Guest guest Posted August 27, 2008 Report Share Posted August 27, 2008 What essences do you consider essential to making a balanced perfume? For me it's ambergris and some kind of wood in the base and some sort of rose and jasmine in the heart (otto and sambac count). The top is more dependent on the goal. But the above I consider the lifeblood of a perfume. Ambergris could be civet or other animal ingredients (ambergris seems to me to be least objectionable and least reminiscent of urine; haven't had any success with Africa Stone yet.) Wood traditionally has been sandalwood but I am searching for environmentally sound alternatives (like Australian sandalwood, etc.; I like guaiacwood though its presence serves to sweeten more than sandalwood). I would include at least a drop of rose and at least of drop of jasmine in anything. I almost feel as though it's not really a perfume otherwise. I favor neroli and petitgrain in the top but have nothing etched in stone yet. Some minute amount of pepper or anise is almost as essential as the above but not quite. I think of everything else almost as accessory notes. The accessory notes serve the greater purpose of the specific perfume in the works; ambergris, wood, rose, and jasmine serve the purpose of making an honest-to-goodness perfume. Making for " conflicts which are actually synergistic companions " I consider essential to the alchemical art that is perfumery, but those dynamics stand separate from the lifeblood of which I speak. Your thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 27, 2008 Report Share Posted August 27, 2008 Adam Gottschalk wrote: > What essences do you consider essential to making a balanced perfume? > > For me it's ambergris and some kind of wood in the base I agree about the ambergris or animal scent. Ambergris is a middle/base note to me, it makes itself known in teh heart and lingers into the dryout. The base needs to be creamy and tenacious and the palette is rather limited. The middle is the main identity of the perfume, and so I have to say it is dictated by the Fragrance Family I choose. The top needs something zingy. Thank god for pandanus, the citruses and some isolates I'm playing with ;-) To list them all would take all day. I never limit myself to a set program 'this has to be used' - the synergy of creating accords is where the magic lies for me. -- Anya Anya's Garden http://AnyasGarden.com - perfumes, aromatics, classes, consultation Natural Perfumers Guild + blog with daily updates http://NaturalPerfumersGuild.blogspot.com 1600+ member Natural Perfumery group - http://health./group// Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 27, 2008 Report Share Posted August 27, 2008 Anya wrote: > Adam Gottschalk wrote: > >> What essences do you consider essential to making a balanced perfume? >> >> For me it's ambergris and some kind of wood in the base This has the makings of a good thread, it'll give us all a look inside the artist's mind and creative process. Anybody else want to join in? -- Anya Anya's Garden http://AnyasGarden.com - perfumes, aromatics, classes, consultation Natural Perfumers Guild + blog with daily updates http://NaturalPerfumersGuild.blogspot.com 1600+ member Natural Perfumery group - http://health./group// Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 27, 2008 Report Share Posted August 27, 2008 Adam Gottschalk wrote: " What essences do you consider essential to making a balanced perfume? For me it's ambergris and some kind of wood in the base " Anya responded " This has the makings of a good thread, it'll give us all a look inside the artist's mind and creative process. Anybody else want to join in? " ---- Hi everyone - greetings from Brisbane Australia - Margi Macdonald, new member - will introduce myself properly in other threads. For me, 'making a balanced perfume' has infinite possibilities. In my own head and nose, it's less about particular 'essential' essences, and more about theme and structure... because I'm fickle and flighty, and readily tire of each new 'favourite'. At its simplest, a balanced perfume for me has a heavy rooty musty, sometimes strange foundation, a woody, twiggy frame that might be sweet or less-than-sweet, with decorative zing-ching-a-lings hanging off it, waving and wafting in the breeze .... this is the generic structure for most of my perfumes. The 'story' I want to tell leads me to fragrant choices - each of them potentially 'essential' to the finished perfume. Stories I've enjoyed messing about with - Blending every citrus I own, all in together, using the generic structure - and then strengthening/enhancing foundation, frame and decoration by adding roots, woods, spices or flowers. Mixing eos from culinary herbs, and doing the same thing - adding and enhancing what I want to on the day; doing the same thing with spices and seeds in a 'spice' fragrance. Marrying tradition and modernity. The classic triad of Cistus, Oakmoss & Bergamot is the foundation for two fragrances I'm working on - one woody and 'orange', the other herbaceous and ' light green'. The 'modern' twist will come from using 'newer' Australian natives in there. Aussie Sandalwood [santalum spicatum] and Calabrian Bergamot are perfect together... so too Mandarin Petitgrain. Cistus [eo & /or abs] and White Cloud [Melaleuca bracteata], Blue Australian Cypress [Callitris intratropica],or White Australian Cypress [Callitris columellaris] do fresh and funky things to each other. Tarragon eo and either the White or Blue Aust Cypress are worth investigating together. Rosemary verbenone eo and the two Aust Cypresses support, yet pull each other apart. Whichever works to tell the story, will ultimately be 'essential' to the finished perfumes. Perfectly balanced stories still to be told; using old and new and old-is-new-again favourite 'essentials': the story of each continent - fragrances made using botanicals native to each land 'fight or flight' in a bottle - which botanicals would marry to elicit 'fear'? Can it be achieved using 'safe' species? Would 'unsafe' species be essential to creating that intuitive, instant sense of danger? Would it still be a balanced and perfect perfume? Sure, why not? I have to stop - I'm about to do a whole stream-of-consiousness rave blessings for your days Margi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 27, 2008 Report Share Posted August 27, 2008 > > What essences do you consider essential to making a balanced perfume? > > For me it's ambergris and some kind of wood in the base > > and some sort of rose and jasmine in the heart (otto and sambac count). > I would include at least a drop of rose and at least of drop of > jasmine in anything. I almost feel as though it's not really a > perfume otherwise. Ok, so well... I need your thoughts, then, as I am allergic to Jasmine, and others like Hyacinth, Lily, Tulip, and maybe a few others. And being male, I'm certainly not going to wear a lot of rose. So, What else is there, in your opinion? Kiler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 27, 2008 Report Share Posted August 27, 2008 > > > >> What essences do you consider essential to making a balanced perfume? > >> Right now, I'm dependent on vanilla. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Caine wrote: > >>> >>> >>>> What essences do you consider essential to making a balanced perfume? >>>> >>>> > Right now, I'm dependent on vanilla. > > Oh, poor - there may be a 12-step program for that ;-) But who would want it?! Vanilla - yum! I've been cooking a lot of savory dishes lately with vanilla, esp. seafood. Esp Mexican. As a LOL Cat would say " nom, nom, nom, nom. " -- Anya Anya's Garden http://AnyasGarden.com - perfumes, aromatics, classes, consultation Natural Perfumers Guild + blog with daily updates http://NaturalPerfumersGuild.blogspot.com 1600+ member Natural Perfumery group - http://health./group// Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 On Aug 27, 2008, at 7:56 PM, Kiler wrote: > Ok, so well... I need your thoughts, then, as I am allergic to > Jasmine, and others like Hyacinth, Lily, Tulip, and maybe a few > others. And being male, I'm certainly not going to wear a lot of > rose. > > So, What else is there, in your opinion? The owner of The Perfume House here in Portland is the quintessential liquid grifter. While I see how much about fakery his trip is, nevertheless he told me some of the greatest con stories that have ever been created to separate me, and thousands of others, from my money. Still many of those stories I take to be classics and I won't overlook them as I become a pro. One story he told me was especially funny: a " macho " business man type came into the store one day. He was looking for a cologne and insisted " he didn't want a whole bunch of flowers. " He searched the store up and down and finally found something he really liked. The owner walked him to the door and as the guy was walking away he heard, " Oh, by the way, that cologne you like so much is based on rose and jasmine. " It is my conviction that a " properly " constructed perfume, cologne, eau de toilette, etc., will always include some rose and some jasmine. This couldn't be further from saying a man's fragrance should smell like rose. Without rose and/or jasmine, it's not a true perfume, cologne, eau de toilette, etc. IMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Hi Patty, You are one of the 1600 people to give me good information on accessory notes! Thanks )))) I have been reading Carles and he mentioned about accessory notes and I got really curious and interested. Now I am going to do more research on them and try to construct my own list. Thanks for sharing your list of accessory notes, Angi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 > Ok, so well... I need your thoughts, then, as I am allergic to > Jasmine, and others like Hyacinth, Lily, Tulip, and maybe a few > others. And being male, I'm certainly not going to wear a lot of > rose. > > So, What else is there, in your opinion? > Kiler Hi -- there's tons of other stuff you can use. I love labdanum and vanilla in my blends. And frankincense. Black pepper. Cardamom. Those are some of my favorite things to mix in with my florals (I do love my rose and especially jasmine, neroli, high-altitude lavender...). Actually, depending on what you put with the rose, (lavender, oakmoss, vetiver, sage, ambrette, etc.), you can come up with some killer men's scents. It's all about what you put with the rose and how they marry - so you might not want to rule out rose in your blends. Hope this helps, Andrine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 > Ok Adam, and, to, pose the question again, what to do excluding the > elements of Rose and Jasmine? I find vetiver, tobacco, and hay is a great base for men. It's quite strong so one must be careful. This base is very strong so when you include rose and jasmine in the heart you don't smell them at all; they make the " cologne " (insert your terminology here) three dimensional but can be undetectable in the final brew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 All famous french perfumers always said : " a great perfume need jasmin " friendly, Thérèse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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