Fragrance is a mixture of chemicals that gives a product its distinct scent. It may be natural or synthetic and can be added to products ranging from perfumes and colognes to soaps and tissues. Although laws in many countries require that all ingredients in cosmetics be listed on the product’s label, fragrance mixtures are generally considered trade secrets and can contain up to 100 ingredients. For this reason, the term “fragrance” or “parfum” (in Europe) is used instead of listing the individual components.
Modern perfumes contain a variety of raw materials, including essential oils, extracts, resins and tinctures from roots, bark, flowers and leaves. Other materials may include a wide variety of synthetic chemicals, such as phthalates and aldehydes, which give the perfume its distinctive odor. Many of these compounds are created in the lab, where they can be matched to the fragrant compounds found in various plants or animals. For example, calone, a synthetic compound, can mimic the fresh ozonous metallic marine fragrance of certain orchids.
A typical perfume contains three structural parts: a top note, which provides the initial, light odor and evaporates quickly; middle notes that provide depth and body to the fragrance and are often more long-lasting than the head notes; and base notes, which offer a more robust smell that lasts for 30 minutes or more after application. Perfumes can be classified according to the dominant odour of their middle and base notes: Floral perfumes are distinguished by a bouquet of flowers such as rose, jasmine or lily-of-the-valley; Oriental perfumes feature a blend of spices, such as cinnamon and cloves; and woody perfumes are dominated by the aroma of oak moss.