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Perfumery Ingredients

Many notes/accords are comprised of various ingredients, which may be all botanical, all synthetic, or a mix. This is pretty much universal in perfumery with the exception of botanical-only companies or products. For example, our note "wheat fields": This is not represented by a wheat ingredient, but a blend of several substances to create what we think smells similar to cut wheat stalks. We of course cannot extract the odours from a stormy sky or desert sand, but mix ingredients to create our interpretation of such a scent. There is no type of cinnamon in any currently available perfume, we don't use much vanilla except where clearly listed, and we do not ever use lavender.

The following notes in our perfumes are always created by their actual botanical substances:

Amber (we almost always use natural Pinus Succinifera, however in a couple perfumes that plus two other resins are included but not listed to create the accord), Benzoin, Frankincense, Myrrh, Labdanum, Black Pepper, Fir Needle, Cedar (wood and needle, various species), Hemlock, Ho Wood, Cypress, Hinoki Wood, Davana, Gurjun Balsam, Peruvian Balsam, Oakmoss, Cardamom, Thyme, Basil (all varieties), Sage, Nutmeg, Marjoram, Oregano, all Citrus (Bergamot, Blood Orange, Tangerine, Lime, etc, including floral like Neroli), Ylang-Ylang, Champaca, Catnip, Pandan, Zedoaria, Angelica, Peppermint, Geranium, Helichrysum, Petitgrain, Carrot Seed, Turmeric, Sesame Seed, Onion, Coriander, Saffron, Cumin, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Violet Leaf, Ambrette, Vetiver, Amyris, Ginger Lily, Litsea Cubeba, Kelp (seaweed).

These notes are often botanical in our perfumes, but may be a mix of botanical and synthetic to create the note:

Smoke (not a singular source, but combined substances such as vetiver to create a woodsmoke-like accord), Tobacco, Tonka, Mango, Lychee, Sandalwood (only from sustainable sources), Jasmine, Guaiacwood, Rose, Marigold, Carnation.

Other notes may depend on each perfume and the other ingredients/notes in it for compatibility and final product fragrance. Some natural substances do not work as well together as most synthetics do.

Please note: Any given natural ingredient may smell considerably different depending on source and form. Frankincense oils and resin smell similar, but not alike. We use Benzoin from two sources which smell distinctly different from each other. The oils from a plant grown in Egypt may not smell quite like the same plant grown in India, and botanicals with similar names but are different species, such as Himalayan Cedarwood (Cedrus Deodora) and Virginia "Cedarwood" (Juniperus Virginiana) smell very different. One perfumer may favour Labdanum absolute, another prefers working with Labdanum resin. They may have similar properties and comparable fragrance, but not exact.