The Essence of Fragrance

By: Randy Schueller and Perry Romanowski, Alberto Culver

Posted: December 13, 2005, from the February 2005 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.

William Shakespeare once wrote, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” But had he been a cosmetic scientist instead of a playwright, Shakespeare might have asked, How does fragrance make a personal care product smell as sweet as a rose? To answer this question, the formulator must understand the basic principles of fragrances and how they are employed in personal care products. This article introduces the beginner to fragrance chemistry and how these compounds are used in formulations.

Beginning the creative process: Simply stated, fragrances are compounds added to personal care products to improve their odor or to create a certain aesthetic impression on the user. They are created by specialized companies known as “fragrance houses” that consist of perfumers, chemists, evaluators, marketers and other trained professionals. Fragrance suppliers work with product manufacturers to develop new fragrances in a process that can take many paths. In some cases, the fragrance house can proactively develop scents based on their internal knowledge of trends in the marketplace. In other instances, they may develop a fragrance following specific guidelines established by the client company.  For the complete article, click on "Purchase this article."

This is only an excerpt of the full article that appeared in Cosmetics & Toiletries, but you can purchase the full-text version.