Perfumer's Palette - Tabacco

image from biolandes.com

The fragrance of tabacco brings back memories , good or bad , to almost all of us . Old leather jackets , redolent with it's rich , fruity , hay-like nuances , smoky libraries , pungent with years of brandy and cigars...most of us had relatives who smoked . My Dad smoked for many years , a cigarette in every ash tray . But he quit years ago and good for him ! He's 80 years old now and quite healthy , my memories are not so tied with the scent of tobacco .

But love it I do , though I can't stand to be around burning tobacco . The scent of tobacco absolute is a whole different thing ! Odori Tabacco is a rich , sweet , intoxicating thing that taught me to love the scent of tobacco absolute .

Used for thousands of years by Native Americans spiritually and in ritual smoked in the peace pipe , Nicotiana originated in South America . It contains the chemical nicotine , a toxic alkaloid( the most addicitve substance known to science ) anabasine and glucosides .

Though no longer widely used medically because of it's highly addictive narcotic effect ,, tobacco is a comforting relaxant , , sedative , antispasmodic and expectorant .

Nicotiana tabacum is distilled and solvent extracted in order to obtain tobacco absolute . One can find it sourced from Morocco , Bulgaria , Virginia . It's distinctive fruity , hay-like aroma is used as a base note and is delicious with patchouli and labdanum ! It is very dark in color , adds dry nuances to perfumes , and helps to balance the rich sweetness of many florals .

What memories does tobacco elicit for you ? Do you like to wear tobacco fragrances , which ones ?

Odori Tabacco

Santa Maria Novella Tabacco Toscana

Caron Tabac Blond

Miller Harris Feuilles de Tabac

Perfumer's Palette - Poplar Bud

I have a new fascination .

One thing leads to another , as we all know , and learning to recognize a new fragrance note is like getting a new badge in girl scouts ( I was never a girl scout , but still....) . I recieved a sample set of Gobin-Daude fragrances ( thanks to Kathryn ) and the first one I sniffed - Seve Exquise - bowled me right over . I mean eat my arm and cry....

During our e-mail exchanges , Kathryn mentioned it was her favorite too , that it reminded her of the Poplar Trees in her Grandparents yard . What else to do but go investigate the note listed in Seve Exquise - poplar bud .

Yesterday , I was e-mailing Wendy back and forth and we ended up talking about Le Galion fragrances . Which ones she has , which ones I have....you know how one thing leads to another...

After our "talk" I went and kneeled before my Le Galion parfums ( LOL ) , my favorite being Bourrasque . so I applied some to my wrists and inhaled deeply . Ahhhh , the thick , fruity-woody goodness stays close to skin so I sat very still in my reverie .

Life gets in the way of these kinds of strenuous persuits , so I went about the house doing my thing . Sometime later I sniffed my hands and there was the beautiful aroma of poplar buds . Wait a second . Wha-......t ?

I haven't put on Seve Exquise today...it was Bourrasque . Is there poplar bud in the drydown of Bourrasque ? I applied more at bedtime . This morning ? Poplar bud discretely charmingly resinous on my wrists . I'm so pleased !

And it is my new fascination to find fragrances containing poplar bud ( until we can convince Victoire Gobin-Daude to go back into production.....)

Populus balsamifera , Balsam poplar tree , yeilds and oleoresin from the flower buds in late winter/ spring which is steam distilled for the essential oil . Long used by Native Americans and early trappers for it's healing , anti-bacterial , anti-spasmotic properties and for bruises , sore muscles , and skin problems , balsam poplar also has a deeply nourishing and uniquely relaxing effect , is great for wounds and scars .

Known by many names , poplar buds are also known as balm of Gilead , or Mecca Balsam .

Only smelling the variety of poplar essential oils will tell the true story , but the genus-species name Populus balsamifera is supposedly the true balsam/balm of Gilead . Possesing a fresh , green yet resinous , sweet-woody aroma , the buds contain large amounts of sticky red sap when harvested fresh in the early spring .

Chemical constituents :

Salicylic acids and sequesterpenes : b-and y-curcumene , cadinene , a-muurolene , amorphene , trans alpha bergamotene

monoterpenes ( a-pinene , d-limonene )

sequesterpinols a-bisabolol , B-eudesmol , nerolidol

and oxides

" Matter is most spirtual in the perfume of the plant..."

-Rudolph Steiner

Perfumer's Palette - Ambergris

image from pbs.org

Most of us have never seen or smelled , nor will we ever see or smell authentic animal Ambergris . Long considered one of the most valuable commodities , and long misunderstood , ambergris comes from the stomach of the endangered male sperm whale . The whale dines on tons of cuttlefish , and the undigested parts ( the " beaks " ) form a mass in the stomach and are eventually regurgitated into the sea . These large masses float on the sea , sometimes eventually washing up on the shore . The massive male sperm whale can weigh up to 40 tons and over 1/3 of it's body is the head and brain , a huge communications center . The whale communicates by series of clicks , a very sophisticated language which researches are only now appreciating . That this wonderful animal was hunted and killed almost to extinction is devastating to think about , so let us kindly protect this intelligent species and pray for their survival .

How was it ever discovered that this disgusting sounding substance could add such beauty to perfume ? Discovered by sailors originally , these large floating masses can retain their scent for centuries . The scent is salty , earthy , musty and rosy . It is said even a small amount will cling to textiles , remaining through countless washings and becoming sweeter over time . Ambergris is soluble in alcohol and it's aroma is destoyed by high heat . Historically it was tinctured for use in perfumery .

Ambergris contains about 100 volatile substances .

Chemical constituents of ambergris include :

colestinol -type sterols ( epi- coprosterine and ambreine ).

In 1977 researches Mookherjee and Patel identified some of these odorants :

g-homocyclogeranyl chloride( metallic ozony seawater )

a-ambrinol ( mouldy-animalic-fecal )

g-dihydroionone ( weak tobacco )

ambroxan ( moist , creamy/soft amber with velvety effect )

Ambergris is unsurpassed for it's fixative properties and long-lasting drydown with a dry earthy radiance . Synthetic ambroxan is now synthesized from sclareol , a diterpene alcohol found in , for instance , clary sage .

In aromatherapy , ambergris is known as a powerful aphrodisiac , awakening the emotions .

The winner of Perfumer's Palette drawing #4 is.............dee Howe !

You are most loyal , Thank you . E-mail me your adress !

Perfumer's Palette - Sandalwood

image from Tropical Rainforest Aromatics ( carving size sandalwood from Vanuatu )
Portions of this article appeared last year on my blog . Though I discussed sandalwood over a year ago ,

I felt it was important to include the article here .

Sacred , sensuous , scarce.... legendary Sandalwood has been used for centuries in perfumery . The tree must be at least 30 years old to provide oil of any quantity or quality . The trees are never felled ( except by poachers ) , but are uprooted during the rainy season . The oil is distilled from the heart wood , and the sapwood has been used for carvings of temples and deities in India and Japan . The chips and bark are used for incense . The flowers contain no scent !! The best sandalwood is considered to come from the Mysore region of India , where the government owns and controls all trees ( every branch , twig and chip is inventoried and tagged.) If on private land , the landowner recieves 75% of the proceeds . Very good sandalwood is now coming from the Tamil Nadu region of India where the trees are more mature .

Efforts have been made to cultivate the sandalwood tree , but most have failed . The tree is parasitic , and although it recieves some nutrients through photosythesis , the sandalwood tree must steal from the roots of neighboring trees and seems to refuse efforts to domesticate it . It grows when and where it wants to grow !

Knowing this is in very short supply is a sad fact indeed . It will be at least 30 years before the supply can be replenished . I have purchased a variety of sandalwood essential oils , absolutes and attars so that I may never be without it's soothing scent .

At maturity , a sandalwood tree reaches a height of about 60 feet , is about 5 feet in diameter and yeilds up to 60 kilos of essential oil , through steam distillation .

Attar is an ancient traditional method of distillation where volatile aroma materials are slow-distilled directly into sandalwood oil , thereby stabilzing their scent . One is distilled from earth ( dirt ) called Mitti Attar and is unbelieveably rich and sweet . Shamama Attar is a blend of spices and woods and oud , is incredibly complex and takes hours to unfold . The Kewda Attar starts out bitter and green , the volatile Kewda Blossoms preserved beautifully in the soft rich sandalwood . White sandalwood from Australia is sharper and greener , and reminds me of PG Bois Blond .

Creamy smooth , soft and powdery , sandalwood has no top note , but acts as a tenacious fixative . It's scent is stable on the skin for hours and blendable with almost any other aroma . Sandalwood takes pride of place in any perfumers palette . Remember to appreciate this for what it is-sacred , overharvested and in short supply for the rest of our lifetimes !

For more information , please read Trygve's ( Enfleurage , NYC) article here , and Christopher McMahon's ( White Lotus Aromatics ) article here . For purchasing , may I suggest Essential Oil University here.

Here is the chemical breakdown of Mysore Sandalwood heartwood , Santalum Album :
COMPOUNDS PERCENTAGES
cis-alpha santalol 45.39
cis-beta santalol 20.54

trans alpha bergamotal 6.31
beta santalol 5.01

cis-nuciferol 3.83

epi-beta-santalol 3.18

trans-beta santalol 1.78
cis-lanceol 1.74
Santalol 1.53
beta-santalene 1.44
alpha-santalol .87

epi-beta santalene .86

alpha santalene .69

beta-santalic acid .32
ar-curcumene .26
trans-alpha bergamotene .16
santene .14

In aromatherapy , sandalwood supports the lymphatic and nervous system . Also used in yoga and meditation , sandalwood was believed to oxygenate the pineal gland influencing psychic ability and helping to remove negative programming from the cells .

The list of fragrances containing sandalwood is long indeed , but my favorites featuring sandalwood :

Pink Lotus - always and forever my Number 1 , HG , favorite fragrance of all

Ligne St. Barth Santal parfum

PG Bois Blond

Shamama Attar , Mitti Attar ( from White Lotus )

Bill Blass Couture 3

Tell me about your experience with sandalwood and be entered in PP #4 drawing . This weeks give-away drawing next MONDAY August 23 ( make a note of it ! ) will include samples of some of my attars ( diluted in jojoba oil ) , St. Barth Santal parfum , some heliotrope and galbanum fragrance samples and some surprises too !

Perfumer's Palette - Galbanum

lusive , unusual , complex....galbanum was revered by the Egyptians and used in perfumery and much more . Galbanum's aromatic properties made it valuable as an insect deterrent , antispasmotic for childbirth problems , and regenerative for mature skin when blended with violet leaf and rose . ( not for use on younger skin )

Galbanum is anti-viral , and although of low vibratory rate , when blended with other resins such as Frankincense , it's vibratory rate rises drastically . Galbanum is mentioned in Exodus as a favorite oil of Moses , and was an important ingredient in the ancient Egyptian scents Metopion and Mendesian : which we can experience today through the imagination and creation of Dawn Spencer Hurwitz .

Galbanum is native to Iran ( Lar Valley of ancient Persia ) , and still one of the few places on Earth today where it is obtainable . A member of the Ferula family of plants ( Ferula gummose ) , galbanum resinoid and galbanum essential oil present two different odor profiles . The resinoid is deeper , woodier and more resinous green and used as a fixative base note . The essential oil is intensely green , similar to green pepper and green peas , giving floral bouquets a leafy , fresh quality .

An oleo resin is obtained by injuring the bark and collecting the liquid which is exuded . The oil is then steam distilled from the resin .

Constituents :

monoterpenes , pinene ,carene , sesquiterpenols : guaiol , galbanol ; coumarines

Fragrances famously containing galbanum :

Chanel No. 19

Balmain Vent Vert

Lancome Sikkim

Parfumerie Generale Bois Blond ( a fave of mine...)

Perfumer's Palette - Heliotrope

Distintive , divinely exquisite heliotrope...the scent is derived from the flowers immediately after picking through maceration in oil ( historically , lard ) at a very low temperature , or traditionally through enfleurage . Each batch of blossoms is left in the oil or wax for 24 hours , then another batch introduced each day for one week . The oil/wax is then permeated with sufficient fragrance . There are over 80 species , but the heliotropum peruviatum is the species used in perfumery . Easily identifiable as the cherry pie note , it is both musky and sweet , related to borage , which has a cucumber - like aroma ..

Heliotrope is tropical , native to Peru , and was introduced into Europe about 1757 .

Synthetic heliotrope ( heliotropine ) was being produced over 1oo years ago ! As a by-product of camphor distillation , a large quantity of safrol is produced , and it is this from which synthetic heliotropine is derived . One source described it being derived from White Singapore pepper , piperine , then converted to potassium piperol using lime . It seems most fragrances today use the synthetic form .

Heliotrope fragrances :

Etro Heliotrope

Miller Harris Fleur Oriental

Serge Lutens Rahat Loukhoum

Guerlain Apres L'Ondee

Laura Mercier Marrons Glacees

Heliotrope does not seem to have any aromatherapeutic benefits , nor is it edible .

I love Miller Harris Fleur Oriental , but it can become too penetrating in the heat . Do you have a heliotrope fragrance ?

Perfumer's Palette - Liatris

Liatris is listed as a note in my new HG fragrance , Seve Exquise . I know I will never own a bottle . And That's OK .

*sob*

Inquiring minds want to know , and when I don't know , I go lookin' .

Liatris , or liatrix is a note I have never heard of !

Also called Deer Tongue , Liatris odoratissima is native to Florida ! It grows in moist pine flatwoods , but not marshy areas and that is just where I live . Do you think I'm going to go looking for some liatris ?

Posessing a somewhat vanilla - like scent , liatris also has herbaceous, hay , and tobacco facets and in the 1900's was used to flavor tobacco . It is no longer harvested commercially , tobacco is now flavored artificially . ( of course it is...)

Liatris grows about 2-4 feet in height , blooming in late summer . The leaves are thick and fleshy and have a distinct vanilla odor when dried .

The main odor constiuent is coumarin , seen as white crystals on the leaves and flowers .

Liatris is in the sunflower family , closely related to the cultivated garden flower known as Blazing Star . In the heat of summer in it's woodland habitat , it perfumes the very air around it . Some sources say it was originally used to replace the more expensive Tonka Bean . Liatris does not yield an oil through distillation , but an oleoresin can be extracted from the dried leaves through hydrocarbon solvents .

Drawing #3 on Monday , lavender and bergamot fragrances , and if Diana doesn't claim her prize drawing from last week , you get her goodies too ! Plus , a few precious drops of Seve Exquise !

samples include :

lavender-

By Kilian Taste of Heaven

Odori Spigo

bergamot-

Estee Lauder Vintage Azuree

Roger & Gallet Vintage Extra Vielle

Perfumer's Palette Series - Bergamot

It seems it is in everything doesn't it ? Bergamot , that ubiquitous topnote that leads the list of notes in almost every fragrance ( statistically 1/3 of men's and 1/2 of womens fragrances contain bergamot ! ) But what it begamot really ?

Bergamot , Citrus bergamia , the wonderful fragrance of Earl Grey Tea , is a citrus fruit grown almost exclusively in Calabria , Italy . The climate and soil are perfect there , and although some is also harvested in Ivory Coast , none has the superior quality of that from Calabria .

The oil is pressed from peel of the unripe fruit , has been used for hundreds of years in the middle east for all sorts of skin conditions and is now known to contain over 300 chemical constituents , several exclusive to the bergamot .

Complex on it's own and refreshing without being tart , bergamot is rich and sweet , becoming more tender and floral , drying down to an herbal/balsamic note .

Three hundred pounds of fruit will produce about a pound of oil . However , the scent is destroyed by distillation and is therefore produced through expression /extraction with a specialized machine , " La Machina Calabria " , invented by Nicola Barilla in 1844 and utilizing abrasion to efficiently extract the highest quality of essence .

Some sources say Columbus brought the tree from the Canary Islands to Italy , where in began to thrive in the tiny region of Calabria . Older sources say it was a lemon originally grafted onto bergamot pear ! The word bergamot is derived from the Turkish begarmundt , meaning prince of pears .

The main odor constituents of bergamot are a-pinene , linalool , limonene , nerol , geraniol .

An essential ingredient in classic Eau de Cologne , begamot can be found in so many fragrances , but my favorites which feature bergamot :

Guerlain Philtre d'Amour

Annick Goutal Eau de Sud

Acqua di Parma ( original and Intensa )

Perfumer's Palette drawing #3 next Monday , so don't forget to comment this week and tell me your favorite lavender or bergamot fragrances to be entered in the drawing ! Diana has until Friday to claim her prize , drawing #2 !

Today I am wearing Vintage First parfum from Van cleef & Arpels , created by Jean Claude Ellena ( his first smash success in commercial parfumery ). Said to contain over 200 essences , it must have some bergamot in there somewhere....

Perfumer's Palette Series - Lavender

ilting , uplifting lavender . Love it or leave it , lavender is the basis for the family of fragrances known as fougere , along with what has been termed "fern " , although fern has no strong scent of it's own !

I don't think it gets enough respect , it actually has such a split personality - very cold and medicinal and yet spicy and refreshing . The absolute is much more interesting than the oil , both blending well with almost any other notes especially patchouli and labdanum .

Native to the stony foothills of the Alps in Provence , Lavendula vera has a long history in perfumery . Considered a universal oil good for headaches , rashes and insomnia , lavender is also sedative and anti- inflammatory . The name lavender comes frome the Latin word lavare , to bathe , and was used by the Romans as a mouthwash for the gums and breath , and for soothing sore muscles .

The English take great pride in their lavender crop , lavender having been introduced there in the mid-1800's where it flourished . I would love to hear from someone who visited the lavender fields during sniffapalooza last year ! I planted some under my jasmine bush , but it doesn't really like the heat here in Florida .

When harvesting the flowers , most of the tall stalk should be cut , but then trimmed before placing the flower heads in the still . A wide , shallow still is best for lavender distillation , the flower heads in contact with the water bath , where the oils are freed quickly and evaporate into the condenser before prolonged contact with heat , which deteriorates the odor quickly . Fresh oil has a distinct herbal odor , but upon aging , while loosely covered , this greener odor will mellow and mature within three months .

constituents of lavender :

Monoterpenes , sequesterpines , non-terpine alcohol , linalyl acetate ( the main odor constituent ), coumarines

Some great lavender fragrances :

Odori Spigo

Vero Kern KIKI

By Kilian Taste of Heaven

Laura Tonatto Albi

Guerlain Sous le Vent

Andy Tauer Reverie au Jardin

Perfumer's Palette - Balsams & Resins

image of Balsam of Peru from purplesage.org

alsam of Peru , Tolu Balsam , Benzoin , Tonka , Labdanum , Styrax/Storax , even the much maligned pine resin ....the family of concretes that must be captured through the use of chemical solvent extraction followed by distillation . Most of these one could broadly categorized as tree resin , though some exude naturally and others only after causing injury to the tree .

Storax/Styrax is one of these . It is the resin from the Liquidambar orientalis tree , found mainly in Turkey . The cadmium layer must be damaged before the resin is exuded from the tree . It's main odor constituant is cinnamic acid esthers , which are often separated out . Liquidambar styracea is native to Honduras , and is called copal .

Styrax is very aromatic and sweet , opaque greyish color , containing a high percentage of water , which separates upon standing . Then the resin is dissolved inalcohol , filtered and dried into " tears " .

Balsam of Peru is also obtained through damaging the tree Myroxylon Percirae native to El Salvador , but the bark of the tree must be scorched before it exudes the resin . Balsam of Peru is very thick , reddish brown , sweet and penetrating , containing cinnamic acid , benzoic acid , peruviol . Commonly used in oriental type fragrances , it is an excellent fixative .

Tolu Balsam is collected from the tree Myroxilon Tolufera , native to Columbia and Venezuela , by making incisions in the bark . Similar to Peru balsam , both having a vanilla- like odor and used by native tribes as cough superssant and for their antiseptic , antibacterial properties . Clinical research has shown them to be effective in tissue regeneration and inhibiting tuberculosis .

Copaiba , ( Copaifera officinalis )also a tree resin , is native to the Amazon region . The oleoresin collects in the tree and is also harvested by making incisions in the bark , each tree producing about 10 gallons annually . Initially it is clear , thin and colorless but thickens and darkens after contact with the air . Used traditionally in Peruvian medicine to reduce inflammation , stomach ulcers and sore throat , Copaiba was listed in the U.S. Pharmacoea from 1820 -1910 as disinfectant , diuretic , anti-inflammmatory with stimulant properties . ( highest known natural source of caryophyllene , a strong anti-inflammatory ). Copaiba is made up of over 50% sequesterpenes , diterpenes and terpenic acids , several found only in copaiba !

Tonka , from the Cumaru Tree native to tropical rainforests of northern South America , contain coumarin in the bark and seed pods . The bark is used medicinally in the form of a decoction , while the seeds are fermented . After drying , the coumarin crystals form on the seeds , making them appear frosted . Known for it's vanilla - like odor , coumarin is also used as an anti-coagulant ( blood thinner ).

Benzoin is the resin of the Styrax benzoin tree , predominately ocurring in Indonesia and India .

Previously , I discussed Labdanum , one of my favorite perfume materials of all ! You can read exhaustively about labdanum here .

This is by no means an exhaustive list , but gives an idea of the resinous materials available to the perfumer today !! Do you have a favorite ? Do you wear them only in cooler weather , or anytime ?

my faves are

Guerlain Bois d'Armenie

La Via del Profumo Mecca Balsam

Donna Karan Labdanum

Agraria Balsam

I've really been wanting to get ahold of Parfumerie generale Aomassai...today I am wearing vintage Lubin Nuit de Longchamp , containing tolu and peruvian balsams and labdanum . Yummmm....!

The WINNER of the drawing is DIANA !!

E-mail me with your adress !

Thanks everyone for participating...there will be another drawing next Monday so keep trying .

" ....guard closely , as you would a priceless friend , the perfume that reminds you of your lovliest moments..."
-R. Barbas , past President of Jean Patou

Perfumer's Palette Series- Orris

Deserving of it's reputaion , the nobile yet humble Iris , or Orris root , is one of the most expensive materials a perfumer can use . The root must be left to grow for three years before harvest , and then is harvested by hand , through back-breaking work with a special harvesting fork . Each root coaxed from the ground and divided, part to be returned to the ground and part to be dried .

Italy is famous for it's Iris production , and in 2008 I was fortunate to be able to visit the Pruneti Farm in Chianti near Florence , and see the harvest of Iris root first hand . In the picture at right , we are standing under the arbor , where for over 100 years the roots have been placed to dry immediately after digging . The roots are left to dry here for several weeks , trimmed and peeled , and then furthur dried in large sheds for at least two years . Only then do they begin to present their characteristic rooty , earthy aroma !
Historically , as early as 1508 when the Dominican Monks founded the Farmacia Santa Maria Novella in Florence italy , orris was used in face powders and toothpaste, much later in the 1800s to powder wigs .

Some sources say 1000 pounds of root will distill 8 oz. of concrete . Irones are the basic odor chemical in orris concrete , produced through steam distillation of the dried roots .

Often compared to Violets , Iris to my nose has a much earthier , cool metallic aroma . It is an unparalled fixative and pairs well with many other oils but it's cost has become prohibitive . In 1893 the chemist Tiemann successfully synthesized violet scent , termed Ionone , which is widely used today as a replacement for the much more expenive natural irones , or orris concrete .
Distillation can be difficult , the rhizomes are starchy and tend to foam in the still . They must be distilled slowly . The resulting concrete contains a high percentage of myrisic acid ( has no odor ), which can be separated with solvent extraction .

Think about this - five years to produce a few drops of scent from a small rhizome....

Today I am wearing my favorite iris , Odori Iris .

Other faves are :

Hermes Hiris

Dior Homme ( which contains Pruneti iris extract ! )

Miller Harris Terre d' Iris

Prada Iris parfum

Heeley Iris de Nuit

Guerlain Apres L'Ondee

Annick Goutal Heure Exquise

This weeks drawing will include an assortment of samples of Iris scents , and some of my favorite resinous scents . Monday's Perfumer's Palette Series - the balsams and resins .

Drawing Monday , so be sure to comment this week !

Perfumer's Palette - Neroli

Neroli is the blossom of the bitter orange tree ( Citrus aurantium , C. bigaradia , C. vulgaris .) Though used in lighter colognes because of it's bouyant , fresh nature , Neroli is also very rich and expansive , and was traditionally used in parfum to add it's paradoxical personality and elegance to stronger floral extraits . Divinely sweet and intoxicating , neroli is known for the high , refreshing note it imparts

The blossoms must be harvested at exactly the right time - when the buds first open , and must be picked by hand . If too early , the unopened buds impart too green/bitter an odor to the oil . If too late , decaying blossoms impart off / decaying notes to the oil . The blossoms also do not travel well , and must be distilled immediately at a location close to the orchards .

The blossoms are steam distilled , one ton of blossoms producing about one quart of pure essential oil .

Later in the fall , these same trees are pruned , the leaves distilled to obtain petit-grain oil . The leading prucers of Neroli today are France , Italy and Tunisia .

In aromatherapy , neroli is considered an aphrodisiac , nourishes feelings of self acceptance , relieving anxiety and stress . Neroli is uplifting , even a drop having a profound effect on the soul .

Neroli essential oil is volatile , has a short shelf life and must be kept in a cool , dark place and used quickly after distillation .

" There are those women who hide behind a powerful , tenacious perfume ; there are those who are more inspired , more natural , more original if you will , who look for a delicate scent , a nuance that underlines the personality in a elegant fashion . "
- Robert Ricci ( President of Nina Ricci )

Neroli fragrances :

Maitre Parfumeur Jardin du Neroli

Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa

Robert Piguet Futur

Dyptique L'Eau d'Neroli

Today I am wearing Claudie Pierlot Eau de Pierlot , which is an intoxicating neroli/orange blossom cologne . I am probably the only place in the U.S. that carries it !

( in my boutique , Niche Place )

Perfumer's Palette Series - Patchouli

Patchouli ?

"....by far my father's ( Jean Carles ) favorite product . It has an enormous amount of personality...one has to be courageous to use it ....Tabu , my father's creation , had 10% patchouli . Never before had anyone dared use such a high percentage of it . "

-Marcel Carles

If you read my blog you know my love of patchouli . It is , on it's own a complex perfume with top notes that are herbal yet sweet , earthy heart notes and a soft woody drydown . patchouli improves with age , is the strongest plant essnce known . It can be medicinal and green when young , but after aging becomes more powdery and sexy . Considered an aphrodisia , it is also balancing and soothing to the senses , a mild nerve sedative and antidepressant . Externally it is useful for dry , wrinkled skin and is antiseptic and anti- inflammitory . It was used in the Orient to stuff pillows as a protection from infection and as a sleep aid . It is even said to

" sharpen the wit " ( Tisserand ).

Patchouli ( Pogostemon cablin ) is indiginous to India , China and Malaysia , but it is doubtful whether wild patchouli is harvested at all anymore . When cultivated , it can be harvested about 6 months after planting , with successive harvest after that at 6 month intervals . historically it was grown in rows between coffee plants ! After harvest is is dried and baled , then sent to the distillers where it is graded ( high grade being young leaves only , then rougher grades containing stalks )

Steam distilled from the stems and leaves , patchouli is made up of sequesterpenes , monoterpenes and patchoulol .

Napoleon is credited with being the first to bring patchouli scented cashmere shawls to Europe and popularizing the scent . Once patchouli was discoved as being the peculiar scent of these shawls , it became popular as a perfume ingredient and the rest is history . it is effective at repelling wool moths , but in perfumery is an excellent fixative and essential part of the chypre base , and the amber accord .

My favorite patchouli fragrances are :

Dawn spencer Hurwitz Vintage Patchouli - she uses a touch of tobacco that makes this warm , earthy and powdery

Profumum Patchouly - rich , mossy/musty and wonderful

Montale Patchouli Leaves - a little greener , sharper and musty , very realistic to the plant

What are your favorites ? Or do you hate it ?

Perfumer's Palette Series - Oakmoss

photo of harvesting oakmoss from biolandes.com

" The perfumer's only tool is his nose . "

-Jean Carles

So many of my favorite fragrances contain oakmoss and the news of it's regulation was devastating . The IFRA decreed it as an allergen and regulated it's use in perfumery .

This restriction is what triggered my desire to collect vintage fragrances ! The thought that it is no longer permitted as it once was in perfumery is very depressing indeed .

Oakmoss ( Evernia prunestri ) has almost no scent in it's natural state , and must be dried and aged to coax it's leafy , salty , foresty aroma to come forward . Oakmoss is considered a base note , has great tenacity on skin , evaporates slowly and becomes a main characteristic in the scent . But it also smells quite unpleasant , sharp at first ! It must be used sparingly in order to impart it's magic .

Traditionally , oakmoss was the basis for the creation of the chypre family of fragrances . But it is more complicated than that .

Oakmoss cannot be distilled , it must be extracted using hexane ( a petrol product derived from gasoline production , very carcinogenic...)

Historically , some sources say oakmoss was discovered in Ancient Egyptian tombs . But then , inexplicably , it fell out of favor and diappeared for a couple of centuries . There is no reference to oakmoss whatsover in any of the books I have from the 1700-1800s . Then in the early 1900s it reappears . Coty used it to create his famous Chypre , which engendered a whole new fragrance family . Some sources say he was not the first , but the most successful . During the first 40 years of the 1900s , there were dozens of fragrances named Chypre , almost every house had one in their lineup .

If in fact it was used in perfumery earlier than 1915 , it would have been tintured in alcohol . Only when science discovered solvent extraction did it become feasable to distill the resulting concentrate .

Did you know that many cooking oils are also extracted using toxic solvent extraction methods ?

These toxic solvents are then released into the atmosphere ( acetone , hexane )!

I digress .

Whatever tha actual historical timeline , oakmoss was used extensively throughout the 1900s , adds a deep , foresty, earthy basenote to many classic fragrances , but recently regulated and restricted in perfumery , will most likely diasappear from the perfumers palette . It is an excellent fixative , and it is a sad fact it is disappearing . Is it the allergens in the oakmoss itself , or in the solvents used to extract the essence ? Complicated and confusing ...

Mitsouko , Apercu , Aromatics Elixir , Chanel Coco , Miss Dior , Cabochard , Guerlain Sous le Vent....destined for reformulation or extinction....I think I'll go drench myself in Sous le Vent and go for a bike ride .

If Dixie hasn't claimed her prize bt Friday , I will draw another name !!

" When you hear that I have died , just live . "

-Gabrielle Bouliane

Scents of the Mediterranean : Mavrorachi

Where did fragrance making originate ?

Egypt ? no...

Saudi Arabia ? nope

France ? NOT .

Nestled remotely in it's strategic spot in the Mediterranean lies the Island of Cyprus...the namesake of the chypre....

Pyrgos settlement on the Island of Cyprus is the oldest archaeological site ever discovered containing the evidence of perfume making 4000 years ago . Pictured at right is the dig at Mavrorachi/Pyrgos where the ancient olive oil press was discovered , with pottery containing the remnants of olive oil based perfumes . Santa Maria Novella , in partnership with the archaeologists , recreated this fragrance and I am enjoying it today...

MAVRORACHI IS THE ORIGINAL UNGUENT....a limited edition , numbered fragrance made by Santa Maria Novella to commemorate the discovery of the ruins on Cyprus , Mavrorachi is presented in a frosted glass vial and lies nestled in it's box of lapis blue...precious , subtle .

I opened the box , carefully grasped the vial and snipped the golden thread wrapped around the neck and stopper . The ground glass stopper was firmly set ....

Mavrorachi is a soft scent , and I approached her with the reverence I feel she deserves , that of the profumi di Aphrodite . An homage to Aphrodite and the Island of the Mediterranean considered to be her home , Mavrorachi is olive oil based and created from essences indigenous to Cyprus , and a recreation of a scent actually discovered in the 4000 year old ruins of Mavrorachi .

The ground glass stopper gave way to my insistence , and I dabbed my wrist with the slender glass wand attatched to the stopper...and inhaled as all fragrance fanatics are wont to do.
I was not disappointed . I waited for a few moments , closing my eyes and searching for associations . Soft breezes , small flowers...subtlety . I needed more . This was jus meant for the dry sunny clime of a wild island , kissed by sun and wind and salt spray . Aphrodite would have rubbed it in her hair and on her parched shoulders and arms...the healing unguent of olive oil warms and begins to radiate a gladness and strength , but you must be liberal , as the sea is liberal with her salt spray and her lashing of the shore...

I close my eyes and feel the warmth of the oil as it melds to my skin and pulsates . I hear the small myrtle branches clicking in the wind , the foamy seas rocking . These are herbs that have blossomed and survived in spite of what mother nature has thrown at them . And you must listen carefully , because they are timid . But they are beautiful . Aphrodite lives on .

* this article appeared originally on my blog in July 2008

Check out the other participating blogs in the Scents of the Mediterranean Blog Project :

and thank you to Ines and Elena for organizing it !

http://bonkersaboutperfume.blogspot.com/
http://underthecupola.blogspot.com/
http://scelfleah.blogspot.com/

http://olfactarama.blogspot.com/

http://www.eiderdownpress.com/Perfume_Journal.html

http://thenonblonde.blogspot.com/

http://thehortusconclusus.blogspot.com/

http://arosebeyondthethames.blogspot.com/

http://ayalasmellyblog.blogspot.com/

http://www.katiepuckriksmells.com/

http://sonomascent.wordpress.com/

http://journal.illuminatedperfume.com/

http://www.scenthive.com/

http://perfumeshrine.blogspot.com/

http://alliam-aredhead.blogspot.com/