Fragrance Fundamentals

Fragrance basics

What is fragrance oil and how is it different from essential oil?

Fragrance oil is a formulated blend created to deliver a particular scent and can contain many aroma materials, including natural and synthetic ingredients. Essential oil is a natural aromatic material extracted from a plant. Neither is automatically better. Fragrance oils usually offer a wider scent range and greater consistency, while essential oils are chosen when a product specifically requires a natural aromatic ingredient.

Fragrance basics

What are top, middle and base notes in a fragrance?

Top, middle and base notes describe how a fragrance develops over time. Top notes are the first impression and are usually lighter and more volatile. Middle notes form the main body or character of the fragrance. Base notes are slower to evaporate and add depth, warmth and staying power. A well-balanced fragrance uses all three stages to create a scent that develops rather than smelling flat from start to finish.

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Top, middle and base notes describe how a fragrance develops over time. Top notes are the first impression and are usually lighter and more volatile. Middle notes form the main body or character of the fragrance. Base notes are slower to evaporate and add depth, warmth and staying power. A well-balanced fragrance uses all three stages to create a scent that develops rather than smelling flat from start to finish.

The terms describe the evaporation and perception of different materials, not three physically separate layers in the bottle. In a finished product the timing can also change depending on the base, fragrance load and how the product is used.

Fragrance basics

What does fragrance throw mean?

Fragrance throw is how effectively a scent moves from a product into the surrounding space. In candles, people usually talk about cold throw before the candle is lit and hot throw while it is burning. In diffusers, throw refers to how well the fragrance travels through a room. Strong throw depends on the fragrance, base, product design, load, temperature and testing, not simply how strong the oil smells from the bottle.

Fragrance basics

What is the difference between fragrance strength and fragrance quality?

Fragrance strength and fragrance quality are not the same thing. Strength is how intense a fragrance smells or performs in a particular product. Quality is broader and includes balance, character, raw material choice, consistency and how well the fragrance performs over time. A very strong fragrance can still smell harsh or one dimensional, while a well made fragrance may be more refined and still perform extremely well.

Fragrance basics

Why do two fragrance oils with similar scent descriptions perform differently?

Two fragrances with similar descriptions can behave very differently because the formulas behind them may use completely different aroma materials. Those materials vary in volatility, solubility, colour, wax interaction and stability. That is why two oils both described as vanilla, sandalwood or citrus can have very different hot throw, diffuser performance, perfume clarity or discolouration in soap.

Fragrance basics

How should fragrance oils be stored for best shelf life?

Store fragrance oils tightly sealed, away from direct sunlight, heat and large temperature swings. A cool, dry storage area is usually better than a hot warehouse shelf or a container left open during production. Keep the original batch details where possible and avoid unnecessary transfer between containers. Good storage will not make a fragrance last forever, but it helps protect the formula from oxidation, evaporation and contamination.