Raw Materials
An overview of the main material groups used in perfumery
A PERFUME CONCENTRATE, known in the trade as a "COMPOUND" is typically a liquid made up from a mixture of aroma materials of synthetic and/or natural origin from the following groups.
The percentage indicates the proportions that might be found in modern perfume compounds but of course perfumes can be completely natural or synthetic too.
Essential Oils & Extracts - 0-30% | ||
Steam 0r Water/Steam Distilled
Steam ruptures the plant cells and vaporises volatile oil held in them. The steam is then cooled back to water on which the oil floats (or sinks) allowing it to be separated. |
Expressed from citrus fruits Oil is squeezed out of the tiny translucent oil sacs in the fruit skin and the separated from any juice. Expressed oils are usually a lighter color version of the fruit they come from. |
Extracted Solvents such as hexane, cyclo-hexane and petroleum ether dissolve oil, wax and color in the plant material. The solvents are evaporated off to produce a CONCRETE. Waxes in the Concrete can be removed using alcohol which in turn is evaporated off to leave a dark colored ABSOLUTE |
From Flowers: |
From Fruits: |
From Flowers: |
From Leaves: Eucalyptus Geranium |
From Gums: |
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From Buds/Seeds: |
From Lichens: |
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From Grasses: |
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From Woods: |
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Animal Products - Zero-0.1% |
Tinctures Animal Secretions or glands are steeped in alcohol. A dark colored ABSOLUTE can be produced by removing the alcohol. |
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Musk: Tibetan Deer |
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Beaver: Castoreum |
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Cat: Civet |
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Whale: Ambergris |
Aroma Chemicals - 70-100% | |
Crude Oil Isolates Raw chemicals (not used themselves in perfumes) such as Benzene, Toluene, Naphthalene, Phenol and Xylol are separated from crude oil and go through a series of reactions to produce thousands of aroma chemicals. Many of these synthetic chemicals are identical to those found in nature, hence the term Nature Identical. |
Essential Oil Isolates Single chemicals separated from essential oils. If these are produced by physical means - distillation or cooling then they are termed natural chemicals. (Often used to produce other chemicals by simple reactions such as acetylation or as starting materials in a long series of reactions) |
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From Benzene: |
From Turpentine: |
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From Toluene: |
From Lemongrass: |
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From Naphthalene: |
From Clove: |
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From Phenol: |
From Vetiver: |
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From Xylene: |
From Peppermint: |