Introduction to the World of Perfume
at the London College of Fashion
The aims of this session are:
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To inspire you to enjoy your sense of smell
To give you a taste or sniff of what the students study in the
perfumery unit
By the end of the session you will be able to:
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List at least 6 odour and fragrance families
Give 2 reasons why individuals perceive odours differently
Create an harmonious perfume
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Do you feel odour perception is connected more to the
thinking logical brain or to the emotional feeling brain?
Is odour connected to choosing a mate in any way?
Is odour evocative of past experience?
Do new born babies recognise their mothers by sight or
smell?
Are mothers able to recognise their babies by smell as
well as sight?
How old is the perfume industry?
What are the roots of the word perfume
How many kilos of rose petals does it take to make 1Kg
of rose absolute?
Perfume in Literature
4
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The 1st year under graduates on the MSc in
Cosmetic Science take perfumery as part of a unit
with marketing
2nd year students create a shampoo fragrance to
use in their hair care project
What are these botanicals?
Lemon
Citrus Medica Limonum
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Citrus fruit
Grown in Sicily
Cold extraction techniques
The odour of the fresh
essential oil is mouth
wateringly close to the
original
Cold extraction of citrus oils
Rosemary
Rosmarinus Officinalis
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Herb
Reputed to aid memory
In ancient Greece students
would rub rosemary on their
foreheads before exams to help
them remember
10
Rosemary
Rosmarinus Officinalis
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Love charm
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In the Greek orthodox tradition
rosemary is said to help couples
remember their wedding vows
Rosemary wreaths are worn by
bride and groom in the wedding
ceremony
Alpha and beta wave patterns in
the brain are affected by
rosemary
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Most people feel more alert but
calm at the same time
11
Some academic studies confirming the
effects of rosemary oil
A study involving 40 participants looked at the EEG
activity, alertness and mood after an aromatherapy
session using lavender oil on one group and rosemary
oil on another. The rosemary group had reduced
frontal alpha and beta power suggesting increased
alertness, they reported feeling more alert and more
relaxed. When completing mathematical computations
the rosemary group were faster but not more accurate.
(Diego et al, 1998)
A study with 140 participants looked at the effects on
memory of lavender oil, rosemary oil and no odour
(the control group). The rosemary group showed
overall improved quality of memory but with an
impairment of speed compared to the control.
(Moss et al, 2003)
Rosemary oil said to have a positive effect on mood,
concentration and memory for 10 subjects.
(Svoboda et al, 2002)
Rosemary in perfumery
Rosmarinus Officinalis
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Herbal note
Part of the classic eau de cologne
Used frequently in fragrances for
men
4711,
by Muelhens,
launched in 1792
Eau Dynamisante,
by Clarins,
launched in 1987
Clove buds
Eugenia Caryophyllus
• Spice
• Essential oil is made by water
distillation
Photographs by Tony Burfield taken 21st century in Zanzibar
Clove buds
Eugenia Caryophyllus
• Spice
• Essential oil is made by water
distillation
• Contains 75-80% eugenol
• Eugenol is one of the commonly
reported EU allergens
eugenol
Photographs by Tony Burfield
15
Distillation invented in Arabia
• The Arabs invented the
alembic still
• Distillation is mentioned
around 200 – 300 CE but the
alembic still with a more
efficient condensing system
is invented around the 11th or
12th century CE
• Words beginning with al- are
derived from Arabic
• “al” is the article or “the” in
Arabic
Arabic manuscript held in
the British Library
showing an alembic still
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Distillation invented in Arabia
Translation of the text in the
manuscript by LCF students:
To my son,
You should know that if your flame is
too strong the water will rise yellow to
where collected and will be ruined.
When your flame is utilized in the
proper way, you will obtain what you
need, having the will and support of
God. The distillate should be kept away
from sunlight until needed; then take the
oil from the water.
Arabic manuscript held in
the British Library
showing an alembic still
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dianthus caryophyllus
Sweet William
dianthus barbatus
Viburnum Burkwoodii
Clove or buffalo currant
Ribes odorata
Fragrances including
Clove oil
Old Spice, Shulton, 1938
Opium, Yves St Laurent, 1977
Star Anise
Illicium Verum
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Star anise is used in
many flavourings
including liquorice
Part of the anisic note
often found in male
fine fragrance
八角
Bājiǎo
Frankincense or Olibanum resin
Boswellia Carterii
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Frankincense oozes from the
stems of a bush and hardens in the
sun
The bushes grow in arid regions of
Yemen and Southern Arabia
In ancient times there was an
incense trade route
Wars were fought over the control
of frankincense trade
Censer 3rd century BC
Shabwa, Yemen
British museum collection
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Pink Pepper
Shinus Molle
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Relatively new perfumery
material (1990s onwards)
Extraction method uses
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liquid CO2
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under high pressure
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in costly equipment
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made of 20mm thick
stainless steel
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Fragrance including Pink Pepper
Eau des Merveilles, Hermes, 2004
23
The sense of smell
Odour Families
History of Fragrance
Fragrance Creation
Natural ingredients
Synthetic Ingredients trend setters
The Structure of the Perfume Industry
Smell signals are sent directly to
the limbic brain
Smell can trigger the reliving of a
complete experience including
emotions and feelings
Respect
• Specific anosmia
• Thresholds
• Attraction – Finding a mate
MHC – major histocompatibility complex
Some Important Odour Families/Notes
Floral
Woody
Fruity
Balsamic
Citrus
Aldehydic
Green
Aquatic/Ozonic
Spicy
Mossy
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Odour Families
Introduction activity
Smell the 6 fragrance ingredients A-F and allocate each to one of the odour
families below:
Floral
Woody
Fruity
Green
Citrus
Aquatic/ozonic
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Odour Families
Introduction activity
A Citrus
Bergamot oil
Made by cold expression
A bridge in perfumery between the
citrus and floral notes
B Green
cis-3-hexenol
Occurs widely in nature including in
fresh cut grass, bananas and
strawberries
C Aquatic
or fruity
Calone
Some people perceive as
marine others water melon
D Fruity
Amyl acetate
Like pear drops a type of
confectionary or nail varnish remover
E Floral
Rose oil
It takes 2 tonnes of rose petals to
make 1 Kg of rose oil
F Woody
Cedarwood
oil Virginian
Reminiscent of sharpening pencils
Odour perception varies from individual to individual
Below are some entries in the Odour Recognition Journals
of students class of 2014
Each entry describes the same ingredient Calone
a) Watermelon; fresh, sweet; reminds me of a summer picnic with
watermelon to eat
b) Smells like watermelons and cucumbers; fresh, watery, aquatic
feel
c) Watermelon, marine
d) Watery; fresh, light; reminds me of cucumber
e) Fresh ozonic; reminds me of sea shore, shells, fish, marine life
f) Ocean, salty, fishy; matt, wet; reminds me of a smelly beach, not
pleasant
30
Odour perception varies from individual to individual
What is the odour of Calone for you?
Do you perceive more than one aspect?
Watermelon
Cucumber
Marine Aquatic – fresh
pleasant
Seaweed Fishy unpleasant
31
Influence of Synthetics in 20th Century Perfumery
Calone
IUPAC name
7-Methylbenzo(1,4)dioxepin-3-one
Functional group
Cyclic diether and ketone
Occurrence
Not found in nature
Odour Family
Aquatic
Perfumery uses
Fresh ozonic, marine note and water
melon. Calone is evident throughout
the fragrance profile
Trend setter
Calone was patented in 1966 but
waited until the 1990s to create a new
fashion in fragrance:
New West for him,
Aramis, 1988
L’Eau d’Issey,
Issey Miyake, 1992
Acqua di Giò
Giorgio Armani
1996
32
Perfume Creation
Accords
Top Notes
Middle or Heart Notes
Base Notes
Perfume Creation
A perfume is a harmonious bend of aromatic ingredients
Fragrance is to smell, as music is to noise
A typical fragrance contains between 20 and 100 ingredients
Perfume Creation
The creative perfumer knows the odours of each ingredient and
will be able to predict what a blend might smell like
A fragrance house will have between 1000 and 6000 ingredients
Ingredients are found from every part of plants
and from all over the world
Flowers
Fruit
Seeds
Resins
Twigs and
Branches
Bark
Heart wood
Leaves
Grasses
Rhizomes
Roots
Vetivert oil
INCI name
Vetiveria Zizanoides
Geographic Origins Indonesia, Haiti, Bourbon, India
Botanical part
Root
Extract
Oil
Vetivert root
Odour family
Woody
Vetivert bundles
Vetivert Distillation
37
Vetivert oil
INCI name
Vetiveria Zizanoides
Geographic Origins Indonesia, Haiti, Bourbon, India
Botanical part
Root
Extract
Oil
Odour family
Woody
Vetivert is a grass
above ground with
a deep odorous
root system
Vetivert being planted for terracing
Vetivert is used here to help protect
the more delicate crop basil
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Ever since the dawn of the human race we have been blending
smells to create harmonious odorous mixtures or perfumes
Why the word “Perfume”?
From Latin “per fumen”, meaning “through smoke”
From the ancient practice of burning precious incense in
religious ceremonies to cleanse and to act as a direct link with
the gods
Perfume factory discovered in Pygros, Cyprus dated around 2000BC
• Chypre is the French name for the island of Cyprus
• The Chypre accord includes oakmoss, patchouli
and labdanum
• Could there be a link back to fragrances made in
ancient Cyprus?
Chypre
Coty
1917
• Chypre is the French name for the island of Cyprus
• Coty launched his Chypre in 1917
• The modern use of the term Chypre is often attributed to Coty
“Give a woman a fine fragrance at a price she can afford, and an
industry will grow up such as the world has never seen.”
Francois Coty 1905
Coty was the first to use the new
powerful absolutes in:
La Rose Jaqueminot, Coty, 1904
Coty launched the first modern Chypre with:
Chypre, Coty, 1917
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www.osMoz.com
www.fragrantica.com
www.basenotes.net
The sense of smell
Odour Families
History of Fragrance
Fragrance Creation
Natural ingredients
Synthetic Ingredients trend setters
The Structure of the Perfume Industry
Commonly Reported Allergens INCI Names
Nature Identical:
Examples of Natural occurrence:
Anisyl Alcohol
Benzyl Benzoate
Benzyl Cinnamate
Benzyl Alcohol
Benzyl Salicylate
Cinnamic Alcohol
Cinnamal
Citral
Citronellol
Coumarin
Eugenol
Farnesol
Geraniol
Isoeugenol
Limonene
Linalool
Aniseed oil
Benzoin resinoid
Benzoin resinoid
Ylang ylang oil
Ylang ylang oil
Cinnamon oils
Cinnamon oils
Lemon oil
Rose oil, geranium oil
Tonka bean absolute
Clove oil
Ylang Ylang oil
Rose oil, geranium oil
Clove oil
Citrus oils
Lavender oil
48
Commonly Reported Allergens INCI Names
Not found in Nature:
Amyl Cinnamal
Amyl Cinnamic Alcohol
Hexyl Cinnamal
Butyl Phenol Methyl Propional
Hydroxyisohexyl-3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
Methyl-2-octynoate
Alpha iso Methyl Ionone
Trade name
Lilial
Lyral
Natural:
Evernia Prunastri
Evernia Fururacea
49
Fragrance creation - The Jean Carles method
Jean Carles (1892-1966)
50
THE ORIENTAL ACCORD
Middle notes
Spices
Woods
Balsams
Base notes
Vanilla
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THE ORIENTAL FAMILY
Feminine fragrances
Shalimar
Guerlain
1925
1898
Jicky
Guerlain
Opium
YSL
1977
1952
Youth Dew
Estée Lauder
Samsara
Guerlain
1989
1985
Obsession
Calvin Klein
Prada
Prada
2004
2002
Dior Addict
Dior
2012
Coco Noir
Chanel
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THE ORIENTAL ACCORD MASCULINE
Old Spice
Shulton
1931
Obsession for men
Calvin Klein
1986
1965
Habit Rouge
Guerlain
Armani Code for men
Giorgio Armani
2004
1998
Allure pour homme
Chanel
Spice Bomb
Victor & Rolf
2012
2012
Tom Ford Noir
Tom Ford
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CREATING YOUR OWN FRAGRANCE
Blend 1
Rosey floral
Blend 2
Jasmin floral
Blend 3
Oriental
Blend 4
Fruity floral fresh
Blend 5
Fruity floral gourmand
Blend 6
Fougère
Blend 7
Cologne
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CREATING YOUR OWN FRAGRANCE
Patchouli oil 10%
Adding patchouli will create a chypre effect
Veltol plus 1%
Adding veltol plus will bring a caramel gourmand note
found in Angel and Prada Candy
Jasmin absolute 1%
Try one drop and see how it adds complexity
Bergamot oil (bergaptene free) 10%
You can add bergamot oil to lift your top note
Mandarin oil 10%
You can add mandarin oil to modify your top note
Vetiver oil 10%
Vetiver oil is often used in masculine fragrances
Blends well with patchouli
Cassis Base by Firmenich 10%
A blackcurrant base used widely in fine fragrance
Calone 1%
A drop of calone will bring aquatic freshness
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DIFFERENT RESPONSES TO JASMINE ABSOLUTE
FROM STUDENTS AT LCF:
Jasmin absolute
Rustic, the smell in a village
Unpleasant, strong, sharp
‘Reminds me of houses for animals’
Jasmine flower
Bright
‘Reminds me of the jasmine in the garden at my home in Malaysia’
Jasmine, indolic, very floral
Sweet (floral), powdery
‘Reminds me of the jasmine growing outside my apartment in Spain’
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Quiz
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Which of the following islands has an ancient history of fragrance
manufacture and is recognised in a fragrance family name today:
A – Cypress
B – Fiji
C – Malta
What is the name of the fragrance family?
What is the etymology of the word perfume?
Which of the following cultures invented the process of essential oil
distillation:
A – Indian
B – Chinese
C – Arabic
D – French
Which of the following is a top note fragrance ingredient?
A coumarin
B vanillin
C amyl acetate
What of the following is specific anosmia mean?
A Being able to smell a particular odour at a high concentration
B Not being able to smell one type of odour
because a particular odour receptor gene is no longer functioning
C Not being able to sleep on a particular type of fabric
Which of the following is a reputed benefit of rosemary oil?
A Helps memory
B Helps sleep C Is anti-inflammatory
57
Quiz
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Which of the following islands has an ancient history of fragrance
manufacture and is recognised in a fragrance family name today:
A – Cypress
B – Fiji
C – Malta
What is the name of the fragrance family? Chypre
What is the etymology of the word perfume? Through smoke
Which of the following cultures invented the process of essential oil
distillation:
A – Indian
B – Chinese
C – Arabic
D – French
Which of the following is a top note fragrance ingredient?
A coumarin
B vanillin
C amyl acetate
What of the following is specific anosmia mean?
A Being able to smell a particular odour at a high concentration
B Not being able to smell one type of odour
because a particular odour receptor gene is no longer functioning
C Not being able to sleep on a particular type of fabric
Which of the following is a reputed benefit of rosemary oil?
A Helps memory
B Helps sleep C Is anti-inflammatory
58
Sweet Smell of Success
London College of Fashion
with Marianne Martin
The average person takes
around 3 million breaths a year
Enjoy your sense of smell
Thank you