Description

In the first post @inayat_azmi asked for a natural alternative to Amber Accord and my answer was a simple formula from Mandy Aftel’s books History of Perfume. Not an accord formula, but an ambery perfume oil which can be also useful - here it is: 15 ML of coconut oil as a carrier oil -10 drops of labdanum alcoholic extract -3 drops of cinnamon -4 drops of rose alcoholic extract -6 drops of bergamot. Underneath is the text for the original post!🧪 Today is about Amber. A cult note in perfumery, but in the same time totally fictional. Amber is fossilized tree resin that has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times but which in perfumery does not have any real practical purposes. It may be some cases in which some kind of ambers may evoke a smell when burned, but in general, everything that is mineral, doesn’t smell. Known for its cosy, sweet and deep smell, the basic Amber Accord features three mandatory elements - vanilla, resins like frankincense, myrrh or benzoin and musks- Galaxolide, Habanolide etc. As Amber is not a gourmand note in perfumery but also it can’t exist without the vanilla note in it, resins and musks are there to cut the gourmand facet of vanilla and blend in what we call Amber. Here is an Amber Accord formula made by Givaudan for Perfumer’s Apprentice. This is a basic formula which can be very precious for those who want to simply exercise the basic accords in perfumery but also it’s very useful for its versitality, as you can introduce it in more dark, as in smoky or earthy formulas, or radiant, solar formulas like along white flowers. Are there some non-smelling stuff that you’d like to see reinterpreted as an accord in perfumery? Lately I see a lot of new fictional accords on the market like “stardust accord” (Tabac Gravity by Maurer & Wirtz) made with a blend of aldehydes, rose oxide, evernyl and musks. Sometimes I find very interesting to read about and also smell. What do you think?