Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS SO UNIQUE ABOUT NATURAL PERFUMES?
Besides containing no potentially harmful synthetic chemicals or additives and dyes, natural perfumes are different in that they can blend with a person's body chemistry; are as close to the natural material as possible; and only subtly scent your imtimate space. When you experience a natural perfume you are inhaling molecules that come directly from the location of the world in which they were extracted. For example, if Jasmine grandiflorum from Egypt is in your blend, then that is where the essence is from--not from a cold sterile lab somewhere. Your mind is essentially going on an aromatic tour of the earth.
WHAT ARE NOTES?
Different essences evaporate at different rates so perfumers have classed them according to volatility. Within a perfume, top notes, such as Bergamot, Lavender and Galbanum evaporate the quickest and greet our olfactory bulb instantaneously. Heart notes, usually consisting of flowers like Rose and Jasmine, come next followed by base notes like Sandalwood and Vetiver that can add depth and staying power to a perfume. Even within the notes themselves there are top, heart and base notes. For example, as the top notes of Sandalwood fade away, a woodier heart is revealed until dry down when its muskyness become sapparent. Each of the notes in a perfume evaporates at a different rate so naturally a perfume evolves over time. And even though the main impression or theme of the perfume remains throughout, subplots are revealed along its journey from initial impression to dry down.
WHAT ARE FRAGRANCE FAMILIES?
Although there is a great deal of overlap when it comes to classifying perfumes, they are grouped according to shared characteristics or common themes. The main families are generally considered to be Chypre, Oriental, Floral, Fougere and Citrus Sub categories such as fruity, floral, citrusy, leather, amber, green, fresh, spicy, dry, oceanic and woody fall within each of those categories.
Within the Chypre family you'll find perfumes that contain a contrast of woodiness from Oakmoss, typically, and freshness from Bergamot or other citrus.
The Oriental Family is characterized by the contrast of a warm ambery, velvet and incense-like base with a fresh or spicy top. Floral Orientals or Florientals, a subgroup, contain rich, exotic floral notes in the heart.
The majority of perfumes fall in the Floral family. Within this group there are many categories such as Fresh Floral, Green Floral, Ambery Floral, Fruity Floral and more.
The Fougere family is unique in that it contains essences that exude a beautiful softness. Oakmoss, Lavender and Coumarin (an isolate of Tonka bean having an almond-like scent) are the main components of a fougere.
WHAT IS CONCENTRATION?
A perfumes longevity is based on its concentration or percentage of aromatic contents in a base usually alcohol. Parfum extrait is the most intense with approximately 15-40% aromatic ingredients; Eau de Parfum is about 10-20%; and Cologne is around 3-8%.
HOW OFTEN DOES ONE HAVE TO APPLY NATURAL PERFUME?
Natural perfumes contain no harsh chemicals that anchor the scent to your skin. Therefore, you need to apply more often than a commercial fragrance. Is it a negative to have to reapply more? Not in many natural perfume user's opinion. There's an intimate, sensual ritual that is linked to our application of perfume. It's a few seconds in the day when you can briefly reconnect to the earth's bountiful gifts and refresh yourself.
WHY DO COMMERCIAL SCENTS LAST LONGER THAN NATURAL ONES?
According to HAZ-Map: Occupational Exposure of Hazardous Substances of the National Library of Medicine of the United States "One commonly used chemical [in scents] is diethyl phthalate, which is used to make scents last longer. It can cause allergic skin reactions (contact dermatitis) and is classified as a skin sensitizer and a reproductive toxin." This quote is listed on the Canadian Lung Association website. To summarize, commercial scents sometimes contain nasty chemicals that anchor the fragrance to your skin. With natural perfumes you will need to apply more often but there are no harmful chemicals that do that.
WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS IN SUZY'S PERFUMES?
My perfumes are made with the highest quality essential oils, absolutes & co2s in a base of organic grape alcohol. Essences in the perfume are derived from roots, seeds, leaves, grasses, petals, barks, resins, and woods. To help the perfume last longer I sometimes use animal fixatives such as Hyraceum or Ambergris neither of which creature was harmed in obtaining the material. From time to time, I may employ the use of natural isolates if I am certain it has not been derived from petroleum or benzene compounds or other sketchy starter points. In my estimation they are still natural and represent the imprint of the whole plant. However, the majority of the essences I use are from the rarest and most precious aromatic materials sourced from around the globe. When you enjoy your perfume, you are inhaling the beauty and intrigue of far off lands.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SYNTHETIC AND NATURAL?
Sythetics, are those aroma chemicals that have been borne in the lab. They come in many forms. Some are made to appromimate the odor of the corresponding natural material. For example, since daffodil is unavailable as a natural oil, the synthetic called Benzyl Salicylate instead. Others are recreated when it is cost prohibitive or even illegal to use the natural ingredient. Since it is no longer legal to obtain civet, Skatol, a synthetic, is now used. Other synthetics include completely new molecules with novel odors not to be found in nature.
Natural Isolates, sometimes classified as synthetics as well, are obtained from "isolating" and extracting a single component from the natural oil. Of course, a modern lab can recreate a natural isolate as well--petroleum and benzene compounds could very well be used as the starting product for these. Many, however, do come from natural sources and are not synthetics.
commercial fragrances are usually made from a mixture of natural and man-made chemicals ranging anywhere from 100 to 300 ingredients. Many of these synthetics have been tested and found to be safe but few have been tested in combination. With that many ingredients it would seem logical that harmful synergies could occur that we are unaware of. Many of the synthetic components are derived from petroleum, benzene and other known toxins and sensitizers. On the other hand, natural perfumes rarely contain more than 20 ingredients and any synergy could only enhance its beneficial properties. Natural components come directly from plants, spices, flowers, leaves, twigs, seeds, woods, resins and herbs.
IS IT TRUE NATURAL PERFUMES WON'T CAUSE AN ALLERGIC RESPONSE?
Not true. People can be allergic to what is natural as well as what is created synthetically. However, natural perfumes do not contain harsh man-made chemicals that are inherently incompatible with an individual's biochemistry.
