{"id":39,"date":"2013-07-19T15:10:00","date_gmt":"2013-07-19T14:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pellwallhelp.com\/blog\/2013\/07\/19\/natural-perfume-materials-what-the-terms-mean\/"},"modified":"2024-04-26T13:33:31","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T12:33:31","slug":"natural-perfume-materials-what-the-terms-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pellwallhelp.com\/blog\/2013\/07\/19\/natural-perfume-materials-what-the-terms-mean\/","title":{"rendered":"Natural Perfume Materials: what the terms mean"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\nThere are quite a few
\nmethods by which the aromatic principles of natural materials are made
\navailable for use in perfumery and unfortunately some of the terms used are
\nobscure and others are sometimes mis-used.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/a>The purpose of this
\npost is to set out the main terms used, together with definitions of widespread
\nacceptance.  In putting these
\ntogether I have relied on two main sources: first Arctander\u2019s Pefume and FlavorMaterials of Natural Origin<\/a> \u2013 written in the 1950s and early 60s but still
\nregarded by most perfumers as the definitive work.<\/span>
\n
<\/span>
\nSecond Brian Lawrence<\/b> who is published regularly in Perfumer & Flavorist Magazine<\/i> and elsewhere<\/a> and is, probably,
\nthe definitive modern writer on the subject.<\/span>
<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n
\nBefore we get into the
\nterms for natural materials, it is perhaps useful to examine what we mean by natural<\/b> in this context and eliminate
\nterms used to indicate synthetic materials.  Very few materials are suitable for use in perfumery exactly
\nas they occur in nature: citrus oils and copaiba balsam are the main exceptions,
\nrequiring no processing beyond pressing the peel or releasing the balsam from
\nthe tree: in the great majority of cases processing is necessary and in some
\ncases the odorous principles only form during<\/i> processing (see my post on Bitter Almond Oil<\/a> for an example of this). 
\nA material is generally considered to be \u2018natural\u2019 when that processing
\nis primarily physical, rather than chemical, in nature: these things are what
\nthis post is about.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fragrance Oils are not usually natural<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nThe term Fragrance Oil<\/b> is widely used to
\nindicate a blend of materials that may be both natural and synthetic, designed
\nto replicate a natural odour. 
\nThese are often composed entirely from synthetic ingredients and almost
\nnever with entirely natural ones and as such do not<\/i> fall within the definition of a natural material.  Occasionally they may be passed off as
\nnatural, sometimes innocently by traders who have themselves been deceived by a
\nproducer, but for the most part they are sold labelled as \u2018fragrance oil\u2019 and
\nare usually cheaper than natural equivalents where these exist.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nThe main types of
\nvolatile isolates that are obtained commercially are essential oils, concretes,
\nabsolutes, pommades, resinoids, spice\/herb oleoresins, extracts, infusions, and
\ntinctures. The definitions of these, and some other important terms are set out
\nhere and for convenience I\u2019ve started by listing first the three most common
\ntypes \u2013 <\/span>Essential Oil, Concr<\/i>\u00e8<\/i>te <\/i>and<\/span>
\nAbsolute<\/i>.  All other types
\nfollow in alphabetical order for ease of reference.<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
<\/span><\/div>\n

\nThe most common natural materials<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bergamot in cultivation
\n(courtesy Wikimedia)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\nEssential Oil<\/b>: The isolated aromatic portion of a plant that
\nis borne in that plant within distinctive oil cells. In some exceptional cases
\nthe essential oil is formed during processing. Most essential oils are isolated
\nby either hydro-distillation (water, steam or both) or cold pressing with some
\nfew being produced by dry (including destructive) distillation.  Water distillation implies direct
\ncontact between the plant material and the boiling water, steam distillation
\nimplies steam being produced separately and blown through the material \u2013 in the
\ncombined case the water is heated by injected steam.  Some essential oils are routinely \u2018rectified<\/b><\/i>\u2019 after
\nproduction \u2013 a process that may be entirely physical or may involve the
\nintroduction of synthetic aroma chemicals to standardise the odour.  <\/span>Examples include <\/span>Bergamot<\/i>, which is routinely rectified to remove bergaptens
\n(furocoumarins<\/a>) \u2013 this is done by fractional distillation.  <\/span>White
\nThyme<\/i> is natural thyme oil that has been corrected by the addition of aroma
\nchemicals to produce standardised oil chemistry \u2013 for most this would no longer
\nbe considered a natural product.<\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nConcr<\/b>\u00e8<\/b>te<\/b> (often written as <\/span>concrete<\/b>
\nwith the same meaning):  an extract
\nof fresh (cellular) plant material made using a hydrocarbon solvent, commonly
\nhexane or petroleum ether. It is rich in hydrocarbon soluble material and
\ndevoid of water-soluble components. It is generally a waxy semi-solid, dark colour
\nmaterial free from the original solvent used in extraction, often containing a
\nhigh percentage of largely odourless plant waxes.<\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Orris root being dried<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\nOne important note
\nhere on misuse of this term concerning Orris
\nButter<\/i>, which is frequently called Orris<\/i>
\nConcr<\/i>\u00e8<\/i>te<\/i>, but is more correctly the essential
\noil of orris<\/i> (the roots of certain species of Iris), which happens to be
\nsolid.  There is also a true Orris<\/i> Concr<\/i>\u00e8<\/i>te<\/i>, from which a true Orris Absolute<\/i>
\nis made \u2013 the latter is a clear, mobile liquid unlike the so-called Orris Concr\u00e8te or Butter which is
\nsolid at room temperature.<\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nAbsolute<\/b>:  A highly concentrated
\nalcoholic extract, usually of a concr<\/i>\u00e8<\/i>te<\/i>, which contains only alcohol soluble
\nmaterials. Its primary use is in alcoholic perfumes but normally contains
\nlittle or no residual ethanol. 
\nAbsolutes are also sometimes extracted from pommades<\/i> (sometimes called Absolute
\nfrom Pommade<\/i> or Absolute from Ch<\/i>\u00e2<\/i>ssis – t<\/i>he latter term is sometimes used to describe an absolute made by extracting the spent flowers already used in enfleurage<\/a><\/i>). 
\nAn Absolute from Distilation Water<\/i>
\n(e.g. Rose Water Absolute) is also sometimes made using the hydrolat left over
\nfrom making an essential oil as the starting material.  Sometimes the term Absolute is also
\nused to mean the alcohol soluble fraction of a resinoid<\/i>.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n

\nOther terms in alphabetical sequence<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Copaifera langsdorfii<\/span> <\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\nBalsam<\/b>: A natural exudate obtained from a shrub or a tree (either
\nphysiological or pathological). It is characterized by being rich in benzoic
\nand cinnamic acids and their corresponding esters and is insoluble in water but
\ncompletely or almost completely soluble in ethanol.  Balsams may, upon ageing, form resins<\/i> and so the boundary between these two may be blurred.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nCO2<\/sup> Extract<\/b> \u2013 these include a range of extraction
\nprocesses using carbon dioxide as the solvent.  In most cases the solvent used is rendered liquid at much
\nhigher temperatures than normal an so the extract produced is often, more
\ncorrectly, referred to as SFE<\/b> \u2013 supercritical fluid extract<\/i> \u2013 and I\u2019ve
\nsaid a bit more about it under that heading.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nExtract<\/b>: A concentrate of a dried less volatile aromatic
\nplant part obtained by solvent extraction with a polar solvent.  In
\npractice this term is used quite indiscriminately to mean several of the types
\nof processed material where there result is concentrated \u2013 with the solvent
\nremoved.  In flavour work the term
\nis used even more widely to include emulsions and diluted materials that may be
\nwater soluble (possibly dissolved in water) and of very short shelf-life. To be
\nmeaningful this term really requires further qualification or clarification and
\nperfumers should approach \u2018extracts\u2019 with appropriate caution.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nNote that the French
\nterm \u2018extrait<\/b>\u2019 (directly translated
\nthis would<\/i> be extract) is used in
\nEnglish to mean something quite specific: An alcoholic extract of a pomade
\nproduced by enfleurage: a tincture of a pomade.   The term is also occasionally hijacked to mean an
\nalcoholic dilution of any<\/i> material of
\na particular strength or a blended perfume of a particular strength \u201cextrait strength<\/i>\u201d is sometimes used to
\nmean much the same as Parfum<\/i>, that is
\nan alcoholic perfume with 15-30% aromatic ingredients.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nGum:<\/b> Can be either a
\nnatural or synthetic material but, strictly, should be used only for
\nwater-soluble materials of very high molecular weight.  In perfumery it can, however, also be
\nused of resins<\/i> and turpentines.  Under the strict definition gums are
\nodourless and therefore of no use in perfumery.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Commiphora myrrha<\/a><\/i> tree one of the primary sources
from which the oleo-gum-resin
myrrh is harvested.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nGum Resin<\/b>: A natural exudate obtained from a tree or
\nplant. It is comprised of gums and resins. If the gum resin source also
\ncontains an essential oil, it is called an oleo-gum-resin<\/b>.  Only partially soluble in alcohol,
\nhydrocarbons etc. and may be partially soluble in water where the proportion of
\ngum is significant.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nInfusion<\/b>: A hot extraction of either a plant part or its
\nexudate with either water or an organic solvent. Infusions are not at all
\npopular because it is difficult to control their chemical composition.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nIsolate<\/b>: sometimes clarified as natural
\nisolate<\/i>, this is prepared material, produced from a precursor of natural
\norigin, most often an essential oil, by any of a range of physical processes
\nincluding fractional distillation or freezing, chromatographic separation and
\nothers.  At one time many perfumery
\nmaterials were made this way that today are available much more cheaply as
\nsynthetics.  Natural perfumers may
\nstill take advantage of the fact that many natural isolates continue to be
\nproduced commercially for the flavour industry where the premium on natural
\nflavours justifies the increased cost of production.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nOleoresin:<\/b> The natural tree trunk or bark exudate, which
\nis extremely rich in an essential oil. 
\nThe term is occasionally also used of prepared materials.  In either case they consist of
\nessential oil and resin. 
\nTurpentines are oleoresins where the resin portion is acidic.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nPommade<\/b>:  The product of the
\nenfleurage fat extraction of fresh flowers. Enfleurage was once much more
\nwidely used than today but is still the most efficient (highest yielding)
\nmethod with certain flowers that continue to manufacture perfume in the flower
\nafter it is cut, such as tuberose for example.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nResin Absolute<\/b>: generally applied to materials obtain
\ndirectly from plant raw-materials by extraction with hot alcohol: once the
\nalcohol has been recovered, what is left is referred to as the Resin
\nAbsolute.  As the product is often
\nvery thick and sticky, the recovered alcohol may be partially replaced by a
\nhigh-boiling solvent such as Isopropyl Myristate when it is usually sold as
\n\u2018mobilised with N% of XX\u2019.  Notable
\nexceptions include the extraction product of Oakmoss with hot alcohol, which is
\nusually called Oakmoss Resin<\/i>; that of
\nOrris is likewise called Orris Resin<\/i>.
\n<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Benzoin resin from which Benzoin Resinoid is made<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\nResinoid<\/b>:  A solvent extract of a
\nresin-rich material containing natural exudate or dried plant material with a
\nhydrocarbon solvent. Resinoids are generally viscous to semi-solid mixtures.
\nThey can be considered as being equivalent to concr\u00e8tes but made from dead \/
\ndried (non-cellular) materials.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nSpice\/Herb Oleoresin<\/b>: A solvent extract of a dried spice or herb,
\nwhich is virtually free from the extracting solvent. It is used more-or-less exclusively
\nby the food and pharmaceutical industries as a replacement for ground spices and
\nspice tinctures.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nSupercritical Fluid
\nExtract<\/b>
\nThis is an extract made using supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2<\/sup>) or
\nanother suitable supercritical fluid material as the solvent. Supercritical
\nfluid extraction (SFE) of plant material with solvents like CO2<\/sup>,<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\npropane, butane, or ethylene is increasingly being done. SFE allows the
\nprocessing of plant material at low temperatures, hence limiting thermal
\ndegradation, and avoids the use of toxic solvents.  A common downside of SFE is that the resulting material may
\nnot be fully soluble in ethanol and in many cases further extraction with
\nethanol to produce, what is in effect an Absolute
\nfrom SFE<\/i> is conducted \u2013 these are sometimes sold as CO2<\/sup> Select Extract<\/i> or, more intuitively as Ethanol Soluble SFE<\/i>.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nTincture<\/b>: An alcoholic or aqueous alcoholic extract of a
\nnatural raw material in which the solvent is left in the extract as a diluent.
\nTinctures are used both in the fragrance and pharmaceutical industries. The
\namount of alcohol in the tincture, which ranges from 20-95%, is standardized by
\nthe manufacturer.  See my post on Ambergris<\/a> for an example of a tincture used in perfumery<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

\n <\/span><\/o:p><\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are quite a few methods by which the aromatic principles of natural materials are made available for use in perfumery and unfortunately some of the terms used are obscure and others are sometimes mis-used. The purpose of this post is to set out the main terms used, together with definitions of widespread acceptance.  In […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[21,9,6,10,17],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pellwallhelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pellwallhelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pellwallhelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pellwallhelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pellwallhelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pellwallhelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":212,"href":"https:\/\/pellwallhelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39\/revisions\/212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pellwallhelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pellwallhelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pellwallhelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}