Fragrance Terms

Fragrance Concentrations

Perfume products are a blend of a scent and a base, never just a pure fragrance. The scent is composed of essences, oils, and aromatic compounds. The base usually is either ethanol (ethyl alcohol) (or 'rectified spirit,' highly concentrated ethanol that has been purified by means of repeated distillation) or water or a mix of alcohol and water. Scent is not used alone because it would be overly strong and too expensive and because the base helps the scent to radiate off the skin and project farther. In addition, alcohol in the base acts as a stabilizing agent to preserve the more volatile oils in a perfume. However, some fragrances are offered in alcohol-free forms for those with skin sensitivity to alcohol. Some perfume oils also can be diluted with neutral, unscented oils such as fractionated coconut oil or liquid waxes such as jojoba oil.

The fragrances that are applied to the skin are meant to be absorbed so that their oils blend with the skin's natural oils, resulting in a unique scent. Thus it is thought best to apply them, especially those of higher concentrations, to pulse points where the blood flow is closest to the surface and the constant temperature can release the scent of the oils to the air.

The industry is not standardized for concentrations, and perfumers use different definitions for the types of fragrances, with various 'expert' sources providing different ranges of concentration (by percent volume of perfume oil) for them. But a general consensus is that the aromatic compound concentrations are as follows:

Eau fraîche 1-3%
Aftershave 2-5% (usually less than 4%)
Cologne/Eau de cologne (EdC) 2-8%
Eau de toilette (EdT) 5-15%
Eau de parfum (EdP) 15-20%
Parfum/Perfume 20-50%
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The terminology is imprecise. The oil in an EdP from a given perfumery will always have a higher concentration than an EdT from the same house, which in turn will always have a higher concentration than an EdC. However, perfumers use different range definitions for the various types of fragrances, as well as varying amounts of scent oils in their mixtures, so an EdT from one house may actually have a higher concentration than an EdP from another house. In addition, some fragrances with the same product name from a given perfumer but with different concentrations may also have different oil mixtures. For example, in order to make the EdT version of a fragrance brighter and fresher than its EdP, the EdT oil may be 'tweaked' to contain slightly more top notes or fewer base notes; so the EdP, EdT, and EdC may in fact be different compositions. And in some cases, words such as extrême, intense, or concentrée that might be interepreted as indicating a higher aromatic concentration actually refer to completely different fragrances, related only because of similar accords. An example is Chanel Pour Monsieur and Pour Monsieur Concentrée.

As the oil percentage increases, so does the intensity and - generally - the longevity and sillage of the scent, although the longevity can vary depending upon other factors such as the different component proportions of the accord. Historically, women's fragrances had higher levels of aromatic compounds than men's fragrances, and those marketed to men were typically sold as EdT or EdC rather than EdP or perfume. This is changing as fragrances become more unisex. However, women's fragrances still mainly appear only in EdT, EdP, and parfum concentrations.

Eau fraîche ('fresh water' or 'cool water') is the most diluted version of a fragrance, usually with 1-3% perfume oil in alcohol and water. It is often marketed with a name such as splash, mist, or 'veil.' Aftershaves have about the same oil concentration range but have added ingredients for beneficial skin effects (soothing, moisturizing, etc.). Eau fraîche and aftershave are usually applied by hand, and eau fraîche is often applied during or right after bathing. Although some contain alcohol, they usually are mostly water and are intended just to refresh the skin. Aftershave's original purpose was as scented alcohol, to be used as an antiseptic for cuts from shaving, with medicinal herbs or balms such as witch hazel often added to clean and soothe. With advances in personal hygiene, aftershaves in recent decades also have become sources of both pleasing scents and skin sensations for the overall shave experience, although they usually still have relatively high levels of alcohol. With their very low scent concentrations, both aftershave and eau fraîche scents tend to last no more than an hour.

Cologne (or eau de cologne, EdC) first appeared in Europe in the 17th century as fragrance compounds to counteract odors from poor hygiene. But the term 'cologne' itself originally was created in Köln, Germany, as the name for a low-concentration citrus fragrance. It is said that in 1709, Giovanni Maria Farina created what he called Kölnisch Wasser (Cologne Water), named after his new town of residence but intended to remind him of an Italian spring morning, with mountain daffodils and orange blossoms after rain. (It was also believed to have the power to ward off bubonic plague.) Historical examples of cologne include Mäurer & Wirtz 4711 (1799) and Guerlain Eau de Cologne Impériale (1853). In the 20th century the name has become a generic term for a lighter, less concentrated interpretation of a stronger product, typically a parfum. More recently the term has been used somewhat imprecisely in North American to denote masculine fragrances in general. In the same way that a woman may be said to wear 'perfume,' regardless of the actual fragrance concentration, a man is said to wear a 'cologne,' even when it actually is an EdT. Colognes typically are light-bodied and fresh, sometimes with a delicate bergamot citrus head. They are composed of 2-8% perfume oils in alcohol and water, most often around 5%, and they tend to be used especially in fragrances for younger people. Colognes can be sold in spray bottles or 'splash' bottles. The scent usually lasts for about 2 hours on the skin. A cologne is often the lightest concentration of a given line of fragrance products. Colognes have minimal alcohol content, remaining from the alcohol used to distill the aromatic compounds; thus they are less drying, and they don't have the antibacterial, astringent, and soothing and healing properties of aftershaves and should not be applied to freshly shaved skin.

Eau de toilette (EdT) is usually just a diluted eau de parfum. It most often comes in a spray bottle, with a composition of 5-15% (most often around 10%) pure essence dissolved in alcohol, and generally lasts for 3-4 hours with lower quality ones such as those sold in drug stores and 5-8 hours for those of higher quality. EdT is actually the precursor of colognes, dating back to use in 14th century Hungary. The current name is derived from a 19th century French term for the practice of personal grooming (faire sa toilette or 'getting ready') in the powder room, with the product added to bath water or applied to the skin at the dressing table after bathing. Eaux de toilettes are generally the best-selling form of a particular fragrance. EdT is considered by some to be most appropriate for daywear, and it is the most common form of masculine perfume products.

Eau de parfum (EdP) or Millésime (sometimes included in the perfume category and, in fact, frequently sold labeled as 'perfume') usually has a concentration in the 15-20% range, typically ~15%, and also comes in a spray bottle. It is a more common variant than parfum since it is more affordable, and some perfumers only market an eau de parum as their luxury version of a fragrance rather than an additional parfum. Its scent can last around 8-10 hours, allowing a single application to last throughout most of a day or evening. Some consider EdP to be best for nightwear or more formal occasions. While it has a higher concentration of alcohol than parfum, it generally is better for dry, sensitive skin than fragrance types with lower levels of aromatic compounds (and higher alcohol levels), such as EdT or cologne. A less common term for it, arising in the 1970s and popular mainly in the 1980s, is parfum de toilette (PdT).

Esprit de parfum (ESdP) is a seldom-used term for a fragrance with a strength concentration in between those of EdP and parfum (generally in the 15-25% range).

Parfum/Perfume (from the Latin phrase per fumum, meaning 'through smoke') is slightly oilier, composed usually of 20-30% pure essence and having a scent lasting up to 24 hours. The first fragrance labeled as a 'parfum' was Guerlain Jicky in 1889. Perfumes come in a spray bottle or a dab bottle, the latter offering more control of application than the spray atomizer. 'Extract,' 'perfume extract' or 'elixir' is a subcategory of perfume with an even higher concentration, sometimes up to 50%. Some argue that perfumes offer the best value for the cost, since the fragrance lasts much longer with even a small amount, and they do not require reapplication later to maintain the skin scent. In addition, the lower alcohol content of perfumes can make them a better choice for those with skin that tends to dry. Some people recommend application of an EdP or parfum to one's clothing in addition to or instead of the skin, especially if the skin is sensitive to any of the ingredients; but others counsel against this since the fragrance does not interact with the skin oils and evaporates more quickly, and some of the products can stain clothing.

Some traditionalist experts argue that an aftershave and a fragrance product (cologne, EdT, EdP, or parfum) that are used together should always be from the same fragrance line, but this is by no means a consensus opinion, and increasingly consumers are experimenting with combinations of lines that balance and complement each other.
 
Fragrance Concentrations

Perfume products are a blend of a scent and a base, never just a pure fragrance. The scent is composed of essences, oils, and aromatic compounds. The base usually is either ethanol (ethyl alcohol) (or 'rectified spirit,' highly concentrated ethanol that has been purified by means of repeated distillation) or water or a mix of alcohol and water. Scent is not used alone because it would be overly strong and too expensive and because the base helps the scent to radiate off the skin and project farther. In addition, alcohol in the base acts as a stabilizing agent to preserve the more volatile oils in a perfume. However, some fragrances are offered in alcohol-free forms for those with skin sensitivity to alcohol. Some perfume oils also can be diluted with neutral, unscented oils such as fractionated coconut oil or liquid waxes such as jojoba oil.

The fragrances that are applied to the skin are meant to be absorbed so that their oils blend with the skin's natural oils, resulting in a unique scent. Thus it is thought best to apply them, especially those of higher concentrations, to pulse points where the blood flow is closest to the surface and the constant temperature can release the scent of the oils to the air.

The industry is not standardized for concentrations, and perfumers use different definitions for the types of fragrances, with various 'expert' sources providing different ranges of concentration (by percent volume of perfume oil) for them. But a general consensus is that the aromatic compound concentrations are as follows:

Eau fraîche 1-3%
Aftershave 2-5% (usually less than 4%)
Cologne/Eau de cologne (EdC) 2-8%
Eau de toilette (EdT) 5-15%
Eau de parfum (EdP) 15-20%
Parfum/Perfume 20-50%
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The terminology is imprecise. The oil in an EdP from a given perfumery will always have a higher concentration than an EdT from the same house, which in turn will always have a higher concentration than an EdC. However, perfumers use different range definitions for the various types of fragrances, as well as varying amounts of scent oils in their mixtures, so an EdT from one house may actually have a higher concentration than an EdP from another house. In addition, some fragrances with the same product name from a given perfumer but with different concentrations may also have different oil mixtures. For example, in order to make the EdT version of a fragrance brighter and fresher than its EdP, the EdT oil may be 'tweaked' to contain slightly more top notes or fewer base notes; so the EdP, EdT, and EdC may in fact be different compositions. And in some cases, words such as extrême, intense, or concentrée that might be interepreted as indicating a higher aromatic concentration actually refer to completely different fragrances, related only because of similar accords. An example is Chanel Pour Monsieur and Pour Monsieur Concentrée.

As the oil percentage increases, so does the intensity and - generally - the longevity and sillage of the scent, although the longevity can vary depending upon other factors such as the different component proportions of the accord. Historically, women's fragrances had higher levels of aromatic compounds than men's fragrances, and those marketed to men were typically sold as EdT or EdC rather than EdP or perfume. This is changing as fragrances become more unisex. However, women's fragrances still mainly appear only in EdT, EdP, and parfum concentrations.

Eau fraîche ('fresh water' or 'cool water') is the most diluted version of a fragrance, usually with 1-3% perfume oil in alcohol and water. It is often marketed with a name such as splash, mist, or 'veil.' Aftershaves have about the same oil concentration range but have added ingredients for beneficial skin effects (soothing, moisturizing, etc.). Eau fraîche and aftershave are usually applied by hand, and eau fraîche is often applied during or right after bathing. Although some contain alcohol, they usually are mostly water and are intended just to refresh the skin. Aftershave's original purpose was as scented alcohol, to be used as an antiseptic for cuts from shaving, with medicinal herbs or balms such as witch hazel often added to clean and soothe. With advances in personal hygiene, aftershaves in recent decades also have become sources of both pleasing scents and skin sensations for the overall shave experience, although they usually still have relatively high levels of alcohol. With their very low scent concentrations, both aftershave and eau fraîche scents tend to last no more than an hour.

Cologne (or eau de cologne, EdC) first appeared in Europe in the 17th century as fragrance compounds to counteract odors from poor hygiene. But the term 'cologne' itself originally was created in Köln, Germany, as the name for a low-concentration citrus fragrance. It is said that in 1709, Giovanni Maria Farina created what he called Kölnisch Wasser (Cologne Water), named after his new town of residence but intended to remind him of an Italian spring morning, with mountain daffodils and orange blossoms after rain. (It was also believed to have the power to ward off bubonic plague.) Historical examples of cologne include Mäurer & Wirtz 4711 (1799) and Guerlain Eau de Cologne Impériale (1853). In the 20th century the name has become a generic term for a lighter, less concentrated interpretation of a stronger product, typically a parfum. More recently the term has been used somewhat imprecisely in North American to denote masculine fragrances in general. In the same way that a woman may be said to wear 'perfume,' regardless of the actual fragrance concentration, a man is said to wear a 'cologne,' even when it actually is an EdT. Colognes typically are light-bodied and fresh, sometimes with a delicate bergamot citrus head. They are composed of 2-8% perfume oils in alcohol and water, most often around 5%, and they tend to be used especially in fragrances for younger people. Colognes can be sold in spray bottles or 'splash' bottles. The scent usually lasts for about 2 hours on the skin. A cologne is often the lightest concentration of a given line of fragrance products. Colognes have minimal alcohol content, remaining from the alcohol used to distill the aromatic compounds; thus they are less drying, and they don't have the antibacterial, astringent, and soothing and healing properties of aftershaves and should not be applied to freshly shaved skin.

Eau de toilette (EdT) is usually just a diluted eau de parfum. It most often comes in a spray bottle, with a composition of 5-15% (most often around 10%) pure essence dissolved in alcohol, and generally lasts for 3-4 hours with lower quality ones such as those sold in drug stores and 5-8 hours for those of higher quality. EdT is actually the precursor of colognes, dating back to use in 14th century Hungary. The current name is derived from a 19th century French term for the practice of personal grooming (faire sa toilette or 'getting ready') in the powder room, with the product added to bath water or applied to the skin at the dressing table after bathing. Eaux de toilettes are generally the best-selling form of a particular fragrance. EdT is considered by some to be most appropriate for daywear, and it is the most common form of masculine perfume products.

Eau de parfum (EdP) or Millésime (sometimes included in the perfume category and, in fact, frequently sold labeled as 'perfume') usually has a concentration in the 15-20% range, typically ~15%, and also comes in a spray bottle. It is a more common variant than parfum since it is more affordable, and some perfumers only market an eau de parum as their luxury version of a fragrance rather than an additional parfum. Its scent can last around 8-10 hours, allowing a single application to last throughout most of a day or evening. Some consider EdP to be best for nightwear or more formal occasions. While it has a higher concentration of alcohol than parfum, it generally is better for dry, sensitive skin than fragrance types with lower levels of aromatic compounds (and higher alcohol levels), such as EdT or cologne. A less common term for it, arising in the 1970s and popular mainly in the 1980s, is parfum de toilette (PdT).

Esprit de parfum (ESdP) is a seldom-used term for a fragrance with a strength concentration in between those of EdP and parfum (generally in the 15-25% range).

Parfum/Perfume (from the Latin phrase per fumum, meaning 'through smoke') is slightly oilier, composed usually of 20-30% pure essence and having a scent lasting up to 24 hours. The first fragrance labeled as a 'parfum' was Guerlain Jicky in 1889. Perfumes come in a spray bottle or a dab bottle, the latter offering more control of application than the spray atomizer. 'Extract,' 'perfume extract' or 'elixir' is a subcategory of perfume with an even higher concentration, sometimes up to 50%. Some argue that perfumes offer the best value for the cost, since the fragrance lasts much longer with even a small amount, and they do not require reapplication later to maintain the skin scent. In addition, the lower alcohol content of perfumes can make them a better choice for those with skin that tends to dry. Some people recommend application of an EdP or parfum to one's clothing in addition to or instead of the skin, especially if the skin is sensitive to any of the ingredients; but others counsel against this since the fragrance does not interact with the skin oils and evaporates more quickly, and some of the products can stain clothing.

Some traditionalist experts argue that an aftershave and a fragrance product (cologne, EdT, EdP, or parfum) that are used together should always be from the same fragrance line, but this is by no means a consensus opinion, and increasingly consumers are experimenting with combinations of lines that balance and complement each other.
Thank you John , Another excellent piece.
 
Aftershaves

The two main ingredients in most aftershaves are alcohol and witch hazel, both acting as antiseptics and astringents. Alcohol tightens the skin and closes pores so that bacteria can't invade. Witch hazel also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Unlike alcohol, which dries the skin and damages its natural barrier function, witch hazel is a moisturizer. It improves skin hydration, elasticity, and softness. The alcohol used can be ethanol or methanol. Aftershaves with alcohol tend to have a stronger scent.

Roman barbers, whose trade was developed when Roman legionaries became the first soldiers required to be clean-shaven and short-haired, were said to apply a plaster made from materials including spider web soaked in vinegar and oil and perfumed with lavender. This mix was thought to have some antiseptic, healing, and moisturizing qualities. Actual aftershave liquids were introduced initially in the 18th century by barbers, who used their high alcohol content (the only known effective antiseptic then) to kill bacteria and decrease the transmission of disease from one client to another by shaving instruments that frequently caused nicks and cuts. Being clean-shaven became fashionable and beards became much less common at that time, but many men did not have the tools for shaving themselves and relied on going to the barber for beard removal. Early aftershaves also sometimes contained witch hazel and bay rum. Subsequently aftershaves became popular because of the tingling and revitalizing effect caused by the alcohol and fragrance together. Some speculate that the first commercial men's aftershaves simply represented a new use of women's cosmetic beauty washes, pastes, and 'washballs' for the skin.
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As new, sharper types of steel razor appeared and made shaving more efficient and comfortable, perfumers and hairdressers also saw a new market for their products. The perfumer Charles Lillie advertised in 1744 a 'Persian (or Naples) soap' that he claimed was soothing following a shave, and others like 'Paris Pearl Water' were said to freshen and brighten men's skin. In 1752, a J. Emon advertised a powder that he said was 'good for tender faces' after shaves; and in 1801, Elenora's Lavo Cream was claimed to be 'particularly agreeable to Gentlemen after shaving, as it cools and heals the remaining heats.' Jean-Jacques Perret, credited with inventing the first guard razor in 1762, also wrote a book titled "The Art of Learning to Shave Oneself,' in which he touted the use of post-shave colognes. By the 1850s Victorian age, a large number of aftershave lotions and scents were available, including the widely advertised Rowlands' Kalydor, which was 'found greatly refreshing to the complexion, dispelling the cloud of languor and relaxation, allaying all irritability and heat, and immediately affording the pleasing sensation attendant on restored elasticity and healthful state of the skin.'
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In the 19th century manufacturers began to use claims of aftershave efficacy based on scientific knowledge, in line with the increasing public interest in science. For example, Louis Pasteur discovered disease-causing germs in 1822 and found that alcohol killed them, which stimulated its use in aftershaves. Listerine, now popular as a mouthwash, was first marketed as an aftershave, 'because Listerine used full strength is a deadly enemy of germs.' In the 1830s, the perfumer Edouard Pinaud was contracted by the Hungarian Cavalry to develop a product to combat men's skin infections from shaving in the field, and he came up with Lilac Vegetal, which was used both as an aftershave and as a body splash between baths. Shortly thereafter, Napoleon II gave Pinaud the title of Royale Parfumeur, and aftershaves soon became very popular throughout European society. Other ingredients gradually were added to aftershaves in the 19th century, including glycerin. Unfortunately, some of them at that time also included poisonous potassium cyanide.
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Before the mid-20th century, commercial men's fragrances for shaving mostly were limited to typical barbershop aftershaves such as Bay Rum and Florida Water. But with World War II experiences, men came home more accustomed to using products that kept them clean-shaven and fresh-smelling, and by the 1950s such products as Aqua Velva, Seaforth!, Old Spice, and Canoe had become quite popular. With the launch of the top-selling Revlon scent 'Charlie' in 1973, American fragrances in general became more 'sporty' and less dependent upon emulating traditional European perfumes, and the associated aftershave market exploded.
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An aftershave provides a soothing finish to a shave. For normal skin, a liquid aftershave (splash or lotion) generally works well. For oily skin, gel or a liquid with a moisturizer will help. If the skin is dry or winter air is dry and cold, a balm with a moisturizer is probably the best choice. Unlike cologne, which mostly is applied at pulse points, an aftershave is used on any shaved area. Before the aftershave, rinsing the face first with cold water removes residual lather and hairs, closes pores, tones the skin, and makes it less vulnerable to potentially harmful product additives. Wiping with witch hazel removes any further residue left behind by the water. Skin is then lightly dried and the aftershave is applied, spreading it around evenly and massaging gently to generate mild heat that aids absorption. Some experts recommend letting a little of the alcohol in a splash or lotion evaporate on the palms for around 5 seconds first to decrease its burning and drying effects.

The most common forms of aftershave are the liquid splash, lotion, balm, and gel. There is some overlap of these, of course, and various marketing strategies also confuse their distinctions.

Splash
This is an antiseptic liquid product. Most splashes contain alcohol, some up to 70% by volume, which helps to kill bacteria. They often also contain skin-conditioning allantoin and glycerin, as well as scents. They are designed generally to refresh and invigorated the skin, as well as reducing inflammation. They are not as suitable for sensitive or dry skin as other forms, and their skin tightening effect may promote ingrown hair. There are unscented and/or alcohol-free alternatives now available. Dermatologists now are more frequently recommending against use of splash aftershaves because the alcohol's antiseptic property is not needed as much as in the past and because its drying effect removes the natural oils that provide a barrier against skin wear and aging.

Lotion
Lotions are 'milder' versions of their corresponding splashes, with less alcohol and less drying effect. They are combinations of water, mineral oils, glycerin, myristyl propionate, aluminum starch, and fragrances. They are intended to primarily both refresh skin and prevent dryness, although many maintain some antiseptic qualities. Lotions typically have higher viscosity than their splash counterparts, but this varies. Most have scents that are more subtle than those of the splashes. Lotions are most often massaged into the skin with the hands but can be applied with pads or cotton balls. The glycerin in lotions sometimes can worsen acne. Although they are sometimes preferred by those with sensitive skin, lotions overall are the least popular type of aftershave.

Balm
Balms usually do not contain alcohol, since their focus is primarily to moisturize and nourish the skin rather than act as an astringent. Most are composed mainly of glycerin, aloe vera, and allantoin. They sometimes use other natural substances such as tea tree oil to give a tingling and cleansing effect somewhat similar to that of alcohol. Many of them contain carrier oils such as coconut, jojoba, soy, avocado, and castor oil, at concentrations intended to mimic the natural sebum from sebaceous glands and to be absorbed within a few minutes rather than leaving the skin feeling oily. Some balms contain witch hazel for astringent and toning properties. The viscosity of balms can be equivalent to that of lotions, but they usually are thicker and creamy or even a paste or semi-solid. Balms are especially popular with those who do not want to 'feel the burn' and those with skin that is sensitive and prone to razor burn/irritation or that tends to be very dry. Balms generally are lighter in scent intensity and longevity than the other forms. Some have cooling agents to provide more razor burn relief. Balms are applied like lotions, but they are absorbed more slowly.

Gel
Gels provide coolness and moisture to delicate skin, with faster absorption than other aftershave forms. They seem to perform best in humid climates. Gels are the most soothing for aftershave soreness. Some contain added antibacterial compounds.


Common aftershave ingredients:

-water
-alcohol(s): antiseptic, astringent
-witch hazel: antiseptic, astringent, toner
-stearate/citrate: antiseptic, sometimes as alternative to alcohol
-allantoin: anti-inflammatory; conditions, moisturizes, protects, enhances loss of dead skin cells
-glycerin or glycerol: smooths, lubricates, hydrates
-propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol): moisturizes, conditions, prevents moisture loss; solvent, decreases product viscosity
-isopropyl myristate: conditions, cleanses; stabilizes products, increases viscosity, prevents caking
-myristyl proprionate: conditions; slows product deterioration
-lanolin: moisturizes, lubricates, softens
-dipropylene glycol: maintains solution, decreases viscosity
-glyceryl stearate: lubricates, decreases moisture loss; emulsifies
-carbomer: distributes solids, prevents emulsion separation
-mineral oil: moisturizes, softens, conditions, provides soft feel; stabilizes scent
-acetate: promotes healing, sunscreen
-phthalate: moisturizes
-aluminum starch: prevents product caking
-menthol: cools, numbs irritated skin
-coloring
-fragrances, including some unnamed
-oils/botanical ingredients (including vitamins such as Vitamin E, aloe vera, shea butter, kokum butter, chamomile, grapefruit seed extract, lavender): hydrating, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial or antifungal, calming and soothing, wound healing, skin protecting
 
Ambergris/Ambrox/Ambroxan

Ambergris ('ambergrease') is a solid, waxy substance at one time thought to come from an unknown creature believed, according to a 1696 letter published by the Royal Society of London, "to swarm as bees, on the seashore, or in the sea." Some at the time thought it was a product of underwater volcanos or the droppings of seabirds. Marco Polo knew that Oriental sailors hunted the sperm whale for ambergris, but he thought that the whales swallowed it with their food. It is known now that ambergris is produced as a fatty bile duct secretion of the digestive system of some species of sperm whales (especially Physeter macrocephalus or P. catodon). It appears that only a small percentage of the whales, and perhaps only the male whales, produce it. Ambergris can be found floating on the sea surface or washed up on coastal shores, most commonly in the southern hemisphere, and it sometimes is found in the abdomens of dead whales. The name comes from the Latin ambra grisea or Old French 'ambre gris,' meaning grey amber (to differentiate it from ambre jaune, the yellow vegetal resin now just called amber).
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Because the horny beaks of giants squids have been discovered within lumps of ambergris, scientists have theorized that the substance is produced to ease the passage of hard, sharp, irritant objects that the whale has eaten. There is some uncertainty and controversy about how ambergris is expelled from the whale, and no one has witnessed it. Previously it was assumed that the whales simply vomited it, but the current predominant idea is that it is primarily passed in fecal matter, but with masses that are too large to be passed through the intestines expelled instead through the mouth. It is not known exactly how it is formed or whether the process is normal or pathological. In Moby Dick (1851), Herman Melville notes the irony that "fine ladies and gentlemen should regale themselves with an essence found in the inglorious bowels of a sick whale."

Ambergris is found in lumps of various shapes and sizes, usually weighing from 15g (1/2 oz.) to 50kg (110 lbs.). One chunk found in the Dutch East Indies weighed 635kg (about 1400 lbs.). Initially black, soft, and viscous, with a strong fecal odor, it gradually hardens following months to years of aging and photodegradation and develops a light grey or yellow color and a more crusty/waxy texture (described as being like clay). With further oxidation in the ocean, a white coating forms and thickens over time. Aged ambergris has a subtle, sweet, and animalic scent, which has been described as a richer and smoother version of isopropranol. It is soluble in volatile and fixed oils. When raw ambergris is heated in alcohol and then cooled, it produces white crystals of the triterpene alcohol ambrein. When oxidized, ambrein breaks down to ambroxide and ambrinol, the main scent components.
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Ambergris seems to require years to form. It can float for years before making landfall. It is found primarily in the south Atlantic Ocean and on the coasts of South Africa, Madagascar, the East Indies, the Maldives, Brazil, China, Japan, India, Australia, and the Molucca Islands. Most commercially collected ambergris comes from the ocean around the Bahamas. Dogs are attracted to the smell of ambergris and have been used to find it by commercial searchers. Fossilized ambergris dated to 1.75 million years ago has been found.

Freshly produced ambergris has a marine, fecal odor. As sperm whale expert Hal Whitehead of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, says, "It smells more like the back end than the front." As it ages, the smell grdually transforms into a sweet, earthy scent. Says ambergris broker Bernard Perrin, "It ages like fine wine." In perfumery, ambergris was commonly ground into a powder and dissolved in dilute alcohol. Its perfume fragrance is often described as velvety but crisp, warm, marine, sweet, earthy, and animalic, and it sometimes is termed woody, voluptuous, or having a salty seaweed, caramel, or cured tobacco leaf aspect. Ambergris is widely used in accords with florals, woods, and musks and other animalic notes to add an opulent, seductive quality. Much as salt enhances flavors, ambergris seems to enrich other scents. Its most unique aspect has been said to be its radiance and tenacity. Although the scent itself is not heavy or overwhelming, it has greater sillage than nearly all other perfume components. As a large, heavy, lipophilic molecule with an affinity for other perfume molecules, ambergris also has fixative and stabilizing properties and probably was used for that purpose initially rather than for its scent.


Perfumers consider ambergris to have three main quality categories:
White/Grey Ambergris - This has been in the ocean for the longest time (usually 20-30 years or more) and mainly occurs in smaller pieces due to weathering. Ideally it has a whitish or partly white coating from air/salt water oxidation and a light interior color. Very old pieces can be brittle and powdery. The fragrance has at least some sweetness and is light and subtle. This is the highest quality.
Standard Ambergris - This is normally colored brown/grey or ash, layering can be seen, and pieces can be larger. The fragrance, while still pleasant, is somewhat too strong.
Low Quality Ambergris - This often is black and usually is still soft and pliable. The scent is quite rough, heavy, animalic, and/or fecal (sometimes described as being like that of an uncleaned stable).
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Complicating the use and perception of ambergris is the fact that due to the complexity of its fragrance and variations in people's olfactory senses, individuals may have quite differing experiences of the scent, similar to reactions to other animalic aromas such as musk. While a particular sample might have an earthy, mossy, agreeable smell to one person, to another it might simply have the neutral or disagreeable odor of freshly turned soil or even compost.

Ambergris also has been used for centuries in food and drink. It has been added to foods as a spice: eggs with ambergris reportedly was a favorite of King Charles II of England. It was used as a flavoring agent in Turkish coffee and in hot chocolate in 18th century Europe. A recipe in the English and Australian Cookery Book from the mid-19th century called for ambergris to be added to rum, almonds and spices to make Rum Shrub liqueur.

Ancient Chinese and Egyptians burned ambergris as incense, while in modern Egypt it still is used for scenting cigarettes. During the Black Death in 14th century Europe, it was believed that carrying a ball of ambergris could help to prevent infection. And during the Middle Ages, Europeans used it as a medication for headaches, colds, epilepsy, and other ailments. Middle Eastern populations have powdered and ingested it to increase strength and combat heart and brain disorders, and some cultures have considered it an aphrodisiac.

Because of declining whale populations, the International Whaling Commission instituted a ban on commercial whaling in 1982. Although ambergris is no longer harvested legally from the animals, many countries also prohibit its trade as a component of the more general ban. For example, Australia bans commercial export and import of ambergris under its Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act of 1999. Importation of marine mammal products has been banned in the U.S. since 1972, according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES); however, ambergris is not mentioned specifically by name. It is actually considered by some to be a waste product, not a physical part or direct derivative of the species and therefore not covered by the provisions of the Convention. Since natural ambergris is extremely rare and valuable, illegal harvesting of whales for it continues in some areas of the world.

The cost, rarity, and legal ambiguity involved with ambergris use has led most perfumers to search for viable, sustainable synthetic alternatives. Ambroxan (Kao), a synthesize form of ambroxide first developed in 1950, is now produced commercially and used extensively in the perfume industry. It is synthesized from sclareol, a component of the essential oil of clary sage. Sclareol is oxidatively degraded to a lactone, which is hydrogenated to a diol and then dehydrated to form ambroxide. The plants make sclareol only in small amounts, and it is very labor-intensive to extract and purify it. But researchers have isolated the DNA which produces two enzymes that create sclareol in the plant and have inserted it into E. coli bacteria to produce large amounts of sclareol cost effectively. University of British Columbia scientists developed a similar process for the balsam fir tree. They transferred part of the tree genome that produces the scent compound cis-abienol into yeast, which can be used to make large quantities of it much like the yeast is used to make malaria medication ingredients. Cetalox is a similar commercial synthetic that is sometimes employed, and the related chemical compounds ambreine, grisalva, Ambrox (from balsam fir, Firmenich), and Ambrofix (Givaudan) also are used. True ambergris is an ingredient very rarely in American perfumes now but can still be found in a few, especially those from before 1980; and it still is used in some Middle Eastern and European (primarily French) products, because not all of its scent qualities have been synthesized commercially, and the synthetics do not completely mimic the natural form. The sperm whale population is slowly recovering from its near extinction in the late 19th century, so it is possible that natural ambergris will once again become more commonly found and utilized legally.

'Masculine' perfume products with significant ambergris include the following:

Abercrombie & Fitch Batch No. 46
Acqua di Parma Colonia Ambra
Aquaflor Firenze Azar
Axe Provocation
Beverly Hills Polo Club Sport 9
Burberry Mr. Burberry Element
Creed Aventus, Green Irish Tweed, Acier Aluminium
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Swimming in Lipari
Francois Deli Fumee Toxique
I Profumi di Firenze l'Uomo di Pitti
Karen Low Pure Blanc
Louis Armand Ultimate Drive, Alter Ego Espirit
Miraculum Red
Penhaligon's Mr. Harrod
Thera Cosmieticos Serifos
TianDe Joss
Yanbal Arom Absolute
Yves St. Laurent l'Homme
Zara Aromatic Future
 
Vetiver

Vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides) is a long, tropical, fast-growing, perennial bunchgrass that is native to India but is also grown now in Haiti, Indonesia, and China, and in lower quantities in Java, Japan, the Philippines, Brazil, El Salvador, Angola, and the French Indian Ocean island of Réunion. It is most closely related to sorghum but shares morphological characteristics with lemongrass, citronella, and palmarosa. Its structure make it drought-, frost- and wildfire-resistant and allow it to survive heavy grazing pressure. Its name is derived from the Tamil word vettiveru, meaning 'root that is dug up.' In India its Hindi name is khus or khas. In the United States the cultivar is named Sunshine after the town in Louisiana where it was first grown.
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Vetiver processing was introduced to Haiti in the 1940s by Lucien Ganot. In 1958, Franck Léger established a commercial production on the grounds of his father's alcohol distillery there, and in 1984 the business was taken over and expanded greatly by Franck's son Pierre, making it the largest producer in the world. The Haitian operation owned by the Boucard family is another major one.
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For perfumery, vetiver essential oil (frequently named with the French spelling, vetyver) is primarily steam-distilled from the web-like roots, although in El Salvador hydrodiffusion is used instead. About 80% of the world's total oil comes now from Haiti. The oil is viscous and ranges in color from dark brown to amber. It takes 200-250kg of vetiver roots, primarily from 18- to 24-month-old plants, to produce 1kg of the oil.
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After the distillate separates into essential oil and hydrosol, the oil is skimmed off and allowed to age for a few months to allow undesirable notes to dissipate. Like patchouli and sandalwood oils, vetiver oil's odor evolves and improves with aging, becoming more ambery and balsamic. Turbulent tropical weather and destabilizing geopolitical influences in its growing regions add to sourcing difficulties and vetiver oil's high cost.
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The personal care industry uses around 250 tons of vetiver roots per year. Vetiver has a damp, woody earthiness that has made it a favorite perfume ingredient for centuries, and it is found prominently now in around 20% of all male fragrances, and it is present in about 40% of women's perfume compositions.

In India, vetiver essential oil was an ingredient of ancient perfumes and was called the 'oil of tranquility.' It was a common ingredient of incense powders in India and Sri Lanka. A French vetiver plant was purchased by the new US government in 1803 and was planted in the Louisiana town of Sunshine; since then the US cultivar has been called 'Sunshine.' An artisan vetiver perfume called Kus Kus has been produced continuously in New Orleans since 1843. The perfume company Carven, however, claims to have produced the world's first truly commercial vetiver-based scent in 1957, but it was Guerlain's Vétiver in 1959 that gave the fragrance breakout status, and it became even more popular with Lanvin's version in 1964.

Paola Paganini, product development and innovation director at Acqua di Parma, explains vetiver's popularity, saying, "Its warm and luminous accents have always been used to convey a sense of timeless and discreet elegance. It has a less 'dry' effect than other woods such as cedar. On the other hand, though, it brings a smoky-earthy note in drydown." Adds British perfumer Roja Dove, "Vetiver is commonly associated with freshness in a scent, but what it is actually doing is bringing sophistication and depth to make them more universally enjoyable." The scent is also very persistent and has excellent fixative properties for other more volatile or delicate ingredients.

The note often is used as a main theme, sometimes by itself, and added to other scents it is used as a drydown accent. In that way it is a chief component in many old-time barbershop fragrance products. Vetiver is famous for blending beautifully with citrus materials, adding warmth and depth to their fresh accord, and it has been a prominent note in compositions with strong berry, chocolate, or ozone tones. It has been called a chameleon note, presenting as clean or dirty, sweet or bitter, depending upon what other ingredients are used with it. In its top, the terpenes (especially those in young roots freshly distilled) provide slightly green or resinous pine notes, but the greenness generally does not persist, and its frequent incorrect association with overall scent greenness probably stems from the fact that the original Carven perfume was packaged in a green box. Vetiver has an ambery smoky quality that is considered distinctly masculine and has been likened to incense and cigars. Dove says, "It really is the ultimate men's scent. Vetiver showcases a refined, natural elegance that represents the ultimate in how a man should smell."

Vetiver's complete profile is described as earthy, warm, sweet, peppery, and lemony, often compared to the distinct smell of uncut grass on a warm day, but the scents of vetivers from various parts of the world differ markedly from each other. The oil from Réunion and Haiti is said to be floral, clean, and ethereal, while the Javanese one is smoky and dusty. Réunion is generally considered by experts to produce the highest quality vetiver oil, called 'bourbon vetiver' because the location was originally called Bourbon Island, with the next most favorable being oil from Haiti and then that from Java. (However, Indians argue that their oil, obtained from wild-growing rather than cultivated vetiver and mainly consumed within the country, is superior.)

"Vetiver is an ingredient with a lot of complexities," says Emmanuelle Moeglin, founder of the Experimental Perfume Club. "The first impression is fresh and earthy before settling into a deep and warm woody note with smoky and nutty nuances." It is sometimes said by consumers to be reminiscent of pencil shavings or green grapefruit, with underlying notes like sweet violet and orris.

The first chemical analysis of vetiver oil was done in France on extracts from roots imported from Réunion. It has been found to have over 100 recognized components. Synthetic alternatives have been developed for a few of these, such as Firmenich 'Vetyrisia' and 'Vertofix' (cedryl methyl ketone). But because of the complex chemical composition, and despite improvement of analytical techniques, there is currently no overall synthetic substitute available for use in perfumery. Other woody natural notes like patchouli, cedar, and amyris are sometimes used to approximate vetiver's properties, with other ingredients such as grapefruit essential oil, veticol acetate, nootkatone (a natural compound found in Nootka Island cypress trees, as well as in vetiver's base), or methyl pamplemousse (from Givaudan) added at times to further boost or mimic vetiver's effect. Studies have been done on the parameters of vetiver distillation, including use of differing metals (such as traditional copper, which gives the oil a cumin and cedar effect), modification of distilling and fractionating equipment and techniques, and changes in pressure and duration. This has led to commercial modulation of some of the factors, especially with Javanese oil, which has produced new oil qualities such as increased sweetness and density of woodiness, added slightly sulphurous/matchstick tones, increased grapefruit zest, and lessening of unpleasant earthy, smoky, or potato peel aspects.

In addition to use in perfumery, vetiver has been used in creams and soaps for both scent and skin care; and with antiseptic and healing properties, it has been prescribed to treat acne and other skin ailments. Vetiver has been a staple of traditional medicine for centuries in South and Southeast Asia and West Africa, prominently in Ayurvedic medicine, used especially for its sedative, antioxidant, antibacterial, immunostimulant, and arterial/lymphatic tonic properties. It is often included in aromatherapy care, where the oil is thought to be a reassuring emotional stabilizer, dispelling hysteria, anger, and irritability, and allowing tranquility and increased concentration.

In areas of Mali and Senegal, vetiver roots and oil have been used to reduce bacterial and fungal growth in water storage jugs, and in India, woven vetiver root pads are used in evaporative coolers to counteract the fishy smell caused by algal and bacterial accumulation in the wood shavings of the coolers. Sometimes vetiver perfume or even pure attar is added to the cooler tanks to scent the air.

As khus syrup (made by adding the essence to sugar, water, and citric acid syrup), vetiver is used as a flavoring agent for foods such as ice creams and milkshakes, yogurt drinks, and mixed beverages, and as a dessert topping. Muslin sachets of vetiver roots are sometimes dropped into earthen pots containing an Indian household's stored drinking water in the hot summer months, lending a pleasant flavor and aroma to the water.
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The finely strong and deep-growing root system of vetiver helps to protect soil against wind and water erosion, especially on stream banks, terraces, and rice paddies, as well as slowing water flow and increasing the amount of water absorbed by the soil, so it is frequently planted for erosion prevention. Vetiver mulch is used widely in gardens to promote water infiltration and reduce evaporation, and as the mulch breaks down it adds nutrients to the soil. It also protects crop fields against pests and weeds, especially those of coffee, cocoa, and tea plantations, and the plant root's penetrating ability additionally loosens compacted soils. Vetiver has been planted to stabilize railway cuttings and embankments, including those of the Konkan railway in western India, in an attempt prevent damaging mudslides and rockfalls. One study has shown that the plant is capable of growing in fuel-contaminated soil and even cleaned the fuel from the soil nearly completely. Similarly, vetiver roots are tolerant of and absorb heavy metals.

Vetiver is sometimes used as feed for cattle, goats, sheep, and horses, although the nutritional values vary. Although the plant has no insect repellant properties, vetiver extracts are used to repel termites from buildings. It was used similarly by trader merchants to protect cloth products from insects while in transit, and small bundles of the roots are still placed near stored home linens to repel mites (including in French Provençal, where it has been combined traditionally with lavender). Vetiver grass is used as long-lasting roof thatch and in making mud bricks with low thermal conductivity for house construction. With its light purple flowers, it is used as an ornamental plant, and garlands of its grass are placed as adornment and offerings in Hindu temples, where its scented water is used in rituals. Finally, its fibrous qualities make it useful for crafts and in making ropes. In Indonesia, the roots are used in the production of floor mats; and in the Philippines and India, the roots are woven to make fans called 'sandal root fans.' Vetiver mats are typically hung in Indian doorways or windows and kept moist by spraying with water, so that the mats cool passing air and emit a fresh smell.

In a scientific effort to track where mosquitos live during dry seasons in sub-Saharan Africa, the insects have been tagged with strings soaked in vetiver oil and then released, after which they are tracked by dogs trained to detect the vetiver scent.

Some of the best-known masculine perfume products with significant vetiver include:

Acqua di Parma Colonia, various, esp. Ebano, Note di Colonia II
Abercrombie & Fitch Hempstead
Annick Goutal Vetiver
Aquaflor Firenze Empereur
Atelier Cologne Vetiver Fatal
Axes Vetiver Proximity
Bois 1920 Vetiver Ambrato
Bombay Perfumery Les Cayes
Borsalino Cologne Intense
Bourbon French Parfums Vetivert
Bvlgari pour Homme
Burberry Mr. Burberry
Byredo Bal d'Afrique
Carolina Herrera Vetiver Paradise

Cartier Vetiver Bleu
Carven Vetiver
Christian Dior Vetiver, Leather Oud, Eau Sauvage
Comme des Garcons Black, Series 4 Vettiveru
Coty Crossmen St. Andrews
Creed Original Vetiver
Czech & Speake Vetiver Vert
Dior Eau Sauvage
Diptyque Vetyverio
Dolce & Gabbana Velvet Vetiver
Dr. Vranjes Firenze Vetiver e Poivre
D.S. & Durga Cowboy Grass
Durance en Provence Zeste de Vetiver
E. Marinella Muscade
Ermenegildo Zegna Haitian Vetiver
Esika Eros
Florascent Vetyver
Frederic Malle Vetiver Extraordinaire
Givenchy Vetyver, Monsieur, Pi
Gucci pour Homme
Guerlain Vétiver, Homme l'Eau Boisse
Hermes Terre d'Hermes, Bel Ami Vetiver, Vetiver Tonka
Issey Miyake pour Homme
Jardin de France Imperieux Vetiver
Jo Malone Vetiver (discontinued)
Joseph Abboud Black Linen
Karl Lagerfeld Bois Vetiver
Lacoste Red Style in Play

Lalique Encre Noire
Le Labo Vetyver 46
Le Re Noir #116 Vetiver di Genova
L'Occitane Vétiver
Lubin Le Vetiver
Lui Niche Baron
Malin + Goetz Vetiver
Miller Harris Vetiver Insolent
, Vetiver Bourbon
Mirato Malizia Uomo Vetyver
Montale Red Vetiver
MPF Arancia
Myrurgia Yacht Man Esencia
Narciso Rodriguez Bleu Noir
Nouveau Paris Perfume Dumann Azure
Oriflame Giordani Gold Notte Man
Ormonde Jayne Zizan
Parfums Berdoues Vetivera Herbacea
Prada Infusion de Vetiver
Provence Sante Vetiver
Roja Vetiver
Royall Lyme Bermuda Royall Vetiver
Santa Maria Novella Vetiver
Serge Lutens Vetiver Oriental
Sigilli Athunis
Theodoros Kalotinis Mentor
Tom Ford Grey Vetiver
Une Nuit à Bali M. Vetiver
Vilhelm Smoke Show
Xerjoff Modoc
Yves Rocher Eau de Vetyver
Yves St. Laurent La Nuit de l'Homme
Zara Vetiver, Legend Iron, Scent #4, Sport 615
 
Skin Types and Fragrances

There has been much discussion about how fragrances smell differently on different people. The major factor is the skin type, i.e. dry, normal, and oily skin. (This classification does not take into account the issue of sensitivity of skin, another topic entirely.) The effect of skin type on fragrances is most notable with colognes and eaux de toilettes with flowery, citrusy, or fruity aromas because of their relatively light scents and high volatility.

The simplest differentiation is that between dry skin and oily skin. One can gauge the oiliness of the skin by feeling how hydrated it seems to the touch. The less dry it feels, the more oily it is likely to be.

Dry Skin

Most fair-skinned and light-haired people tend to have drier skin. Dry skin is characterized by tiny or nearly invisible pores, low elasticity, and roughness.
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Fragrances tend to evaporate quickly on dry skin because there is little oil to which their molecules can adhere, as well as being absorbed below the surface more readily. To maximize scent longevity, it is best to moisturize dry skin with water and/or an unscented - or similarly scented - lotion, rubbed in well, before spraying on a fragrance. (In addition, staying away from shower scrubbing implements that remove beneficial oils helps. And frequent use of a high-quality body lotion or body butter, especially after bathing, will help to keep the skin moisturized and enable it to hold scents longer.) If using an unscented moisturizer, some have found it helpful to spray a little of the fragrance onto the moisturizer before it is applied to act as a sort of 'primer.' A small amount of petroleum jelly or shea butter can be applied to pulse points before the fragrance is added. It also helps sometimes to mix a fragrance with coconut oil or grapeseed oil before application. Reapplication of fragrance after a few hours often is needed. Another choice is to buy perfume oils rather than standard fragrance liquids, since oils are much less diluted, or to layer a scented oil with its matching or similar perfume fragrance. It is recommended that those with dry skin avoid rubbing their scented wrists together after spritzing of the fragrance to prevent 'weakening' of the scent.

Says perfume expert Don Donovan, "Dry skin needs bigger fragrances with a good solid base to hold up the fragrance and make it last. Orientals and chypres work well, as do spices and the heavier blooms like tuberose." Intoxicating, stronger, or heavier 'winter' type colognes with high oil concentrations seem to match dry skin well. Musky, spicy, and woody scents or those with very heady floral and aromatic notes such as patchouli and ambergris are ideal.

Fragrances recommended for dry skin include:
Aramis JHL
Bvlgari Aqua
Chanel Egoiste Platinum
Creed Green Irish Tweed
Czech & Speake Cuba, Vétiver Vert
Davidoff Good Life, Zino
Givenchy Blue Label
Gucci Envy
Guerlain l'Instant pour Homme
Hugo Boss Selection, In Motion
Jean Paul Gaultier Fleur du Male
Kenzo pour Homme
Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan

Normal Skin

Normal skin is characterized by clear complexion and barely visible pores. Since normal skin has more oil content than dry skin, fragrances last longer.

Oily Skin

Those with darker hair generally have oilier skin with more natural moisture and larger pores. Oily skin might be considered the 'best' for fragrances, since scent molecules cling tightly to it and remain present longer. Abundant natural skin oils also appear to trigger reactions among the compounds in a fragrance, making the smell more intense. Those with dark hair and/or oily skin should use less fragrance as a rule.
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Oily skin will hold top notes for longer periods and will also exaggerate certain elements such as sweet nuts or other very sweet notes, which then can be perceived as overwhelming. Fruit, especially citruses, can do very well on oily skin. Very light floral or orange scents are said to be ideal. Oily skin also complements musky fragrances well, the oil molecules bonding together to shape scent character and depth, but the musk smell will persist tenaciously, so only a little fragrance should be used. Says Donovan, "The general rule is that oily skin makes fragrances pop. [It] can turn a quite modest, discreet scent into a magnum opus. However, you have to be careful: certain elements can become too much and upset the balance of a perfume. I had a client who just loved a scent to pieces on the blotter, but on her skin it became syrupy."

It is recommended that those with oily skin moisturize normally but use a lighter lotion specifically created for their skin type. They should choose only one body area to apply a fragrance, as opposed to two or three areas; the neck or the wrists would seem to be ideal. And frequent re-application of fragrance should be avoided. Generally, people with oily skin seem to do best with 'summer' type colognes.

Recommended fragrances for those with oily skin include:
Czech & Speake Neroli, Oxford & Cambridge
Dior Homme Sport, Homme Intense, Homme Eau
Joop Nightflight
Kenneth Cole Black
Le Labo Bergamote 22
Malin & Goetz Lime Tonic
Oscar for Men
Prada Infusion d'Homme
Ralph Lauren Polo (various)
Terre d'Hermes Tres Fraiche
Trumper GFT
Versace pour Homme

Other Factors

One's body chemistry, temperature, oils, and bacterial presence play important roles in how a perfume is expressed on the skin (including the specific notes that emanate), as well as the duration of the scent. Perfume writers state that up to 30% of questions from their readers are about skin chemistry and its effects on fragrance. Among journalists and writers, the opinions often seem to fall into two very different groups: skin chemistry does not matter at all or skin chemistry determines everything. Perfumers generally believe fervently in chemistry influencing the way a fragrance evolves on the skin, and many insist on smelling their compositions on a number of different people before making decisions at various stages of fragrance development. However, states Donovan, "I have to say that, sadly, there has been no scientific investigation into this." Despite this, it appears to most that the top note is where differences are particularly noticeable, although the drydown also can be altered.

Perhaps the most important skin factors affecting a scent are the pH balance and the temperature. Skin acidity or alkalinity (variances in pH levels) differ from person to person and change with age, chemically affecting a fragrance's ingredients and how they smell in different ways. Normal healthy skin pH usually is slightly acidic at pH 4.4-5.5 (with neutral pH being 7), while alkaline skin has a pH at 7 or above. Medical conditions like eczema can cause skin alkalinity, as can external factors such as some bar soaps, while other types of skin ailments and diabetes can make the skin more acidic, with a lower pH. Skin becomes more alkaline with drying and with aging. There is controversy, but some writers claim that a perfume or cologne is expressed most fully on the skin when the pH is slight alkaline at 7.35-7.45, although perfume fragrances may develop more rapidly on acidic skin. Others believe that the 'ideal' pH for scent projection and longevity varies among individuals, further necessitating a trial and error approach to choosing fragrances despite the general rules. Donovan recommends use of a shower gel designed for sensitive skin, which will help to regulate and stabilize the pH. Interestingly, natural redheads are reported to have slightly more acidic skin than those with other hair colors.

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Generally, a person with a higher basal body temperature will have warmer skin and fragrances will not last as long, although this is influenced also by the clothing worn and the ambient environment.

Another factor influencing the expression of a fragrance is the balance of hormones and fatty acids present in the skin, which varies greatly from one individual to another, as well as changing from day to day and with age. Variations in factors such as stress and anxiety also can have an effect through hormone changes. It is thought that the effect of hormones is partly due to their influence on populations of skin bacterial flora, in addition influencing the pH.

A person's lifestyle is a major overall factor, including diet, exercise, whether or not one smokes, whether or not an infection or inflammation is present, and the medications being taken (internally or applied externally, especially if the medications are used for prolonged periods). In ancient times, doctors would smell the wrists of their patients in order to determine their diet and their states of health. An individual with a balanced diet has a different basic body smell than someone with a more rigid diet; vegans and vegetarians smell different than people who eat a lot of meat or fish. People who eat spicy foods, including foods with sulfur such as garlic or onions, and curries with cumin, have a distinct strong smell that seeps through the pores and imparts an undertone to fragrances, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. This is not due to a chemical reaction but rather just to the effect of layering a scent over a base of 'eau de garlic.' A low-fat diet will result in lower oil levels in the skin, and fragrances will tend not to last as long. Alcohol intake will also affect a fragrance, since it is secreted through the skin (along with sugars in the case of a hangover), increasing the loss of smaller, lighter scent molecules as well as affecting the pH and bacterial growth. Coffee can have an effect on fragrances, but this seems to be somewhat unpredictable. And generally, those who exercise frequently will notice that their fragrances do not last as long because increased body temperature causes more rapid dissipation.

(A simple experiment to demonstrate the effect of ingested foods is to drink an infusion of fenugreek seeds at bedtime and smell the arm in the morning, at which time a caramel or maple syrup scent should be perceived on the skin.)

Pheromones also seem to play a role in how fragrances smell on a particular individual, although scientific research is lacking and many aspects remain debatable. Pheromones are predominantly secreted on the neck, so fragrances applied in that area will be most affected.

One obvious factor in the interaction of body chemistry and fragrances is perspiration. When sweat mixes with a fragrance, there are thought to be chemical reactions, which vary with different ingredients, with brands of scent, and due to personal body chemistry. In general, 'summer' scents such as citrus and grasses mix well with and are amplified somewhat by sweat, taking on additional depth as the perspiration evaporates and the scent lingers. Examples of products that seem to do especially well with perspiraton are Hermes Eau d'Orange Verte, l'Artisan Parfumeur Timbuktu, and Chanel Allure. In contrast, some ingredients such as blackcurrant leaf, musk, and woods are not affected well by sweat.

Influences that have been discussed but about which there is no scientific study at all are the blood type and the color tone of the skin. Lighter skin tends to have finer graining of pores, with less oily sebum secreted, so it is likely to project fragrances more 'loudly' and to lose them more quickly. It is said also that more darkly pigmented skin seems to project gourmand and vanillic scents especially well and loses lighter and greener scents relatively quickly, while less pigmented skin may in some way 'hold on' better to aromatic scents.

Although all fragrances are affected by these factors to varying degrees, it is thought that green, fruity, and citrusy compositions seem to be particularly sensitive to them. It seems that clean, dry skin shows less effect than damp skin or skin with added external factors such as dirt. Recently, techniques based on headspace analysis and solvent swabbing have been developed to monitor fragrance concentrations on and above the skin while they are in use, using relatively inert surfaces such as vitreous tile as controls, in an effort to quantitate perfume behavior changes and their underlying processes. So far there has been little evidence released, but there seem to be indications that chemical degradation reactions occur most readily in the underarm area, probably due to microbial catalysis. It may be possible in the future to elucidate these chemical reactions and design specific fragrance effects around them in order to enhance the overall experience for an individual.
 
The Music of Fragrance

A major problem with language and fragrance terminology is that, as is said, "All art is a lie." 'Understanding' a perfume note or accord or describing its essence is meaningless in a way, similar to describing the particular key of a musical work. Many musical pieces are written in D minor, for example, yet each is a unique work of art. As perfumer Huib Maat says, "Throughout history we have sought to express ourselves in many different ways, and one of the most beloved forms of expression is the Alchemy of Scent. When perfume speaks to you, how do you listen? With your nose, your mind, your heart, your soul? A good perfume makes you sit up and take 'note' with every fibre of your being." Or as Jacques Guerlain put it, "I felt something so intense, I could only express it in a perfume." And as one perfume writer said, "The language of fragrance is unlike any other because it is not really about communication; it is meant to be vague."
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Terminology similar to that of music has been used to describe aspects of perfume, such as in discussions of accords and harmonies. A great fragrance is as complex and harmonizing as a great musical composition and is also carefully composed of notes, as many or as few as are required to capture the perfumer's vision. Despite being technical and highly creative, the language of perfumes remains somewhat ambiguous because it is conveying ineffable qualities, just as description of a voice goes beyond the actual spoken words.
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In 1857, perfumer and chemist G.W. Septinus Piesse published a guide called The Art of Perfumery, in which he introduced the idea of thinking about fragrance in terms of musical notes. In it he outlined a comparative scale of 46 different aromas called the 'Gamut of Odors.' He used the methodology of scaling notes, for instance assigning the F note to civet and ambergris and the C note to jasmine and rose. Although this methodology was never widely accepted, his terminology did become popular in perfume descriptions.
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In the same way that one sings or plays together several notes in music to create a chord with a unique sound, a perfume accord is a balanced blend of raw material ingredients that lose their individual indentity but complement one another to create a completely new, unified odor impression. One simplistic example of this is violet + bergamot + jasmine = tea accord. In perfumery there is no theoretical limit to the number of ingredients that can be combined, but like in music, there is usually a carefully chosen balance of several notes. Natural perfumes often have 10-25 different notes combined in various accords, while fragrances mainly composed of synthetics can have 200 or more blended notes. When the perfume materials are properly and harmoniously mixed, they are said to be in accordance with each other, and the individual notes are not easily detected in the accord(s). (Enthusiasts and experts alike debate often and heatedly the presence or absence of particular notes in a fragrance.) And as in a musical melody, fragrance notes follow each other over time, overlapping in pleasing accords or jarring discords, while outlining a theme that keeps its unified character through several transpositions. In this process, the timing and expression of a single scent note is as important as its identity and strength.

A musical chord, although a combination of multiple unique tones, is built from one primary note called the 'root note.' If someone says a chord is a C chord, that means that its root note is a C. The type of chord being played depends upon the intervals between the notes, the main musical chord types being major (happy and simple), minor (sad or serious), diminished (unpleasant or tense), major seventh (thoughtful, jazzy), minor seventh (moody and contemplative), etc. Similarly, a fragrance accord will have several blended notes but is definied mostly by a single 'root' scent note. The creative blending of this root scent note with other unrelated notes structures the character of the fragrance, such as fresh or green. (It is interesting that a traditional French perfumer's workstation, at which raw scent materials are arranged by top, middle, and base notes, is called an 'organ.')
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Within an accord, notes are indicators and descriptors of individual smells. The word note is borrowed from musical language to specify an olfactory impression of a scent or aroma and to describe the experience itself, usually but not always due to more than one single ingredient. (This is in addition to the other use of the word 'note' to indicate the stages of a perfume: top, middle, and base notes.) In other words, a perfume note may correspond to a single musical note, but more often is instead a larger scent experience similar to the musical note's tone quality, which is due to how it is struck, sustained, and modulated. Such fragrance notes may represent reality but sometimes are created to represent imagined/fantasy scents that can't actually be extracted or distilled from nature, such as leather or amber notes. These more 'complex' notes might be considered a transitional stage toward being an accord.
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Like the function of the root scent note, the 'main accord' of a finished perfume reveals the overall theme, the story that is tells, and gives the perfume its olfactory classification (for example the classic accord of bergamot, labdanum, and oakmoss falling in the chypre family and the accord consisting of geranium, lavender, and bergamot being found in the fougères). This main accord can be situated in the top, the heart, or the base, or it can persist across the perfume's life from the opening all the way to the final base notes. Although dominant in a way, it is often just a minor percentage by volume of a mix and frequently is complemented by important secondary notes that emphasize a side aspect or prolong the accord's impression. Two of the most popular main accords are citrus and floral. Main accords often situated in the base include woods, Oriental, and amber. And those that frequently span the whole fragrance evolution include chypre and fougère.

In discussions of accords, there has been some confusion about the difference between an accord and a base. Some think of a base as being more of a finished product (perhaps bottled and with a commercial name), formulated with a simple concept such as 'fresh cut grass' or 'morning dewy rose' and used by a perfumer as a module that is the foundation for final fragrances. A fragrance base of this type, like an essential oil (which a base sometimes is created to approximate), might be considered as an accord or combination of accords that can be reused over and over as an underlying platform, to which other notes or accords are added in varying mixes to yield a number of completely different stand-alone fragrances. One good example is the combination of dihydromyrcenol, amborxan, allyl amyl blycolate, and ambergris tinture, which is present in many of the various Creed perfumes, giving all of them a specific freshness despite their differences. The word accord, on the other hand, often has a more abstract meaning, something that is imagined and may be approximated but never exactly or completely expressed. However, some say that a base and an accord are essentially the same things, both describing a combination of ingredients to form a new one for inclusion in a fragrance, and these writers use the words interchangeably in perfume discussions.

(As an aside, use of a scent base has several benefits: it can blend difficult or overpowering scents into a more tolerable incorporation; it may provide a better overall scent approximation of a particular object than the object itself regardless of how the object is processed; and it provides a way for the perfumer to quickly rough out a concept and present it to others for feedback, after which its 'edges' can be smoothed.)

Further adding to the language confusion around perfumes is use of the term 'facet,' borrowed from the vocabulary of gemology, which can sometimes mean the same as the word accord but at other times refers to a quality somewhere in between accord and family, an assembly of similar related notes with a defining character. One scheme that often is used to guide creation of accords includes use of 17 different fragrance facets that are stratified by their volatility from top note to base, each defined generally by the unique character it contributes to a composition. These consist of hesperidic, marine, aldehydic, new freshness, aromatic, green, floral, solar, fruity, spicy, woody, chypre, eastern, gourmet, musky, powdery, and animalic facts. This defining term contributes to the overall 'olfactory family' classification of the perfume that is depicted on fragrance wheels. The predominant theme is 'dressed' with one or more lesser facets to outline the complete architecture of the perfume.

Perfume, like music, creates an atmosphere and mood and has the ability both to influence and to mirror our feelings. A fragrance can be loud or quiet, energetic or peaceful, light or heavy, and simple or complex, and it too evolves and transforms over time like music. Some compare the quickly-evaporating top notes of perfume to the lighter, higher-frequency musical instruments like chimes or harps; the heart notes to a lead guitar or solo voice; and the heavier base scent notes to drums or the base viol. Perfumer Francis Kurkdjian has said, "To me music and perfume are very much related because they use a common medium - the air. You hear music when the vibration of the sound in the air hits your ears, the same way that perfume needs the movement of air to come to your nose. Both mediums are invisible, compared to painting or literature. This is why they are so deep in our soul, in a way."
 
@churchilllafemme

I've just discovered this thread - what a fantastic resource - I've just - happily - lost three hours reading your posts - fascinating - and I'm not even half way through - thank you very much for having taken the time to research and write them - yours - I.
 
@churchilllafemme

I've just discovered this thread - what a fantastic resource - I've just - happily - lost three hours reading your posts - fascinating - and I'm not even half way through - thank you very much for having taken the time to research and write them - yours - I.

Thank you for the kind words. I have enjoyed researching them and plan to continue for awhile.
 
Tonka Bean/Coumarin

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Coumarin is a fragrant organic compound in the benzopyrone chemical class, considered a lactone. Its name comes from kumarú, the name in the native Galibi (Carib) and Old Tupi languages of Guyana for the Cayenne Gaiac tree (Dipteryx Odorata), and from the derivative French word coumarou. This large tropical tree, indigenous to the rainforests of Central America and northern South America, produces the tonka bean, in which coumarin is present in high concentration (1-3%) and from which it was first isolated. Radiocarbon dating has established that in the wild the trees can live for over 1,000 years. The tree originally was cultivated for its beautiful purple flowers. Each tree produces many fruits, with each fruit containing one bean that has a black and wrinkled outer surface and a smooth brown interior, inside a pod about the size of a Brazil nut. The trees produce 1-3kg of beans each per year. Venezuela, Brazil, Columbia, and Nigeria are the major commercial producers of tonka beans, and the U.S. is the largest importer, almost exclusively for the tobacco industry.
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Natural coumarin also can be found in a variety of other plants, including Chinese cassia, sweet clover, sweetgrass, sweet woodruff, lavender, mullein, and angelica, as well as in sour cherries, strawberries, black currants, and apricots. It is found at high levels in some essential oils, such as cinnamon leaf and bark oils and lavender oil. Related compounds are found in some specimens of the genus Glycyrrhiza, from which the root and flavor licorice are derived. It has appetite-suppressing properties and a bitter taste, and it is thought that in this way coumarin may act in the plants to discourage predation.

The coumarin molecule was first isolated from tonka bean and sweet clover in 1820 by the German chemist August Vogel, who mistook it for benzoic acid. French pharmacist Nicholas Jean Baptiste Gaston Guibourt identified this error the same year and first named the compound. In 1856, Friedrich Woehler determined its structure, and in 1868 William Henry Perkin first synthesized it in the lab. Ten years later Perkin developed the industrial process for production of commercial coumarin.
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Fallen pods are harvested from January to March, and the fresh fruits are picked in June and July. Distilling it is not effective, so the primary method of extracting the oil is by dissolving it to an absolute. The hard outer shell is removed, and the beans are spread out for 2-3 days to dry. They are drenched in alcohol for 12-24 hours, then dried again. Subsequently they shrivel, and a crystal structure, the absolute, appears on their surface. This absolute is a semihard bulk, light brown-yellow in color, and the character of this crystal layer is an indicator for buyers of the quality. Tonka bean absolute contains 20-45% (and rarely up to 90%) coumarin and is famed for displaying a very complex scent profile not matched by any single component, including the coumarin itself.
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Ground tonka bean was first used in Europe for its smell when it was introduced in France in 1793, sometimes being used as a substitute for musk in scents for freshening clothing. Coumarin was one of the first commercial chemicals used in perfumes, appearing in Houbigant Fougère Royale (with a main accord of lavender, oakmoss, and 10% coumarin) by Paul Parquet in 1884 and subsequently in Jicky by Aimé Guerlain in 1889. It became renowned after its use in Shalimar by Jacques Guerlain in 1921. By the 1940s, artificial coumarin was readily available and inexpensive. Now among the most popular ingredients in modern perfumery, it is included in almost 90% of all perfumes. Descriptive lists of perfume notes might call it tonka bean, vanilla, marzipan, or tobacco. (Although tobacco absolute does not contain significant coumarin, they often are paired in accords called just 'tobacco.') Most commonly it is synthesized artificially now for perfumes.
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The scent of coumarin is soft, sweet, and fresh, reminiscent of newly mown grass or hay. Along with the herbaceous tone, it has a slight spicy inclination and a prominent vanillic aspect, as well as complex notes of cherry, smoke, cinnamon, almond, tobacco, and caramel at higher concentrations. It has many diverse character facets and is famously versatile. It is rich and powdery and provides a voluptuous, Baroque tone. Coumarin generally arises from the base and extends through heart of a fragrance, bringing warm depth and character and lingering on the skin. Coumarin and tonka beans seem to work best in spicy and sweet fragrances featuring notes that are somewhat similar to it in character, including clove, vanilla, heliotrope, bitter almonds, cinnamon, patchouli, sandalwood, rose, lemon peel, lavender, benzoin, and balsams such as tolu and peru. It is particularly popular in masculine Gourmand, Fougère, Chypre, and Oriental compositions, in which its warmth offsets the aromatic-citrusy sharpness of the top notes. Coumarin has good fixative effects, further accounting for its use as a base element.

Besides its use in perfumes, coumarin is put into many personal care and laundry care products, including deodorants, shower gels and shampoos, detergents and soaps, air fresheners, and insect repellants, bringing a sweet vanillic character where natural vanilla would be too expensive, and combining especially well with floral accords. When ingested, it is moderately toxic to the liver and kidneys and is thought to be somewhat dangerous. It was banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1954 as a food additive because of its liver toxicity in rodent research. Despite this ban, it is used legally as a flavorant in cigar and sweet pipe tobacco and in the form of sweet woodruff in certain alcoholic drinks. It is used more widely in Europe, where it is allowed in some breakfast cereals and baked goods and in some restaurant foods, especially stews and desserts. Some chefs claim that a single tonka bean can flavor as many as 80 dishes, and French cooks have been so obsessed at times with its flavor that their enthusiasm has been called 'tonka fever.'

Coumarin is subject to some restrictions in its topical use (1.6% or less in a finished perfume and 0.1% in cosmetics) because of concerns regarding its safety if absorbed and about possible allergic sensitization, but evidence for it causing allergic reactions is disputed and unclear. Related compounds, the furanocoumarins (or phytocoumarins) occur in a variety of plants and can be hazardous. One of them is bergapten (from bergamot), which is easily absorbed through the skin and can cause severe sunburn with light exposure. In the search for possibly safer alternatives and a broader scent palette in perfumery, new coumarin-like products have been developed, including coumane, Bicyclo Nonalactone, Givaudan's Methyl Laitone, and Symrise's Cantryl, but while being sweet, nutty and vanillic, these tend to have more of a creamy coconut-like odor property. One exception is Tonkene, whose structure was obtained through computer simulation of true coumarin's 'molecular vibration' and which is claimed to have a scent profile very much like the natural substance.

Coumarin is used as a precursor reagent in the synthesis of synthetic anticoagulants, known as coumadins (4-hydroxycoumarins), which are designed to have high potency and long duration times in the bodies of rodents. These rodenticide chemicals produce death from internal hemorrhaging after a period of several days and are still in use, although more modern rodenticides have been developed. Coumarin can effectively mask many unpleasant smells, and in the past it was used often in the pharmaceutical industry in the preparation of potions containing substances such as fish oil or iodoform. Concern was raised about coumarin's potential in cosmetics to be absorbed and to cause hemorrhaging, but this has been proven to be unwarranted since the coumadins themselves are completely absent from cosmetic products and coumarin is not metabolized to them in the body. Coumarin dyes are used extensively as gain media in commercial blue-green tunable organic dye lasers. The flowers are still sold commercially, and the tree bark (known as Brazilian teak) has become very popular as a durable hardwood for flooring.
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It is transformed by a number of fungal species into the natural anticoagulant dicoumarol, which was responsible historically for the bleeding disorder in cattle known as 'sweet clover disease,' due to the animals eating moldy silage, early in the 20th century. A compound related to coumarin, the prescription drug warfarin (Coumadin), inhibits vitamin K synthesis in humans. First synthesized in 1948, it has been used as a medical anticoagulant, inhibiting formation of clots in the treatment of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Coumarin also has limited approval for a few other medical uses, such as in the treatment of lymphedema. In basic research, there is preliminary evidence suggesting that it has anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant, and antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Although not supported by studies, it has been claimed that tonka beans can strengthen immune system functions. In the past, especially in folk medicine, the beans were used as a medicine for treatment of cramps, nausea, cough, spasms, and tuberculosis. Tonka oil and ground beans have been used in aromatherapy, in which they are said to promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, and relieve stress and depression. In some cultures the bean has been considered an aphrodisiac, as well as having the power to summon courage and promote acquisition of wealth.

Masculine fragrances with significant tonka bean/coumarin include the following:

4711 Acqua Colonia Hazel & Tonka
Aeropostale Benton
Alfred Dunhill Fresh
Amouage Honour, Journey
Avon Musk Iron, Open Road, Trekking
Azzaro pour Homme
Bella Bellissima Perfect Man
Breil Milano Complicity
Brut Prestige
Burberry Touch, Brit Rhythm
Carolina Herrera Chic
Caron pour un Homme
Chanel Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme
Clive Christian VIII Rococo Immortelle
David Beckham Night for Men
Davidoff Brilliant Game
Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme
Galimard Eau de Romarin
Giorgio Armani Code (var.)
Givenchy Play Intense, Pi
Guerlain l'Homme Ideal
Hermes Equipage
Houbigant Fougere Royale
Hugo Boss Bottled Intense
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Beau, Le Male
Jequiti Prive Homme Absolu
John Varvatos 10th Anniversary Special
Joop Freigeist Black Edition
Karl Lagerfeld Private Klub
Kokeshi Tonka
Lacoste 2000
Lancetti Mood Man
Laura Biagiotti Essenza di Roma
Liz Claiborne Curve Connect
l'Occitane Au Bresil Cumaru
Master Perfumer Blue Spice #25
Mennen Skin Bracer
Moliard Musc
Montblanc Legend
Narciso Rodriguez Musc Oil
Oriflame Be the Legend
Otto Kern Signature Eau Fraiche
Paco Rabanne Black XS Los Angeles, One Million
Pineider Cuoio Nobile
Prada Luna Rossa Black
Ralph Lauren Polo Black
Remy Latour Cigar Vanille Tonka
Robert Graham Fortitude
Scorpio Noir Absolu
Shaik Gold
Sothys Homme
St. Hilaire Private White
Star Wars Empire
Thera Cosmeticos Klaus, Arcade
Thierry Mugler A*Men
Tom Frank Tobacco Crystal
Versace Eros, Pour Homme, Blue Jeans
Yanbal Zentro
Yardley Bond Street
Yves Rocher Hoggar
Yves St. Laurent l'Homme, La Nuit de l'Homme, Rive Gauche, Kouros
Zara Gourmand Leather, Kilsbergen, C4SHMER4N, Nightfall Blue, Denim Jacket
 
Artemisia/Wormwood/Mugwort

Artemisia (sometimes 'wormwood') is a large and diverse family of over 200 plants that includes mugwort, tarragon, sagebrush, and wormwood. While native to Europe, it grows readily across areas with various climates, including parts of Asia, Africa, South America, and North America, preferring temperate zones and dry or semiarid habitats. It has velvety white or greenish-silver stems, yellow-green leaves, and bulbous bright or pale yellow flowers. Most species have strong aromas and bitter tastes which discourage predators, although they are used as food plants by the larvae of a number of butterfly species.
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The name Artemisia comes from Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt, the woodlands, and the moon. In folk medicine it was considered a feminine plant, with protective powers to guard over witches' gardens and healing properties, especially in relation to the uterus and pregnancy. Some believe the name also refers to Artemisia II, a queen of Caria (in western Anatolia), botanist, and medical researcher in the 4th century B.C. It was called wormwood because of the plant's ability to treat intestinal parasites.

Artemisia gained notoriety from its use in absinthe, a French liqueur that was a favorite of many 19th century artists, including Vincent van Gogh, and was purported to have numerous adverse effects (which actually appear to have been due to its very high alcohol content and contamination with methanol or toxic green dye). Long considered an hallucinogen and potential poison, wormwood was banned in the U.S. from 1912 until 2007. Overwhelmingly bitter, Artemisia is mentioned several times in the Bible as a symbol for extreme bitterness and suffering.
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"Most wormwoods are segregated by the regions in which they are grown, and they all have different flavors and aromas," says Todd Leopold of Leopold Brothers distillery in Colorado. The best-known species is A. absinthium, grande wormwood, used by most distillers to produce absinthe. Wormwood can grow almost anywhere in the world, though much of it now is harvested commercially in Pontarlier (in Eastern France near the Swiss border) and in southern Virginia.
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Use in Perfumes
Only a few species produce essential oils that are used commercially in perfumes, primarily A. vulgaris (mugwort), A. dracunculus (tarragon), and A. absinthium. A. vulgaris essential oil (Armoise) has an intense herbaceous, bittersweet, aromatic scent reminiscent of cedar leaf and sage and with musky, woody, marigold, and chamomile undertones. A. dranunculus is said to be more berry-like, evolving from bitterness to become sweet and floral. A. absinthium is a very sharp, bitter, 'green' fragrance element, used primarily is men's scents, where it brings balance to sweet floral and balsamic notes. Its initial slightly salty, bitter-camphoraceous tone develops into a more pleasant, sweet herbaceous, and tea-like drydown. It is used mainly in Fougère compositions, where it pairs well with lavender, oakmoss, and coumarin; and in Chypres, forest blends, and tobacco and leather fragrances. Wormwood is never used as a main theme, but rather is added as an accessory to other notes. Perfume expert Steffen Arctander says that A. Absinthium "is very warm and dry-woody, long-lasting and highly interesting as a unique perfume note. . . an extremely interesting perfume material which can be utilized in a multitude of new combinations. It blends well with oakmoss; it introduces a true-to-nature herbaceous note in a jasmin, orange-flower or hyacinth; it lends enormous richness to a chypre or a lavender compound..."
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Artisan perfumers are experimenting with other Artemisias, including A. arborescens, which is said to have a clean, fresh, green aroma, and A. herba-alba, which is fresh, cool, and sweet-camphoraceous. The latter is being used especially to provide 'lift' to top note accords and to accentuate other green notes such as galbanum, sage, and rosemary. A. tridentata is used to a lesser degree by some artisan perfumers. Commonly known as North American sagebrush, it has a dry, pungent fragrance somewhat like garden sage but 'wilder.' A. dracunculus has characteristic herbal scent that has similarities to anise, basil, and sweet clover.
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Medical Uses
All parts of the plant have been used in traditional medical practices for centuries. A. absinthium was used in European folk medicine to strengthen the body, ease digestion and remove intestinal worms, and reduce fever. A. herba-alba (white wormwood) is native to the Israeli Negev, and the bedouins in the desert used it as a general antiseptic, anthelmintic, and antispasmodic. It was also used to treat diabetics because its intense bitterness was believed to balance the excess of sugar and to stimulate the liver and pancreas, as do other bitter herbs such as germander and sage. Mugwort, also known as cronewort, is believed to be a nerve tonic and digestive tonic and is thought to increase mentrual bleeding and to treat pulmonary diseases. U.S. west coast Native American cultures used mugwort to prevent wound infections, to treat athlete's foot, as a headache remedy, and to stop internal bleeding. Another type of mugwort, A. californica (coastal sagebrush), has been used to treat respiratory complaints, including coughs, colds, and asthma, and for pain relief, in which it is said to be more effective and safer than opioids.
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In Chinese medicine, mugwort is called 'moxa' and is used during acupuncture treatments, during which it is burned on top of the needles to warm them and activate the body's qi energy. This is thought to improve blood supply to the area. Chinese mugwort (A. argyi) is used mostly to treat women's bleeding during pregnancy or postpartum but also for promoting menstruation. Another Chinese species, A. apiaceae, is used to treat vertigo, cold sweats, fevers, headaches, and joint pains.
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The main species employed in the West for their medicinal properties are A. cina, A. herba-alba, and A. arborescens, whose high santonin content makes them effective against intestinal worms. A. annua, which also contains artemisinin, is the current most effective drug against P. falciparum malaria, although there are concerns that subtherapeutic doses of it in popular juices and teas could promote resistance. Modern research has shown that Artemisia essential oils have antiseptic activity against several types of bacteria. A. capillaris is known to have sedative-hypnotic effects, and recent studies with mice have shown that the thujone in it and other Artemisias affect GABA levels and uptake in the brain, acting very much like cannabis THC does. A. annua has been considered as a possible treatment for COVID-19. Although there is no evidence that it can treat or prevent the viral infection, Madagascar has manufactured and distributed as a treatment of COVID-19 an herbal drink called Covid-Organics.

Other Uses
In aromatherapy, mugwort and lavender are used together in 'dream' pillows to balance their opposing actions of alertness/relaxation.
A. Absinthium also is used in soap fragrances and is popular as a scent for Japanese bath salts. And A. herba-alba is thought to be helpful for stress and emotional disturbance when used topically.
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Artemisia tea has a strong medicinal flavor and is mostly drunk as a warming and energizing winter brew in North Africa and among Moroccan Jews in Israel, usually with mint. It is also ingested as a beneficial tea in Japan and Korea. A sweet rice-red bean Japanese pastry, Yomogi mochi, is flavored with mugwort. Historically, A. absinthium was used to spice mead in Medieval Europe, and in 18th century England it was used in making beer, preventing spoilage of the barley during fermentation. In combination with other herbs and spices, it flavors the green-colored absinthe liqueur, as well as vermouths. (The word vermouth is derived from the German word Wermut, meaning 'wormwood.') A. dranunculus (tarragon) is used widely as a culinary herb, especially in French cuisine.

Coastal mugwort and sagebrush have been used by Native American peoples in British Columbia to cleanse and purify a space in 'smudging ceremonies' (involving the burning of sacred herbs). Artemisia arborescens has been an important Christian monastery herb and was found wild in Israel near ancient Crusaders' forts. It is thought that the Crusaders brought it with them from Europe to plant in their own 'monastery gardens' near the fortresses. Interestingly, it also is now one of the fragrant herbs planted in Muslim cemeteries because it is believed that a good scent will be pleasing to the angels that judge the souls of the deceased. A few species oF Artemisia are grown as ornamental plants. A. tridentata, which has the most camphor, terpionoids, and tannins, was used by the Okanagan region's native people to tan hides. Several Artemisia species have been used as insect repellants.

Men's Artemisia and Wormwood Products
The common naming of essential oils of Artemisia species creates much confusion among perfumers, with some products called 'wormwood' and others called 'mugwort,' and some called both by various authors. In addition, Latin species name can refer to any of several different cultivars or subspecies with varying scents, so even the use of species names by manufacturers who are careful about which they are using can be confusing.

Either the wormwood or mugwort might be noted in ingredients, but the following masculine scents are usually described as having a significant Artemisia vulgaris ('mugwort' plant) presence:

Antica Barbieria Colla 3 Colonia No. 0
Avon Musk Fresh
Ayala Moriel Gaucho
Azzaro Naughty Leather, Summer Edition 2013
Burberry Touch
Calvin Klein Obession Summer
Caron Yatagan
Cartier l'Envol
Charriol Philippe II
Crabtree & Evelyn Black Absinthe
Denim Illusion
Dzintars Hit Yellow
Emanuel Ungaro Cologne Extreme
Emper Presidente Sports, Urban Man
Ermenegildo Zegna New York
Fabi per Lui
Francis Kurkdjian Lumiere Noire
Gucci pour Homme
Halston Man
Homem Agua de Cheiro
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male
Jeanne Arthes Extreme Limit Rock
Jovan Fever
l'Acqua di Fiori Extreme
Marbert Man Classic
Max Deville Silverado (Black)
Natura Kaiak Aventura
Nazareno Gabrielli Details
Nicole Farhi Homme
Oriflame Deep Impact, Mister Giordani Aqua
Panouge Indifference
Parfums Genty Skyline Pacific
Thera Cosmieticos Monaco
X-Bond Happy
Yves St. Laurent La Collection Jazz, Kouros Eau d'Ete
Zara Man Limited

And those listed below are claimed to have some type of 'wormwood' tone:

Absolument Parfumeur La Treizieme Note
Amouage Memoir, Fate
Angel Schlesser Homme Oriental
Aramis Adventurer
Brocard Modern Classic
By Kilian A Taste of Heaven
Calvin Klein Dark Obsession, CK Free
Carven le Vetiver
Davidoff Hot Water
Durance en Provence Spiced Absinth
Dzintars Stylish Man
Franceso SMalto
Guess Man
Guy Laroche Drakkar Noir
Hugo Boss Spirit
Humiecki & Graef Skarb
I Profumi di Firenze Hidalgo
John Varvatos Vintage
Kenzo Homme Night
Kesling Bleu Formidable
Lindo Ganarin Esquire
Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin
Mauboussin pour Lui
Milton Lloyd Chique
Moschino Uomo
Opus Oils Absintheo
Oriflame Architect, Excite
Paco Rabanne Black XS
Pantheon Roma Raffaello
Parlux Decadence
Ralph Lauren Polo Black
Roberto Cavalli Man
Zara Denim Couture Extreme
 
Tobacco

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Like several other members of the nightshade (Solanaceae) family, tobacco is native to the Americas and the West Indies. Two main species of tobacco are used aromatically, medicinally, and commercially. Nicotiana rustica is a wild tobacco, native to the West Indies and eastern North America, and is the one used by native Americans for centuries. Nicotiana tabacum is indigenous to Central and South American and was cultivated commercially later in the state of Virginia. Cultivated tobacco is an annual herbaceous plant that grows to a height of 3-6 feet. It is sensitive to temperature, air quality, ground humidity, and the type of soil. China now produces the most tobacco, followed by India, Brazil, and the U.S.
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There is evidence that tobacco may have been grown in Guatemala in the 9th to 7th centuries B.C. and that Mayans smoked tobacco during religious ceremonies by the 1st century B.C. The Arawak/Taíno people of the Caribbean are believed to be the first to cultivate and use it on a large scale. The seeds were introduced to Europe by the Spanish monk Roman Pano in 1496, first considered a decorative plant, then a medicinal panacea, and eventually a snuff and tobacco source. It arrived in Africa at the beginning of the 17th century.
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The English word tobacco originates from the Spanish and Portuguese 'tabaco,' which probably was derived from Taíno, the Caribbean Arawakan language. In Taíno, it was said to mean either a roll of tobacco leaves (according to Bartolomé de las Casas, 1552), or tabago, a kind of L-shaped pipe used for sniffing tobacco smoke. However, similar words in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian were used in the 15th century for certain medicinal herbs and were probably derived from the Arabic ṭubāq, a word dating to the 9th century.

Perfumery Use
It is unclear when the tobacco note first gained popularity in perfumery. One theory is that a tobacco tincture may have been used in citrus colognes of the early 19th century to add woody, leathery, or ambery base nuances. There are many vintage perfume bottles from the late 19th century with the names Tabac, Tabacco, Tabac Doux, Tabac Fleuri, and Tabac Noir, but whether or not they actually included any tobacco is unclear. Houbigant Fougère Royale (1882), with lavender, moss, and coumarin in its formula, created what might be considered a tobacco 'hologram,' an illusion of tobacco fragrance. Tobacco became more popular in general with the invention of cigarettes during the First World War. The history of flapper girls who started to smoke in society is reflected in perfumes such as Caron Tabac Blond (1919) and Molinard Habanita (1921), although they contain no raw tobacco material and are actually leather-amber and wood-amber compositions. It is said that Maurer & Wirtz Tabac was first created in 1939 with a true tobacco note but was recreated in 1959 without it. The first major recognized appearance of tobacco in perfumery was in Guerlain Vetiver (1959). According to legend, the fragrance came about after a chance meeting of Jean-Paul Guerlain with a gentleman walking in the woods and smoking a pipe.

Nicotine
The primary chemical component (1-5%) of tobacco is nicotine, an alkaloid named in 1586, commonly and in Latin, by the botanist Jacques Dalechamps in honor of Jean Nicot, the French ambassador to Portugal. Nicot gave tobacco to Catherine de Medici, the Queen of France, as a remedy for migraine. The plant material has a very complex chemical composition, including around 3000 different constituents. The major sources of the characteristic tobacco fragrance are the caretenoids, with contribution also from terpenoids, phenols, furans, and lactones.

Curing
Like several other aromatic botanicals used in perfumery, tobacco requires processing before extraction, since the raw leaves have a somewhat unpleasant smell. Curing of the leaves can be done in several ways to produce different types of tobacco for use.

Air curing involves simple air drying, either outdoors or indoors in well-ventilated barn structures. In the original method, the entire plant is cut down and placed upside down so that the leaves dry more or less straight. Once dried, the leaves are brittle and fragile, so they are gathered, removed from the stems, and stacked into piles on a humid day or with humidity added to the barn atmosphere. They are left then to ferment and become brown, a process taking about 6-8 weeks. This results in a somewhat sweet, lightly-flavored tobacco with a high nicotine level. Cigar and burley tobaccos are air cured.
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Fire curing is done indoors, where a hardwood fire is kept smoldering for 3-10 weeks, making a smoke that permeates the leaves. This produces a tobacco low in sugar and with a high nicotine content, with a distinctive smoky aroma and flavor, used mainly for pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, and snuff.
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Flue curing also is done indoors, but with the barn heated by hot air run through pipes (flues), without exposure of the tobacco to smoke. This results in a tobacco that is high in sugar and has medium to high nicotine levels, used for cigarettes. This is the fastest method, requiring about a week. Virginia tobacco that is flue cured is also called 'bright tobacco' because the curing turns its leaves gold, orange, or yellow.
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Sun curing consists of leaving the tobacco outdoors and exposed openly to the sun for 4-5 days, after which the leaves are taken indoors and allowed to dry further and then soften for packing. This method is mostly used in Greece, Turkey, and other Mediterranean countries to create what is called Oriental tobacco, low in both sugar and nicotine and used in cigarettes and hooka blends.
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After curing, the tobacco is tied into small bundles of about 20 leaves called 'hands' or is machine-pressed into large blocks called bales. At this stage, rum, vanilla, molasses, dried fruit, or mint are sometimes added for flavoring. Also at this point, perfumes are added to some tobacco for use in scented cigars, cigarettes, loose-leaf tobacco, and snuff. The hands or bales are finally aged for 1-3 years to mature the flavor and reduce bitterness.
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Absolute
For perfumery, the tobacco is usually solvent extracted from the cured leaves with petroleum ether or hexane, resulting in a concrete from which the absolute (also known as essential oil) is removed by ethanol. This raw absolute is a thick, dark brown-amber, pliable mass that must be heated slowly to become pourable for mixing. Co-distillation with water under a stream of inert gas, with subsequent single-solvent extraction of the distillate, can produce a nearly clear liquid so that perfumes to which it is added are not so darkly colored. When heavily diluted, the absolute obtains its characteristic cigar or pipe tobacco aroma. Perfume expert Steffen Arctander describes the absolute as "a dark brown, semi-solid mass of strong, almost repulsive odor, faintly reminiscent of cigar tobacco... In dilution, it has a typical cigar-tobacco fragrance."

Generally tobacco absolute is known for providing an earthy, mossy, woody, sweet aroma with notes of hay, tea, balsam, honey, and fruit, and hints of flowers, leather, and chocolate. The scent of the absolute varies depending upon the quality of the tobacco leaves used. Some absolute is flat, dry, and woody, with a tannin-like quality suggesting black tea and mate absolute. Others are fuller, more rounded and animalic, with more body and almost chocolate-like richness. Potent and very long-lasting, tobacco scent needs to be highly diluted and used in small quantities with complementary essences. According to Arctander, the preferred tobacco for absolute is the 'Virginia' type, of which most suppliers now sell a nicotine-free type. France is the major producer of the absolute, although Bulgaria also markets a significant amount. Other tobacco varieties used on a smaller scale to produce absolute include Burley, Oriental (Turkish), and Latakia (grown in Syria and Cyprus).

The tobacco note can be found in the top, middle, or base of a perfume. With its tannin quality, tobacco makes an excellent base for leather compositions, especially with castoreum or hyraceum tinctures and cade oil or birch tar. It also blends beautifully with all 'woody' fragrances, including vetiver, patchouli, sandalwood, cedarwood, juniper, sage, and labdanum. In citrusy colognes, especially those with lime, it adds a polished, sophisticated tone. Tobacco works very well with Oriental spices and with florals (with which it shares some common chemical components), especially rose, violet-iris, geranium, jasmine, and orange blossom. In small amounts, it adds depth, character, and dryness to fougères. It generally adds sweet, sensuous, smoky, and mysterious nuances to a fragrance, giving hints of caramel or whiskey. There are very few other scents that conflict with it in a composition. In terms of the marketing around the concepts of gentlemen's clubs, smoking rooms, and other remnants of high class and 'manly pleasures,' tobacco sometimes is combined with tones of rum and whiskey, in addition to leather and smoky aromas. Finally, tobacco absolute also has excellent fixative properties.

Sometimes considered a subgroup of tobacco perfumes are those that are especially dry and pungent, in which tobacco strongly prevails or in which it is combined for this effect with ambergris or dry, sharp spices like cloves and black pepper. Examples are Maison Incens Oud Deneii, Rania T. Habanero, Sultan Pasha Attars, Jardins d'Ecrivains George, and Creed Tabarome.

Says perfumer Andy Tauer about tobacco, "In perfumery, I love it for its multitude of facets. There is a wood line. There are dried fruits giving it a gourmand character, supported by what brings 'cocoa' to mind. There is an animalic, furry, dirty line. And there is a quality that says 'bathroom, used, not cleaned for a while,' and so much more. Thus, it can be combined with all sorts of other notes: Think flowers, roses. The darkness of tobacco sets the flower petals in fire. Think patchouli, think vetiver, think amber, think musks, think... endless."

Another absolute whose aroma is similar to that of tobacco is Blazing Star (Liatris odoratissima), a plant of the aster family. Sweet, dry/powdery, herbal (coumarin-like), and with undertones of vanilla, it combines well with the same essences as does tobacco.
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Tobacco Flower Absolute
There is also a tobacco flower absolute, usually sourced from Bulgaria. It very rare and is in high demand by perfumers. This is described as being delicate, subtle, rich, sweet, and spicy-floral, with a fresh and almost fruity note, reminiscent of carnation, violet, and cloves. It is sweeter and more complex than tobacco leaf absolute. Other varieties of tobacco, including jasmine/sweet or winged tobacco (N. alata), Aztec or 'strong' tobacco (N. rustica), and Petunia tobacco (N. petunoides) also produce very fragrant flowers that can be used for absolutes.
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Tobacco Mimics and Synthetics
Other essences are frequently used to create an illusion of tobacco, including coumarin, sage, clove, cinnamon, lavender, vanilla, tonka beans, ambergris, licorice, amber, and deer tongue (lyatrix). Tobacco expert William Poucher includes a formula for a 'tobacco flower base' in his Perfumes, Cosmetics and Soaps that includes rose, carnation, clary sage, honey, jasmine, immortelle absolute, birch tar, coumarin, vanilla, and a hydroquinone, to recreate the flower's aroma. One modern example is Issara Dusita Paris, with tonka beans, clary sage, vetiver, and cedar. Another is Cuba Paris, with the the tobacco note actually only existing in its name. These scents also are sometimes added to emphasize the true tobacco (similar to the addition of coumarin to tobacco in cigarettes).

Synthetic tobacco absolute components are now available, including carotenoids. A well known one is veltonal, with a distinctive tobacco tone and a raspberry-pomegranate fruity accord. 3-Megastigmatrienone, which plays a major role in giving tobacco its aroma, is synthesized commercially and sold under the brand name Tabanon. Other chemicals with tobacco notes very close to the natural include oxophoyl, isophoryl acetate, 3-theaspirone, and 4-oxo-beta-ionone. Certain synthetic nitrous compounds are used in the perfume industry in nano-quantities to make the true tobacco note richer, more vivid, and with more contrast.

Other Uses
Tobacco is a sacred plant to nearly all Native American peoples. The first to use it were probably the Mayans. The Aztecs also cultivated it so they could use the flowers as ceremonial ornaments. Tobacco has been an essential element in many Native American rituals, in different ways: placed as an offering to gods or spirits, burned on a fire to produce fragrant smoke, and smoked in a pipe or as cigar-like rolled leaves. Generally they did not inhale the smoke, and historically their reverence for the plant and respect for its powers prevented them from allowing addiction to it. In addition to nicotine, tobacco contains other alkaloids that are monoamine oxidase inhibitors, whose properties are like those of certain modern antidepressant medications. These compounds give tobacco smoke its effect of 'generating the divine within,' which allowed Native American shamans to enter mystic altered states of consciousness in their practices.

Tobacco administered by chewing, as snuff, and by smoking, was used medicinally by Native Americans to treat many ailments, including asthma, fever, animal bites and stings, and mental confusion. It has been used topically in many cultures for centuries to treat oral ailments (toothaches, gum bleeding, cavities) and skin diseases (infections, burns, eczema, rashes, alopecia, dandruff). Macerated tobacco leaves have been used as first aid for venomous snake bites. The oil has been thought to be a potent aphrodisiac and an effective treatment for sexual problems. The absolute also has been used both topically and in aromatherapy burners to treat anxiety, depression, emotional imbalance, and mental 'dullness;' it is reputed to be soothing, calming, and relaxing. In addition, it is sometimes used in nasal drop form to suppress craving in those trying to quit smoking.

In modern times, tobacco has been considered to have sedative, diuretic, expectorant, emetic, and saliva stimulant effects, although it is not often used for these purposes. Research has demonstrated that it has antioxidant properties, possibly due to its vitamin C content. A Duke University study in 2006 showed that nicotine patches were effective as an antidepressant therapy, thought to be due to increased brain release of dopamine and serotonin. Tobacco has been shown to have some bactericidal and fungicidal activity. And research at the University of Louisiana Monroe has demonstrated that it has some benefit in treating prostate and breast cancers. Studies are also looking at its use for rheumatism and asthma.

With its toxic nicotine content, thought to provide a defense against animal predators, tobacco leaf extract was a popular pest control substance until the beginning of the 20th century, when it was replaced generally by other chemicals. In 1851, the Belgian chemist Jean Stas documented the use of tobacco extract as a murder poison, after the Count Hippolyte Visart de Bocarmé poisoned his brother-in-law with it in order to acquire money. Varieties other than N. Tabacum are cultivated as ornamental plants, and tobacco plants have been used in some biofuels.

Tobacco appears in a large number of perfumes, with some considered to be unisex preparations and many thought to have a 'masculine' character. And while some contain only tobacco leaf absolute and others tobacco flower absolute, a number of them appear to have touches of both types in varying proportions, so the lines differentiating them are not clear. The following lists are simply representative of the commercial offerings.

'Masculine' Tobacco Leaf/Cigar/Pipe Tobacco Fragrances:

Aficionado Cigar Aficionado (cigar tobacco)
Alt-Innsbruck
Aramis Havana, Tobacco Reserve
Banana Republic Black Walnut
Bogart Pour Homme (cigar tobacco)
Burberry London
Calvin Klein CK One Shock
Coqui Tabaco
Creed Tabarome Millesime
Czech & Speake Cuba (cigar tobacco)
David Jourquin Cuir Tabac
Demeter Pipe Tobacco
Dolce & Gabbana The One
Emanuel Ungaro Man
Frau Tonis Parfum No. 70 Habanera
Gianfranco Ferre For Man (bitter pipe tobacco)
Giorgio Armani Code
Gucci Pour Homme
Issey Miyake Pour Homme
John Varvatos Vintage
Kilian Light My Fire, Back to Black
Korres Premium II
Le Labo Santal 33
Le Re Noir #126 Tabac du Chaman
Maison Martin Margiela Jazz Club
Maurer & Wirtz Tabac
Michael Kors Michael for Men
MiN New York Moon Dust
Parfums de Marly Herod
Parfums et Senteurs du Pays Basque La Feria
Pierre Cardin Centaure Cuir Blanc
Remy Latour Cigar for Men
Robert Graham Fortitude
Roger & Gallet Cigalia
Roja Dove Enigma
Santa Maria Novella Tabacco Toscano, Acqua di Cuba (cigar tobacco)
Serge Lutens Chergui
Sjaak Hullekes 64
Teatro Olfattivo di Parma
Thierry Mugler A*Men Pure Havane (sweet cherry tobacco)
Tom Ford Tobacco Oud, Tobacco Vanille (vanilla pipe tobacco)
Tommy Bahama Cigar
Versace The Dreamer (fresh cigarette tobacco)
Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb
Volutes Diptyque
Zara Tobacco Collection Rich Warm Addictive, Tone Indeterminee

'Masculine' Tobacco Flower Fragrances:

Atelier Segall & Barutti Le Tabac & Citrus
Avon Black Suede Leather
Banana Republic Modern 2015
Bloke Benji
Bvlgari BLV Pour Homme, Notte Pour Homme
Cherigan Fleurs de Tabac
Di Palomo Per Lui
FEN Perfumes Gentlemen's Club
Gandini 1896 Tobacco
Givenchy Play
John Varvatos Rock Volume 1
Korres Saffron Tobacco
La Martina Suerte
O Botaicario Connexion My Way
Parfumes Quartana Wolfsbane
Thera Cosmeticos Dakar
Tru Fragrances Ultimo Noir
Versace The Dreamer
Womo Black Tobacco
Xerjoff Shooting Stars Oesel
 
Absolute

An absolute, also known as an essence, is a natural fragrance material extracted from plant parts. Basically it is the strongest aromatic material that can be obtained from a plant or flower. Similar to essential oils but more concentrated, absolutes are highly aromatic, oily mixtures used in perfumery and aromatherapy. They contain a higher density of coloring, waxes, and other natural constituents from the plant than do essential oils. Traditionally absolutes were produced through enfleurage, the use of odorless fats to capture compounds exuded by botanical matter, but more commonly now they are the product of solvent extraction. In this process, first an organic solvent such as hexane is added to the plant material to extract the non-polar compounds. This solution is then filtered and concentrated by distillation or evaporation to produce a waxy mass called concrete. The more polar, fragrant compounds are extracted from the concrete into ethanol. When the ethyl alcohol evaporates, an oil — the absolute, typically still containing 1-5% ethanol — is left behind. Because certain absolutes, such as vanilla used in aromatherapy, require more purity, a proprietary procedure involving only natural, food-grade, grain alcohol with no hexane is sometimes used for the entire extraction process.

Because the aromatic compounds have not undergone processes with high temperatures, absolutes can be produced with aromas closer to the original plant product than is possible with essential oils produced through steam distillation. Examples of this difference are rose otto (steam-distilled rose oil) vs. rose absolute and neroli (steam-distilled oil from the bitter orange tree blossom) vs. orange blossom absolute. In addition, some plant materials, such as jasmine, tuberose, and mimosa, are either too delicate or too inert to be steam-distilled but can be obtained by solvent extraction.

Unlike essential oils, absolute oils are volatile and evaporate when exposed to air. Absolute oils must be stored in dark, air-tight glass bottles and kept away from heat. If stored properly, they can last for more than five years. Because of the high quality and low yield of their production, absolutes are quite expensive. Absolute oils are extremely concentrated and must never be applied directly to the skin or taken internally.
 
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