Helpful Definitions

Absolutes are usually prepared from concretes (see below) via alcohol extraction. The alcohol is subsequently removed so that the finished absolute will be completely soluble in designer perfumes and colognes.

Balsams and Resins are produced by these plants in an effort to protect them from insect infestation or other pathogens. Balsams and resins are usually solid or semi-solid and oil soluble. For ease of use, we offer them at 50% concentrations so they will be pourable at room temperature and therefore easier to mix with other fragrance ingredients. We currently carry Balsam Peru, Balsam Tolu, Benzoin Resin, Myrrh Resin and Labdanum Resin.

In the past, chemical solvents were used for extraction, but today, liquid carbon dioxide is usually employed in the process. After extraction, the solvent is removed, leaving a mixture of concentrated fragrance materials together with natural waxes, and other materials; some of which are not soluble in alcohol or other perfume material. For this reason, many concretes are further processed into Absolutes (see above) for use in perfume. Concretes may be used “as is” for soaps, creams, and pomades.

Essential oils are most often extracted from grasses, roots, leaves, flowers, fruit and seeds. Extraction is generally done using steam distillation, extraction via liquid carbon dioxide or other solvent or by expression (pressing or squeezing).

In the past, natural, animal derived fixatives such as musk (from deer), castoreum (from beaver), civet (from civet cats) and ambergris (from sperm whales) were used. Today, for eco-conservation reasons, synthetic musk chemicals are used instead. Most of the active molecules in natural fixatives have been chemically identified and are produced synthetically for a fraction of the cost.

A finished fragrance compound blends a balance of:

1. Top Notes: The fastest evaporating ingredients, which give the first impression of the fragrance, as well as its “lift.”
2. Middle notes: The main body of the fragrance, which predominates most of the extent of the fragrance, and provides the main character of the scent.
3. Base Notes: The slowest evaporating and longest lasting part of any fragrance. They include ingredients which, by themselves, are usually solid at room temperature, as well as fixatives which give longer lasting properties to a fragrance.

Synthetic Aromatics are important fragrance ingredients since many of these are the key active ingredients found in natural essential oils. Most can be manufactured at a fraction of the cost of the natural sources thus making fragrances very low in cost by comparison with the cost of many of the naturals. In creating a fragrance compound, we obtain an analysis of a natural fragrance such as roses or peaches and then try to use as many of the same chemical components in the same proportions found in the original. In many cases, we can closely parallel the same scent as the natural product at a fraction of the cost.