Smell - Think - Write

Perfume Materials Lifetime

Every perfume material, whether natural or synthetic, has a unique lifetime, which refers to how long the scent lasts. As a perfumer, understanding this is crucial. For example:

• Long-Lasting Materials: Some materials, like sandalwood or deer musk, can last up to 1000 hours.

• Short-Lasting Materials: Others, like Cis-3-hexanol, may only last a few minutes.

Key Concepts:

• Top Notes: Materials that last for a few minutes to an hour (e.g., citrus materials).

• Middle Notes: Materials that last for 2 to 6 hours.

• Base Notes: Materials that last the longest, often sweet and warm scents.

It's important to study and know how long each material lasts on both a scent strip and the skin.

Material Impact

The impact of a perfume material refers to how strong and influential the scent is compared to other materials. This is also crucial for a perfumer to understand:

• High-Impact Materials: Some materials, such as C-12 MNA aldehyde, are very powerful and can be unpleasant in their pure, undiluted state.

• Low-Impact Materials: Others, like Hedione, are hardly detectable.

As a perfumer, memorizing the strength of each material compared to others is essential.

Practical Steps

1. Study Resources: Websites like Perfumers World are excellent for quickly looking up the lifetime and impact of common perfume materials.

2. Create Personal Values: It's crucial to create your own unique effect and lifetime values. Smell various materials and compare them with findings from resources like Perfumers World. Do you agree with their assessments?

The Artistic Aspect

Remember, perfumery is an art, not an exact science. The impact and lifetime of perfume materials can be subjective. However, ranking and organizing your materials based on these values is extremely beneficial for your skill development as a perfumer.

By understanding and memorizing the lifetime and impact of various perfume materials, you can create balanced and appealing fragrances that highlight the best aspects of each ingredient.

Compare Others Observations

Compare your observations, impressions & notes with those from the following websites. 

www.perfumersworld.com 

 www.perfumersapprentice.com 

www.thegoodscentcompany.com 

www.edenbotanicals.com

Do you agree or disagree with some of their findings?

Perfume Materials: Impact and Lifetime Observations

Below are some of the impact and lifetime observations provided by Perfumers World. This is an excellent website for reference, but it's crucial to smell and record your own observations, as you may not necessarily agree with all of their findings.

Engaging with the Perfumery Community

Engaging with the larger perfumer community is an essential practice for any aspiring perfumer. By comparing your observations and notes with those of other perfumers, you immerse yourself in a continuous, collaborative learning process. This interaction helps you refine your skills and broaden your understanding of various fragrance materials.

Why Engage with the Community?

1. Broaden Your Knowledge: Gain insights from other perfumers’ experiences and perspectives.

2. Validate Your Findings: Confirm your observations by comparing them with those of others.

3. Discover New Techniques: Learn about different methods and techniques used by other perfumers.

4. Stay Updated: Keep up with the latest trends, materials, and innovations in perfumery.

5. Foster Creativity: Get inspired by the creative approaches of other perfumers.

Steps to Engage with the Community:

1. Join Forums and Groups: Participate in online forums and social media groups dedicated to perfumery.

2. Attend Workshops and Events: Go to perfumery workshops, webinars, and industry events to meet other perfumers.

3. Share Your Notes: Publish your observations and notes on platforms like blogs, forums, or social media.

4. Read and Comment: Read articles, blog posts, and publications by other perfumers and share your thoughts.

5. Collaborate on Projects: Engage in collaborative projects with other perfumers to learn and create together.

Benefits of Engagement:

• Improved Skills: Regular interaction with other perfumers enhances your technical and creative skills.

• Community Support: Gain support and encouragement from a community of like-minded individuals.

• Professional Growth: Build your reputation and network within the perfumery industry.

• Continuous Learning: Stay in a never-ending conversation that fosters growth and innovation.

By immersing yourself in this ongoing dialogue with the perfumery community, you will start thinking like a perfumer. You’ll develop a deeper understanding of fragrance materials, improve your blending techniques, and create more sophisticated and unique perfumes.