This merely dicusses Perfumes, essential oils and synthetics.

Raw materials usually include more than ingreidents found in nature.

Natural ingredients—flowers, grasses, spices, fruit, wood, roots, resins, balsams, leaves, gums, and animal secretions—as well as resources like alcohol, petrochemicals, coal, and coal tars are used in the manufacture of perfumes. Some plants, such as lily of the valley, do not produce oils naturally. Only about 2,000 of the 250,000 known flowering plant species contain these essential oils. Therefore, synthetic chemicals are used to re-create the smells of non-oily substances. Synthetics also create original scents not found in nature.

Some perfume ingredients are animal products. Castor comes from beavers, musk from male deer,  ambergris from the sperm whale. Animal substances are often used as fixatives that enable perfume to evaporate slowly & last longer. Other fixatives include coal tar, mosses, resins, or synthetic chemicals. Alcohol and sometimes water are used to dilute ingredients in perfumes. It is the ratio of alcohol to scent that determines whether the perfume is "eau de toilette" (toilet water) or cologne or perfume. We take liberty and call men's products colognes..because perfume sounds funny to me for a man.

Why are not all natural ingredients used? Some plants, such as lily of the valley, do not produce oils naturally. Only about 2,000 of the 250,000 known flowering plant species contain these essential oils. Therefore, synthetic chemicals are used to re-create the smells of non-oily substances. Synthetics also create original scents not found in nature. Other times, products are expensive, can be unstable as in crop failure, can vary greatly as to strengh or availability. Reliable or less expensive ingredients are created.

If you follow Wicca and want to extract your own perfume there are recipes. One calls for top Olive oil. You soak the natural ingredients for days; extract through a black bag, etc. repeat, then add perfumer alcohol. Essential Oils are extracted from plant substances by several methods: steam distillation, solvent extraction, enfleurage, maceration, and expression.Some perfume ingredients are animal products. Castor comes from beavers, musk from male deer,  ambergris from the sperm whale. Animal substances are often used as fixatives that enable perfume to evaporate slowly & last longer. Other fixatives include coal tar, mosses, resins, or synthetic chemicals.

Once the perfume oils are collected, they are ready to be blended together according to a formula determined by a master in the field, known as a "nose." It may take as many as 800 different ingredients and several years to develop the special formula for a scent. If you have a favorite old discontinued scent you can for major bucks have it recreated.  After the scent has been created, it is mixed with alcohol. Perfumes are mostly alcohol..over 75%. Most full perfumes are only about 10-20% perfume oils dissolved in alcohol and a trace of water. Colognes contain approximately 3-5% oil diluted in 80-90% alcohol, with water making up about 10%. Toilet water has the least amount—2% oil in 60-80% alcohol and 20% water

Alcohol and sometimes water are used to dilute ingredients in perfumes. It is the ratio of alcohol to scent that determines whether the perfume is eau de toilet (toilet water) or cologne or perfume. We take liberty and call men's products colognes..because perfume sounds funny to me for a man.

An ingredient diagram will show Perfumes are 80% to 90% alcohol, colognes are 95 to 97% alcohol or alchohol and water. The alchohol merely disperses in the air. Makes scent seem stronger. Also gets on hair, jewelry, clothes...so best to scent first, then add baubles. Some men's products are now made without the alcohol. Though we find mostly men prefer alcohol or get used to it.

Perfume Oil is more concentrated -better value, and the carrier oil /DPG base makes it stay longer. You can carry smaller quantity, great for travel and to refresh. We create custom perfumes..for fun. Make our own blends. Have nice bottles.