Fragrant Perfumes

As mentioned earlier, the plant and animal kingdom has its part to play in the fragrance and oil element of modern-day perfume.

• Flowers such as rose and jasmine are very popular when it comes to fragrances, as are the blossoms of the citrus and ylang-ylang trees. Orchids are not normally used except for vanilla.

• Fresh fruit fragrances don’t come from fresh fruits!! Because strangely enough these don’t provide the expected results. Instead they are synthetically introduced. The rind of oranges, lemons and limes is used however.

• Leaves of lavender, sage, rosemary and citrus leaves are used. Sometimes the tomato leaf and hay are used to bring a distinctive smell to a perfume.

• The seeds of coriander, nutmeg, cocoa, anise, mace, caraway and tonka are widely used.

• Seaweed is sometimes used as essential oil in perfume.

• Wood oils are most important in providing some perfume bases. Typically these are rosewood, birch, cedar, juniper, pine and sandalwood. The bark of cinnamon and sassafras also provides fragrant oil.

• The sperm whale contributes ambergris which is used as a fixative.

• The beaver provides castoreum which is used as a tincture in some perfumes. It has also been labelled as an aphrodisiac.

• The civet (related to the mongoose) provides perfumes with the fragrance of civet (musk).

• The Asian musk deer gives its musk, although this has now been synthetically replaced.

• The honeybee provides beeswax and honey from its honeycomb.