What are perfume essences?

Composition of a fragrance

The aromatic substance is the most important ingredient in the composition of a perfume, providing smell to the fragrance. The choice of essences and their proportion will determine the type of final fragrance.

• Perfume : it has the highest concentration of essences, between 20 and 25%.

• Eau de Parfum : its maximum concentration is 15%. It is the most common commercial form.

• Eau de Toilette : it has a lower proportion, approximately between 6% and 10%. They are fresh aromas.

• Eau de Cologne : they have around 5% essence and owe their name to the city of Cologne, where it was invented.

The diluent is the majority product of the composition, the base on which all the ingredients are mixed. It is usually composed of ethyl alcohol and demineralized water, the alcohol allows essential oils to be easily diluted. The higher the proportion of alcohol to water, the greater the aroma density of the fragrance, but also the greater the evaporation.

The aroma fixative is very important, it reduces the volatility of the fragrance and prevents the smell from being lost. These can be vegetable or organic and have their own smell or not. Organic ones, like ambergris, are the most difficult to find and therefore the most expensive.

Most relevant olfactory notes in perfumery

To create the fragrances, the diluent is first added as a base and the fixative. Once mixed, the essences are introduced in an order: first, the substances that create the background or base notes are added. As they are the least volatile, they last longer and provide depth. Next, the middle or heart notes are added, which are the ones that characterize the perfume and the most lasting. And finally, the top notes , these being the most volatile, but the first ones we perceive when smelling a fragrance.

The creation of a fragrance involves the combination of different essences and aromas until a harmonious olfactory profile is found, which defines the uniqueness of each perfume.

Some of the most relevant olfactory notes in perfumery are floral , citrus , aquatic , fruity , woody , spicy , oriental , amber , gourmand ,...