Glossary & Fragrance terminology
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Factice:
Regular or oversize perfume or toiletry bottles filled with a tinted liquid for commercial display purposes. The contents are not actually perfume. Fatigue: Odor fatigue results from overloading exposure to an odor, or from smelling too many fragrances at one time. The nose can no longer discern any particular smell but usually detects very different smells. Fatty, Unctuous: An impression of thickness, heft and richness. A French term for it is “gras,” fat, and it is a trait that is often found in classical fragrances. FEMA: Flavor And Extract Manufacturers Association. Fixative: A fixative is an ingredient added to perfume to make it last longer, similar to a preservative. A material incorporated in a fragrance for the purpose of retarding the volatilization of the fragrance or producing a comparatively uniform volatilization of the fragrance, so that its character does not radically change as it evaporates. Most fixatives have an odor of their own which must be taken into account in the design of fragrance oil. They may have some physical or chemical effect of forming bonds with the other materials. Flanker: It can be said to be sequel of the original . A “sequel” fragrance that capitalizes on the success of a master brand. Some flanker scents are variations on the original fragrance may be they might share certain notes or some share nothing more than the name. Flankers are usually packaged in the same bottle as the original fragrance, but the bottle might be done in a different color or finish, or have different decoration. Flat: Perfume with not much interesting characteristic, lacking in lift, diffusion or distinction of top , middle and base notes . Implies a negative quality if compared to smooth which refers to a harmonious character. Flacon: Beautifully designed perfume bottles designed for portability. Floral: Floral scents are those whose accords resemble with flowers may be singular or multi floral theme and are smooth or natural generally and they are characterized by the prevalence of well-defined floral notes. Floralcy: Term meant for a fragrance that has a floral element or a floral character. Sometimes it means an abstract floral sensation that does not refer to any one flower in particular. This can be a radiant, bright effect. Floral Bouquet: This is the most general group in the categorization of perfumes. The combination of Jasmine, Rose, Ylang and Tuberose, just to name a few, play an integral part in the creation of a Floral Bouquet. Florals are combined in various ways to give different nuances to the fragrance. The use of other aromatic materials in conjunction with these floral blends is a most exciting family in today’s fragrance trends. Floral-Fruity: Perfumes having notably fruity elements, generally in the top notes, as an accessory to floral heart notes. Flowery: Possessing a fragrance resembling a flower or flower petal notes. Food Grade: Considered safe for use in food. Forest Blends: It can be grouped as woody, mossy, leafy and herbaceous and natural notes . The aroma chemical manufacturer has given the perfumer many new materials that are characteristic of modern perfumery. These notes, when blended with natural forest products, develop into a wide variety of fragrances ranging from chypres to herbals. Fougere: It comes from the French for Fern which uses fern/forest-like notes of oakmoss combined with herbal notes such as lavender and coumarin. The fougere accord is a very important class of fragrance used in perfumery. It is a classical accord built upon mossy, lavender, citrus character. Also it is one of the fragrance families . Fougere (2): French word for “fern.” Fougere fragrances depend on aromatic chemicals to produce the fern-like notes that combine well with lavender, citrus and coumarin in fragrances for men. Fractional Distillation: It is a method for refining essential oils or separating individual constituents (isolates) according to their evaporation characteristics. It is used for refining Alcohol (the terms "double or triple distilled" refer to this process). Citral is separated from Lemongrass Oil and Eugenol from Clove Oil by this method. Fragrance: A composition of various natural and/or synthetic aromatic materials that create a definite odor effect. Better used to describe the smell part of the perfume rather than the product perfume. Frangipani: A tropical flower, also known as West Indian Jasmine though not a member of the jasmine family botanically and plumeria, and is frequently used to make leis. Frankincense: A gum resin from a tree genus Boswellia found in Arabia and Eastern Africa. It is harvested by making an incision in the bark; the milky juice leaks out and is left to harden over a period of months before it is collected. Also called Olibanum. Fresh: Fresh is a term often used to describe citrus or green notes, found in light perfumes. Effect introduced into a fragrance by the use of citrus oils, green notes, mint notes, and ozone notes. Fresh floral usually applies to a green floral such as found in Lily of the Valley and the top note of Rose. Fruity: It is used to describe a fragrance that has fruit scents, but not citrus fruits. It’s usually a kind of sweet-sour scent, like peach , plum ,apples, strawberries, pineapples or bananas. Also refers to the sweet-sour edible fruit odours (excluding citrus). Full-bodied: It is a well-rounded fragrance possessing depth and richness. Fungal: Odors suggestive of molds, mushrooms and fungi. Important notes in muguet fragrances as well as other florals. |