Tag: blending perfumes

making perfumes with orriniff

Maxine Hyndman

orriniff2

Making a perfume and need a floral volumizer? Does your perfume composition need something to give it a hint of Orris root and not sure what your options are? Think about Orriniff when making perfumes with a floral, ambery facet.

Scientific name: methyl norbornenylpyridine (mixture of isomers) 25% in isopropyl myristate

a.k.a.: Orriniff 25%

CAS#: 110-2-0

Supplier: Perfumer’s Apprentice

Note: Heart

Family: Floral

Dilution: 10%

Diffusion: 9

Their nose: “orris, floral, violet, leather, fresh, wood” (TGSC) “Orris, mimosa, violet leaf, amber complex with a leather, woody nuance. Imparts warm orris amber tones to fragrances.” (IFF)

My nose: Orriniff opens sharp and shiny, a bit pungent, twinkling and abstract. Almost immediately it becomes warm, definitely something sweet about it.  15min and it’s sweeter still, opening up boldly in a round way. It’s harmonious, warm yet there is a hint of coolness at the fringes; cloudy, fluffy and evocative. 30min now and there’s a piercing quality about it, icy almost, a musky membrane seems to surround it but it’s a very light impression, pristine, it nuzzles you like a kitten frisky and energetic, yes, this note has energy! 45min now it’s a happy note! Joyful, celebration, it’s radiant, a tinge of floral sweetness, there is a sense of promise with Orriniff, it’s rousing and moves you to take notice, to wake up. After 1hr it’s still powerfully sweet, still plume-like and billowy, tendrils that flow forever; the colour I get is copper, I hear bells, the trill of an old tower bell in a town square.  That’s never happened before that I heard a sound while sniffing!  2hrs on and sweet, always sweet, still stretched out in prideful glory, a blanket of time held suspended, linked with late spring early summer, soothing.  After 3hrs sweet still remains the first impression, blossoms floral, slight creaminess, it is a sweet caress, I smell laundry. Into the base at 7hrs and the extension of Orriniff is incredible! Dominant and powerful it’s pitch hasn’t waned one bit, no impression of this settling down at all; it’s embracing and yes, exciting, something about it makes my heart beat faster. 12hrs later and it’s just now becoming a more gentler, subdued version of itself, balmy and very comforting. I still get fragrant blossoms even a bit of something succulent. Now a full 24hrs this is the first scent I smell when entering the studio! But, now the expression is more thin, and yes, I can smell commonalities with Safraleine. A side of aggressiveness still lurks in the shadows but it is still soft and inviting and pleasurable!

Blends well with: ambroxan, amyris, bergamot, wild carrot seed, rosewood, alpha ionone, labdanum, vetiver, oakmoss, patchouli, raspberry keytone, etc. (TGSC)

Considerations: Orriniff will last up to 48hours on a scent strip and it gives a composition a floral lift and adds volume, sort of like hairspray in the 70s.

All the best for a wonderful Wednesday!

MC

 

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blending perfumes with carrot seed essential oil

Maxine Hyndman2 Comments

carrot-seed-essential-oil

Blending perfumes with carrot seed essential oil?  If you’re learning to make your own perfumes and looking for a really unusual element then check out carrot seed oil and get ready for an interesting surprise.

Common name: Carrot seed, a.k.a. Queen Anne’s lace, wild carrot and Bird’s Nest

Genus name: Daucus carota (Umbelliferae) “the name Daucus carota alone signifies, that the source is the cultivated carrot. Oils obtained from wild subspecies should read D. carota ssp carota, the European wild carrot or D. carota spp. maxima, the Mediterranean wild carrot.” (Wild Herbs of Crete)

Supplier: Proxisanté

Note: Heart/Base

Family: Spice

Diffusion: 5

Dilution: 10%

Blends well with: Bergamot, Juniper, Lavender, Lemon, Lime, Orange, Cedarwood, Geraniums, Ylang Ylang, Frankincense, Cypress, woody/resinous oils

Chemical components: High in Sesquiterpenes: α-longipinene (9.5%), sabinene (8.6%), β-himachalene (8.1%), β-bisabolene (4.3%), limonene (3.5%) α- and β-pinene (2.6% and 2.5%), terpinen-4-ol (1.2%), iso-bornyl acetate (1.3%), trans-β-caryophyllene (1.3%), trans-β-farnesene (1.0%), γ-himachalene (4.3%), δ-cadinene (1%), β-myrcene (1.4%), γ-terpinene (0.9%), and elemicin, cis-γ-bisabolene, caryophyllene<9-epi-trans>, α-himachalene, linalool, α-terpinene, all around 0.5-0.6% each. (Wild Herbs of Crete). Pinene, carotol, daucol, limonene, bisabolene, elemene, geraniol. (Gritman)

Interesting bits: “Remarkable about the wild carrot is, that each plant develops individually, one by one. We never see all of the wild carrots in a population to be at approximately at the same stage of development.” (Wild Herbs of Crete)

Their nose: “rooty, iris-like note with earthy, raw potato/turnip and woody facets, used to provide an earth note to otherwise airy compositions” (Fragrantica).

“the oil has a deep, lasting sweet smell with flowery undertones.” (Wild Herbs of Crete)

My nose: Like most mornings I do my best to begin sniffing at 9am, but then life happens so I usually don’t get to it before 10. Today was no different. To me every note I smell even if I’ve smelled it 20 times before is like opening a new package at Christmas! The top notes of carrot seed essential oil opened refreshing and sweet, this was totally unexpected for me, it’s curious, earthy, silky soft and not at all distracting, even reserved I would say. 15min later and this note is happy, joyful, it totally puts a smile on my face. Well-grounded and peaceful, comforting and assuring. There is such harmony in this note nothing sharp sticks out too much.  30min and now it’s sensual, warm, smooth, sleek – yeah, it’s all that! I can smell it combined with something smokey. After 45min carrot seed is elegant and satisfying like a hearty bowl of soup in autumn, sweet, it’s captivating and inviting, drawing me in. This is a gentle, warm note as it approaches the heart phase of the dry-down.  It’s been 1hr now, to me the beginning of the heart, and it approaches with boldness, with a bit of a bitter edge, still sweet though, there is a richness about it as it simmers into it’s prime. After 2hrs I’m going WOW! the heart is bold, warm sweet and bewitching, this is a non-conformist note, it doesn’t smell like anything I know or can place, there is an element of greenery that I can now pick up. 3hrs later and it’s simple as it sits on a bed of green grass, it is thought-provoking as it unfolds into the beginning of the base, tender yet at the same time tenacious.  7hrs into the dry-down and strangely it’s sweeter, sharper, clearer, the tone is crisper, more pristine and silvery. Yes it is definitely more luminous. At 12hrs, holy grip! This is like it’s now in it’s prime! Fully alive, blossomed and even though drier it still has warmth and depth and the power to move me. The next morning, 24hrs later, It is still kicking ass! Strong and addictive. I can smell it going very well with the citruses, it’s absorbing and engaging. There is a sort of soapy quality around the edge to it, but just barely a hint.

Musings: The fact that the Daucus carota grows individually, one by one, gives me an insight that this could definitely be an ingredient to consider if I want to highlight uniqueness, singularity and authenticity. Again, I’m really struck by how my nose and brain are working together to make connections between scents that aren’t even there. When I read that Carrot seed essential oil blends well with the citrus oils I was pleased. Though progress is slow, when you can see yourself putting these pieces together intuitively it sure does give you the sense that you’re heading in the right direction, especially when you’re studying independently. So, yeah, there’s a smile on my face right now.

12/24 comparison: the 12hr strip is much bolder, sweeter and inspiring whereas the 24hr strip mainly just gives references to the glory of 12hrs ago but it still invites you to dream of what once was.

Have a beautiful weekend!

MC

 

 

blending perfumes with buddha wood essential oil

Maxine Hyndman3 Comments

buddha-wood-essential-oil

Blending perfumes with buddha wood essential oil?  If you’re learning to make your own perfumes and looking for an element in the wood family that has excellent fixative and blending qualities then take a closer look at Buddha wood:

Common name: Buddha wood essential oil (wild harvest, Australia) a.k.a Desert Rosewood or false Sandalwood

Genus name: Eremophila Mitchelli

Supplier: White Lotus Aromatics

Note: Base

Family: Wood

Diffusion: 3

Dilution: 10%

Blends well with: “used as a general fixative, precious woods accord, incense perfumes, forest notes…” (White Lotus Aromatics). Amyris, Peru Balsam, Cedarwood Himalayan, Davana, Frangipani, Guaiacwood, Jasmine sambac, Lavender Bulgarian, Pink Lotus, Osmanthus, Palmarosa, Patchouli aged, Rhododendron, Rose Bulgarian, Rose Otto, Rose Maroc, Sandalwood, Siam wood, Tuberose, Ylang ylang extra. (Lotus Garden Botanicals).  Wow, this oil plays really nicely with a lot of oils, hmmm, good to know.

Chemical components: almost 100% Ketones!  This oil has three unique and closely related sesquiterpene ketones 30-60% eremophilone, 6-25% 2-hydroxyeremophilone, 11-30% 2-hydroxy-2-dihydroeremophilone

Interesting bits:  Eremophila breaks down to mean: Phila – to love; and Eremo – a lonely place or desert.  “Named after Sir Thomas Mitchell, who led the discovery expedition into Australia.” (Gritman) It’s also interesting to note it’s close chemical relationship to Agarwood… “Its main components are three closely related sesquiterpene ketones – eremophilone; 2-hydroxyeremophilone; 2-hydroxy-2-dihydroeremophilone – none of which have ever before been discovered in nature. Chemically related to Agar Wood.” (Gritman).  Distilled from the heartwood and sometimes also the bark of the tree. It grows wild in Queensland and northern New South Wales, Australia.

Their nose: “displaying a soft, rich deep, sweet, balsamic, precious woods(cedarwood-guiacawood-sandalwood complex) bouquet with a delicate mossy-leathery-creamy undertone of good tenacity.” (White Lotus Aromatics). “exudes a powerful woody aroma with meaty and leathery smoky notes.” (Hermitage). “Smooth, sweet, woody, earthy, leathery, slightly smoky with resinous notes” (Lotus Garden Botanicals). “The scent is woody, mossy, and mild with a subtle leathery-smoky note.” (Gritman)

My nose: At 10am the Top opens very warm, like caramel, a balm, a blanket of amber, amber with a hint of vanilla, very indiscreet, and definitely sweet. 15min later and it’s still warm and soft but very hard to trace, very faint, like a murmur more than a beat, nothing sharp about this oil, it’s a lull. After 30min it’s now becoming bolder, it still remains just a twinkle but it seems more aged, mature somehow. This note is a plodder, solemn with a hint of sweetness. 45min into it as the top notes begin to fade this seems to now be coming out of its shell! Stronger, the wood aspect is now felt, creamy wood, deep and thoughtful, very deliberate expression.  It’s now 1hr later and the heart note begins soft and creamy like a cloud, it’s fanning out with gentle deliberation, there is nothing hurried about this note at all.  2hrs later and it’s dim, barely there. The word tawny comes to mind. It seems to have settled down into a quiet slumber.  Where did it go?! Now 3hrs on and there’s a sharp, dry quality coming out. The wood aspect too is more perceptible, still warm with lots of character and one plus is that it isn’t pervasive, it’s quiet, totally a background note. Heading into the base after 7hrs and Buddha wood is very, very dry and smells vaguely reminiscent of Sandalwood! The wood note is more pronounced in the dry-down still a very tranquil, civilized character but the best term for this note now would be “non-plussed”.  After 12hrs it’s still arid, there is an impression of the sacred…but I only get a few whiffs of this before it hides again in the background. 24hrs into the dry-down and it’s truly dry, nice, woody, blanched, like it’s been baking in the sun. It is still very much alive as it’s still communicating with me of course, faded, but still there.

Musings: I purchased a tiny sample of Agarwood attar and being an attar it means it’s mixed with Sandalwood so I’m going to have to get another sample of the pure Agarwood and do my own comparisons to see if my nose picks up any similarities.

It’s interesting to note that I always do my aromatic evaluations before I do my research and write my blog post, so often I am really surprised to find that I got the same general impression that the oil is known for or that my nose is way off in left field somewhere doing its own thing!

12/24 COMPARISON – now, I think I’ve learned something interesting here.  It came to me to try a 12hr vs a 24hr scent strip comparison, just totally out of curiosity, following a gut instinct and I can’t believe what a difference it makes in understanding, in discovering different facets of the very oil you just spent the last 24 hours with! There are things that came out in the 12/24 comparison that were totally unexpected! What I got in this comparison is the smoky quality the other noses described but that my nose completely missed or ignored during a straight dry-down evaluation.  This type of olfactive exercise, I am guessing, gets the nose to confront and notice more marked or stark differences that make you sit up and go, OH, THAT! Sort of what happens when you walk into a new place and the smells are so vivid, vibrant and alive.  Stay there for a day and you barely notice them at all.

I think I’m going to have to do a 0/12/24 comparison too!

Happy sniffing!

MC