Perfume Intelligence - The Encyclopaedia of Perfume

Daffodil

French = paquerette; German = Osterglocke

Damask Rose - Damascene rose

Of the genus rosa damascena; honey-sweet and more spiced than the cento flora rose; identified with the Syrian city of Damascus although it originated more likely in China: a shrub about 1.5m tall recognizable by its hairy pale leaves and its great abundance of relatively small intensely fragrant blooms, each with 36 petals; grown in Bulgaria and Turkey.
The essential oil or attar is steam or water distilled from the fresh picked flowers. Three quarters of all feminine scents have rose oil in their composition

Damask Water

A compound fragrance popular in England in the 16th century, based on rosewater (name relates to damask rose) but with additional ingredients: one early recipe listed lavender, thyme, rosemary, bay laves and marjoram distilled in rosewater and wine!

Daphne

The genus name for the Laurel family of shrubs

Dating

The launch dates shown in The Encyclopaedia are as accurate as possible; any doubt italics have been used

Davana

Of the genus artemisia pallens, originated from India. Davana grows in the same parts of southern India where also sandalwood is grown. Its aroma is sharp, penetrating, bitter-green, foliage like and powerfully herbaceous with a sweet balsamic, tenacious undertone.

Decorative Perfume Flacons (bottles)

Created primarily for their artistic beauty, not necessarily used for fragrances; or to indicate any non-commercial bottle

Deer-tongue

Related to Liatris; there are several species of Deer-tongue which present various modification of the cumarin-type of fragrance: from green-sharp herbaceous to intensely vanilla-sweet and candylike.

Depression Glass

An expensive Amercian glass produced after the 1929 stock-market crash

Demi-crystal

Glass that only consists of 12% lead oxide; this is half the amount used in making true crystal

Dichoric Glass

Glass that has been coated with several very thin layers of metallic substance by vacuum deposition to create refractive and third dimensional colouration

Diffusion

The ability of a fragrance to develop its notes around the wearer

Dill

A herb of the genus anethum graveolens; grown mainly in Hun gary and Bulgaria for the perfume industry

Discontinued Lines

If you are aware of any fragrance that is discontinued and not listed accordingly herein, would you please email Adrian@perfumeintelligence.co.uk

Distillation

The art of distillation was brought by the Moguls from Arabia to India; the first description of the distillation of rose petals was written by the ninth-century philosopher al-Kindi; steam is used to extract essential oils: after cooling, the essential oil is separated from the distilled water.

Djefti

An ancient perfumed oil from Alasia (central Middle East) ; used extensively during the 'New Kingdom' era of ancient Egypt

Dolphin pungent

Or Seahorse perfume; pungent (strong) is another word for this type of scent; often used in American texts

Doors

The Beauty industry term for commercial outlets for perfume, toiletries and allied products

Double cut stopper

A stopper decorated with intaglio designs on both sides of the glass

Double ended laydown

Victorian scent bottles that opened at either end; therefore had no base stand upright

Dram

One eigth of an ounce

Dropper

The part of a stopper of a perfume bottle that is immersed in the perfume to extract a small amount to apply to the body

Dry down

Or base notes; the final characteristic of a fragrance; usually occurs after an hour; you must be comfortable with a scent’s dry down as it’s what you live with

Dry Note

A term used to describe the aromatic effect of perfume ingredients such as woods and mosses in contrast to sweet and warm fragrances

Dry Perfume

A recently developed process in which tiny microcapsules are broken when applied to the skin and stroked to release the fragrance. The Scent Strip is an example.(2002)

Earthy note

Term used to describe the subtle fragrant impression of earth, earth-mould, which is found in certain essential oils such a vetiver and patchouli

Eau de Carmes

Produced widely in Europe in 18th century, with notes of melissa or lemon balm

Eau de Cologne

(Water from Cologne) was given by the soldiers of Louis XV who brought back this incredible perfume from the city of Cologne during the “Seven years war” and introduced it to the Royal court of France.

Eau de Cologne

(Ger. Klnisches Wasser, Cologne water ) In modern perfumery contains 3-5% perfume oil in 70% alcohol/water mix. Named from the city of Cologne, where its manufacture was first established by an Italian, Johann (or Giovanni) Maria Farina (1685-1766), in 1709. The perfume gained a high reputation by 1766, and Farina associated himself with his nephew, to whose grandson the secret was ultimately imparted; the original perfume is still manufactured by members of this family under the name of the founder. The manufacture is, however, carried on at Cologne, and also in Italy, by other firms bearing the name Farina, and the scent has become part of the regular output of perfumers. The discovery has also been ascribed to a Paul de Feminis, who is supposed to have brought his recipe from Milan to Cologne, of which he became a citizen in 1690, sold the perfume under the name Eau Admirable, leaving the secret at his death to his nephew Johann Maria Farina. Certain of the Farinas claim to use his process.

Eau de la Reine de Hongrie

Produced widely in Europe in 18th century - quote 'the first alcoholic perfume with rejuvenating properties. A fragrance, a cosmetic, a tonic elixir'.

Eau de Lisbon

A traditional edt from the 18th century with notes of lemon, orange and rose

Eau de Parfum

Or ' Parfum de Toilette'; apart from extract, any other mixture of fragrance essence and alcohol is called Eau (water), even though the mixture is predominately alcohol, with very little water in it. edp is the highest grade of Eau in modern perfumery and contains between 8 – 15% perfume oil mixed with 80 –90 per cent grade alcohol. The parfum de toilette will have the lesser amount of the fragrance concentrate

Eau de Portugal

A toilet water popular in Europe during the 19th centuary.

Eau Fraîche

Citrus freshness; similar to Eau de Cologne, containing up to 3% perfume oil, but mixed with higher grade alcohol of about 80% purity; with additional citrus fruit essences

edc

eau de cologne

edp

eau de parfum

edt

eau de toilette

Eau de Toilette

A fragrant toilette preparation where the perfume oil makes up between 4 – 8% of its total mixture; the remainder is of alcohol of about 80% purity

Electroplating

To coat, as with metal, by electrolysis

Elder flowers

Of the genus sambucus nigra; in French 'Fleurs de Sureau'; not extensively used in the perfume trade - mainly a flavouring.

Elemi

Of the genus canarium luzonicum, the essential oil is steam distilled; clear with a tinge of yellow with fresh, citrusy, peppery, spicy notes. Grown mainly in the Philippines for the eprfumery industry

Enamelled

French = émaillé; German = Glasiert

Enfleurage or Effleurage

A rare and costly process of extracting valuable plant extracts in which individual blossoms are pressed into animal fats

Engraving

A method of decorating glass by removing an area of the surface of the glass either by diamond point, stippling or cutting wheel

Ephemera

Paper items, magazines, cuttings etc; ancillary to perfume bottle collecting

Epicé

French for spice

Essential oil

The highly concentrated and volatile aromatic essence of a plant obtained by distillation or expression. 'Perfume oils are a fast-growing trend' says James Craven of Les Senteurs (Sunday Times: Beauty Style 21.03.04)

Etching

Decoration created by a process of using hydrochloric acid to dissolve specific areas of the glass surface; also see acid etching

Étui

A small flat case for carrying small items like perfume bottles, scissors etc

Ethyl Alcohol

Made by the fermentation of starch, sugar and carbohydrates; a clear odourless solvent

Eucalyptus

There are four genus used in perfumery ; E. citriodora; E. dives; E. globulus and E. staigeriana; the essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves; grown extensively; Australia, India, Brazil, Spain and South Africa

Evernyl

Synthetic substitute for oakmoss.

Expression

The method of obtaining essential oil from a plant by applying pressure and no heat

Extract

The most concentrated form of perfume sold over the counter, contains between 15 – 30% perfume oil, the balance of the mixture is a very high grade alcohol that had a purity of 90-95%; is very expensive but is very strong, pure, only a very little is used

Extraction

The method by which essential oils are separated from the plant using solvents, removed by evaporation: produces a substance know as absolute, the purest and most expensive form of essential oil

Facet

A small cut and polished face, as in a gemstone

Factice

A dummy fragrance bottle used for display purposes by retail stores

Farine

Of the genus ruizia cordata from the Réunion island; has a small red flower with a unique starchy scent, redolent of fresh dough.

Favrile glass

A lustrous glass in the Art Nouveau style; invented by Louis C Tiffany in c1898

Fennel

The essential oil of obtained from the seeds of the herb genus foeniculum vulgare var.dulce by steam distillation. Main production is from Spain

Fennel

French = fenouil; German = Fenchel

Fern

Of the genus cryptogamous (flowerless) order of plants, a few species yield essential oils for perfumes; mainly from the rhizomes of the dryopteris felix-mas or male fern

Fern

French = fougère ; German = farn

Fenugreek Oil

Of the genus trigonella foenum-graecum; 'fenugreek' means 'Greek-hay'; once used to make inferior hay attractive as an animal feed; The ground seeds have an aroma similar to celery or lovage

Fifi Awards

The fragrance industry's annual equivalent to the Hollywood's Oscars.

Fig

The genus ficus has numerous species but it is the F. carica, known as the common or goat fig, the scent is obtained from all parts of the plant; the leaves have a green fresh fragrance; the fresh fruits a soft sweet-sour fragrance and the dried fruit an intensive highly concentrated sweet fragrance; all are used by perfumers but the scent of the fruit is preferred

Figural

Bottle or stopper decorated with a human figure

Filigree

An intricate lace-like ornamental metal covering or sheath

Fin de Siecle

Another term for Art Nouveau

Fir needles

Two types of fir needles are used in the perfumery industry; Sliver fir of the genus abies alba, and Caucasian fir of the genus abies nordmanniana.
Production comes from Canada, Russia and USA

Fire polishing

A method of bringing back the full brightness of a glass object by re-heating the surface to melting point

Fixative

A material used in perfumery to make a fragrance last longer by prolonging the rate of evaporation of other ingredients

Floral absolutes

Are the product of enfleurage or solvent-extraction; both are extremely painstaking, labor-intensive processes which require great skill but which result in the finest of perfume materials

Flaçon

French word for bottle; also a term for a small bottle with a stopper; also a high quality fragrance bottle

Flaçon de Venise

Glassware of the Venetian style or from Venice

Flaçonist

A perfume bottle collector

Flaconnage

French meaning pertaining to the study of collecting bottles

Flag

A type of Iris

Flanker

A fragrance that capitalizes on the success of a master brand; e.g. 'J Lo Glow' was followed by the flanker scents 'Miami Glow' and 'Love at First Glow'. Many flankers are released as limited editions. Some flanker fragrant variations on the original fragrance (e.g. share certain notes)

Floral Family

Refer to Perfume Families

Florida Water

A toilet water combining lavender and edc with addition of cassia, clove and lemon grass oil; very popular in the USA in the 19th century

Fluted

A bottle - perfume bottle or wine decanter - with moulded concave grooves to create into a series of parallel forms

Folded rim

A rim on either the body or base of the bottle that has been doubled back, folded over on itself for extra strength

Footed bottle

A perfume bottle that narrows from the bowl to a stem then widens into a base; like a wine goblet

Fougère Family

Name taken from a fragrance no longer available, 'Fougère Royale' by Houbigant (see below); the actual word is from the French word meaning ‘fern’ but the association is imaginary; the fragrance has fresh, herbaceous notes on a mossy spicy base

Foval

The term for 'Fry Glass' a unique opalescent glass developed by a Mr Fry

Fractional Distillation

The method for refining essential oils or separating individual constituents (isolates) according to their evaporation characteristics. Is used for refining Alcohol (the terms "double or triple distilled" refer to this process).

Ver 20018

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