Perfume manufacturing in ancient times
In ancient times, perfumers did not have the ability to create synthetic scents. All perfumes came from the earth in one way or another. Ancient civilizations infused their body wash and water with aromatic flowers and different types of wood. They also burned incense of spices such as cinnamon and myrrh and extracted oil from plants.
Before the perfume manufacturing process can begin, you must first collect the plant and animal fragrance ingredients (ingredients listed below). Various methods of extracting vegetable oils have been used around the world over time. When early civilizations extracted oils, they typically used the pressing method (squeezing the raw materials to extract the scented substance).
In the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Persia, Rome, and China, these essential (volatile) oils were special for reasons more than cosmetics. They were used to anoint the body or made sacred through ceremonial rituals. Perfume oils were also added to water and other liquids for cosmetic and religious purposes.
Throughout the ages ; Methods for extracting and manufacturing perfumes have been developed and invented. Perfumes were not just ceremonial and symbolic cosmetics, but opened a new avenue of trade. For example, many believe that the Persians invented the distillation process that led to alcohol being used as the basis for perfumes instead of oil. The Persians dominated the perfume trade for centuries.
How are perfumes made?
To give you a better idea of how perfumes are made, we'll explain the processes used throughout history. We will also discuss modern perfumery. You might be surprised at how much work goes into creating your favorite perfume!
Perfume manufacturing process
Making a perfume involves collecting ingredients, extracting oils, blending, aging and quality control. Almost like a fine wine, a lot of work and time goes into producing a fragrance. What is especially interesting is that many of the ancient methods are used by famous perfume brands today.
Ingredients used in making perfumes
Many perfumes are made by extracting scented oils from natural ingredients. These components can include many plants, fruits, woods, and even animal secretions. Other resources such as alcohol, coal, tar, and petrochemicals can be used during the perfume manufacturing process.
For scents that do not exist in nature or do not produce volatile oils, synthetic chemicals are used to mimic the scent. So it's likely that your favorite perfume uses at least some synthetic scents.
Common natural ingredients
- Rose petals
- Bitter
- Frankincense
- Yasmine
- Oak moss
- Sandalwood
- Vanilla
- Citron
Common synthetic ingredients
- Aliphatic aldehydes (give Chanel No. 5 sparkle)
- Caloni
- ISO I Super
- Amber (synthetically reproduced)
- Hedione
- Indole
- Musk (synthetically reproduced)
- Lily of the valley (artificially reproduced)
Extraction methods
The oils of natural ingredients must be extracted in order to make a perfume or cologne. Volatile oils can be extracted in several ways: oils can be obtained through solvent extraction, steam distillation, pressing, distillation (a process that extracts the oils) or maceration. Check out some tried-and-true extraction methods below, old and new. Some methods you may be able to do yourself at home, but others you may want to leave to the professionals.
Solvent extraction
This method is performed by placing plants in large rotating drums. The plants are then covered with petroleum ether or gasoline. The plant parts eventually dissolve in whatever solvent is used, leaving a waxy substance containing the oils. This substance is then placed in ethyl alcohol. The oil is dissolved in alcohol, then burned, leaving a highly concentrated essential oil.
Steam distillation
With steam distillation, natural materials are placed in a distillation device, and the materials remain in the distillation device until they are extracted. The resulting material is then passed through pipes, where it is cooled and then liquefied. In addition to vaporization, oils can also be extracted from plant materials by boiling them in water.
age
Considered one of the oldest forms of extraction, this process involves; Often used to extract citrus oils, pressing the plant, either mechanically or manually, until all the oils have been extracted.
Saturation
In the saturation process, large glass plates are covered with petroleum grease and flowers or other plant material are spread across them. The glass panels are then placed in layers between the wooden frames. The flowers are then hand stirred and replaced so that the tallow can absorb the fragrance.
Soaking
The maceration process is similar to saturation, except that heated fats are used to absorb the fragrance rather than grease. The fats must then be dissolved in alcohol so that the essential oils can be obtained.
Mix the ingredients
The process of making the scent (perfume) begins after extracting and collecting the essential oils. Once all the ingredients are selected, they must be mixed together. The oils are mixed according to a formula (equation) pre-determined by a perfumer, often referred to as the “nose”.
As mentioned earlier, some perfume ingredients come from plants and some from animal products. For example, castor oil fragrance comes from beavers, musk from male deer, and ambergris from a sperm whale. Animal substances are often used as stabilizers that enable perfumes to evaporate slowly and emit scents longer.
Other stabilizers include coal tar, algae, resins, or synthetic chemicals. Alcohol and sometimes water are used to dilute ingredients in perfumes. It is the ratio of alcohol to scent that determines the strength and value of the perfume. The more volatile oil, the stronger (and more expensive) the fragrance. Eau de parfum contains a lower concentration of alcohol while body spray contains a much higher concentration of alcohol.
Aging process (aged fragrance)
High quality, pure perfumes often last for months or even years after a scent is blended. This is done to ensure that the right scent has been created. Aging allows different scents, or fragrances, to blend together. Perfumes are composed of top notes that provide the scent with body as well as base notes that create a lasting scent.
Quality control
Finally, quality control is a vital aspect of the perfume manufacturing process. It ensures that the final fragrance does not contain any harmful or unwanted products, some of which can even be banned. This way brand reputation and more importantly public health are protected.