Frangipani

lat. Plumeria rubra (Apocyanaceae) Other names: plumeria Group: Flowers

Odor profile: heady sweet floral note of the genus Plumeria with aspects of jasmine and fruit, tropical smelling like a "lei" garland

Plumeria, or Frangipani, is a small tree native to Caribbean, Central America, & Mexico. Very beautiful, fast and easy growing, it has spread to all the warm areas of the world, and it feels like it was always a part of its gardens and folklores. Plumeria is very often associated with exotic tropical islands (Hawaii, Tahiti) and their tradition of making leis to mark the important events such as birthing and dying, love and marriage, social, political, religious, and many other occasions. Plumeria, a newcomer to the old tradition, became the most popular flower for lei making, at least among the tourists. In some countries in Far East white fragrant flowers have a quite dark reputation: Symbolizing death, they are common on cemeteries, and their fragrance in the night is one of the signs of an approaching vampire. Perfectly shaped plumeria is like a childs drawing: Its color nuances vary from white to yellow and pink. The flowers are often very fragrant, the palette of their smells covers lots of nuances: soft, fruity, peachy, and creamy on the canvas of the soft gardenia-like aroma. Similar to Tiare, the scent of Plumeria in perfumes is often paired with other tropical fruits, especially Coconut. The fruity nuances of the flower make it quite natural. You can find Plumeria as a part of the exotic cocktail in Pink Frangipani by Lucy B. According to the founder, the perfume is based on pink Plumeria from Australia. Is it possible to find the "genuine Plumeria" in a perfume? There are several lines specialized in mono-compositions of different plants, like Italian Monotheme (Frangipane delle Maldive), Aloha Beauty (Hawaiian Plumeria), TerraNova (Plumeria). An interesting cozy Frangipani with a hint of incense you'll find in Frangipane by ChantecailleI. Frangipanni Gloves is a 100% natural perfume created by Ayala Sender in honor to the Italian marquess Frangipanni who invented the method to scent gloves with Plumeria flowers. In Frangipanni Gloves the flower is paired with a note of leather. I find the fragrance of the flower very natural and seducing in Frangipani by Ormonde Jayne. The buttery softness of big petals enhanced by citruses is very appetizing. The creator found the right ingredient to add a yellow, yet very delicate nuance to the floral heart.

I am thankful to Mike Pfeiffer, one of the owners of Plumeria nursery from San Diego who invited me to see his flowers (all photos were taken in Mike's nursery) and shared some interesting facts about Plumeria. As Mike said, Plumeria attracts romantic guys, sailors and surfers, passionate by their nature. They become bewitched by the flower they meet on the Pacific islands, and try to grow it at home. This is how Pacific Plumeria Nursery was started. Mike is a surfer, he fell in love with Plumeria on Tahiti. Now he delights Californians with his colorful Plumerias, some of them crossed by the founder of the nursery. The admiration of smelling the flower is no less than that of observing it. If you live in the climate with a long and warm summer, you can grow Plumeria in a pot in your garden, balcony, or patio. It doesn't require a lot of work: Plumeria loves full sun, well-drained soil, and little water. It blooms from early summer to fall, and rests during the winter (keep it indoors without watering). Plumeria smells stronger in the night in order to attract insects for pollination... and she deceives them - seeking for nectar, they find nothing. The crafty Plumeria has no nectar, but virtuously mimics nectar-producing flowers. Poor pollinators go from flower to flower refusing to believe they are fooled, and she gets what she needs. What a flower! Plumeria propagates most commonly through cutting (about 30 cm). For better root development usually its better to pick all flowers and buds after the cutting. Mike prefers to leave his young Plumerias blooming, which is possible because of the blessed San Diegos climate. In India Plumeria has been used as the treatment for itches and fevers. It is believed that Mayan people added it for skin treatments. The simplest recipe I found is to add a drop of Plumeria essential oil to Jojoba oil, and massage this mixture into your skin after bath. Even if Plumeria doesnt work (who will trust her after the fact with pollinators?!), Jojoba works for both and your skin smells heavenly.

Plumeria as a central note of composition: In these fragrances you will find Plumeria as the main ingredient: different, but very recognisable:

http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/OrmondeJayne/Frangipani4926.html
Frangipane delle Maldive by Monotheme Fine Fragrances Venezia, Frangipani delle Indie by Tesori d`Oriente, Frangipani by Ormonde Jayne, Hawaiian Plumeria by Aloha Beauty, Polynesian Gardens by Nicolas Danila, The Garden Party Frangipane by The Party, En Fleur by DSH Perfumes, Plumeria by TerraNova, Frangipane by Chantecaille, Pink Frangipani by Lucy B, Frangipanni Gloves by Ayala Moriel Plumeria as a part of tropical cocktails: Plumeria gives a romantic soft fruity touch to every composition she belongs. It could be perfect for summer vacations, or wedding. http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/LolitaLempicka/CoralFlower3005.html Bali Bliss by Avon, Jannat by Memo, Bellini by Calypso Christiane Celle, Oscar Tropical by Oscar de la Renta, Caprissimo by Carthusia, Kenzo Amour Florale by Kenzo, Beachy by Lilly Pulitzer, Melange Solid Perfume Floral by Melange Perfume, Coral Flower by Lolita Lempicka, Vanille Frangipanier by Laurence Dumont

Fragonia
lat. Agonis fragrans Group: Flowers Fragonia is essential oil distilled from a small shrub found in Australia - coarse tea-tree. Fragonia has a unique and delicate floral tea tree note, which is prized in the perfume industry. Fragonia is also used in aromatherapy and healing for its antimicrobial properties and positive impact on the emotions and chakras. Fragonia is also an excellent room freshener and deodorizer.

Lavender
Group: Flowers
Odor profile: aromatic clean note, medicinal on one end and licorice-like on the other end.

Lavender is a flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to the mountainous zones of the Mediterranean, where it typically grows in sunny and stony habitants. Today it grows all around the southern Europe, Australia, and the United States, boasting its woody branches covered with gray-green narrow leaves and small violet flowers, known for their strong and relaxing odor. The English word lavender probably comes from Latin lavare meaning to wash. The origin of the modern name refers to the ancient tradition of using lavender in perfumed oils for bathing, as practiced in the times of the Roman Empire. Another possible interpretation stems from the earliest known English name for this herb livendula. Livendula is Latin name for livid or bluish color, and bears a strong reference to the violet flowers of lavender.

Since the ancient times, lavender has been used as a natural remedy in herbal and aromatherapy. People used to fill pillows with lavender to promote good night sleep and chase away nightmares. This herb was also used to improve mood,

reduce anxiety and soothe stomach irritations. During the World War I, the essential oil of lavender was used to disinfect the surfaces in hospitals, while many folk recipes mention lavender as an excellent remedy for insect bites and burns. This lovely plant also has a culinary use, adding floral and sugary flavor to most dishes. Lavender syrup and dried lavender buds are used to make lavender scones and marshmallows, while high-quality Monofloral honey, produced from lavender nectar, remains one of the most precious gourmand delights. The essential oil of lavender is widely used in production of perfumes and body-care products. Depending on the sort, lavender essential oil can have very sweet or distinctively sharp aroma. French lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), for example, has a sweet floral aroma while Dutch lavender (Lavandula intermedia) contains higher levels of camphor and other terpenes, having very strong aromatic and sharp odor. Essential oil extracted from Lavandula intermedia is named Lavandin. This hybrid lavender has completely different chemical and therapeutic properties, even though it finds its use in the perfume industry for its refreshing notes. Lavender essential oil is obtained by distillation from the flower spikes. Lavender oil of premium quality is produced in France, where Lavandula angustifolia grows in its natural habitant at an altitude of 600-1500 m. Distillation process usually takes place in small local distilleries yielding around 100 t of pure lavender oil yearly. This oil is used in fresh, sweet and floral fragrances, and especially in Fougre types of perfumes distinguished by their herbal lavender top notes and oakmoss base. In its pure form, lavender oil is colorless or pale-yellow liquid, but its exact odor varies depending on the source of lavender, the altitude at which it is grown, and the very distilling techniques. Lavender Absolute is green and rich in odor, having a distinctively herbaceous smell that reminds of the natural scent of flowering lavender. The absolute is sweeter but less floral than the essential oil and offers sugary, herbaceous and soothing woody connotation to the composition. Just like the lavender essential oil, it makes a nice olfactory harmony with citruses, and especially bergamot, oakmoss, patchouli, pines, rosemary, neroli, orange blossom and sage. Lavender note is commonly used in production of colognes and perfumes for men, lending its dry and balmy base to some of the most prominent fragrant compositions such as Azzaro pour homme from 1978, and more contemporary Hugo Boss Bottled Night from 2010. Lavender is a main note in vintage creations such as Royal Scottish Lavender by Creed and English Lavender by Atkinsons.

Geranium
Other names: pelargonium, rose geranium Group: Flowers
Odor profile: the leaf is distilled to give a rosy nuance, less powdery and more lemony than rose.

Geranium is a genus of more than 400 flowering plants that are commonly known as cranesbills. These lovely flowers grow in all temperate regions of the world, but mostly in the eastern Mediterranean region. Most of the geraniums are prized for their beautiful flowers, but many of them are appreciated especially for their aromatic scents. Some of the fragrant geraniums are orange, apple, rose and mint-scented geranium. The colors of their blooms may vary from red, pink, magenta, and violet, to purple, but white colored and salmon flowers are the most common. Geranium, or Pelargonium graveolens, is native to South Africa, having been introduced into Europe around 1690. The species name graveolens is derived from Latin language and means strong-smelling. The English name cranesbill refers to the physical feature of some of the Geranium species that have flower stem's craning neck or black seed-heads resembling a crane's bill. This flower is mainly cultivated at the Reunion and Madagascar islands, in Egypt and China. China and Madagascar are especially important as they grow Bourbon type germaniums from which the most valuable Bourbon essential oil is derived. This oil is characterized by its green rich and long lasting fruity-mint odor with a subtle touch of a rose. According to an old Muslim legend, the geranium first grew when the Prophet Mohammed hung his shirt on a plant to dry in the sun. When he came to pick it up again, he found it covered with brightly colored fragrant flowers. Since antiquity, flower symbolism has been a significant part of all cultures. The color of the bloom of geranium determines the symbolical and even magical attributes of these plants. People of New England believed that snakes would not go near those places where wild geraniums grow. Similarly, if the blossom points downward, the flower is warning that you are stuck in the past and that constant reminiscing is stealing your future. Pink flowers of geranium are used in love spells, while red geraniums usually grow in a pot near a witchs cottage. Geranium continues to cast its magic for centuries, being one of the most important raw materials in perfumery. Geranium oil, obtained by steam distillation of the leaves, has wide applications - from body care products to high-end perfumes.

Depending on the cultivation area where the plant is grown, geranium oil can have many different properties. Reunion or Bourbon, Algerian, Moroccan, and French are the most prized types of geranium oil, but their individual olflactory properties widely vary. The most appreciated of them, Bourbon oil, is characterized by its green rich and long lasting fruity-mint odor with a heady scent of a rose. French types, on the other hand, are more floral and have the most refined rosy smell. The concrete and absolute of geranium are also available and commonly used in different types of colognes, fougeres, herbal and floral fragrances, as well as in chypres-type compositions. Geranium absolute is obtained by distillation of the aerial parts of the plant. It appears as an olive to green colored liquid with sharp and herbaceous green odor and sweet minty-rose undertones. Geranium essential oil possesses many of the same properties as rose essential oil. Moreover, geranium is often confused with rose essential oil, and often used for its rose-like properties since it can be obtained for a far lesser price. Geranium appears in Yardleys monothematic Heritage Collection, which is designed to highlight modern notes of fragrances inspired by English flowers. Similarly, Demeter Fragrance interprets Geranium in the Vintage Naturals 2009 limited edition. Demeter Fragrance opens with top notes of lavender and brings floral bouquet of geranium in the core, laid on the woody base of patchouli and cedar. You can also feel it in a beautiful rosy floral fragrance for women Geranium Bourbon by Miller Harris, and in a fresh and spicy mens fragrance Geranium Pour Monsieur by Frederic Malle, which revolves around the theme of geranium. This fragrance is born right out of the authors fascination with the essence of this flower, discovered by pure chance while he was working on soap Anterenea.

Petitgrain
Other names: Orange Leaves Group: Citrus
Odor profile: soft, lightly rosy-woody green floral note.

Lemongrass
lat. Cymbopogon Other names: Lemon Grass, Barbed Wire Grass, Silky Heads, Citronella Grass, Fever Grass, Tanglad Group: Citrus
Odor profile: intensely lemon-like with ginger freshness, clearing, projects sharp, repels insects, flavors tea.

Scientific name: Cymbopogon flexuosus, Cymbopogon citratus Common names: The species C. citratus is commonly known as West Indian lemongrass and Madagascar lemongrass, while species C. flexuosus is known as East Indian lemongrass, cochin lemongrass, France Indian verbena and malabar lemongrass Family: Gramineae / Poaceae Lemongrass is a plant of great interest due to its commercially valuable essential oils, and it is widely used in food technology as well as in traditional medicine. ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION Lemongrass is an aromatic plant which is widely cultivated in many parts of tropical and sub-tropical South East Asia and Africa. It is native to South Africa and Australia. West Indian lemongrass has its origin in the Indo-Burma region and is native to India, Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand; another related species C. citrates - or the West Indian lemongrass - has its origin in the Malaysian region. In India, lemongrass is commercially cultivated in Western Ghats, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and foothills of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Cymbopogon flexuosus is a tall, fast-growing, lemon-scented, perennial grass reaching a height of 1 m. It has distinct, dark-green foliage and also produces seeds. Cymbopogon citratus is a fast-growing, lemon-scented, perennial ornamental grass reaching a height of 1 m and has distinct bluish-green leaves and usually does not produce seeds. Both these grasses produce many bulbous stems that increase the clump diameter as the plants mature.

Blends well with... Attar of rose, rose geranium or palmarosa, citrus, lime and orange. Colour... Pale yellow to vivid yellow with a watery viscosity. Odour Profile... The odour is strong, sharp, pungent & fresh - grassy-lemoney, herbaceous or tea-like. PHOTOCHEMICALS The essential oil is extracted from fresh plant material (stem and leaves) by means of steam distillation. The main chemical component of lemongrass oil is citral. Geranial, neral, geraniol, limonene and -myrcene are the major constituents of the stalks and leaves lemongrass essential oil.

USES A very important ingredient of lemongrass oil is Citral. It can be further processed to extract a violet-like fragrance for perfumery, and is a source of vitamins A and E. Lemongrass oil is also used in deodorants, waxes, polishes, detergents and insecticides where its low cost is attractive. Lemongrass oil is used as a fragrance component in soaps, detergents, and cosmetics. It is also used in aromatherapy and improves circulation and muscle development. Astringent and toning, a lemongrass facial is administered through steam inhalation. It tightens, refines and firms sluggish, lacklustre and oily skin. In aromatherapy it is used as tissue toner. A lemongrass foot bath scent refreshes sweaty feet while its antibacterial properties prevent fungal infections. The fresh bulbous stem and leaf are used in oriental cooking. Due to its distinct lemon flavour it is in great demand for a variety of dishes. Dried leaves are used to make tea. They can be used pure, but is mostly used as a blend with Indian and other teas.

Jasmine
lat. Jasminum grandiflorum, Jasminum Sambac Group: Flowers
Odor profile: sweet narcotic scent that is floral but with an animalic background like living flesh, can be piercingly sweet and carry scent a mile off; can present "indolic" facets or be greener/airier when synthesized in the lab

Jasmine, the name of a fun-loving fragrance, provides a unique and enthusiastic aroma. The fragrance of jasmine is joined with our culture in the forms of spirituality, tradition and also medicine. Jasminum sambac fragrance has rejuvenating, boosting and energizing properties, which makes it a natural mind-blowing fragrance, while Jasminum grandiflorum is one of the most prominent scents and it has highly unique and incredibly intense aroma. Jasmines are a group of shrubs grown commercially for production of their fragrant flowers and essential oil. The bulk of the flowers are used as such in garlands and decorative branches for religious offerings, and a small quantity is used for production of oils and attars. Jasmine concrete and absolute are used in high-grade perfumes, and come next to rose in order of importance. There are several species of jasmine but widely available are Jasminum sambac and Jasminum grandiflorum. These are

commonly used for the flower's fragrance and also for a good quality of essential oil. Jasminum sambac is a species of jasmine native to South and Southeast Asia. It is known as the Arabian jasmine in English. It is the national flower of the Philippines, where it is known as Sampaguita. It is also one of the three national flowers of Indonesia. Another one is Jasminum grandiflorum, commonly known as French jasmine, Spanish jasmine, Catalonian jasmine, Chameli, Jaji, malati mlat or mallika mallik in Sanskrit; chameli chaml , juhi Juh , or motiya motiy in Hindi. Botanical name - Jasminum sambac (Arabian jasmine), Jasminum grandiflorum (chameli , Spanish jasmine, Royal jasmine, Catalonian jasmine) Family: Oleaceae Plant Part: Flowers Extraction Method: Essential oil in flowers is extracted through enfleurage/solvent methods which are widely used for production of jasmine attars in India. Colour: Deep brown with a golden tinge Consistency: Thick Strength of Aroma: Strong Blends well with: generally blends with all oils. Origin Jasmine originates from the Far East, namely India and China, where for many centuries it has been one of the most valuable oils used in aromatherapy and for some ceremonial purposes. Jasmine is being cultivated in Spain, France, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and other countries of the world. Jasmine, along with rose oil, are considered the most expensive and exotic oils used in todays perfumery. History Since recent times, Jasmine has been concluded as the "King of Oils" (Rose is the "Queen"). Apparently this is because Jasmine is the most masculine of all the floral oils. It is also interesting to note that it takes 8,000 carefully hand- picked blossoms to produce 1 gram (about 1 ml.) of Jasmine Absolute. Habitat and distribution The term Jasmine is probably derived from Persian word Yasmine meaning "fragrance," which is adopted in Arabic as Yasym given to jasmine flowers. Jasminum grandiflorum is a native of Kashmir, Afghanistan and Iran, while J. Sambac is a native of South and Central India. Jasmines are widely found in warm parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and Pacific regions but are almost absent in America. Annual production of jasmine concrete is more than 15 tons, with the largest producer being Egypt, followed by Morocco, India, Italy, France and China. Botany Jasminum sambac is an evergreen dwarf spreading bushy shrub reaching up to 0.5 to 1 m high, with attractive glabrous leaves producing attractive, white, sweet scented flowers in great profusion in the hot season. It is the most ideal species for cultivation in Kerala (India). Only a few varieties reproduce by seed in the wild. The flowers bloom throughout the year and are produced in clusters of 3 to 12 together at the ends of branches. They are strongly scented, with a white corolla. The flowers open at night, and close in the morning.

Jasminum grandiflorum is a twining or nearly erect growing shrub. The branches are ribbed, drooping, annular; leaves are opposite, imparipinnately compound, rachis flattened or winged; leaflets of 5-7, elliptic, round or oval. Flowers are borne on terminal or axillary cymes longer than leaves, white, often tinged purple on the outside, fragrant; bracts ovate to spathulate, oblong, foliaceous, calyx glabrous, 5-lobed, star-shaped, elliptic or obovate. The corolla tube encloses 2 stamens borne on short slender filaments. Arabian Jasmine blooms all year long in the greenhouse. Flowers are to 1 inch across and are powerfully fragrant.

Chemical constituents Jasmine concrete is a yellowish brown waxy mass with a characteristic odor of jasmine flowers. The approximate composition of jasmine flower oil obtained by enfleurage is benzyl acetate, - linalool, linalyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, jasmine, indole and methyl anthranilate. Jasmine absolute is a viscous clear yellowish brown liquid possessing a delicate odor of fresh jasmine flowers.

Uses of Jasmine essential oil Jasmine essential oil is the natural oil with the most delicate, rich and very beautiful sweet floral aroma, making it a valuable ingredient for many cosmetic products. Jasmine is one of the oldest known and most widely-used botanical scents. The word Jasmine has Persian origins, and Asian nationalities used jasmine branches with gorgeous white blossoms for their various ceremonies and rituals. This oil is one of the most common ones for meditation, stimulating the feelings of harmony and optimism, inducing joy and happiness, etc. It is one of the most commonly grown ornamentals in India and Bangladesh, where it is native. The flowers are used to make thick garlands used as hair adornments. Jasmine flowers are utilized for scores of purposesin Aromatherapy, for tranquillizing, for bathing, in cosmetics and many more. The uses of jasmine essential oil are endless.

Chamomile
lat. Matricaria chamomilla Other names: camomile Group: Flowers Chamomile is a daisy-like plant of the family Asteraceae, often served as herbal tea with honey and lemon. This delicate plant is very gentle on our senses and well known for its soothing properties, ability to reduce stress and provide aid in sleepless nights. The plant is native to southern and eastern Europe and western Asia, and even celebrated as the national flower of Russia. Numerous benefits of this gracious plant were known since the ancient times. The Egyptians dedicated chamomile to their solar god Ra, as the shape of the flower strongly reminds of the Sun. The Greeks have discovered plants numerous health benefits and called it Kamaimelon, meaning ground apple. However, the Romans were the first to investigate this plant more closer and use it for medical purposes to cure the upset stomach, cleanse wounds and ulcers, heal gout, various inflammations and prevent nightmares. In modern use, chamomile is consumed in teas, as a warm and delicious aromatic beverage. It is also used to address and relieve symptoms of indigestion and bloating, and to treat mild sleep disorders. Being so beneficial to our skin, chamomile is a common ingredient in cosmetic creams, shampoos, bath oils, and other skin care products. Of course, it has a special place in perfumery, where rich and fragrant chamomile essential oils provide an abundance of flavor. It may come as a surprise to hear that the sweet-smelling naturally extracted oil from chamomile actually has a distinctive dark blue color. The coloring agent, Azulene, is responsible for chamomiles potent anti-inflammatory benefits and antioxidant protection. However, this is just one of the many active compounds found in chamomile, whose amazing holistic effect on our health is nothing but the result of all of the components working together. Although we know a lot about health benefits of chamomile, some other of its active compounds still remain mysterious. In herbal folklore and myths, chamomile attracts money and good fortune. A handful of chamomile, added to the bath, is believed to attract love and all kinds of winnings. Sprinkled around the house, chamomile repels negative energy, curses and spells, while ensuring good and prosperous fortune to the residents. Most commonly used in perfumery are three types of chamomile: German, Roman and Wild. German chamomile has a sweet smoky scent that somewhat reminds of apples. The oil of German chamomile adds warm and enduring base to a fragrance. It appears sweet, heady and calming to our senses, and often lingers on for hours. Roman chamomile is commonly used in perfumery, and it goes very well with fruity and floral notes of jasmine, bergamot and neroli. The aroma of Roman chamomile is warming heady and sweet, but not as durable as that of the German one, even though it makes s a great note in rich masculine perfumes. Wild chamomile goes well with woody notes of cypress, citrusy and musk scents; it is very fresh and indistinctively herbal, with sugary-fruity twist. Wild chamomile often lends sweet and balsamic long-lasting base to a fragrance. One of the perfumes where chamomile note dominates the composition is certainly Diors iconic Fahrenheit for men. Launched in late eighties, this deep and masculine fragrance still captivates our attention, spreading the heady soul of chamomile right from the top notes. Chamomile note lends to this fragrance its distinctive petroleum hint, which can be felt

in the very opening. In this calming and manly interpretation, chamomile is combined with soothing scent of lavender, a hint of lemon, and some deep and sensual nuances of wood and musk.

Rosemary
Group: Grass and Green Components
Odor profile: culinary herb, famous for its agrestic profile with a camphorous, minty top note; its name derives from Latin ("dew of the sea")

Marjoram (maghiran)
lat. Marjorana hortensis, Origanum Marjorana Group: Grass and Green Components
Odor profile: culinary herbal note common in Provencal cuisine, with aspects resembling spicy oregano but milder and rather sweeter-smelling

Common name: Marjoram or Sweet marjoram Botanical name: Marjorana hortensis, Origanum Marjorana Plant Family: Lamiaceae Genus: Origanum Species: genus Origanum consists of over 44 species

Best known as a culinary herb and an essential ingredient in French, Middle Eastern and prominently in Mediterranean cuisine, Marjoram isn't an unfamiliar herb to food lovers and in kitchen gardens. It is the world of fragrances where perfumers, as composers, to blend their fragrances work with numbers of materials and there marjoram, which is akin to oregano, makes its way into perfume ingredients.

It is a perennial herbaceous plant, grown often as an annual because it does not survive well in wet and cold winters. It grows to an upright, compact bush about 20-40 cm in height, with a woody main stem and many softer branches. Leaves are oblong-ovate, soft, matte green with a sweet, spicy, pleasant smell. Flowers are small, whitish or purplish, arranged in terminal clusters. Seeds are minute, oval and dark brown. Crop is usually grown vegetatively through cuttings and can also be grown by seeds. Talking of its nativity, marjoram is native to Southern Europe, North Africa and Asia minor and is cultivated throughout Europe and Mediterranean region as well as North and South Africa. Currently, Egypt is said to be the largest producer of Marjoram.

Marjoram is often confused with oregano and the reason is the genus name Origanum in which both the herbs are included and the genus belongs to Lamiaceae, a family for aromatic herbs. There's one thing that differs marjoram from oregano is its taste. The latter tastes a bit sharp whereas, marjoram tastes milder and sweeter. All marjoram varieties are fragrant and taste delicate and have a milder flavour when cooked. It is also interesting to note that not all oreganos necessarily belong to the genus origanum and according to herb expert Dr. Arthur O. Tucker, ''it's best to think of oregano as a flavor rather than a genus or species.'' Oil of marjoram is mainly used in flavouring food and is much in demand in food processing industries for flavouring canned food. To a small extant, it is used in perfumes, lotions and soaps. Medicinally, the oil is used as an external application for sprains, bruises, stiff and paralytic limbs and toothache. In aromatherapy the oil has warming, soothing and fortifying effects. Extraction of oil is done by steam distillation, oil content in fresh leaves ranges from 0.3-0.5% and dry plant gives upto 1%. Essential oil obtained from leaves has antimicrobial and nematicidal activity. As of its uses, it makes the study of things around us even more interesting when we come to know of their uses linked with old ages. The same goes with marjoram, the ancient egyptians used it as an healing herb to disinfect, preserve and heal wounds. Its woody, balsamic scent admired by the pharaohs who used it for their perfumes. To the Greeks it was known as a symbol of happiness and was also placed on tombs to give peace to departed spirits and believed that if marjoram grew on a grave, it meant the occupant had found heaven. And talking of the uses of marjoram today, it is mostly used as a condiment for seasoning food and the part of plant we are most familier with are leaves which are used both as dried and fresh. Fresh leaves are employed as garnish and

incorporated in salads and vinegar. The use of dried leaves is best employed in foods like cheese, tomato, bean or egg dishes. Alongside leaves, even dried flowering tops are very useful for sachets and potpourri whereas, the aromatic seeds find their use in confectionary. Here's an easy salad recipe my friend tried from a food website and I am sure our readers would like to try it too.

Palmarosa
lat. Cymbopogon martinii Other names: Indian Geranium, Rosha Group: Grass and Green Components
Odor profile: unusual green note with vegetal nuances

Ginseng
lat. Panax quinquefolius Group: Grass and Green Components Ginseng is a plant with fleshy roots, found only in the Northern Hemisphere, in North America and in eastern Asia. Ginseng is usually consumed in dried form to treat various ailments such as type II diabetes or sexual dysfunction. The plant is also used as aphrodisiac, stimulant and it may even be found in some energy drinks. Ginseng is rich in ginsenosides, which are steroid glycosides and triterpene saponins, the active ingredients deserving credit for ginseng's efficacy.

Marigold (galbenele)
lat. Tagetes lemmonii (Asteraceae) Other names: tagetes Group: Flowers
Odor profile: hay-toned, earthy, rich, musty, honeyed aspects

Marigold is a genus of herbaceous plants in the sunflower family. Marigold is also known under the name tagetes. The genus is native to North and South America, but it is grown throughout the world. The flower of marigold is golden, orange, yellow or white, with vibrant maroon highlights. The name of the plant is derived from "Mary's Gold", a name that was once used to refer to Calendula. The blossom has a musky, pungent scent and it is used as a source of essential oil in the perfume industry, and as a flavoring agent in food and tobacco industry.

Arnica
lat. Arnica montana Other names: Wolf's bane, Leopard's bane Group: Grass and Green Components
Odor profile: grassy and dusty smelling flowers, the plant is used for its medicinal uses

Arnica refers to a genus of about 30 species belonging to the sunflower family. Arnica montana, also known by its folk names leopard's bane and wolf's bane, is commonly used as a folk remedy for in preparing liniments for sprains and bruises, though there is no scientific evidence of its usefulness. Arnica flowers are bright yellow in color, atop a long and slender stem.

Thyme (cimbru)
lat. Thymus vulgaris (Labiatae)

Group: Grass and Green Components

Odor profile: herbal culinary note with phenolic (tarry) aspects with a spicy, leathery effect especially in masculine fragrance

Cardamom
lat. Elletaria Cardamomum Other names: cardamon, green cardamom, true cardamom Group: Spices
Odor profile: the steam distilled essence from the fruit of the green cardamom, intensely sweet resinous-aromatic and slightly spicy, often used to aromatize coffee in the Middle East. notably featured in Cartier's Declaration.

Category: Spice Family: Zingiberaceae Names: Cardamom, true cardamom, green cardamom (English) Desccription: Camphorated, aromatic, resinous Extraction method: steam distillation Cardamom is one of the worlds very ancient spices and also the third most expensive one next to saffron and vanilla. It is native to the East originating in the forests of the Western Ghats in southern India, where it grows wild. Today it also grows in Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Indo China, Tanzania, El Salvador, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Cardamom was well known in ancient times and the Egyptians used it in perfumes and incense and chewed it to whiten their teeth, while the Romans used it for their stomachs when they over-indulged. Vikings came upon cardamom about one thousand years ago, in Constantinople, and introduced it into Scandinavia, where it remains popular to this day. There are two main types of cardamom, mentioned below, however there are in fact four related species distributed from Africa to Australia. Small green cardamom (Eletteria cardamomum) & Large red/black cardamom (Amomum subulatum or Amomum tsao-ko) The most common type is green cardamom, it is a native of south-eastern Asia from India south to Sri Lanka and east to Malaysia and western Indonesia, where it grows in tropical rainforests. Black cardamom is distributed mainly in Asia and Australia with Amomum subulatum (also known as Nepal cardamom) bearing smaller pods that are primarily used in the cuisines of India whilst Amomum tsao-ko has larger pods that are most notably used in the cuisine of the Sichuan province of China. Both plants are from Zingiberaceae family. Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, with an intensely aromatic, resinous fragrance. From my description, green cardamom is minty and aromatic and I simply love chewing it and its something natural and safe that kills mouth odours of some strong foods like garlic and onions. While black cardamom is smoky and earthy in flavour and due to having strong taste andaroma, one cant chew it. Cardamom is best stored in pod form because once the seeds are exposed or ground they quickly lose their flavour. In the 11th century in India cardamom was included in the list of ingredients for panchasugandha-thambula or 'fivefragrance betel chew' in the Manasollasa or Book of Splendour. It was also included in recipes from the court of the Sultan of Mandu dating from about 1500. These recipes include sherbets and rice dishes flavoured with cardamom. True cardamom, also known as green cardamom, became an article of trade with South Asia in the last thousand years when Arab traders brought it into widespread use. Exports from the Malabar Coast, close to where cardamoms grew wild, were described by the Portuguese traveller Barbosa in 1524. By the time of Garcia da Orta in 1563 the international trade in cardamoms was well developed. In the 19th century British colonies established cardamom as a secondary crop in coffee plantations in other parts of India. Green cardamom is one of the most expensive spices by weight, and little is needed to add the flavor. In the Middle East, green cardamom powder is used as a spice for sweet dishes as well as traditional flavouring in coffee and tea. In Nordic countries, such as in the Finnish sweet bread pulla or in the Scandinavian bread Julekake. In South Asia, green cardamom is often used in traditional Indian sweets and in Masala chai (spiced tea). And from my own experience, a cuppa spiced with cardamom adds a bright flavour to your senses when you are tired or feeling blue. Black cardamom is sometimes used in garam masala for curries. It is occasionally used as a garnish in basmati rice and other dishes. It is often referred to as fat cardamom due to its size. A bite of the cherry from my country Pakistan, we use it in almost all sweet and savoury dishes to flavour. A dessert called kheer which is incomplete without the flavour of cardamom is a must try. It is a well known and a ubiquitous dessert to both India and Pakistan. Talking of its traditional remedy, it is traditionally used to treat skin conditions and aid digestion.

Extraction Method: Cardamom essential oil is extracted from Elettaria cardomomum by steam distillation from the seeds of the fruit gathered just before they are ripe. Valerius Cordus first distilled the essential oil in 1544 after the Portuguese discovered the East. Cardamom oil is sweet, spicy and almost balsamic in fragrance, is clear to pale yellow in color and slightly watery in viscosity. After all its history and uses in food and medicine, how can perfumery leave behind? It adds freshness and the colour of brightness in mens fragrances while in womens fragrances, a little hand will add spice to her elegance.

Cinnamon
lat. Cinnamomum verum Group: Spices
Odor profile: the essence coming from the inner bark of Cinnamomum verum, an eastern tree that originates from China. Its odor is sweet and bitter, hot and sensuous, with a prolonged aftertaste. Most notable in Organza Indecence, Rousse by Lutens, Opium and Eau Lente (Diptyque)

Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of the cinnamon tree. It's scientific name stems from Hebraic and Arabic term amomon, which means fragrant spice plant. The spice is used in both sweet and savory foods, and it has bin prized for centuries not only for its unique flavor but also for aphrodisiac properties. Cinnamon has been known for centuries. Egyptians have used it since 2000 BC, but the spice probably originates from China. It belongs to one of the world's most healthiest foods, and was used since antiquity not only as an important ingredient of folk medicine, but also as an embalming agent. Today it grows in Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar, Brazil , China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Caribbean.

Cloves (cuisoare)
lat. Syzygium aromaticum, Eugenia Caryophyllata Group: Spices
Odor profile: Cloves are dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae. Cloves are prized as spices because of their warm, sweet and aromatic taste. Cloves grown on the evergreen clove tree and they are picked unopened, while the flower buds are stil pinkish. When the clove buds dry, they turn brown in color. This spice is native to Indonesia, but it is now used in all cuisines of the world. They are very fragrant and aromatic, often used as incense, for production of perfumes and as an ant repeller.

Coriander
lat. Coriandrum sativum Other names: Chinese Parsley Group: Spices
Odor profile: the essence rendered by steam distillation of Coriandrum sativum, also known as cilantro. Has orange facets in top with a spicy, woody-resinous, clay-like background note.

The art of producing perfumes is an ancient art which is said to have begun in Mesopotamia and Egypt, sometime during the second millennium BC. Back in that time, notes used in making perfumes were spices and various kinds of herbs but surprisingly, no use of flowers was made then. I wonder how perfumes smelled in those days. And the possible answer comes to my mind, It would be something like aromatic, spicy, earthy, and woody and green." But with time, experiments were done with more substances and perfumery was just no more a matter of a use of herbs and spices but it had a wide range of substances to work with. In this article of raw materials, we will learn about Coriander and its uses and so much more. Cilantro is the Spanish word for coriander leaves, it is also sometimes called Chinese or Mexican parsley. Technically, coriander refers to the entire plant. It is a member of the carrot family. Here's a snappy look at Coriander: Class: Magnolioseda Order: Apiales Ginsing / Carrot Family: Apiaceae of Umbelliferae

Genus and specie: Coriandrum Sativum Other names: Cilantro and Chinese parsley Species: Sativum Sativum Extraction of oil: Steam distillation Appearance: Viscous transparent liquid Colour: Yellow Application: In perfumery, medicine, cosmetics Coriander is popular as a scented stimulating substance and also an important culinary spice. It has been cultivated in different parts of the world for thousands of years now and is said to be one of the oldest known herbs, it can be traced as far back as 5,000 B.C. Coriander has been in wide use in the Middle East, Asia, and southern Europe, and also its origin can be traced back to ancient Egypt. The Romans took coriander with them to Britain. The British then introduced it to North America in 1670, where it took hold especially in Mexico and Latin America. Coriander is an annual herb with feathery leaves with pale pink and white umbrella type flowers. The seeds happen to be small and spherical with one end being slightly pointed and the colour is brown when the seeds are dried. The name cilantro refers to the leaves which are used as herb, whereas the seed or fruit is referred to as coriander and both possess different flavours and aroma from one another. The aroma of its seed is usually described as pleasant, warm, nutty and spicy with an undertone similar to orange peel. However, there are some mixed opinions about its leaves. Some find the leaves smell unpleasant, soapy and like burnt rubber, while many people describe it as fresh, green and even citrusy. A question often arises about coriander is that, what is coriander? Is it an herb or spice? Coriander can refer to both an herb and a spice. The earliest Hebrews equated coriander as manna, which God granted to the Children of Israel and was one of the bitter herbs which were drunk during Passover. Primeval Egyptians and Greeks believed coriander had aphrodisiac properties. Interestingly, ancient Egyptians considered coriander to be the secret of happiness and mixed it in wines to drink as love potion. It is also said that coriander seeds were discovered in the tomb of Tutankhamun. In present day, coriander is also used to flavour liqueurs and this practice is said to have been started first by the Greeks and Romans, who flavoured their wines with it. In Belgium, it is one of the ingredients of the herb mixture, which traditionally includes coriander and orange peel, to flavour Wheat beer. As of its culinary uses, chopped fresh leaves are widely used in Mexican and Tex-Mex cooking, where they are combined with chillies and added to salsas, guacamoles, and seasoned rice dishes. The seeds are used whole or ground as a flavouring for food and as seasoning. They are also used in curries, curry powder, pickles, sausages, soups, stews, and ratatouille. In Thailand the root of the coriander plant is used to flavour meats and curries. It is also an ingredient of garam masala, pickling spices and pudding spices and is used in cakes, breads and other baked foods.

The essential oil from this ancient herb has a place in aromatherapy. It helps to ease the mind and fight fatigue. It warms and calms the digestive system, relieves rheumatism and arthritic pain, muscular spasms and detoxifies the body. The essential oil is obtained from the seeds through steam distillation. It is also said to possess anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties, and hence, it is extensively used as effective massage oil to facilitate blood circulation as well as to relieve stiffness of the joints. Coriander is also used to flavour gin, vermouth, liqueurs and tobacco. In perfumes, coriander is used to enrich the top and middle notes with its herbaceous, woody and spicy aura. Coriander oil combines nicely with bergamot, black pepper, cinnamon, clary sage, fennel, frankincense, ginger, grapefruit, juniper berry, lemon, neroli, nutmeg, orange, petitgrain, vetiver, and ylang-ylang.

Pepper
lat. Piper nigrum (Piperaceae) Group: Spices
Odor profile: hot and bracing note, short-lived and earthy spice, rendered through steam distillation of the berries of the piper negrum bush, which is very popular as a bright accent top note in fragrances. Featured prominently in Piper Negrum by L.Villoresi.

A depiction of Calicut, published in 1572 during Portugal's control of the pepper trade Black Pepper, christened as King of Spices and Black gold is the most important and the most widely used spice in the world, occupying a position that is supreme and unique. Black pepper essential oil is stimulating, warming, comforting and

cheerful. The quality of pepper is contributed to by two components. Piperine that contributes the pungency and volatile oil that is responsible for the aroma and flavor. Botanical name: Piper nigrum Family: Piperaceae COMMON NAMES AyurvedicMaricha (Charaka, Sushruta), Vellaja, Uushana, Suvrrita, Krishna UnaniFilfil siyaah, Filfil safed SiddhaMilagu EnglishBlack Pepper Parts Used-Fruit Common method of extraction-Steam distillation of the dried, unripe fruit Aroma-Pleasant, fresh, spicy and peppery, warm, woody Note-Middle Blends well with-Sandalwood, rosemary, citrus, lavender, ginger, clove, lemon, coriander, geranium HABITAT Black pepper is a native plant of the Malabar, a region on the Western Coast of South India and originated in the tropical evergreen forests of the Western Ghats of India. The Malabar Coast of India was the center of the pepper trade from time immemorial. The plant is cultivated in the hot and moist parts of India, Sri Lanka and other tropical countries like Malaysia, China and Madagascar. However, Vietnam is the worlds largest producer and exporter of pepper. HISTORY Pepper has been highly esteemed in India since time immemorial and was one of the first of the oriental spices to be introduced into Europe, being well known to the ancient Greeks and Romans. From the Malabar Coast of India, pepper was carried by overland routes, as well as by sea. Initially black pepper was taken from the Malabar Coast to the Indonesian islands, and then it spread to various Pacific islands, South East Asian countries and later to tropical Africa and America. BOTANY Pepper belongs to family Piperaceae and genus Piper. Apart from black pepper (P. nigrum), the genus also includes economically important species like P. longumlong pepper P. betlebetel leaf P. chabaJava long pepper P. cubebaCubeb, Tailed pepper

Piper nigrum is a perennial climber, climbing by means of roots which adhere to the support tree. The old stem becomes thick and produces numerous lateral branches. Runner shoots arise from the base of the vine. Leaves are thick, coriaceous, glabrous shape but much variablecommonly ovate, elliptic or elliptic lanceolate. The size varies from small to large. The base is round, acute or cordate, the tip acuminate, and tge upper surface is dark green to light green, with lower surface being dull green. The pendent spikes form inflorescence and are borne opposite the leaves on the plagiotropic branches. They are 13-15 cm long, bearing 50-150 minute flowers borne in the axils of ovate fleshy bracts. The flowers may be unisexual, with monoecious or dioecious forms, or may be hermaphrodite. ESSENTIAL OIL Most of the pepper oil in commerce is produced in Western Europe and North America from imported black pepper. The most important types of pepper for processing into essential oil are the Indonesian (Lampong) and Indian (Malabar). The pepper is crushed to a coarse powder and on steam distillation in which ammonia is evolved (in common with, for

example, ginger, pimento and cubebs) it yields a colorless to a pale green essential oil with a mild, non-pungent flavor. Pepper oil is used in perfumery and flavorings. Black pepper oil is obtained upon steam distillation of the spice as an almost water-white or pale greenish-grey, mobile liquid, which becomes viscous on aging. CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS Fruits yielded piperine, piperetine and piperidine, amides-peperyline, piperoleins A and B and N-iso-butyl-cicosa-trans-2trans-4-dienamide. The major constituent piperine (2-5%) showed CNS-depressant, antipyretic, analgesic, antiinflammatory, anti-oxidant and hepato-protective properties. USES

Dried seeds are used in prescriptions, for cough, rhinitis, consumption, anemia, fainting. Black pepper oil is used as blended massage oil, or diluted in a bath to assist with circulation, bruises, rheumatoid arthritis and muscular aches and pains. Black pepper is also used as a constituent in a blended cream which is commonly used to provide relief in muscular pain. In the winters, black pepper essential oil becomes a great substitute used as warmth-generating aromatherapy constituents. Black pepper essential oil is used as an aromatherapy massage oil, to increase the blood circulation. The essential oil can make a room feel warmer and cozier when used in an aromatherapy diffuser.

Ginger (ghimbir)
lat. Zingiber officinale Group: Spices
Odor profile: A very common note in fragrance, most often in the context of a "gingerbread accord" (first recognizably used in Bois des Iles by Chanel and famously in Tea for Two by L'Artisan Parfumeur and Brit Red). It's spicy, sharp, bracing yet light, and pairs well with citrus notes, vanilla and woods.

Along with cardamom and turmeric, ginger is a tropical plant from the Ginger family (Zingiberaceae). The plant came from South-Eastern Asia, China and Western India. People fell in love with ginger hundreds of years ago and now it is cultivated in Africa, South America, Malaysia and Caribbean countries, Nepal, Japan, etc.

There are over 1000 species of the ginger family. The whole plant has a fragrance, but mostly the roots (actually rhizomes ) are used. There are so many uses of ginger root: esthetics, perfumery, medicinal, culinary. Ginger flowers are big red or pink bud clusters, commonly used in the floral and landscape design industry for their bright colours, strong stems and long-lasting flowers. Flower of ginger In culinary, it has been used in beer and in the liqueur industry. You bake with ginger, make soups and teas... This is my recent recipe for miso soup with ginger. I've tried it a few times already and this is my best soup so far: put mushrooms, tofu, bok choi, bean sprouts, soy paste, carrots and potatoes in water. When you feel it's cooked, add ground ginger and toasted seaweeds. Just don't overdose! Tastes amazing!

Also, I am using ginger tea to help with spring body cleansing. This is the recipe: fresh mint leaves, a couple cardamoms, a little bit of lemon grass and cut ginger. Sip for about 10 minutes and enjoy!!! In Western cuisine, ginger is traditionally used mainly in sweet foods such as ginger ale, gingerbread, ginger snaps, ginger biscuits... The gingerbread that is so popular in Europe actually biscuits with spices. The history of gingerbread baking comes from

9th century when instead of spices people added honey, nuts and raisins, herbs, berries and roots. Then eastern exotic spices were discovered gingerbread transformed its taste. Black pepper, ginger, clove, anise, mint, nutmeg, lemon, vanilla changed gingerbread forever. Even though it's called GINGERbread ginger is not a main ingredient. Doesn't matter! This sweet treat is one of our favorites! Soft, spicy and delicious it's a good addition to morning tea or Moroccan coffee as well as evening glass of milk.

India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh use fresh ginger as one of the main spices for cooking. Fresh, as well as dried, ginger is used to spice tea and coffee, especially in winter. Ginger powder and chopped or ground roots are also used in many food preparations; ginger is also consumed in candied and pickled form. In Burma, ginger is widely used in cooking and as a main ingredient in traditional medicines. It is also consumed as a salad dish, which consists of shredded ginger preserved in oil, and a variety of nuts and seeds. In Indonesia, a beverage is made from ginger and palm sugar. In Malaysia, Philippines and China, ginger is used in many kinds of dishes, especially in soups and teas. In Vietnam, the fresh leaves, finely chopped, can also be added as a top garnish and spice to add a much subtler flavour of ginger than the chopped root. In Japan, ginger is pickled or turned into a candy. In the traditional Korean kimchi, ginger is finely minced and added to the ingredients of the spicy paste just before the fermenting process. In the Caribbean, ginger is a popular spice for cooking, and making drinks. Jamaicans make ginger tea from fresh ginger, as well as the famous regional specialty Jamaican ginger cake and ginger beer. Tea brewed from ginger is a common folk remedy for colds. Ginger ale and ginger beer are also drunk as stomach-settlers in countries where the beverages are made. Ginger water was also used to avoid heat cramps in the United States. Ginger is a very strong antiseptic and antibacterial and is widely used in many countries to prevent, heal colds and just to support the immune system. Fresh, dried and powdered ginger root has been used for thousands of years to alleviate nausea and improve circulation. What about its perfume characteristics? The aroma is very bright, tart, fresh, warm, exotic, tonic, a little bit bitter... The main active ingredients of ginger oil are: curcumene, alpha-zingiberene, citral, geraniol. This tropical exotic fragrance would go together with jasmine, neroli, lavender, mint, rose, bergamot, basil, patchouli, juniper, lemongrass.

Nutmeg (nucsoara)
lat. Myristica fragrans Group: Spices
Odor profile: the fruit of Myristica fragrans, it has a spicy sweet facet with earthy and more pungent base notes, and is used to provide an oriental spiciness that is subtler than the usual cinnamon-clove-vanilla bouquet of orientals, thus perfect for masculines and lighter woodies. Notable example is Fahrenheit by Dior and Vetiver Sport by Guerlain.

Pink Pepper
lat. Schinus molle (Anacardiaceae) Other names: pink peppercorn, baies roses, poivre ros, faux poivre Group: Spices
Odor profile: Although technically a pepper berry, it doesn't smell spicy, but rosy. A very popular modern accent piece in fragrances that provides a contemporary rosy note without veering into powdery or retro. Mollifies woodies and synthetic ambers and is featured often in fruity florals.

Peruse a fragrance notes list lately, in both mainstream department store brands and niche perfume lines, and you find pink pepper almost at every pace. Suddenly pink pepper is as ubiquitous as musk or rose. It's everywhere!, people complain with the distaste of "familiarity breeds contempt" adage. After seeing it in the less heavyweight Chanels (such as Chance flankers or Bleu), Elle by YSL, Tresor Midnight Rose and the like, is the snobbish consumer tired of pink pepper? But the mysteries of this material run deeper than its cutesy name, while the brightly colored evocation -so literal in the real reddish pink berries we buy at the spice specialist for use in cooking- is a welcome diversion, a small gift of perfume daydreaming. Call me superficial, but my heart gives a small leap when I hear about vividly colored stuff; doesn't yours too? BOTANY & ETYMOLOGY

Pink pepper, also called "pink peppercorns" (baies roses in French), is a kind of pepper obtained from the berries of the species Schinus molle and of the related Schinus terebinthifolius, originally a South American tree (Brazil, Peru...) with a look close to Babylon Willow (saule pleurer or Salix Babylonia). Formally known as Baie rose de Bourbon or Poivre de Bourbon, pink pepper is also referenced as "poivre ros" (literally "pink pepper" thanks to its color), faux poivre (fake pepper, because it's not hot) and with various geographical appellations (Poivre brsilien, Poivre d'Amrique, Poivre de la Runion), though it's also produced in other places as well (Madagascar, close to Reunion actually, and New Caledonia, most notably). It's known ever since the 5th century, according to historical data, but never as popular as it is now.

The name schinus derives from the Greek: is the common name for lentisque trees, the plants that produce mastic, a clear gum which is used for chewing and a pleiad of purposes (from aromatic to cosmetic and hygienic), and pink pepper trees produce a secretion that is indeed similar to mastic (also schinus molle -pronounced moy - i.e. soft, which refers to the Peruvian variety, while terebinthifolius refers to the Brazilian variant). "Terebinthifolius" means "with leaves similar to the pistachio, hence terebinth [ in Greek] comes from". Pink pepper however comes from the dried small reddish berries of the tree rather than the secretion of the bark or any of the leaves.

Despite the name predisposing for an exotic and intense experience the constituent which makes pink pepper a...pepper is carene, an only lightly hot terpene (terpenes give a pine-like, turpentine-like "freshness" to smelly things). Crush a pink peppercorn between your teeth and you will see how your tongue won't catch fire like it would with a whole black pepper one. Pink peppercorns are not exactly as hot as regular black pepper buds or even a green or white one; those rely on the constituent piperene for their hotness and produce a much more intense tugging at our trigeminal nerve, the one which regulates intense olfactory sensation (interpreting it as a sort of "pain", like when smelling ammonia). ORIGINS OF A TREND WHICH CONTINUES UNABASHED The popularity of pink pepper as a fragrance note derives itself from the increasing utilization of it as a culinary spice in recent years. According to Fauchon, "Baie de rose is flavoursome, mildly sweet, and perfect for sprinkling on mixed salads, meats and exotic fruits, among others dishes." Indeed the bouquet of pink pepper is a sweetish, lightly rosy spice that doesn't burn on the tongue like black pepper does, which adds a welcome piquancy to various dishes; as pliable as parsley, as delicate as orange flower water, it adds that extra something. Plus the fumes off a white meat casserole with pink pepper scent the kitchen so deliciously! (Infuse them in some butter and spread your oxtail before cooking, put some in a vinaigrette and let it sit and then poach some sweet fruit in it and you can thank me later, or better yet if you're ever in Osaka, grab one of those red peppercorn decorated black chocolates on display).

It's a pity that the average American can't fully profit from this France-imported (but Madagascar produced! don't ask...) spice; the "macaroni & cheese" out-of-a-box culture has deterred them for so long, but the perfume loving person regardless of the pervading fast-food culture around or the soil they're based on (this side of the Atlantic or that one), is vastly most sophisticated than taken credit for, almost instinctively knowing there is a world beyond, a world they are eager and willing to explore. However the consientious shopper should discard those colorful "mills" with green, white and pink peppercorns sold at groceries; the flavor is weak and the scent almost absent, the whole thing is mostly ornamental rather than any use in the kitchen cupboard and the smell library. But we digress. First there were "baies" and "roses" and no English equivalent that could make justice, rendering the waters a bit muddy. How should one search in the US market for something which they don't know how to say in English? Diptyque was famous for their Baies candle (and room spray) which however smells of roses and blackcurrant leaves: in a way this combination is echoed in their delicate, Ophelia-evoking L'Ombre Dans L'Eau fragrance, but it was the celebrity following of the candle (also featured in Sex & the City in Carrie's apartment) which made it ultra-recognizable. It was enough to render a familiarity to the niche consumer: baies, berries, and the leap to pink berries wasn't far behind! But the first fragrance to make use of pink pepper as a distinct fragrance note is none other than the best-selling (and largely trend-setting) Pleasures by E.Lauder, coming out in 1995. Herein lies the interesting part: perfumers don't crush the berries in a mortar and pestle and extract any liquid or oil. No. Pink pepper is a carefully constructed note, which explains all of its current popularity; technology is advancing the craft most rapidly. Of course the innovation was tricky to get right. Lauder had the International Flavors & Fragrances golden standard used, the "soft extraction" technique by which carbon dioxide at a supercritical state (i.e. between liquid and gas) is passed through the dried berries and "softly" extracts the essence molecules, with no imprint on the smell. This produces a "purer" aroma, with sparkling top notes, rather than the bottom-heavy essences derived from traditional extraction techniques.

Perfumers Geza Schoen and Jean Claude Ellena had a field day after this. Schoen has used pink pepper in almost the entire Ormonde Jayne line, a carefully art-directed collection by Linda Pilington which makes use of the trendiest molecules in a way that renders artistically honest perfumes which appeal even to traditionalists. Isfarkand, Ormonde Man, Zizan and Orris Noir are but the start... Escentric 01 by Escentric Molecules (Schoen's own line) is further adventurous land for the willing. Jean Claude Ellena has highlighted pink pepper in many of his offerings, starting with the infamous Rose Poivree (for his own The Different Company) and nicely expanding into Angeliques sous la pluie for the Frederic Malle collection where the juniper-like facets of the pink pepper (instead of the sweetly rosy, as is the practice with most mainstream perfumes using the note) pair with the angelica and give a gin & tonic evocation that is almost good enough to drink! In a trend report for 2012 by Scentsy.com, pink pepper was declared "note of the future". By now, you know it's true. There are marketing reasons for it of course. "Pink Pepper fits the mood of our time," explains Heidi Thompson, President of Scentsy, Inc. in a press release. "It's a spirited fragrance note that offers inspiration to find adventure, be romantic or simply add a touch of excitement to any aspect of life." Tom Pastre, President of Creatique, a fragrance industry consulting firm located in Cresskill, New Jersey, says, "Pink Pepper is appropriate for these challenging times because it's uplifting and has a certain optimism to it. It's bold and zesty, but has a warmth that's comforting. It's the contrasts that make it exciting: feminine and floral, yet sexy and exotic." Well, no more than other fragrance notes, but you know how trends work. They are drilled onto you. OTHER NOTABLE FRAGRANCES WITH PINK PEPPER NOTES It would be futile, nigh impossible, to track every single fragrance with pink pepper notes. Like I said, it's everywhere lately. Therefore the following mentions are but an inspiration to go smell and find your own special fragrance which expresses this "note" for you best. Le Labo plays on an interesting precipice with their Baie Rose 26, so beware oh shopper of intrigued interest: baies roses means pink peppercorns, baie rose indicates a red berry (regardless of peppery warmth or not) and the fragrance itself, composed by perfumer Frank Voekl, is intensely redolent of spicy, clove-y and pimento accented roses instead. The evocation is more literally one facet of the pink pepper essence (the sweet rosiness) than the sum of its parts. You might keep that at the back of your mind. L'Artisan Parfumeur's Poivre Piquant is an underrated spicy fragrance which uses the pink pepper note in an interesting way. Bertrand Duchaufour uses pink pepper in Aedes de Venustas eponymous fragrance by L'Artisan Parfumeur as well as in his Al Oudh and incense-y Timbuktu for the same company. Rose Poivree from the Different Company (and composed by Jean Claude Ellena) of course made ample use of pink pepper in a way that highlighted its more human-like qualities, paired with naughty, intimate notes, as is the favored game of the revered perfumer. Even the master of orientalia, surely more intent on denser spices and more honeyed and thick notes than this, Serge Lutens, chooses pink pepper as the top note for Santal Blanc; the freshness and rosiness is a nice counterpoint to the austerity of the wood pencil shavings of the cedar.

Eau de Merveilles has a pink pepper note too, drowned perhaps in all the saline salty skin and orangeade splashed on, but there if you care to discover it. A similar case for the "skin scent" Archives 69 by Etat Libre d'Orange where the muskiness is allied to the rosiness of the spice. Mauer & Wirtz have used pink peppercorns with citrus essences instead to reinforce that freshness aspect of the berry in their renewed and repackaged 4711 line; a small steal too, at those prices and a nicely retro packaging to boot. While Bang by Marc Jacobs has a nice masculine "spicy freshness" about it; the peppery side of pink pepper alongside isoe super recall the work of perfumers Schoen and Ellena most faithfully. The fragrance is rather bold, distinctive and yet very wearable as wearable (as is the whole Jacobs line, but probably the best one out of the lot). Like with other notes in perfumes, pink pepper is not the be all or end all of perfumery. It's however a modern take on a freshly spicy vibe which one should be careful to explore before dismissing; familiarity or ubiquitousness might trap one into losing some good stuff out there!

Vanilla
Group: Spices
Odor profile: An ever popular fragrance note, known mostly through its synthetic variant vanillin, which is sweet, cozy, comforting, with a pleasing cookie-baking feeling to it. Alongside amber, the reference note for the Oriental family of scents (The most famous classic being

Shalimar). The real vanilla pod has darker facets that recall treacle and booze with off notes. Simple vanillas (Victoria's Secret Love to Dream, Charlie Touch, TBS Vanilla, Coty Vanilla Musk) have become increasingly popular with the adolescent market, giving rise to the umbiquity of the gourmand category of scents, while complex, earthier vanillas are appearing steadily in the niche sector (Spirituese Double Vanille by Guerlain, Tihota Indult, Montale Vanille Absolue).

Vanilla, known long ago to Indians of Middle America, came to, together with cocoa and other until then unknown fruits of the New World, win hearts of gourmands around the world since the discovery of America. Mayas, and later on Aztecs, called vanilla "tlilxochitl" and used it mainly for their royal chocolate drinks. Europeans discovered and came to like vanilla back in 17th century. They used it as a cur for man diseases, and due to its smell and taste, as an additive to food and drinks. Vanilla was, for a good reason, considered an powerful aphrodisiac.

Today everyone knows the scent and taste of vanilla, but mainly synthetic, as the real vanilla extract is very expensive and its production hardly profitable for producers. The scent of vanilla consists of several components, main of which are vanillin and piperonal (heliotropine). Vanilla is a climbing plant, a sort of orchid, the worlds most popular variant of which, Vanilla planifolia, originates from Mexico. There are around hundred of variants of this plant, but only two are used in wide commercial production due to its taste and smell: Vanilla planifolia and Vanilla tahitiensis.

Vanilla planifolia grows today in tropical climates, in Mexico and South America, Caribbean, islands of the Indian Ocean, Indonesia Vanilla growing in Mexico is considered to be one of the best, due to the fact that it grows in the country of its origin, however, the production there is not big.

Vanilla Bourbon comes from Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean, which is considered to be the biggest producer of vanilla, as they produce 1,000 tons of pods per year, Comoro Islands and Reunion islands. The same variant is grown in Africa and Indonesia. It was named after the former name of the Reunion Island, Bourbon, a name given in honor of the royal house. Bourbon vanilla is the same Vanilla planifolia, but the new and different conditions of production by all means affect the quality of taste and smell. Vanilla Bourbon is of rich scent and taste. This kind of vanilla is used for production of natural vanillin produced by pods in a form of crystals, during the process of drying. Production of natural vanillin is a long and expensive process. Vanilla pods are forming and growing from the beautiful green-yellow and yellow vanilla flowers. In natural conditions the flowers are pollinated by insects and hummingbirds, but on plantations it is done manually. Green pods remain on branches for 8-9 months and after picking they are being dried for another half a year. During the drying process they produce white crystals vanillin. Tahitian vanilla grows in the islands of French Polynesia (Tahiti) and is a more rare and expensive variant. Its taste is regarded as milder than the Vanilla planifolia, but the scent is stronger. It contains less vanillin and more heliotropine, which gives a fruity nuance. French vanilla which can be found among the components of fragrances is not a special kind of vanilla, but a kind of quality label of its taste and scent as real (identical to natural vanilla) and intensive. The name originates from a French ice cream recipe.

Amyris
Other names: Torchwood Group: Flowers
Odor profile: A name referring to either amyris elemifera or amyris balsamifera. The fragrance Amyris by Francis Kurkdjian uses the name as a fantasy woody concept, instead of representing the plant in photorealism.

Amyris is a genus of flowering pants that form part of the Citrus family Rutaceae. Members of this family are commonly known as "torchwoods" due to their highly-flammable wood. The trunks of all Amyris species exude a balsam called "Elemi," which is known for its beautiful aroma and which is used extensively in the cosmetics and fragrance industry.

Brazilian Rosewood
lat. Dalbergia nigra Other names: Bois de Rose Group: Woods and Mosses
Odor profile: Popular woody note that gives a lightly rosy, fragrant tonality to both masculine and feminine perfumes.

Brazilian Rosewood is actually a member of the legume species. It grows only in Brazil and is a threatened species due to loss of its native habitat. The Dalbergia nigra tree produces a hard wood known for its beautiful aroma as well as the the beauty of its intense and varied colors, ranging from brick red to dark violet brown, with the most desirable woods possessing a random pattern of lines referred to as "spider webbing." The wood offers a unique resonance and is therefore prized for the making of guitars, lutes and other musical instruments. Its durability also made it a popular choice for furniture.

Cypress (chiparos)
lat. Cupressus (Cupressaceae) Group: Woods and Mosses Cypress is a name that relates to the plants of the cypress family Cupressaceae, growing in the temperate regions of the world. This is a very ancient family of trees that grew more than 200 million years ago on the supercontinent Pangaea. Today, Cypresses are found on all continents except Antarctica.

Eucalyptus
lat. Eucalyptus globulus (Myrtaceae) Group: Woods and Mosses
Odor profile: Camphoraceous note that recalls the eucalyptus tree and mothballs with green nuances. Very difficult to dosage properly in fragrances, because of its potent profile.

The mists of daybreak seem To paint, as with a fairy brush, A landscape in a dream. Buson Inspired by visiting Californian coast I decided to praise eucalyptus. These trees and shrubs from Myrtle family grow proudly almost everywhere on sunny pacific region. Most of them (over 500 species) indigenous to Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania, and several are cultivated in other countries, such as Spain, France, China, India, some countries of South and North America, as well as in Africa, etc. Basically, you dont even need to cultivate it because these fast growing trees is easily adaptable in any tropical or subtropical regions. In some areas they become extremely invasive to native species so the situation rises concern about controversy over their total impact. Also some Eucalyptus species have attracted attention from global development researchers and environmentalists. Eucalyptus is used for many wonderful properties! Such species have desirable traits such as being fast-growing sources of wood, producing oil that can be used for cleaning and functions as a natural insecticide, or an ability to be used to able to suck extra water from the ground. It saturates air with antiseptic oils. I believe essential oil that is the core of eucalyptus use!! Eucalyptus globulus and E. radiate oils most commonly used in aromatherapy. Oil has amazing antiseptic properties. An essential oil extracted from Eucalyptus leaves contains compounds that are powerful natural disinfectants and can be toxic in large quantities, not for koalas and some possums who love these aromatic leaves. The oil contains 1,8 cineole, alpha-pinene, 3-methylbutanaland isoamyl isovalerate and other components. Eucalyptus oil is extracted by steam distillation from the twigs and leaves. Dry leaves content 1.5-3% of essential oil, tannins and resin and can be used for cleaning, deodorizing, as insect repellent and in very small quantities in food supplements, such as cough lozenges, toothpastes and decongestants. In Italy the oil is used for making liquor to treat fever.

Traditionally eucalyptus oil is used to treat respiratory infections, helping people cough up excess mucous, to help fight cold and flu, treat skin and stomach infections. This is my recipe to ease the bronchitis: hit up some water in the pot, remove the cover and add a drop of eucalyptus oil. Situate your face above the pot and cover your head with light blanket or towel. Inhale and exhale deeply for few minutes, put warm clothing and repeat the treat couple times a day. During flu season I spray rooms with the oil (my mother-in-law calls me witch for that!).

Please be very careful using this amazing oil! Store it in the dark place and keep away from children. Dont use it for babies or internally because it can be toxic. If you prone to asthma 1.8 cineole can trigger constriction of airways.

Guaiac Wood
lat. Bulnesia sarmienti Other names: Palo Santo, Champaca Wood, Palo Balsamo Group: Woods and Mosses
Odor profile: Exotic wood note that has tar-like, phenolic facets, imparting smoky, tarmac notes in perfumes. Coming from the Palo Santo or Tree of Life tree. Very popular in niche perfumery.

Guaiac Wood is a small tree that is also known as guayacan. Guaiac Wood is one of the hardest and most resilient woods in the world. This wood has been used by Native Americans since 16th century in treatment of severe ailments such as herpes and syphilis. This tradition is where from the local name for Guaiac Wood - Palo Santo or Tree of Life - originates from. Guaiac Wood is typically used for engraving work and for the making of durable wooden posts. Its heartwood is brown, black or green, with elegant streaks. It also provides high-quality charcoal and a good timber.

Amber
Group: Animal Sources
Odor profile: sweet, resinous, cozy and warm, often rather powdery note recreated from a mix of balsams, usually labdanum, benzoin, vanilla, styrax and fir or a combination of some of these. The default oriental note.

Amber - Admired by its charm and grace, it has been given various names on which one can write poetry and say words of praise. The words such as Tears of sun, Tiger's soul, Hardened honey, Petrified light, Window to the past, Nordic gold and many more. According to scientists Amber is fossilized tree resin that has taken millions of years to form. This aromatic resin is also referred to as an organic gemstone that's the hardened resin of the now extinct pinus succinifera, and other trees. It made amber the cneter of interest to scientists and people likewise with the find that had remnants of plants and insects which had been first trapped and preserved and upon research, they turned out to be millions of years old. And hence, not only did we learn about the existence of life on earth but we also came to know about the existence of amber. Most of the world's amber is in the range of 30-90 million years old, however, the oldest amber has an age of 345 million years. Semi-fossilized resin or sub-fossil amber is called copal.There are about 3,000 catalogued specimens of amber inclusions that include, insects, arachnids, tiny animals and plants. However, the most common and the most amazing have been of the insects and leaves inclusions in amber. Talking of the origin of amber, it is found in almost every part of glob while most older amber deposits were found in Europe which are about 50 types of fossil resins of different age. Amber from the Baltic region, which is also known as Baltic Amber, is uniquely known for its quality and is most sought after. It is rich bright yellowish in colour. It is considered best for making jewelery and is called succinite from the Latin succinum. On the other hand Mexican amber is a result of resins of leaf-bearing trees and is widely used in jewelry. Whereas the oldest known Asian fossil resins (sometimes pieces have the size of a head) are found in Birma. They are mostly opaque, dark brown, sometimes red and yellow. In Africa locals, especially women, use them for making of adornments and amulets. In Sicily and in northern Italy deposits of dark red and yellow fossil resins of trees of the family Cupressaceae called Sicilian amber is found. Since the oldest times amber has been used in the manufacture of adornments. Amber comes in various colours such as orange, yellow, red, green, brown, white, blue and almost black. It may be transparent or clouded. Transparent tones range from pale to dark yellow, to yellow light brown.

Before taking you through the pages of history further, I must also share about amber in fragrances in between. Perfumer Adam Gottschalk writes how the amber note is obtained in perfumes, which is a rather combination of benzoin, labdanum, and vanilla which gives the feel of warm, a little sweet and woody amber and mingled with other notes it emerges with its various characters. With just a basic combination of amber and oudh in Rasasi's Amber Oudh, it gives the wearer a warmth of sweet amber laid on bitter oudh. The best I will describe the combination as a carefully designed gold pendant hung on a heavy gold chain, that's how it feels. Amber was also very popular in ancient Rome during the reign of Nero when jewelry, ornaments, amulets, and even dice were made from amber. Nero also dispatched an expedition to Scandinavia to find "northern gold," which resulted in the establishment of important new trade routes for the Empire. Russian Amber Room is considered one of the best creations in history and not only this, it has been called as the 8th wonder of the world. The Amber Room was a collection of chamber wall panels commissioned in 1701. It was made from 1701 onwards in order to be installed at Charlottenburg Palace, home of Friedrich I, the first King of Prussia, at the urging of his second wife, Sophie Charlotte. In 1717 it was given to Russian Tsar Peter the Great, from Prussia and was constructed of six tons of amber arranged in ornate wall panels. In 1755 it was first tranferred and installed in Winter Palace and then in the Catherine Palace by Tsarina Elizabeth of Russia. It was a complete chamber decoration of amber panels backed with gold leaf and mirrors. The amber room was destroyed in 1945 which contributed it to become the lost amber room. Its recreation was decided on in 1975 which continued in 1979 as well and was at last opened to public in 2003. Amber stones are always warm to the touch and comforting to the sense of smell. Amber has not only been used as jewelery or in fragrances, but it has also been considered as a medicinal remedy for many diseases from the ancient time till now. Talking further on fragrances, Imari, one of Avon's classics, in this amber has been nicely blended with aldehydes, sandalwood,galbanum and vanilla to give it a bright warm feel. Amber in DKNY's Gold is light woody just like an amber pendant which is when worn around the neck, and when it touches the skin, together they both, the heat of the skin and the amber emit a warm fragrance which is so comforting and light.

Musk
lat. Moschus Moschiferus Group: Animal Sources
Odor profile: Naturally the essence derived by the perineal glands of the Tibetan musk deer, now endangered and protected. Synthetically replicated in a plethora of variations for fixation and warming fragrance compositions.

Musk is a whole class of fragrant substances used as base notes in perfumery. This wonderful animalistic note creates a groundwork on which the rest of the aromatic shades and nuances of the composition rest. Musk is the most commonly used raw material, present in almost all fragrant compositions. You can easily check this claim by using our search for notes. What makes it so indispensible in the perfume industry is its unique property to balance the composition and add a subtle touch of sensuality and warmth. It is also prized as a wonderful fixative, which reduces the evaporation rate and allows the original composition to last longer while keeping its true fragrance. Musk is a name that originally designated a strong-smelling brownish substance secreted by the male of the musk deer of the genus Moschus. Each of the adult male representatives of this animal species has a musk gland that lies in a sac positioned between the genitals and the umbilicus, and secretes powerful pheromones used to attract mates. It has been rumored since ancient times that wonderful musk odor works as an excellent aphrodisiac, and modern science has offered an explanation for this. Even though the debate on the existence of sex pheromones continues, there are scientists who believe that the smell of musk closely resembles the smell of testosterone, which may act as a pheromone in humans.

The term "musk" is often used to describe a wide range of musky substances, typically animalistic notes such as Civet, Castoreum, and Hyrax, or various synthetic musks, known as white musks, which are created in chemical laboratories. The original deer musk has been used and prized for thousands of years as one of the most precious raw materials in perfumery. This lovely animal is still found in the mountain forests of India, Pakistan, Tibet, China, Siberia and Mongolia, even though classified as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). The musk deer populations could be driven out of existence because of the black-market price for the musk from their glands that reaches almost $45,000 per kilogram. This is one of the most expensive natural products in the world, even more valuable than goldthe all-time highest price of gold ever recorded is $1,913.50 per ounce (there are 0.0284 kilograms per ounce). What is really worrying is that only a few tens of grams can be extracted from a single animal and

around 160 deer need to be killed for each kilogram of musk collected. It is possible to remove the gland without killing the animal but, unfortunately, this is hardly ever done. Deer musk has been used since antiquity and some of the first references of its use in the perfume industry point to Arab and Byzantine perfume makers of the 6th century. It was generously used by the caliphs of Baghdad and highly regarded among the Arabs. This fragrant material was even added to mortared walls of mosques during their construction, to emanate the wonderful fragrance whenever its warmed by the sun. Al-Kindi, the famous Philosopher of the Arabs, who wrote hundreds of original treatises on a range of subjects, including perfumes, mentioned this ingredient in many of the perfume recipes, making it one of the mostly prized luxury goods imported from the East. However, musk was not used only for its olfactory features but also because of its curative properties. The Arab and Tibetan healers used it as a stimulant for male health; Ayurvedic practitioners used it in the treatment of cardiac, mental and neurological disorders, and it still holds as one of the most important ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine, being included in the recipes of more than 300 different medicines. In perfumery, the term musk doesnt always apply to a concrete perfume component, but rather designates the overall impression of the fragrant composition. Natural aroma of musk is very complex and usually described with so many contradictory attributes. It's description may range from sweet, creamy or powdery, to rich, leathery, spicy and even woodsy. Most typically, the musk note is described as an animalistic nuance, with a lively and oscillating, often contrasting nature. The typical musky smell develops from the natural musk tincture once the volatile parts have evaporated, allowing the sensual and warm true musky notes to come up to the surface. Angelica archangelica Until the late 19th century, natural musk was extensively used in the creation of perfumes before it became much too expensive and controversial. Luckily, there are some plants that share similar olflactory properties with musk, capable of producing musky-smelling macrocyclic lactone compounds. Ambrette by Bob Richmond Many of these plants, such as Garden Angelica (Angelica archangelica), Musk Flower (Mimulus moschatus) Abelmosk or Ambrette seeds (Abelmoschus moschatus), are now widely used as a substitute for animal musks. Musk Flower by alexlomas In 1888, the scientist Albert Baur was the first to discover an artificial musk. This was a completely accidental discovery that occurred while the scientist was experimenting with TNT explosives. After an attempt to produce a more effective form of trinitrotoluene, he suddenly noticed a very pleasant musky-like odor in the air and attributed it to, what was later named, nitro-musk. This was the first member of the family of synthetic musks, but it was banned from use due to its instability and potential toxicity. Later on, polycyclic musk and macrocyclic musk classes were developed, of which the first one is most commonly used in modern perfumery. Macrocylic musks are derived from plants and they most closely resemble the natural scent of musk, but their production is more costly. Another interesting fact about macrocylic musks is that around half of the population cannot detect their smell in a fragrant composition. For this reason, successful perfumers usually combine a variety of musks in the formula in order to truly convey the original idea behind the fragrance. The use of natural musk was prohibited in 1979, when the musk deer was protected as an endangered species. Today, white musk note is one of the most commonly used in creation of perfumes, offering a more ethical approach and being less expensive than the natural musk. Some of the wonderful perfumes highlighting this note are Serge Lutens' Clair de Musc, Montale's White Musk, Il Profvmo's Musc Bleu, and Narciso Rodriguez For Her. Michael Boadis musky quartet from the Illuminum collection plays with the musk olfactory group in four different compositions and perfectly illustrates the broadness of this term: Cashemere Musk, Rajamusk , Piper Leather and Wild Berry Blossom.

Ambrette (Musk Mallow)

lat. Abelmoschus moschatus Group: Grass and Green Components
Odor profile: naturally derived musky note with a vegetal, slightly metallic feel

Ambrette is an aromatic plant originating from India. Known for its medicinal properties and its unique aroma, Ambrette has long been utilized as a plant-based substitute for animal musk in fragrances. The seeds, pods, leaves and shoots are used in cooking, and Ambrette flowers are sometimes used to give scent and flavor to tobacco.