How Does Perfume Work? (The Organic Chemistry Behind Perfume)

A Brief History of Perfume

The use of fragrance materials for all kinds of purposes goes back thousands of years. The word "Perfume" comes from the Latin per fume "through smoke", reflection of how the process of perfume is obtained.

Fig 1: An Ancient Egyptian Woman Using Perfume

Perfume has been used throughout the history for a variety of reasons. People have used perfume and oil on their bodies for thousands of years as fashion. The ancient Egyptians were particularly famous for their use of perfumes. They used fragrant materials in many forms such as pressed, boiled, dried, powdered, macerated in fat. The simplest way is the form of distillation. 

Fig 2: Paul Parquet, French Perfumer who pioneered the use of

synthetics in works such as "Fougère Royale"

During the 17th century, the perfume markers was established in France. In 1882, Paul Parquet created "Fougère Royale" around an accord composed of synthetic coumarin, oak moss and etc. In the following years, major achievements in the synthesis of fragrant compounds, as well as the discovery of new catalyzed the creation of many lardmark perfumes. It was fresh, sparkling oriental fragrance based on a powerful blend of honey, vanilla and caramel. 

What Do Perfumes Are Made Of?

Normally, perfume is made from about 78% to 95% of specially denatured ethyl alcohol and a remainder of essential oils. They are made up of a blend of different aromas that usually come from essential oils. Perfume formulations can be expressed in volumetric or weight proportions of each of its components. perfumes today are being manufactured more and more with synthetic chemicals rather than natural oil. 

 Fig 3: Major Components Of Jasmine

Natural ingredients are flowers, jasmine, grasses, spices, fruit, woods, leaves and even animal secretions, as well as resources like alcohol and coal which are used in the manufacture of perfumes. Some plants such as lily, do no produce those kinds of essential oils. Therefore, synthetic chemicals must be used to recreate the smells of non-oily substances. Synthetics also creates original scents which cannot be found in nature.

The Methods Of Making Perfumes

Fig 4: Processing Perfumes By Using Steam Air

There are various approaching ways of making perfumes. One of the famous methods of making perfumes is by using steam air which is shown above. Different methods are used depending on the materials such as rose, jasmine, and etc. to produces perfumes. The most common methods are :

• Extraction
• Blending
• Distillation
• Absorption

1. Extraction

Fig 5: Extraction From Flowers Pedals

By Using Volatile Solvents

Fragrance also is drawn when the plant matter and volatile solvents are combined in a rotating tank. The solvent extracts the essential oils and dissolves the plant matter, leaving a wax-like oil. Once the oil has evaporated, a perfume paste remains.

2.Blending

 Fig 6: Flowers are blending to make perfumes

Once the perfume oil is extracted , the blending process commences. A perfumer, known as "a nose," uses an extensive knowledge of fragrance characteristic to blend anywhere from 20 to 800 raw materials to compose a scent. Once the scent is developed and tested, batches are rationally mixed.

The pure perfume oil is then diluted with alcohol and water. If a full perfume is desired, 10 to 20 percent of the oil is dissolved in alcohol with a minute amount of water. Lologne is 3% to 5% oil, 80% to 90% alcohol and 10% of water. Then the perfume is ready to be aged, filtered and bottled.

3. Distillation

Fig 7: Flowers are put in to a big tank or 

small flask to get the essential oils

In this distillation method, raw materials such as flowers, jasmine, wood or etc are steamed inside the big tank. As the steam rises, the scent is carried into a glass tube where the mixture condenses as it cold. The mixture is then put into flask where the essential oil naturally rises to the top of is skimmed off for use in the perfume.

4. Absorption

 Fig 8:Raw Materials which can't withstand the heat are

put into the alcohol

Absorption is used for raw materials that can't withstand the heat of the distillation process. They are steeped in heated fats or oils, then filtered through fabric to obtain the scented solid. The solid is then washed in alcohol. When the fat is removed, the perfumed alcohol remains.