow perfumers to employ raw materials that do not exist in nature – just like colors that do not belong in the rainbow – and to duplicate the smell of certain flowers whose scent cannot be captured through classic extraction methods, such as lily of the valley, hyacinth, lilac, carnation… On this subject, Frédéric Malle believes that “a lot of people are attracted to perfumes whose smell seems natural. They think that these fragrances contain natural raw materials that are rare, authentic and expensive and that, conversely, synthetic materials are cheap substitutes. The truth is that perfumes whose scent is most figurative often contain synthetic ingredients, whereas fragrances that contain an abundance of natural ingredients smell “old” and unnatural. It is one of our profession’s paradoxes.

 

Refers to the most volatile notes, the first notes one smells when discovering a fragrance and applying it one one’s skin. Top notes are mainly fresh and invigorating, such as citric notes, green notes (galbanum, violet leaves…) or aromatic notes  (rosemary, lavender, star anise…).