How do you source fragrance?

 Incredibly, the production and use of perfumes, in various forms, dates back as far as the 9th century in the Indus civilizations of India. A 4,000 year old perfume factory was also discovered a few years ago in Greece containing tools and equipment used at the time. It is believed that it was not until the 13th century that perfumery and fragrance suppliers began to appear in Western Europe with France being one of Europe’s biggest hubs. All this has led to perfume manufacturing becoming a multi-billion dollar industry globally. 

Let’s take a deeper look at one of the sources used in perfume manufacturing, namely, plants. When looking at plants, it is fascinating to see how the combination of its parts produce so many different fragrances. Dried barks such as cinnamon, sandalwood, birch, cedar and pine are commonly used in earthy and deep scents. The seeds of plants that are typically chosen include coriander, nutmeg, anise, cocoa and cardamom. Candle fragrance suppliers will often choose scents which include ingredients such as patchouli, rosemary, sage or violet which are rendered from the leaves and twigs of plants. The most well known parts of plants used are flowers and blossoms with popular choices being rose, violet, jasmine and lily. This is done by submerging the flowers in certain chemicals such as benzene. The benzene will disintegrate the plant matter, leaving the oils behind. This oil is then used on its own or combined with other ingredients in the final scent. Furthermore, resins such as frankincense, myrrh and gum benzoin are often used in natural perfumes as well. They generally serve as composition notes to add depth and complexity and smell sweet or spicy. 

Animal products were widely used as base notes and enhancers in perfumes in the past. They were also used as fixatives that help perfume evaporate slowly and last longer. Products such as musk, castoreum and hyraceum would be some of the products most commonly used. The use of these products has decreased considerably due to the nature of the extraction methods however. Many of the animals once used to extract these products are now on the endangered species list and can no longer be hunted. Today, most of these scents are synthesized to allow for them to be produced in larger quantities for one, and to prevent unnecessary harm or slaughter of animals. 

Synthetic production has also allowed fragrance suppliers and perfumers more flexibility and stability in their creations. While natural oils and ingredients are still coveted and considered the most exclusive, synthetic perfume ingredients can save unnecessary harm to animals and plant harvests as well as end up being more economical for all parties involved. Perfumers have a responsibility to follow brands’ various commitments to being sustainable and responsible in sourcing their ingredients. To that end, synthetic chemists have now become experts at producing large quantities of these ingredients at reasonable cost. Popular perfume brands such as Chanel, Prada and Serge Lutens also add aldehydes to their formulas to lighten heavy florals. This has allowed fragrance suppliers to reach mass markets with a much larger scent palette. 

With constant advances in technology and research, the methods and production of perfumes will undoubtedly continue to evolve. However, what is certain is that they will continue to delight and refresh the world as they have been doing for centuries.