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
Sandalwood:
Sandalwood oil is oil extracted from the heartwood of the Sandal tree, originally found in India. One of the oldest known perfumery ingredients, the powdered wood is also used to make incense. Indian sandalwood is now endangered; so many modern perfumes use Australian sandalwood or synthetic substitutes. Sharp: A combination of coarse aromatic chemicals that produce a penetrating effect, usually, resulting from the lack of roundness or balance. Sillage: The trail of scent left behind by a perfume. Fragrances with minimal sillage are often said to stay close to the skin. Single Florals: This is the most specific category. Generally the name of the fragrance is similar to the name of the floral it has taken inspiration from. Although the major theme of the fragrance is a single floral there are other elements to the perfume. The interpretation by various perfumers of this category makes them differ in their evolution. Soapy: Soapy note describes largely as either aldehydic, fatty and waxy, has a strong white, laundry-type musk or an orange blossom note. But more practically it is scent that rises up as oils or fats are mixed with an alkaline solution to produce soap . Soliflore: A fragrance which focuses on a single flower, or which tries to recreate the aroma of a single flower. Soliflores may in fact have more than one floral note, however. Soluble: It is termed for which can be dissolved in a solvent (liquid) such as water, oil, alcohol. Solvents: Volatile fluids used to extract essential oils from flowers and other natural perfume materials. Solvents are used for dissolving solid or viscous aroma materials. This enables them to mix with other components of the production of perfume. It can be saidVolatile Solvents are fluids used to extract essential oils from flowers and other natural perfume materials. Their volatility means that they can be removed by evaporation after the extraction is complete. And Low Odour Solvents are for dissolving solid or viscous materials, to enable them to mix with the other components of the formulation. Solvents used in perfume and flavors for regulating strength, viscosity or stability of materials or finished compounds. Specialties: It is less complex specialty base used in perfumery for the finished product traded with a Trade name which is patented and do use some patented or unique raw materials . Composition can be natural oils, isolates or synthetics, either alone or in combinations, which are used as building blocks by perfumers in creating other perfumes. Species: Major subdivision of a genus of plants. A biological classification composed of related plant individuals. Spicy: Warm or hot character as opposed to the neutral or cool Herbal notes and a word descriptive of a pungent or piquant fragrance. Oil of cloves or oil of cinnamon is example of spiciness in single aromatic materials. In the flower group, carnation and oil of lavender may be described as having spicy nuances. Spicy Bouquet: As the name implies, this group relies on spice notes such as clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and bay for its principal notes. Spice notes are universally used in perfumery. Stability: It is a term used in context with the lasting power of the perfume either in the bottle with the other ingredients, or exposed to heat, light or air OR the degree to which a material or perfume is effected over time by heat, light and air OR if the perfume is in a product , how it is effected over time by interaction with the base of that product. Instability may show itself by change in colour, odour, and separation of the product or viscosity. Strength: It is largely the relative intensity of an odour. The term may also refer to the total volume of odour over the evaporation of material/perfume. Substantivity : It is a parameter referring to how long a fragrance lasts on a particular surface, and how it’s affected by temperature, humidity, and other such conditions. Substantivity is used frequently when discussing perfumes for washing powders or fabric conditioners and is effected by many factors such as vapour pressure, water solubility, temperature, humidity, airflow, substrate (surface used on) etc. Sweet: Fragrance note which imparts a sensation that has richness and ambrosial characteristics associated with sweet taste described in several ways – it can be used to refer to a vanilla sweetness, a floral sweetness, or a fruity sweetness. When smelling should be in position to differentiate between a vanilla type sweetness, a floral sweetness or a fruity sweetness Sweet (2): A fragrance effect classically illustrated by the rose. The rose effect is constantly used to sweeten perfume oils during the course of their design. The rose is to the perfumer as sugar is to the chef. Synthetic: It is perfume material man made imitating naturals or particular scent or note in the laboratory. Some synthetics are superior to the natural in uniformity, stability and availability as their properties are controllable. It may be derived or isolated from natural products or manufactured in laboratory. Synthetics may be as costly as naturals. Synthetic animal products have replaced the natural in perfuming for obvious animal cruelty reasons. Synthetics also replace dangerous natural aroma products. Some are better for the environment especially in the case of sandalwood and other natural products that can take years to replenish. Many Synthetics are also used in the flavor industry and are safe for perfuming as well as food flavor. Natural and synthetic products both are used in our perfume making. Synergistic: To combine in such a way that the total effect is more than the individual parts. The objective perhaps or every perfumer because to get less than the sum of the parts is surely a failure! |