Time to burst the bubble and hold no punches. I’d like to go over broad trends I am observing in perfumery as it is today and the reoccurring accords. Let’s get straight into it, lest another person be swindled meanwhile.
Dubai mall rose
The most modern interpretation of rose that is incessant on the market as of late - which I like to call the Dubai mall rose - features this blatant overdose of a raw material called rose oxide, produced by many companies to varying qualities, including the pure laevo form manufactured by Symrise. It is present in not only rose but also geranium, lychee and wine, to name a few. Apart from rosy facets, it has metallic and green sides to it. In traces it imparts depth and greenness to a rose but can be used for a metallic effect, as in for example Oud Alezan from Hermès or Impadia from BDK Parfums. In the latter, we see the subtrend of entering into lychee notes; this is possible with fruity esters, butyrates, raspberry ketone, rose ketones, cassis notes, often paired with vanillin or ethyl vanillin.
Saffron
Contrary to say the hundreds of green or floral materials in the palette, we have at present realistically two synthetics for a saffron note: Safranal and Safraleine. There are some raw materials - invented to supplement rose ketones due to the IFRA limit - which lean saffron, like Firmenich’s methyl cyclogeranate, but it is a stretch. We also have natural saffron oleoresin from Biolandes and a rectified saffron extract from Robertet, both of which are costly though effective in traces. We are limited though in how to produce a saffron note, which explains why there is no truly inventive one on the market. The incorporation of Safranal or Safraleine is virtually mandatory for a Middle Eastern release and is often paired with rose or woods for any kind of western interpretation of oud on the market.
Tuscan Leather
The clones of the Tuscan Leather accord are endless on the market, still coming out year after year up to today and utilise many of the materials already mentioned. At its core, it is a raspberry saffron note, and naturally can be contorted in different directions, like with the rose theme as aforementioned or a western oud interpretation. There are well-judged touches of maltol, ambrinol and and indole in the original which are important. I cannot even begin to list the clones, but the latest I smelt was Armani’s just released Cuir Nu which I believe is a Harrods exclusive.
Woody ambers
There has been extensive research in woody ambers, finding odorants of increasing power at the lowest cost possible, for maximum bang for your buck. Lasting power and diffusivity are important to consumers nowadays and it comes at the cost of beauty. As of late, these have mostly been IFF’s Amber Xtreme, Givaudan’s Ambermax, Symrise’s Ambrocenide, and Firmenich’s Norlimbanol. There are some more facetted products like Givaudan’s Spirambrene, as it has an aldehydic, spicy character that is more interesting. Norlimbanol smelt pure is an extremely dry cedarwood-like note but in combination with sandalwood odorants gives interesting effects like a sense of volume and muskiness, which is not obvious.
In traces all of these products can be worthwhile but they are now made the central accord to many perfumes. It is difficult to construct a lasting, unique signature. Having an endless rose on skin? Challenging. But if your signature is woody amber odorants, the job is done for you already. They are usually ‘softened’ in combination with the usual powders (as in materials in solid form at atmospheric pressure and room temperature) like vanillin, ethyl vanillin, ethyl maltol and so on.
In briefs where there is a greater budget (e.g. Amouage), patchouli oil is a great pairing to impart some natural rich woodiness and pairs wonderfully with vanillin, ethyl vanillin and coumarin, but this dates back to Emeraude and Shalimar. We have unfortunately not progressed much since these fragrances. For example, the latest Amouage Outlands is based on a large structure built out of patchouli, a woody amber cocktail with Cashmeran, ethyl vanillin, ethyl maltol, coumarin and vanillin. Tom Ford’s latest Bois Pacifique is a woody amber note supplemented with cedarwood, sandalwood and patchouli oils, with Cashmeran.
Muguet power
Especially since the ban of Lilial and Lyral, there has been endless research in muguet odorants, useful also in functional perfumery where stability and tenacity are paramount. Unfortunately, these products also often veer into being rather plastic or very cosmetic (à la skincare) but they are also one of the only options to meet demands for tenacious floralcy and floral volume. They are now often paired with methyl anthranilate if they are chemically an aldehyde to produce a Schiff base, many of which are extremely lasting and diffusive. They are often also responsible for a ‘perfumey’ feeling to many fragrances, especially paired with patchouli oil or vanilla, which is rampant in very commercial perfumery. Ex Nihilo’s Fleur Narcotique is based on methyl anthranilate and the muguet captive Petalia, which is very close to Peonile, not surprising since it is chemically ethyl Peonile.
Cool Water
The masculine market has not progressed beyond Cool Water and this has seeped into even ‘niche’ perfumery. We still find the same recycled accord built around Galbex (or its constituents, e.g. Neobutenone alpha), damascones, dihydro myrcenol, Verdox, allyl amyl glycolate, Veramoss or evernyl, and so on. It has come to the point that in commercial fine fragrance and functional perfumery, it is the seemingly inescapable route perfumers must take to connote masculinity. The two primary variations on this theme - which are mere variations - are Chanel’s Bleu and Dior’s Sauvage. It is perhaps the sector that stands out as the most appalling example of being cemented in the past, and I see no light at the end of the tunnel here. The variations that hit the market now if anything tend towards greater vulgarity with the incorporation of a gourmand facet through ethyl maltol and vanillic notes. Indeed, Le Mâle was essentially an oriental take on the fougère but I attribute part of its success and sensual appeal to the costus note it originally had.
Illuminating, as always.