Absolute
A highly concentrated aromatic extract obtained from plant material using solvent extraction. Absolutes are prized for their intensity and complexity, especially in floral perfumery.
Accord
A blend of multiple scent materials that creates a new, unified olfactory impression. Accords are the building blocks of perfumery, often used to replicate a complex natural scent or create an entirely new one.
Anchor Note (Fragrance Oil)
A fragrance oil component added to stabilize volatile top notes and extend wear time. Anchors function similarly to fixatives and are often used in blends where natural base notes are absent.
Anosmia
The inability to perceive odors, either partially or completely. Some individuals may have anosmia to specific compounds such as musks or certain synthetics, affecting how they experience a fragrance.
Artisanal Batch
A small, handcrafted batch of perfume made with careful attention to each step of the process, often using rare or seasonal materials. Artisanal batches emphasize individuality, intuition, and the uniqueness of each composition.
Attar (or Ittar)
A traditional perfume made by distilling natural materials—often flowers, woods, or resins—into sandalwood oil. Attars are alcohol-free, deeply concentrated, and used both for personal scent and spiritual ritual.
Attunement
The process of energetically aligning oneself with the materials or intention of a perfume before blending. Attunement can involve meditation, prayer, or intuitive listening to the vibration of the oils.
Balsamic
A scent family characterized by warm, sweet, resinous, and often slightly vanillic aromas. Ingredients like benzoin, tolu balsam, and Peru balsam fall into this category and are used to round and soften blends.
Batch Variation
A natural difference in aroma or quality that can occur between different productions of the same raw material. This is common with essential oils and absolutes, which are affected by climate, soil, and harvest conditions.
Bloom
The unfolding of a fragrance on the skin after application, as the top notes evaporate and the heart begins to develop. A perfume that “blooms beautifully” has a graceful evolution and reveals its inner character over time.
Body
The main character or fullness of a perfume, often referring to the richness and strength of the heart and base notes. A fragrance with body feels substantial, textured, and multidimensional.
Body-Safe Fragrance Oil
A fragrance oil certified for use on skin according to cosmetic safety guidelines. These oils have been tested or formulated to avoid sensitizers or irritants, especially for leave-on products.
Booster
An ingredient added to intensify or amplify a certain aspect of a fragrance, such as projection, freshness, or longevity. Boosters may be naturals or synthetics and are often used in small amounts to enhance specific effects.
Botanical Palette
The range of plant-based materials—essential oils, absolutes, tinctures, resins, and extracts—available to a natural or artisan perfumer. A well-developed botanical palette allows for nuance, originality, and depth in formulation.
Bridge Note
A material that connects two contrasting elements in a fragrance, helping them transition smoothly. Bridge notes are essential for cohesion in complex compositions and often lie between two fragrance families.
Chypre
A classic fragrance structure built around citrus top notes, a floral or fruity heart, and a mossy, woody base—often including oakmoss, patchouli, and labdanum. Named after the French word for Cyprus, this genre is elegant, dry, and complex.
Cloying
A term used to describe a fragrance that is overly sweet, heavy, or overwhelming. A cloying scent can feel suffocating or unbalanced, especially in warm weather or high concentrations.
Cold Process Stability
A fragrance oil’s ability to retain scent integrity and clarity when used in cold process soap making. This term also applies to artisan perfumers working with natural emulsions, waxes, or oils sensitive to heat.
Cold Throw
The strength or character of a scent as perceived before a product is warmed or worn, such as in a candle or solid perfume. It refers to the initial impression without heat or skin chemistry.
Cologne
Originally referring to a light, citrus-based fragrance from Cologne, Germany, this term now refers to a low-concentration perfume (typically 2–5% aromatic compounds). Colognes are fresh, short-lived, and often used for layering or refreshment.
Compound
A blend of aromatic ingredients used to create a perfume or fragrance base. This can refer to a finished formula or an intermediate stage before dilution into a carrier.
Concrete
A semi-solid extract made by solvent extraction of plant material, containing waxes, resins, and aromatic compounds. Concretes are often further processed into absolutes through alcohol extraction.
Cycle of Tincture
The rhythm or calendar followed in the creation and maturation of aromatic tinctures. Some artisan perfumers align these cycles with moon phases, seasons, or spiritual intentions to enhance the subtle properties of the blend.
Cure
The process of allowing a perfume or aromatic material to rest and stabilize after blending. Curing improves integration, softens sharp edges, and allows the full character of a blend to emerge.
Decant
A small quantity of perfume transferred from its original bottle into another container, usually for sampling or travel. Decants allow sharing or testing fragrances without purchasing a full bottle.
Deg and Bhapka
Traditional vessels used in Indian attar distillation. The deg is the copper still where materials are boiled, and the bhapka is the receiver vessel filled with sandalwood oil to collect the distillate.
Denatured Alcohol
Ethanol that has been treated with additives to make it undrinkable, commonly used as a solvent in perfumery. It evaporates quickly, carrying the fragrance and leaving the aromatic materials on the skin.
Designer Dupe
A fragrance oil created to mimic a popular designer perfume, often sold under generic names. Artisan perfumers may use dupes as references, inspiration, or affordable alternatives in custom blends.
Devotional Perfume
A fragrance created as an offering or spiritual practice, often used during meditation, prayer, or ritual. It is composed with reverence and intention, designed to invoke presence or connect with the divine.
Diffusion
The manner in which a fragrance radiates from the skin or into the air. A perfume with strong diffusion projects well and leaves a noticeable scent trail, or sillage.
Dilution
The process of reducing the concentration of aromatic materials in a solvent such as alcohol or carrier oil. Dilution is essential for safe skin application and for achieving the desired intensity or texture of a fragrance.
Distillation
A method of extracting essential oils by passing steam or water through plant material and then condensing the vapor. Steam distillation is the most common technique for producing essential oils and traditional attars.
Dry Tincture
A tincture made from dried plant material, as opposed to fresh. Dry tinctures often yield deeper, more resinous profiles and are commonly used in slow, artisanal processes.
Dossier
A detailed breakdown of a fragrance formula, including ingredients, percentages, and structure. A dossier is used in both artisan and commercial perfumery for reference, reproduction, and compliance.
Earthy
A descriptive term for notes that evoke soil, roots, moss, or dampness. Common earthy ingredients include vetiver, patchouli, oakmoss, and labdanum.
Eau de Cologne
A fragrance with a low concentration of aromatic compounds, typically between 2–5%. Known for its freshness and lightness, eau de cologne is often used for short-term wear or refreshing body splashes.
Eau de Parfum (EdP)
A perfume concentration containing approximately 15–20% aromatic compounds. Eau de parfum has a strong presence and good longevity, offering a balanced expression of top, heart, and base notes.
Eau de Toilette (EdT)
A lighter perfume concentration, usually containing 5–15% aromatic materials. Eau de toilette is often brighter and more top-note focused, with moderate lasting power.
Enfleurage Revival
The modern return to the traditional technique of capturing floral aromas by pressing petals into fat over time. It is labor-intensive and deeply sensory, preserving the soul of delicate flowers like jasmine or gardenia.
Energetic Imprint
The subtle, vibrational essence or signature left by a material or intention in a perfume. Artisan perfumers may use this term to describe the felt presence of a plant or spiritual energy in the final blend.
Essential Oil (EO)
A concentrated, volatile aromatic extract obtained through distillation or expression of plant material. Essential oils capture the natural scent and therapeutic essence of a plant and are widely used in both perfumery and aromatherapy.
Ethanol
A type of alcohol used as the primary solvent in alcoholic perfumes. It evaporates quickly, allowing the aromatic compounds to be carried and released on the skin.
Evaporation Curve
The timeline over which the different notes of a perfume unfold, from top to base. Understanding the evaporation curve helps in structuring a fragrance’s development and balance.
Fixative
A material used to slow the evaporation of volatile ingredients and increase the longevity of a perfume. Fixatives can be natural (like resins or woods) or synthetic (like musks or aroma chemicals), and they help anchor the fragrance on the skin.
Fixative Meditation
A contemplative practice used to determine the most spiritually or emotionally appropriate base for a perfume. The perfumer meditates with various base materials to intuit which will ground and hold the fragrance’s purpose.
Flacon
A small, often decorative glass perfume bottle. Flacons are traditionally used to store or present perfumes and are valued both for function and aesthetic appeal.
Floral
A primary fragrance family centered on the scent of flowers. It can range from single-note florals like rose or jasmine to complex bouquets and fantasy floral compositions.
FO (Fragrance Oil)
A common abbreviation used in formulas and recipes to distinguish fragrance oil from essential oil (EO). It indicates that the ingredient is a pre-blended, often synthetic or hybrid aromatic compound.
Fougère
A classic fragrance structure meaning “fern” in French, based on a blend of lavender, oakmoss, coumarin, and woods. Fougères are traditionally masculine and evoke clean, herbal, and slightly sweet green qualities.
Fragrance Family
A classification system that groups perfumes by dominant olfactory characteristics such as floral, oriental, woody, or fresh. Fragrance families help perfumers and wearers understand and categorize scents.
Fragrance Oil
A pre-composed aromatic blend made from synthetic and/or natural ingredients, designed to replicate specific scent profiles. Fragrance oils offer consistency, longevity, and access to scents not available from natural materials.
Fragrance Oil Longevity
The characteristic of a fragrance oil to maintain its scent over extended wear or in finished products. Longevity can vary greatly by supplier and formula and is key in evaluating oil performance.
Fragrance Oil Modifier
A single-note or minimal blend used to adjust the strength, sweetness, sharpness, or projection of a fragrance oil. Modifiers are often added in small percentages to refine a perfume’s structure.
Fragrant Offering
A perfume created or applied as a sacred gift, either to the divine, nature, a ritual space, or the higher self. It emphasizes the spiritual function of perfume beyond aesthetic pleasure.
Garden Distillation
The practice of distilling small batches of plants freshly harvested from a home or sacred garden. Garden distillation embodies intimacy, locality, and co-creation with the living world.
Givaudan
One of the world’s leading fragrance and flavor houses, based in Switzerland. Givaudan supplies ingredients, bases, and custom fragrances for both niche and mainstream perfume brands.
Gourmand
A fragrance family inspired by edible or dessert-like scents such as vanilla, caramel, chocolate, coffee, and sugar. Gourmand perfumes are often warm, sweet, comforting, and indulgent.
Green
A scent profile that evokes crushed leaves, grass, stems, or unripe fruit. Green notes bring freshness, sharpness, and a sense of nature or vitality to a fragrance.
Gris
French for “gray,” this term is sometimes used to describe perfumes with an ambiguous, cool, or soft character—neither fully floral, woody, nor citrus. It can imply subtle complexity or powdery nuance.
Gut Note
A rare or poetic term referring to the instinctive, visceral emotional response a scent evokes. It highlights the primal aspect of olfaction and its deep connection to memory and mood.
Hand-Filtration
A method of gently filtering perfume or tinctures using cloth, mesh, or fine strainers, rather than machines. It preserves the integrity of artisanal material and allows for intuitive control of clarity.
Heart Note
Also called the middle note, it is the core of a perfume that emerges after the top notes fade. Heart notes define the character of the fragrance and often include florals, spices, and fruits.
Herbal
A scent category that includes green, leafy, and aromatic plants such as basil, thyme, sage, and mint. Herbal notes bring sharpness, freshness, and natural vibrancy to a composition.
Herbal Signature
The unique vibrational and aromatic presence of a particular herb in a blend, perceived beyond its scent. Artisan perfumers may use this to describe the soul-quality of a plant in a formulation.
Hesperidic
Relating to citrus fruits, especially orange, lemon, bergamot, and grapefruit. Hesperidic notes are bright, sparkling, and often used as top notes in fresh and uplifting fragrances.
Hydrosol
The aromatic water left behind after steam distilling plant material to produce essential oils. Hydrosols carry the gentle, water-soluble properties of the plant and are used in perfumery, skincare, and rituals.
Hydrosol Layer Separation
A phenomenon in traditional attar-making where the hydrosol and essential oil components naturally separate in the bhapka. This separation is essential to identify when the distillation is complete.
Humectant
A substance that attracts and retains moisture. In perfumery, humectants are sometimes used in functional fragrances and body products to maintain hydration.
Incense
A smoky, resinous, and often spiritual scent profile based on materials like frankincense, myrrh, and olibanum. Incense notes bring depth, mystery, and sacredness to a fragrance.
Infusion
A method of extracting aromatic compounds by soaking plant material in a solvent like oil or alcohol over time. Infusions are gentle and often used to capture soft or subtle fragrances not suited to distillation.
Intensity
The strength or concentration of a fragrance as perceived during wear. Intensity may refer to how loud, diffusive, or long-lasting a scent is on the skin.
Intuitive Blending
A process of perfume creation guided by inner knowing, sensory feeling, or energetic sensitivity rather than formula alone. Intuitive blending is central to many artisan and sacred perfumery practices.
INCI Disclosure (Fragrance Oil)
The International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients name or listing used for regulatory purposes. Most fragrance oils are labeled “Fragrance (Parfum),” though some artisan suppliers provide detailed breakdowns.
Indolic
Describes a note often found in white flowers like jasmine or tuberose, associated with a deep, animalic, sometimes fecal undertone. Indoles add sensuality, complexity, and realism to floral compositions.
Ionone
A family of synthetic aroma molecules with a powdery, violet-like scent. Ionones are key components in floral, fruity, and vintage-style perfumes, often used for their elegant and ethereal character.
Isolate
A single aromatic compound separated from a natural essential oil or plant material. Isolates allow perfumers to use specific scent molecules with precision while avoiding unwanted aspects of the original material.
Jasmine Absolute
A highly prized extract obtained from jasmine flowers through solvent extraction. Known for its rich, narcotic, and sensual floral profile, jasmine absolute is widely used in both high perfumery and spiritual formulations.
Journey Scent
A perfume crafted to accompany a specific phase of emotional, spiritual, or seasonal transformation. Journey scents are often used in ritual or threshold moments, marking inner or outer change.
Juicy
A descriptive term used for fragrances that evoke the sensation of ripe, succulent fruit. Juicy notes are often found in fruity or gourmand perfumes and add playfulness and vibrancy to a blend.
Juniper
An aromatic note derived from the berries or wood of the juniper tree. It offers a fresh, crisp, and slightly piney or gin-like scent, often used in fougère, woody, or unisex compositions.
Karmic Scentwork
A practice of using perfume and scent meditation to consciously release, transmute, or honor past-life or ancestral patterns. It is deeply personal and often guided by vision or spiritual instruction.
Khus
Another name for vetiver, especially in traditional Indian perfumery. Khus has an earthy, woody, and cooling scent and is often used in attars, incense, and grounding perfume blends.
Kashmir Wood
A synthetic note that evokes soft, warm, velvety wood, often with creamy or musky undertones. Frequently used in modern perfumery for its comforting and long-lasting character.
Ketone
A class of organic compounds used in perfumery for their fixative and aromatic properties. Some ketones, such as muscone and civetone, are responsible for musky and animalic notes, whether derived naturally or synthetically.
Labdanum
A resin obtained from the rockrose shrub, used for its deep, amber, leathery, and balsamic aroma. Labdanum is a key ingredient in chypres, ambers, and oriental fragrances, providing rich base note depth.
Layered Remedy
A perfume constructed with intention to operate on multiple levels—emotional, physical, energetic, and spiritual. Each layer corresponds to a note, plant, or vibrational imprint woven into the blend.
Layering
The practice of wearing multiple perfumes or scented products to create a custom scent experience. Layering can enhance longevity, add complexity, or shift a fragrance’s mood or seasonality.
Leather
A scent profile that mimics the smell of tanned leather, often using notes like birch tar, castoreum, or synthetics. Leather accords range from smoky and animalic to soft and suede-like, evoking luxury and sensuality.
Linalool
A naturally occurring terpene alcohol found in many essential oils, especially lavender and coriander. It contributes a floral, slightly spicy aroma and is often used as a blending agent and top-to-heart transition note.
Living Composition
A perfume that evolves in relationship to time, temperature, season, or the wearer’s energy. It is formulated to breathe and change like a living being.
Longevity
The length of time a perfume remains perceptible on the skin after application. Longevity depends on concentration, raw materials, skin chemistry, and environmental factors.
Lotion Perfume
A fragrance diluted in a light moisturizing base, designed to be worn on the skin for a subtle and nourishing scent. Often used in layering or for those with sensitivity to alcohol-based perfumes.
Macération
The resting period during which a perfume concentrate is left in alcohol before filtration and bottling. This process allows the materials to harmonize, deepen, and stabilize into a cohesive blend.
Macerate
An infusion made by soaking plant material in oil or alcohol to extract its aromatic and therapeutic properties. Macerates are often used in natural perfumery and skincare.
Middle Note
Also called the heart note, it forms the main body of the perfume and appears after the top notes evaporate. Middle notes provide balance and character, often composed of florals, spices, or fruits.
Mittī Attar
A traditional Indian attar made from baked clay or earth to capture the scent of petrichor—rain on dry soil. It is considered grounding, cooling, and spiritually purifying.
Modern
A term used to describe fragrances with sleek, minimalist, or innovative profiles, often featuring clean musks, abstract accords, or cutting-edge synthetics. Modern perfumes typically emphasize clarity, lightness, and simplicity.
Mossy
A scent family that evokes damp forest floors, lichen, or tree bark. Oakmoss and tree moss are classic mossy notes, contributing depth, darkness, and grounding to chypres and fougères.
Mousse de Saxe
A vintage perfumery base with a dark, leathery, violet, and mossy scent profile. Originally created in the early 20th century, it has a distinctive character and was often used in classic perfumes.
Moon-Infused Oil
An oil or perfume base exposed to the moonlight during specific lunar phases to capture subtle energetic qualities. This practice is rooted in the belief that celestial cycles influence plant and soul chemistry.
Mystery Accord
A blend created without full intellectual analysis, often guided by dream, trance, or inner vision. Its purpose may not be fully known at the time of creation but reveals itself over time.
Musk
A soft, sensual note originally derived from animal sources, now primarily replicated through synthetics. Musk serves as a fixative and skin-like base in countless compositions, ranging from clean to animalic.
Mimetic Blend
A fragrance oil created to imitate the olfactory profile of a natural material that cannot be extracted (e.g., lilac, lily of the valley, rain). These blends allow perfumers to work with otherwise inaccessible notes.
Narcotic
A term used to describe heady, intoxicating floral notes that feel overwhelming, sensual, or addictive. Common narcotic florals include tuberose, jasmine, and gardenia.
Natural Isolate
A single aromatic molecule extracted from a natural source, such as linalool from lavender or vanillin from vanilla. Natural isolates offer precision and clarity while maintaining a botanical origin.
Natural Perfumery
A style of perfumery that uses only natural ingredients such as essential oils, absolutes, tinctures, and natural isolates. It emphasizes botanical purity, sustainability, and holistic fragrance crafting.
Neroli
An essential oil distilled from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree. Neroli is fresh, green, and lightly floral with a slightly soapy quality, prized in colognes and light florals.
Noble Base
A term used in artisan perfumery to describe high-quality, energetically aligned base materials such as aged sandalwood, vintage resins, or rare oils that carry gravitas and spiritual resonance.
Nose
A colloquial term for a perfumer, especially one with formal training and a refined olfactory skillset. The “nose” designs and constructs perfume formulas and is considered the creative force behind a fragrance.
Nose Prayer
A moment of silent offering or invocation performed before beginning the blending process. It honors the act of perfumery as a sacred art and attunes the senses to the unseen.
Note
A single impression or phase within the unfolding of a fragrance, such as a citrus top note or a woody base note. Notes are often used to describe both individual ingredients and stages in perfume development.
Oakmoss
A lichen commonly used in perfumery for its earthy, damp, and slightly leathery aroma. It is a key ingredient in chypre and fougère compositions, valued for its fixative power and forest-like depth.
Olfaction
The sense of smell, mediated through the olfactory system in the nose and brain. Olfaction is intimately connected to memory, mood, and intuition, making it a profound tool in both perfumery and spiritual practice.
Olfactory Pyramid
A model representing the structure of a perfume, divided into top, middle (heart), and base notes. This pyramid helps describe how a fragrance evolves over time on the skin.
Olibanum
Another name for frankincense, a resin obtained from Boswellia trees with a fresh, citrusy, and incense-like aroma. Olibanum is used in spiritual and meditative perfumes for its clarifying and uplifting qualities.
One-Batch Perfume
A perfume created in a single, unrepeated act of inspiration. Often seasonal, limited, or channeled, one-batch perfumes are treated as ephemeral and never recreated exactly.
Oriental
A traditional fragrance family characterized by warmth, sensuality, and richness, often blending amber, spices, resins, and sweet balsamic notes. Modern perfumery sometimes refers to this category as “amber” to reflect evolving terminology.
Osmanthus
A fragrant flower with an apricot, leathery, and floral profile. Often used as a precious heart note in perfumes, osmanthus adds fruitiness and depth to floral or leather compositions.
Oxidation
A chemical reaction that occurs when aromatic materials are exposed to air, light, or heat, potentially altering their scent. Proper storage is essential to prevent oxidation and preserve fragrance integrity.
Oil Temple
A poetic name for the perfumer’s workspace when used in sacred or ritualistic creation. The oil temple is both physical and spiritual—where matter, intention, and spirit are distilled into form.
Palate (Olfactory Palate)
A perfumer’s trained ability to recognize, distinguish, and recall scent materials. Just as a chef has a refined taste palate, a perfumer develops an olfactory palate through study and experience.
Parfum (Extrait de Parfum)
The most concentrated form of perfume, typically containing 20–30% aromatic compounds. Parfum has great longevity and richness, requiring only a small amount for full effect.
Patchouli
An essential oil distilled from the leaves of the patchouli plant, with a deep, earthy, woody, and slightly sweet aroma. Patchouli is used as a base note and fixative in many chypre, oriental, and woody perfumes.
Perfume Devotional
A practice of daily or ritual perfume application offered with reverence and spiritual focus. It may involve affirmations, prayers, or meditations during application to anchor the fragrance’s purpose.
Perfumery Alcohol
High-proof ethanol used as the solvent base for dissolving aromatic compounds in perfume. It must be odorless and evaporates quickly, leaving the fragrance on the skin.
Phototoxic
Describes certain essential oils that can cause skin sensitivity or burns when exposed to sunlight, such as bergamot or lime. Phototoxic ingredients must be used with care, especially in leave-on products.
Pheromone
A chemical substance naturally emitted by living organisms to trigger social or sexual responses. In perfumery, animal-derived or synthetic pheromones are used to add sensual, musky, or animalic nuances.
Plant Spirit Perfume
A fragrance created to honor or embody the subtle consciousness of a specific plant. It is often made after connecting with the plant through meditation, dreamwork, or energetic attunement.
Powdery
A scent impression that evokes talcum powder, face powder, or dry florals. Common powdery notes include iris (orris root), violet, musk, and heliotrope.
Prayerful Formulation
A process in which each step of blending is conducted in a meditative or prayerful state. The perfume is consecrated during its creation and often used in healing or anointing work.
Pre-Blended Accord
A ready-made fragrance oil designed to represent a single accord (like amber, suede, or oud) rather than a full perfume. These are used by artisan perfumers as foundations, shortcuts, or enhancements.
Profiling (Scent Profiling)
The method of analyzing and describing a perfume’s olfactory structure. Scent profiling helps articulate the qualities, emotions, and storytelling behind a fragrance.
Proprietary Blend
A fragrance oil formula whose composition is legally protected or undisclosed by the supplier. Perfumers working with proprietary blends must rely on scent memory and testing rather than INCI information
Quiet Extraction
A slow, unhurried method of drawing scent from material—such as enfleurage, tincturing, or slow maceration—used to preserve the integrity of delicate plant essences.
Quiet Sillage
A subtle or close-to-the-skin diffusion of scent, noticeable only within an intimate range. Perfumes with quiet sillage are often described as soft, discreet, or personal.
Quintessence
An esoteric term referring to the fifth element or spiritual essence believed to be present in all things. In perfumery, it poetically denotes the soul or purest expression of a fragrance.
Resin
A thick, sticky substance secreted by trees and plants, used in perfumery for its deep, balsamic, and sacred aroma. Common resins include myrrh, frankincense, and benzoin.
Retro-Nasal Olfaction
The perception of scent through the back of the nose while eating or drinking. This process helps explain the relationship between flavor and aroma, and how scent is experienced in the mouth.
Rich
A term used to describe a fragrance with fullness, depth, and density of aroma. Rich perfumes often feature resins, woods, florals, or spices in layered and harmonious compositions.
Ritual Perfume
A fragrance designed specifically for spiritual ceremony, energy work, or sacred rites. Ritual perfumes are composed with specific correspondences—planetary, elemental, astrological, or archetypal.
Reconstitution
The recreation of a natural scent—such as lilac or lily of the valley—using a combination of synthetic and natural materials, since some florals cannot be directly extracted.
Regulator
An ingredient added to control the volatility or diffusion of other scent materials. Regulators help balance a formula by modulating strength, radiance, or evaporation.
Root Accord
A grounding scent blend composed primarily of roots and earthy resins, used to connect the wearer to the body, the earth, and ancestral memory.
Rose Absolute
An extract of rose petals obtained through solvent extraction, distinct from steam-distilled rose otto. Rose absolute is warm, sensual, and slightly honeyed, with a deeper profile than its distilled counterpart.
Ruh
A term used in traditional Indian perfumery to refer to highly concentrated distillates made from flowers or herbs, such as ruh gulab (rose). Ruhs are typically alcohol-free and used in sacred and personal anointing.
Rounding
The process of smoothing a perfume by adding softening materials that reduce harsh edges or excessive sharpness. Rounding creates elegance and flow in a composition.
Sacred Macerate
An oil or alcohol infusion made with ritual intention, prayer, or spiritual correspondence. Sacred macerates are often used in devotional or therapeutic perfumery.
Sandalwood Base
The traditional fixative oil used in attar perfumery, known for its creamy, woody aroma and spiritual grounding qualities. True sandalwood (Santalum album) is highly prized for its ability to hold delicate florals in distillation.
Scent Alchemy
The transformational process by which raw materials are combined to produce a perfume with spiritual or energetic effects. It views perfume creation as a sacred art of transmutation.
Scent Lock
A base note or accord used to fix and retain volatile top notes within a blend. Often includes amber, musk, or resin components to anchor the fragrance.
Scent Meditation
The practice of meditating with a single note or perfume to attune with its energetic and emotional signature. This may include journaling, breathwork, or visualization.
Sillage
The scented trail a perfume leaves in the air as the wearer moves. A fragrance with strong sillage is noticeable and enveloping, often creating a lingering impression.
Single Note
A perfume built around one dominant olfactory impression, often minimalistic and linear. Single-note perfumes may use multiple ingredients to create the illusion of a solitary aroma.
Skin Scent
A fragrance designed to remain close to the skin, subtle and personal. These perfumes often feature musks, soft florals, or delicate ambers that enhance the natural scent of the wearer.
Slow Perfumery
An artisan approach to perfume creation that values patience, intention, handcraft, and reverence over mass production. Slow perfumery may include tincturing, small-batch distillation, or seasonal blending.
Soliflore
A composition that centers on a single flower, aiming to replicate its aroma faithfully or as an artistic interpretation. Soliflores may include supporting notes that highlight the flower’s unique qualities.
Solvent
A liquid used to dissolve aromatic materials in perfumery, typically alcohol or oil. The solvent acts as a carrier, enabling the fragrance to be applied and experienced on the skin.
Soul Blend
A perfume created specifically for an individual, designed to reflect or support the essence of their spiritual path, archetypal nature, or healing journey.
Spicy
A scent family characterized by warm, pungent, or aromatic notes such as cinnamon, clove, cardamom, or pepper. Spicy notes add vibrancy, sensuality, or exotic character to a fragrance.
Styrax
A balsamic resin with a warm, leathery, and slightly smoky scent. Often used in base notes to add depth, richness, and an old-world character to orientals and incense perfumes.
Suede
A soft leather note, often created synthetically, with a smooth, velvety aroma. Suede accords add elegance and warmth without the rough edge of raw leather.
Stability
The ability of a perfume or raw material to retain its character over time. Stability is influenced by storage conditions, composition, and the volatility of its ingredients.
Sweet
A descriptive term for fragrances with sugary, honeyed, or dessert-like qualities. Sweetness can come from gourmand notes, vanillic compounds, or certain florals and fruits.
Synthetic
An aroma material created in a laboratory, either replicating a natural scent or forming a completely novel one. Synthetics provide stability, longevity, and creative range in modern perfumery.
Tincture
An aromatic extract made by soaking raw materials such as resins, spices, or animal essences in alcohol over an extended period. Tinctures are used in natural and artisan perfumery to capture subtle, complex aromas.
Tincture Cycle
The full arc of preparation, infusion, rest, and filtration in tincture-making, often aligned with lunar phases or seasons. It reflects the rhythm of slow, sacred extraction.
Tincture Prayer
A blessing or invocation spoken during the making of a tincture, often used to consecrate the relationship between plant, solvent, and intention.
Threshold Perfume
A fragrance created to support moments of transition—such as birth, death, initiation, or transformation. It serves as an aromatic guide across energetic or emotional thresholds.
Top Note
The initial impression of a perfume, perceived immediately upon application. Top notes are typically light, volatile, and fleeting, such as citrus, herbs, and delicate florals.
Tonka Bean
A warm, sweet-smelling seed with notes of vanilla, almond, and hay, used in perfumery for its comforting and gourmand character. It contains coumarin, a naturally occurring aromatic compound.
Tolu Balsam
A resin obtained from the Myroxylon tree, with a sweet, vanilla-like, and cinnamon-spice aroma. Tolu balsam is used as a fixative and adds warmth to orientals, ambers, and floral blends.
Trail
Another word for sillage—the aromatic wake left behind by a perfume wearer. A strong trail is often associated with bold or long-lasting fragrances.
Transfer-Resistant Scent
A quality in certain fragrance oils that allows the scent to remain on skin or fabric without transferring easily to other surfaces. Often sought after in personal wear or fabric-based perfumes.
Transparency
A term describing the lightness, clarity, or airiness of a fragrance composition. Transparent perfumes feel open and luminous, often using ozonic, aquatic, or sheer musky notes.
Tuberose
A powerful white floral with a narcotic, creamy, and slightly animalic scent. Tuberose is known for its sensuality and intensity, often featured as a heart note in bold floral compositions.
Tobacco
A warm, sweet, dry note evoking cured tobacco leaves. It can smell smoky, honeyed, woody, or leathery, and is often used in masculine, amber, or oriental fragrances.
Top-Loaded Fragrance Oil
A fragrance oil blend that emphasizes volatile top notes such as citrus, aldehydes, or herbal elements. These oils give a strong initial impression but may require anchoring for longevity.
Undertone
A subtle secondary scent that supports or modifies the main character of a fragrance. Undertones may not be immediately perceptible but contribute to the depth and nuance of a composition.
Unfiltered Composition
A perfume intentionally left with natural sediment, cloudiness, or texture as a mark of its raw, unrefined state. Unfiltered compositions honor the material’s wildness and integrity.
Unisex
A fragrance designed to appeal across gender boundaries, neither overtly masculine nor feminine. Unisex perfumes often feature balanced blends of woods, citrus, florals, or musks.
Uplifting
A descriptive term for fragrances that create a sense of brightness, energy, or emotional elevation. Common uplifting notes include citrus, mint, neroli, and light florals.
Undiluted Fragrance Oil
A fragrance oil in its full-strength form, not pre-diluted in a carrier like alcohol or DPG. Artisan perfumers may choose to dilute or blend these oils to adjust intensity or application safety.
Vanilla
A sweet, warm, comforting note derived from vanilla beans or synthesized as vanillin. Vanilla is used in countless fragrance styles for its smoothness and universal appeal.
Vaporization
The process by which volatile scent molecules evaporate into the air. Vaporization influences how a perfume unfolds over time and is affected by temperature, skin chemistry, and formulation.
Vetiver
An essential oil obtained from the roots of the vetiver grass, known for its earthy, woody, smoky, and slightly green scent. Used as a base note and fixative in many chypre, woody, and unisex fragrances.
Vibrational Blending
The process of composing perfumes by tuning into the energetic frequency of each ingredient. Perfume is crafted not just by scent, but by resonance, emotional tone, and intuitive harmony.
Vintage
A term used to describe perfumes from earlier eras, typically with rich, complex formulas and natural ingredients no longer widely used. Vintage perfumes are sought after for their depth, character, and history.
Visionary Note
An ingredient chosen or received through dream, trance, or spiritual guidance. Visionary notes may not make linear sense in the formula but carry symbolic or mystical significance.
Vegan Fragrance Oil
A fragrance oil made without animal-derived ingredients or testing, often certified by third parties. Artisan perfumers may choose vegan fragrance oils to align with ethical or spiritual values.
Warm
A scent quality that evokes heat, comfort, or richness, often associated with spices, resins, ambers, and woods. Warm fragrances are typically grounding, enveloping, and sensual.
Watery
A light, transparent note reminiscent of water, rain, or dew. Watery accords are often created with ozonic or aquatic synthetics to impart freshness and clarity.
Wear Test
The process of evaluating a fragrance oil or final perfume blend on skin to observe its full evaporation curve, sillage, and longevity. Artisan perfumers rely heavily on wear testing for formulation refinement.
White Floral
A category of intensely fragrant flowers such as jasmine, tuberose, gardenia, and orange blossom. White florals are lush, heady, and often sensual or narcotic in character.
Woody
A major fragrance family featuring aromas derived from trees, roots, or bark, such as cedar, sandalwood, and vetiver. Woody notes provide structure, depth, and elegance to both masculine and unisex perfumes.
Wound Balm Perfume
A blend formulated to address deep emotional or spiritual wounds through scent. Often rooted in heart or base notes, it serves as a subtle form of healing and integration.
Warm Base FO
A fragrance oil base dominated by cozy, sweet, or resinous notes like amber, vanilla, or woods. Warm bases are often used to evoke comfort and depth in layered artisan blends.
Xylem Memory
A poetic term used to describe the ancestral memory encoded in tree-derived materials like wood, bark, or resin. Artisan perfumers may invoke xylem memory to speak of the timelessness within plant materials.
Yield Fragrance
A perfume whose formula is dictated by the available yield of tinctures, resins, or distillations. It embraces limitation as a creative force and honors seasonal or rare ingredients.
Yielding Blend
A fragrance oil designed to harmonize with a wide range of materials without overpowering them. Often used as a base to support natural essential oils or to soften sharper top notes.
Ylang-Ylang
A yellow tropical flower with a rich, creamy, fruity-floral scent, often described as exotic or intoxicating. Ylang-ylang is used in floral hearts and oriental compositions for its sensual and narcotic effects.
Zen Blend
A minimal, contemplative perfume created to evoke stillness, spaciousness, and presence. Zen blends often feature subtle woods, airy florals, and meditative resins in sparse composition.
