Welcome to the Sensula Fragrance Glossary! Here, we'll demystify the language of perfume creation, from raw materials to finished fragrances. Let's begin our aromatic journey
Master the language of perfumery with our expert perfume glossary. From ingredients to production equipment, discover the essential terminology that powers the fragrance industry.
A
Absolute: A highly concentrated fragrance extract obtained through solvent extraction, typically from delicate flowers like jasmine or rose.
Accord: A balanced blend of several fragrance notes that creates a new, harmonious scent impression.
Alcohol (Ethanol): The primary solvent used in perfumery, usually denatured ethanol that dissolves fragrance oils.
Aldehydes: Synthetic compounds that add sparkle, lift, and radiance to fragrances; famously used in Chanel No. 5.
Amber: A warm, sweet base note derived from labdanum, vanilla, and other resins.
Aroma Chemical: Synthetic molecule used in perfumery to create specific scent effects.
Aromatic: A fragrance category characterized by herbal, spicy notes like rosemary, basil, and lavender.
Atomizer: A device that converts liquid perfume into a fine spray.
B
Balm: A semi-solid fragrance preparation with a higher concentration of oils and waxes.
Base Notes: The final fragrance elements to emerge, providing depth and longevity (8-24 hours).
Batchmaking: The process of creating a perfume formula in large quantities while maintaining quality control.
Balsamic: A fragrance quality that's sweet, warm, and resinous, often derived from tree resins.
Blending: The art of combining various fragrance ingredients to create a harmonious whole.
Blotter: Paper strips perfumers use to evaluate fragrances without applying to skin.
Bouquet: A harmonious blend of floral notes.
Boutonnière: A fragrance specifically designed for men to wear; derives from the French word for buttonhole.
C
Chypre: A fragrance family built around bergamot, oakmoss, and labdanum.
Citrus: A fragrance family characterized by fresh, zesty notes from citrus fruits.
Cold Process: A manufacturing method that combines ingredients without heat to preserve delicate scent compounds.
Cologne (Eau de Cologne): A light fragrance concentration (2-4% aromatic compounds).
Composition: The complete formula of a fragrance, including all notes and their proportions.
Concentration: The ratio of fragrance oils to alcohol and water in a perfume product.
Concrete: A waxy solid produced during the first stage of solvent extraction of plant materials.
Coupage: The dilution of concentrated fragrance oils with alcohol during manufacturing.
D
Denatured Alcohol: Ethanol that has been treated with additives to make it undrinkable, used as the base for most perfumes.
Diffusion: How widely a fragrance projects from the skin.
Dilution: The process of reducing the concentration of fragrance oils with solvent.
Distillation: A process that uses steam or water to extract essential oils from plant materials.
Dry Down: The final stage of fragrance development when only base notes remain.
E
Eau de Parfum: A fragrance concentration containing 15-20% aromatic compounds.
Eau de Toilette: A fragrance concentration containing 5-15% aromatic compounds.
Eau Fraîche: The lightest fragrance concentration (1-3% aromatic compounds).
Effluvia: The scent molecules that evaporate from a perfume.
Enfleurage: A traditional extraction method using fat to capture flower scents.
Essential Oil: Natural aromatic oil extracted directly from plants, flowers, or fruits.
Esters: Compounds that contribute fruity notes to fragrances.
Evaporation Rate: How quickly fragrance notes dissipate after application.
Extract: The most concentrated commercial fragrance form (20-30% aromatic compounds).
F
Fixative: Ingredients that slow evaporation and extend a fragrance's longevity.
Flanker: A variation of an existing fragrance, often seasonal or with a specific theme.
Floral: The largest fragrance family, based on flower scents.
Formulation: The specific recipe and manufacturing process for a perfume.
Fougère: A fragrance family built around lavender, oakmoss, and coumarin.
Fragrance Oil: Synthetic or blended oils used in perfumery, distinct from essential oils.
Fragrance Wheel: A classification system for organizing perfume families.
G
Gas Chromatography: An analytical technique used to identify and quantify components in a fragrance.
Gourmand: A fragrance category featuring edible or dessert-like notes (vanilla, chocolate, caramel).
Green Notes: Fresh, sharp scents reminiscent of cut grass, leaves, or stems.
H
Headspace Technology: A method that captures and analyzes the scent molecules around an object without extraction.
Heart Notes (Middle Notes): The main character of a fragrance that emerges after top notes fade (2-4 hours).
Hot Process: A manufacturing method that uses heat to combine ingredients, often used for soap-based products.
Hydrodistillation: A distillation method where plant material is completely immersed in water.
Hydrosol: The aromatic water byproduct of essential oil distillation.
I
Infusion: The process of soaking plant materials in oil or alcohol to extract their scent.
Isolate: A single aromatic molecule extracted from a natural source.
IFRA: International Fragrance Association, which establishes safety guidelines for fragrance ingredients.
J
Juice: Industry slang for the liquid fragrance itself.
K
Key Note: The dominant characteristic note that defines a fragrance.
L
Layering: The technique of using multiple scented products from the same line to intensify a fragrance.
Longevity: How long a fragrance lasts on the skin.
Linear Fragrance: A scent that smells essentially the same from application through dry down.
M
Maceration: The aging process allowing alcohol and fragrance oils to blend completely.
Mass Spectrometry: An analytical technique used alongside gas chromatography to identify fragrance components.
Middle Notes: See Heart Notes.
Mille-fleur: A complex blend of many floral notes.
Musk: A base note that adds warmth and sensuality, originally from animals but now primarily synthetic.
N
Natural Perfumery: Creating fragrances using only naturally derived ingredients.
Nose: Professional perfumer who creates fragrance formulations.
Note: Individual scent elements within a fragrance composition.
O
Oakmoss: A lichen extract used as a fixative and base note.
Olfaction: The sense of smell.
Olfactory Fatigue: Temporary inability to detect a scent after prolonged exposure.
Oriental: A fragrance family featuring warm, exotic notes like vanilla, spices, and resins.
Oud: A rare, woody base note derived from agarwood.
P
Parfum: The most concentrated form of fragrance (20-30% aromatic compounds).
Perfume Oil: A fragrance dissolved in an oil base rather than alcohol.
Pyramid: The traditional structure of top, middle, and base notes in a fragrance.
Private Label: Custom fragrances manufactured for another brand to sell under their name.
Projection: How far a fragrance radiates from the wearer.
Q
Quality Control: Testing procedures to ensure fragrance consistency and safety.
Qualitative Assessment: Sensory evaluation of a fragrance's characteristics.
R
Rectification: The purification of essential oils through redistillation.
Reformulation: Changing a fragrance formula, often due to ingredient regulations or cost.
Resinoid: A fragrance material extracted from plant resins using solvents.
Robust: Describing a fragrance with strong character and good projection.
S
Sillage: The scent trail left by a fragrance wearer.
Solvent Extraction: Using chemicals to separate aromatic compounds from plant materials.
Soliflore: A fragrance focused on a single flower note.
Stability Testing: Evaluating how a fragrance performs over time and in various conditions.
Steam Distillation: The most common method for extracting essential oils using steam.
Synthetic: Man-made aromatic molecules used in perfumery.
T
Tenacity: A fragrance's lasting power on the skin.
Tincture: Aromatic materials dissolved in alcohol.
Top Notes: The initial impression of a fragrance, typically lasting 15-30 minutes.
Tonnage: Industry term for high-volume fragrance ingredients.
U
Unisex Fragrance: Scents marketed for use by any gender.
V
Vanilla Absolute: A highly concentrated extract from vanilla beans, used as a base note.
Vetiver: A grassy, earthy base note derived from the roots of the vetiver plant.
Volatile Compounds: Ingredients that evaporate quickly, typically found in top notes.
W
Water Phase: The aqueous portion of a fragrance formulation, as opposed to the oil phase.
White Flowers: A category including jasmine, gardenia, and tuberose, known for their intense scent.
Woody: A fragrance family characterized by notes like sandalwood, cedar, and patchouli.
X
Xenolide: A synthetic musk used as a fixative in modern perfumery.
Y
Yield: The amount of essential oil or absolute produced from a given quantity of raw material.
Ylang-Ylang: A floral essential oil with sweet, exotic properties used in many fragrances.
Z
Zest: The outer peel of citrus fruits used for their essential oils in perfumery.
