Creation of scents and fragrance oils
A scent or smell is a sensation perceived by the olfactory sense and can be associated with both positive and negative experiences. Both humans and animals perceive scents and create associations around them. A scent is strongly linked to memories and is perceived in unique ways depending on the individual, occasion, and state. Nature, plants, fruits, and food are our strongest connection to well-being, but there are many more scents that can positively activate our brain. For example, tar, leather, seaweed, freshly laundered items, and Christmas trees.
Fragrance oils from Grasse
The city of Grasse in southern France has been renowned for its perfume industry since the late 18th century and has been included in UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage. Grasse's young farmers have revived the art of cultivating flowers, and today, roses, jasmine, violets, irises, lilies, and orange blossoms, among others, are grown. Today, many plants are also grown abroad, and Grasse's perfume houses operate thousands of hectares of cultivated land in India, Morocco, Egypt, Indonesia, and Madagascar. In most cases, the plants are processed where they are grown, with the exception of those that can withstand longer transport, such as frankincense, myrrh, seeds, and dried flowers.
Perfume notes
When talking about a fragrance, it is usually divided into different layers or notes. Typically, a perfume has a base note, a middle note, and a top note. Top notes or head notes are the first tones you smell immediately. Here, we often find fruity notes that give the perfume its light feeling and freshness. Heart and middle notes complement the base and top notes and are responsible for the fragrance's bouquet and character. The most important accords in the scent consist of floral and spicy undertones.
It is from base notes that perfumers begin to compose perfumes. The base often consists of ingredients such as musk, vanilla, spicy, and woody notes.