Sources of Perfume Oils

From scented dryer sheets to designer fragrances, perfume oils are essential ingredients used to create a wide variety of products. The oils come from natural or synthetic sources. Natural sources can be broken into plant or animal categories. Synthetic sources can be broken into natural or artificial scents. Regardless of the source, perfume oils are usually combined with fixatives, preservatives and/or solvents to create aromatic items.

Natural Scents from Plant Sources

Plants are a main source of natural perfume oils. Plant sources can include flowers, stems, leaves, roots, sap, fruit and bark. These sources often create the floral, woodsy, sweet or spicy aromas found in many scented products. The most popular, plant-derived perfume oils include rose, jasmine, vanilla, cedar, sandalwood, lilac, lavender, cinnamon, clove, orange and oakmoss.

Natural Scents from Animal Sources

Animal sources for perfume oil are mainly used for one reason: to obtain musk. Animal musk is often used as a primary, binding or fixative scent for perfumes. The most popular natural-musk sources come from musk deer or civets. Civets are small mammals that live in Africa and Asia. Another common fixative scent with an animal source is ambergris, a waxy substance from a whale's digestive system.

Natural Scents from Synthetic Sources

Any perfume oil that can be obtained naturally can also be created synthetically. These synthetic scents are usually used to help reduce costs and/or control potency. However, most synthetic perfume oils have aromas that tend to wear off much faster than natural perfume oils. The most popular type of synthetically-created natural scent is musk. Due to both the difficult nature of obtaining the musk and the animal-rights concerns, synthetic musk is used much more often than natural musk.

Artificial Scents from Synthetic Sources

Synthetic perfume oils that replicate scents that cannot be produced naturally are extremely popular. Artificial scents can be found in a wide variety of products, such as candles, potpourri, air fresheners, car fresheners and deodorants. Popular aromas include cotton candy, toasted marshmallows, sea air, bubble gum, green apple, leather, strawberry, cherry and fresh linen.

Perfume Oil Tips

Natural perfume oils are usually referred to as essential oils. These oils are strong and long-lasting. Essential oils should only be stored in glass containers, as plastic can react with the oils. Synthetic perfume oils are usually referred to as fragrant oils. These oils may be strong, but they're usually not very long-lasting. For the best results, these oils should be stored in glass containers, but plastic is acceptable if they're being stored for a short period of time.

References

• BestPerfumeOils.com: What are Perfume Oils
• ExperienceFestival.com: Perfume
• Perfumes.com: Animal Materials

Resources

• BeautyNewsNYC.com: How To Wear Perfume