Fragrance is the pleasant odor of a substance or mixture, such as flowers, fruits, foods, and many other items. It can also refer to a combination of scent chemicals, which are often listed under the generic name “fragrance” on a product’s ingredient list and may contain tens to hundreds of individual compounds.
Fragrances are used in perfumes, cosmetics, and other scented personal care products to attract customers, influence behavior, and provide a pleasant impression of a product. The sense of smell is highly linked to emotion and memory, so a person’s emotional state can be affected by their fragrance choices. Fragrance compositions can also be applied to fabric to create a distinctive smell.
A perfume is a combination of several perfume ingredients, usually in an alcoholic solution. Perfumes can be diluted to create toilette waters or sprays, such as cologne, or can be used as aftershave lotions. The concentration of the perfume oils in these products varies; some may contain up to 25 percent of a perfume concentrate.
The ingredients of a fragrance are derived from natural or synthetic raw materials. The raw materials can be of plant or animal origin and can include essential oils, extracts, or absolutes. Essential oils are most commonly obtained through steam distillation. More delicate materials can be extracted by solvent extraction, in which the material is placed in a solvent. A solid compound is extracted from this solution, which can then be treated with alcohol to produce a perfume. This process is known as enfleurage.
Modern perfumery relies primarily on the use of synthetic aromatic molecules. These molecules mimic the odor characteristics of natural materials and are often superior to their natural counterparts. They can also be more affordable than natural materials. They are generally used to complement natural materials, which are expensive or not available in sufficient quantity. They can also be employed to create odours that would be cost-prohibitive to obtain from natural sources. For example, calone, a synthetic aromatic, imparts a fresh ozonous marine fragrance that could otherwise be difficult to replicate with natural ingredients such as hexyl cinnamal and hexyl methyl sulfide.
In addition to fragrance ingredients, perfumes and colognes may also contain fixatives, stabilizers, diluents, and preservatives. Many of the chemicals in fragrance mixes have been associated with a variety of health concerns, including skin allergies and sensitivities.
The FDA does not require that companies reveal the individual components of a perfume or cologne, which are often classified as “fragrance” or “parfum” on the product’s ingredient label. This practice sustains a loophole in the law that allows manufacturers to protect their intellectual property rights. In the absence of regulation, the industry self-regulates. The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) and the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials set voluntary standards for fragrance ingredients. These standards have been criticized for their lack of transparency and potential negative impact on health.