Perfume is an exquisite blend of science, art and personal expression. It can enhance one’s confidence and self-esteem, alter moods, evoke memories and inspire feelings. It’s also a wonderful way to enjoy the scents you love in a unique and intimate manner. But how do perfumes smell, what is their creation process and how are they different? Perfumes are made by skillfully blending a multitude of natural or synthetic ingredients, known as raw materials. These ingredients are classified into various olfactive families such as floral, oriental, woody or fresh.
When creating a perfume, the perfumer carefully selects the raw material ingredients to create a harmonious scent accord. These ingredients are often separated into three sets, or layers of scent: top notes (light molecules that evaporate the fastest), middle notes (medium-sized molecules that last longer) and base notes (the heaviest molecule-based oils such as woods, resins, vanilla, musks and amber).
The perfumer then formulates the perfume in a computerized system that calculates a formula’s weight percentages based on the desired ingredient concentrations and amounts. It’s important to work in a professional system because it allows the perfumer to scale up batches with ease.
The perfume is then batched, matured/macerated and filtered before it’s ready to be bottled. The perfumer may even put it in a refrigerator or freezer to prevent the evaporation of the heavier chemicals such as natural resins. Once the perfume is ready, the perfumer may test it on people for feedback. This step can be lengthy because each person’s skin, nose and personal preferences are different.