Basics of perfume compositions

from "Basics of perfumery and cosmetics production"

Composition is the basis of perfume art. Creating perfumes is both a science and an art.
In table Table 6 shows the components included in some compositions with a floral scent (violet, lily of the valley, rose, carnation, jasmine).
As can be seen from table. 6, in compositions with the smell of violet you can find components of rose, carnations with the smell of lily of the valley - components of jasmine, roses with the smell of jasmine - components of lily of the valley, roses, etc. Therefore, the perfumer can create an unlimited number of different smells by selecting a combination of fragrant substances. The nature of the smell will be determined by the combination and ratio of fragrant substances.
When composing floral compositions, the perfumer is somewhat limited in the choice of fragrant substances. However, it has been established that floral perfumes with the scent of lilac, lily of the valley, violet, etc., created by different perfumers, differ significantly in shades of smell. This is explained by the fact that different perfumers perceive and reproduce the smell of a natural flower differently. The perfumer's abilities are manifested to a much greater extent when creating fantasy compositions, for example, with the smell of chypre, fougere, leather, etc. Perfume compositions with a fantasy smell are the basis of numerous perfumes (Triumph, Visit, Ogonyok, Cinderella, Stone Flower, Only You, Opera, Sardonyx , Nocturne, Russian Shawl, Night Aroma, Chypre, etc.). The scents of chypre and fougère are due to the combination of aromatic substances with a citrus scent, oak moss and components of rose, jasmine and clove.
Let's consider the construction of a perfume composition with a fantasy scent using the example of a composition with the scent of chypre.
There are three stages of smell in perfume compositions, depending on the rate of evaporation of fragrant substances: the initial smell (felt shortly after the evaporation of alcohol from the perfume), the main smell (the smell characteristic of a given name of the perfume) and the final smell (the smell that remains after long-term evaporation of the perfume).
The search for compounds for the initial note is easier, since there is a large assortment of highly volatile aromatic substances with a pleasant odor. You can introduce, for example, orange and bergamot oils, aldehydes with a molecule containing from 9 to 12 carbon atoms. The variations of this recipe can increase almost unlimitedly, while remaining within the framework of the scent of chypre with various shades. Thus, the perfumer can vary perfumes with a given odor character, choosing the combinations he likes. At the same time, he should not try to introduce all existing fragrant substances into the composition. First of all, he selects the products with which he intends to work to create the intended scent.
To obtain the desired scent, the perfumer usually starts from single synthetic aromatic substances and essential oils; he can also combine one base composition with another, taking them in equal quantities or one in greater quantities and the other in less. Then we add individual fragrant substances to these combinations, which determine the initial, main and final odors of the composition. At the same time, many aromatic substances simultaneously determine the initial and main notes of the smell (for example, lavender oil, bergamot, rosemary, etc.).
Thus, first the perfumer creates the main, or so-called leading scent. Then, to the main smell, he selects aromatic substances that complement and harmoniously combine with the main smell and give the perfume a certain fullness, timbre, tone and color.
In both domestic and foreign practice, a new composition, as a rule, is developed not for one type of perfume product, but mainly for a complete series, which includes perfume, cologne, eau de toilette, bath preparation, fragrant talc, etc. Although the composition may also be intended for a narrower series (only for perfumes and colognes or only for perfumes).
The necessary components of perfume compositions for classic colognes are natural citrus oils: orange, tangerine, lemon, bergamot, as well as lavender, rosemary, petitgrain and neroli. Citrus oils contribute to the freshness of the initial scent of colognes. Other products included in perfume compositions for classic colognes only emphasize the note of citrus oils and complement it. Lavender, rosemary, petitgrain and lemon oils add a fresh, floral touch.
In addition to classic colognes, there are also fancy scented colognes, which are classic colognes with the addition of other products.
In foreign practice in recent years, the predominant direction has been compositions of a floral nature with various shades. Floral aromas of a sweetish-spicy nature, close in smell to the so-called oriental style in perfumery, are becoming especially popular.
In parallel with the leading trend represented by floral compositions, another one has developed in foreign perfumery in recent years - musk. The sharp, unpleasant smell of so-called musk oils distinguishes them from traditional perfumery products, as well as more complex compositions based on a combination of the smell of musk with the aromas of jasmine, sandalwood, oakmoss, vanilla and ylang-ylang.
One of the significant indicators of the quality of modern cosmetics, toilet soaps and detergents is their smell. These products should be moderately perfumed and evoke a pleasant feeling when used.
Almost all fragrant substances can be used to perfume cosmetic products, but in the concentration that is optimal for them. Some exceptions are those that do not tolerate a certain environment, cause irritation of the skin or mucous membrane, or are incompatible in combination with one another.

You can become the owner of an original fragrance without resorting to the services of a professional perfumer. Making your own perfume from essential oils at home is not at all difficult, the main thing is to use high-quality components and follow the rules for composing perfume compositions.

Let's start doing it - is it difficult?

We reveal the secrets of creating your own perfume from essential oils!

Homemade perfume recipes include essential oils and a base - alcohol or oil. Also prepare:

• resealable dark glass bottles;
• dishes for mixing components;
• pipettes;
• scent sampling strips.

Alcohol and oil perfumes differ in their properties and durability. In the first case, the smell disappears faster, but reveals itself fully and richly. But in oil-based perfumes the aroma is muted, but more persistent. And the shelf life of such perfumes is longer than alcohol ones. But oil perfumes can leave marks on clothes!

Choose unscented oil for the base - olive, almond, grape, cocoa, jojoba. If it is alcohol, then buy medical alcohol at the pharmacy. There you will also find essential and base oils. You can also purchase them in online stores: Aromashka, iHerb, Aromarti and others.

The smell of perfume can be intense - the total content of essential oils is 30-40%. And for delicate, soft, discreet aromas - 10-15%.

When making your own essential oil perfume, record each drop you add. This will allow you to save the exact proportions of successful perfume compositions and use them in the future.

About the notes and strength of perfume

The principle of constructing perfumes is based on a little trick: the mixture includes three notes of aromas - top, middle and base. How are they different?

The top note, or “head” of a perfume composition, is the first impression, those aromas that are felt when the perfume evaporates from the surface of the skin within 10-30 minutes after application. We feel them when we smell a bottle of perfume. The initial note contains the most volatile phytoessences - with a high evaporation rate. These include light herbal and fruity aromas, for example:

• lemon, tangerine and other citrus fruits,
• basilica,
• lemon balm,
• mint,
• rosemary,
• verbena.

Strong-smelling perfumes based on essential oils often contain a large percentage of top note aromas. After all, they are the ones who evaporate faster and give the perfume its original brightness.

The middle note, the “heart”, is the basis of the composition - less light phytoessences, disappear within 8-24 hours:

• sage
• hyssop,
• geraniums,
• lavender,
• jasmine,
• nutmeg,
• cypress,
• myrtle,
• ylang-ylang,
• daisies.

The base note includes heavy, long-lasting oils. We wear this scent on our skin the longest - it becomes distinguishable when the components of the “head” and “heart” of the perfume have evaporated. Bottom note oils are obtained from spices, plant resins, roots, fruits, flowers, seeds, fruits and tree bark. Examples of phytoessences:

• vanilla,
• ginger,
• patchouli,
• juniper,
• myrrh,
• sandalwood,
• rosewood,
• cumin,
• incense,
• carnations,
• neroli,
• fennel.

Each note of natural perfumes should contain no more than three essential oils, that is, to create a perfume with your own hands, choose a maximum of 9 phytoessences.

Essential oils cannot be used in their pure form as perfumes, as they can cause skin burns or an allergic reaction. The aromatic component of perfume is always dissolved in a carrier base - fatty oil or alcohol.

Many essential oil manufacturers create packaging in different colors. It's comfortable. For example, Vivasan has yellow, pink and green for the top, middle and base notes respectively.

• top 30%,
• average 50%,
• bottom 20%.

Such precision is not necessary, since when creating perfume, the result depends on personal feelings and the selected components.

Fragrance families will help you choose

Any mixture can be attributed to a specific family of fragrances:

1. Citrus scents - include oils of bergamot, orange, grapefruit, tangerine, lemongrass (lime), lemon. They were part of the first colognes and eau de toilette.
2. Floral is a large family of scents; perfumes often use compositions of the aromas of several flowers. Rose, violet, jasmine, ylang-ylang, neroli (orange flower), and lilac are popular in perfumery.
3. Woody - aromas with notes of slight tartness or sweetness. They give the perfume sophistication and warmth. These are essential oils of sandalwood, iris, rosewood, myrtle, and patchouli.
4. Fern, or fougere, are compositions of lavender, woody scents with hints of bergamot, geranium, suede or moss. Fresh and tart.
5. Oriental (oriental, amber) - warm, sweet, sensual scents. The base is amber or musk combined with vanilla, aromas of resins and tree bark.
6. Spicy - close to oriental, but more tart. To create, oils of cinnamon, ginger, pepper, cloves and other spices and spices are used.
7. Chypre - based on patchouli, bergamot, oak moss, resin aromas. A classic for men's perfume. In combination with citrus fruits they create interesting feminine aromas and unisex perfumes.
8. Leather - a synthesis of floral notes with resinous, woody, juniper oils. Such mixtures give unusual smells - smoke, burnt wood, tobacco. Used primarily to create men's perfume.
9. Water, or aquatic - aromas of freshness, dew, fog, sea breeze, mountain air, summer rain, ozone. In such compositions, essential oils of mint and other herbs, citrus fruits, violets, and lemon are used. It is difficult to make natural perfumes with an aquatic aroma at home, since synthetic molecules are used in their creation.
10. Gourmet - a family of scents mostly with artificial ingredients. Perfumers create eau de toilette and perfumes with the aroma of caramel, candy, chocolate, cotton candy, saffron, cola, and pear. It’s unlikely that you can do this at home, but warm, delicious compositions with vanilla, orange, cinnamon, and ginger oils are quite possible.

There are also fruity, woody-oriental, green and other families of scents.

Which base is better to choose for your perfume?

The base makes the perfume easier to use and helps the components combine into a harmonious aroma.

Oil perfumes are persistent, but not bright (discreet), since the oil particles hold molecules of volatile aromatic compounds more firmly together. Essential components in such a perfume are no more than 10% of the total volume (20 drops per 10 ml). After mixing, it is better to let the perfume brew for 1-2 weeks. Disadvantage - cannot be applied to clothes and hair.

You can also make solid perfumes using an oil base. This is a great gift idea and a convenient option for carrying perfume with you, for example, in a locket or compact jar. They are even used as fragrances, for example, in cars. To create solid perfumes, add cosmetic wax to a liquid oil base or use hardening butters - shea, shea butter, cocoa, coconut.

Alcohol-based perfumes are rich, brighter, but evaporate quickly. After creation, they are left to stand for 1-3 months, shaking from time to time.

The procedure for a home perfumer is simple:

• Pre-select the scents of essential oils by applying them dropwise onto paper strips.
• Pour alcohol and water (or oil) into a clean, dry container.
• Add essential oils in order - base notes, middle notes and lastly top notes.
• Close the bottle, shake and leave to infuse in a cool, dark place.

Revealing secrets!

You can create natural scents yourself or use ready-made perfume recipes from essential oils.

• Perfume “Freshness of citruses”

Fresh, cool citrus scent with floral notes. Phytoessences in drops per 10 ml of alcohol:

• myrrh - 2,
• neroli - 3,
• myrtle - 1,
• lavender - 2,
• roses - 1,
• petitgrain - 5,
• bergamot - 2,
• bitter orange - 2.
• Perfume "English Garden"

For 20 ml of 80% alcohol and 3 ml of distilled water, take essential oils (in drops):

• valerian - 4,
• chamomile - 4,
• hyssop - 1,
• lavender - 2.

Oil perfume recipes for making yourself

For the base, choose one fatty oil, such as almond. And add the selected phytoessences drop by drop.

• Perfume "Tenderness"

Refined floral aroma. For 20 ml of base oil you will need essential oils (in drops):

• sandalwood - 3,
• blue iris - 3,
• jasmine - 1,
• roses - 1.
• Perfume “Southern Night”

Warm sweet scent with spicy, seductive notes. Add the following essential oils drop by drop to 10 ml of base:

• patchouli - 2,
• rosewood - 1,
• sandalwood - 1,
• vanilla - 2,
• jasmine - 1,
• clary sage - 1,
• neroli - 1,
• ylang-ylang - 1,
• tangerine - 1.

To make solid oil perfume, use the same mixing scheme, only instead of liquid base oil, take solid oil (Shea, cocoa or shea butter) and cosmetic wax previously melted in a water bath. Pour the prepared but not yet hardened mixture into a medallion or flat jar with a lid and wait until it hardens completely (30–40 minutes).

Perfume is an aphrodisiac to attract men

The recipes for these perfumes will not leave men indifferent!

Aphrodisiac oils affect the nervous system, enhancing sensuality and stimulating sexual desire. Among them are phytoessences of sandalwood, cedar, jasmine, bergamot, patchouli, ylang-ylang.

Recipe for aphrodisiac perfume (in drops per 10 ml of fatty oil):

• sandal - 2,
• cinnamon - 1,
• vanilla - 1,
• bergamot - 1.

The Aphrodite mixture is also known, in which per 20 ml of base oil there are 3 drops of phytoessences of ylang-ylang and rosemary and 2 drops of grapefruit.

Famous perfumes - revealing recipes 😉

The ingredients of famous fragrances are often kept secret. But some recipes for famous perfumes are also available for creating at home. In production, components are used that are inaccessible to the average person, and the exact proportions are not disclosed. But, knowing the composition of all three notes of the aroma, you can reproduce something close in sound to the original perfume.

Montale Candy Rose:

• Base: vanilla;
• “Heart” of the scent: rose, patchouli, lily of the valley, jasmine;
• Top: raspberry, tangerine, lychee, blood orange.

Nina Ricci Nina L'eau:

• Base notes: musk;
• Base: cherry and gardenia;
• “Head” of the composition: neroli, mandarin, grapefruit.

Chanel Chance Eau Vive:

• Base: vetiver and white musk;
• "Heart": jasmine;
• Top: grapefruit and blood orange.

You can find the composition of famous perfumes and eau de toilettes in any major online perfume store and try your hand at creating your favorite scents.

The right combination of aromas in a composition of several aromatic oils will help maintain youthful skin, give it a magnificent and seductive aroma, and lift your spirits.

Aromatic compositions can be both feminine and masculine, summer and winter, soothing and invigorating. Once you learn how to put them together, it’s easy to prepare greathomemade soapas a gift to a loved one, or for general use, and a small piece of soap in the shape of a heart or rose will look great on the dressing table, at the same time exuding a wonderful aroma.

Getting acquainted with the characteristics of aromatic oils and learning their beneficial properties , you can choose a scent that is pleasant to you, but here you should rely only on your own taste. Always remember that if the smell does not evoke positive emotions in you, it will make you feel dizzy, headaches, and unpleasant sensations. Therefore, it should not be used, no matter how useful it may be.

To compose a compositionYou will need several strips of clean white paper 10 cm long and 5 mm wide. Apply 1 drop of the aromatic oil you like to the strip and prepare 2-3 strips of paper with different aromatic oils, not forgetting to label each of them. Then fold the strips into a fan and feel their combined aroma. Close your eyes and try to focus on your emotions, physical sensations, feelings. Aroma can evoke various associations, awaken feelings and memories. If you like the smell, you should apply the selected oils all together on a handkerchief and evaluate the composition again after 30-40 minutes.

If it seems inharmonious, you need to add a new scent or remove the one that, in your opinion, is disturbing. The process of creating your own aroma composition It may take some time, but once you like the smell, you should start creating your own perfume, which will later be suitable for making homemade soap.

The found composition of aromas must be mixed with a base oil, for which sweet almond oil is excellent, it is odorless and perfectly dissolves essential oils. In addition, it will be an excellent component for any home cosmetics.

At this stage it is necessary to strictly maintain the proportions of the base and aromatic oils at the rate of 2-3 drops of the composition per 1 tsp. carrier oils. The mixture should be stored in a dark glass bottle with a tight lid in a cool, dark place, as mentioned above. Variants of aromatic compositions for a good mood, feminine attractiveness and much more Compositions of aromatic oils can be used as a perfume by applying it to the skin (behind the ear or on the wrist), or worn in aromacoulone on the neck. However, you need to be careful here, as the oil can leave a greasy stain and ruin your clothes. It is also permissible to prepare a small piece of soap, put it in a clothes bag and hang it on the hanger of an evening dress - then it will be saturated with a wonderful aroma.

Fragrance "Lady"

Mix 2 parts bergamot oil and 1 part rosewood oil.

This light and delicate aroma will charge you with energy and optimism, increase communication skills, enhance sensuality, help with depression, severe headaches and strengthen the immune system.

Aroma "Intrigue"

Mix 2 parts ylang-ylang oil and 1 part patchouli oil.

The aroma of celebration, sensuality, and intrigue will have a tonic effect, give vigor and optimism, help with headaches, and have an antiviral effect.

Fragrance "Charm"

Mix 1 part each of ylang-ylang and geranium oils, 2 parts grapefruit oil.

Such a warm, bitter-floral aroma can maintain emotional balance, achieve success in communicating with people, and fill life with harmony and love. In addition, it normalizes hormonal levels, fat metabolism and, if necessary, has an analgesic effect.

Since ancient times, aromatic oils have been used as elixirs of love magic. Nefertiti, Cleopatra, Casanova, Pauline Viardot and other famous tempters of hearts resorted to them.

A perfume composition, or let's call it “perfume”, is always the result of the author’s creativity. But there are a number of fundamental principles.

Perfume can be alcohol-based (alcohol-based), oil-based (oil-based) or solid (wax-based).

Consider, for example, oil perfumes.

In such perfumes, essential oils can be from 10 to 30%, the rest is an oil base - for example, jojoba oil, which itself is odorless and neutral.

Essential oils in perfumes are divided into three main groups:

The top note or “head of the perfume” - these essential oils are very volatile and “active”; we perceive their aroma first and it kind of prepares us for the main aroma of the perfume. This smell is short-lived and disappears quickly

The heart note is the heart of the perfume, it makes up the main aroma, appears later and lasts for a long time. At the same time, this aroma is like a connecting link between the first and third groups of essential oils. We need to add the esters that are most pleasant to us to the heart note.

The base is essential oils with a persistent aroma that lasts longer than others and combines well with other essential oils, forming a kind of general background.

Some essential oils can flow smoothly from one group to another, but it is important that the perfume composition maintains its integrity.

3. When composing perfume:

When mixing, first the esters of the main note are added to the base, then the “heart”, then the top note. Another option states that the heart note is added to the base first, followed by the base note and then the top note. If after all, any aroma stands out inappropriately or, on the contrary, gets lost, we can balance the composition by adding the esters we need.

In order for the aroma of a perfume to fully manifest itself, it must “ripe”. After composing the perfume, let it sit for four weeks so that the components merge into a single whole. According to another version, 15 days are enough.

How to compose the composition we need?

You need to make several strips of paper, apply essential oils drop by drop on them and label each strip, indicating which essential oil is applied to it. Then, having tasted each one carefully, set aside those that you think will suit you for the composition. Then it’s worth seeing how they sound together in different combinations - first the heart, then the base, then with the top note...

Having found the most harmonious combination in your opinion, make a sample on a napkin. If the sample is successful, you can implement it.

After adding a couple of essential oils, let them “play”, leaving the bottle for 20-30 minutes, then add the following esters.

When adding essential oils to the base, you need to shake the bottle slightly so that the oil “enters”, but not too much, and Master Cunningham did not recommend shaking, but advised just rotating the bottle a little.

Examples of essential oils for top notes:bergamot, verbena, lemongrass, lime, mandarin, orange, peppermint, lemon, bluebell, rosemary.

Examples of heart note essential oils:geranium, iris, jasmine, chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, mimosa, clary sage, myrtle, neroli, rose, tuberose, ylang-ylang, hyssop. (I personally perceive neroli and lavender as top note esters)

Examples of base note essential oils:benzoin, elemi, galbanum, honey essential oil, musk, cloves, patchouli, rosewood, sandalwood, styrax, vetiver, juniper, incense, cedar (V.I. Zakharenkov classifies it as a heart note), cinnamon, cypress, amber, violet, vanilla.

Floral: Perfume oils in this category have the scent of a single flower or an entire group of flowers. An example is rose, lavender and jasmine oils. These perfume oils have a strong, sweet scent.

Citrus: Perfume oils in this category have a sharp, tart odor, so they are most often used in the production of soaps, facial scrubs and other cosmetics for skin care. Lemon, grapefruit and tangerine oils fall into this category.

Eastern: These are oils with a spicy and intoxicating aroma of spices and amber, vanilla and musk.

Woody: This group includes oils with the scent of cedar and sandalwood, patchouli and camphor.

Leather: These perfume oils have the scent of wood, tobacco or honey and are therefore used primarily in men's perfumes and aftershave products.

Fougere: This group includes oils with the scent of lavender, coumarin and oak moss.

To write this post, materials were used from the book by V. I. Zakharenkov “Encyclopedia of Fragrances” and from the website http://www.izbushka.com/forum/

On my own behalf, I will briefly add that it is best to compose perfume compositions on days when the Moon moves through the signs of Air: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius, and Libra is best. It is also good to compose “personal” perfumes when the Moon moves along your ASC - along the rising point of the ecliptic above the horizon at the moment of your birth. Perfume “for love” - Moon according to Venus, for a goal - according to the MC (the highest point of the ecliptic at the moment of your birth), for magical practices - Moon according to the Moon, etc.

It is better not to compose compositions on days of square between the Moon and the Sun, as well as when the Moon is very flawed or very young.

And also about black musk: it’s not true that it doesn’t work, it’s just that the aphrodisiacs on sale with a tiny share are most often imitations of this component, and not a natural product in its full form. Regarding aphrodisiacs: they can be tested on cats; if the cat perks up and reaches out with its nose to the sampler, then it is good; if not, especially if it has a sharply negative attitude towards the smell, then it is not good. IMHO.

When you buy perfume, you hardly think about the fact that the art of composing perfume compositions is a complex science that takes many years to master. Of course, it is impossible to become a professional in perfumery in a few minutes, but it is quite possible to understand how aromas are created, what notes they consist of, and how the group to which they belong is determined.

How the base of perfume is created

In the descriptions It is customary to use the musical term “three-note chord.” Indeed, any perfume bouquet, like a chord, includes three main notes: base, middle and top. At the beginning of work on a fragrance, its base is compiled. Traditional perfumes are usually made with 95% high quality alcohol and essential oils, which are chosen depending on which notes should prevail in the perfume. For example, for woody perfumes, oils of sandalwood, oud, , vetiver, cedar, myrrh - they give the aroma a pronounced and persistent woody aroma and do not allow the smell to quickly evaporate. For perfumes of other groups, fragrant and very persistent oils are often used as base oils. , chafras, vanilla, tonka, beans.

It should be noted that Arab oil perfumes, unlike traditional ones, are made without an alcohol base, only from mixtures of natural essential oils of plant or animal origin. For example, famous animalistic scents are made from ambergris (a waxy substance produced in the digestive tract of the sperm whale) or musk (an odorous substance obtained from the dried endocrine glands of musk deer or beaver). Alcohol and water are never added to the base of oriental perfume.

Middle and top notes

In the choice of middle and top notes, everything depends on the imagination and intuition of the perfumer, who, like a true artist, creates his own signature scent by mixing oils in certain proportions. However, this creative work also has its own rules and laws.

For top notes, use light oils that evaporate in literally 20-30 minutes. Their main task is to “introduce” the aroma, to give the very first idea about it. As a rule, depending on the group, volatile essential oils of citrus, bergamot, greenery, spices, fresh fruits and flowers are used for top notes.

For the heart of the composition, essential oils are most often used, the smell of which can not disintegrate for about two to three hours. These are strong and vibrant herbal substances such as tuberose, ylang-ylang, cyclamen, cloves, mimosa and so on. Of course, essential oils are selected based on which group or subgroup the aromatic composition being created belongs to.

How the aroma reveals itself

The famous perfumer of the house of Coco Chanel, Jacques Paul, once said that good perfume, like a true woman, should not immediately reveal all its secrets and mysteries. In a high-quality perfume, first only the top notes are felt, then the heart of the aroma appears, and only then the base, which is its true soul. Therefore, when you go to the store for a new perfume, be sure to apply a few drops of a sample to your wrist and calmly go about your business.