If you are an ardent fan of “Opium”, the iconic Yves Saint Laurent, then you definitely fall into the category of individuals with an oriental nose. The Oriental fragrance in perfumes is synonymous with exoticism, sensuality and a bold call. Conspicuously feminine, these perfumes combine earthly tones with warm counterparts and often feature a floral touch.
We have come a long way from using a single signature perfume. Perfumes have become an important accessory in one's life. The women of the millennium, specifically, regard the smell they carry as part of their personality. Parallel to that, a man's scent remains the number one factor when it comes to selecting a partner. According to research, a man sees and uses his optical sense. Women, on the other hand, smell and are more olfactory in nature even when the encounter is non-sexual one.
While perfumes have long been used as a tool for enticement, the oriental fragrance exudes one’s sense of control and liberty. With strong aromas blended with rich and spicy whiffs, the oriental perfumes integrate floral touch to enchant and fascinate the opposite sex.
History of perfumes
The word perfume comes from the Latin word ‘perfumare’ meaning ‘to smoke through'. The use of perfumes dates back to thousands of years. Humans have always had a sense of finesse and delicacy about their lifestyle. That is why history observes the use of aromatic plants and herbs in religious ceremonies. There is evidence of the use of Aromatic gums, frankincense, and myrrh collected from trees in ancient cultures around the world. The romantic and seductive purpose, particularly of oriental fragrances, soon became a procured fete.
French perfumes have grabbed a name for themselves. Today almost every celebrity and designers' community have niched a brand name for themselves which they vend. However, the history of perfumes is thousands of years old. Though the first evidence of perfumes was found in Cyprus it was Egypt that bears witness to the earliest perfume making procedures. The confirmation of perfume making in Egypt dates back to 1000 BCE when the newly invented glass was used to make bottles for dispensing the aromatic delicacy.
As the world of chemistry prevailed and thrived among the Persian and Arab world, the earliest chemists collected and arranged the production of perfumes. The art of perfumery spread as a classical relic. However, with the advent of the Dark Ages throughout Europe, this art was kept alive through sheer diligence and passion of Muslim cultural ethics.
The trend was distributed throughout the world via trade routes. As a result, the use of perfumes achieved a following in ancient Chinese, Greeks, Israelites, Hindus and Romans. The oriental fragrance aced all others.
France saw the dawn of perfume era in the 16th century. The elite and nobles contributed towards the subject boom with the help of the ‘perfume court’. The court of Louis allowed everything to be fragrant. The French had perfumed furniture, clothing and what not.
Eau de cologne in 18th century introduced fragrance into French cuisine, as a bathing accessory, in medicine or simply as a drizzle on sugar lumps.
Perfume in today’s world
Perfumes occupy the mainstream of our aesthetic elements. The transition took time but it nurtured, from a non-essential to a must-have in a short span of time. The cosmetic industry has always been consumer-driven. Perfumes too, follow movements set by fashion trends and beauty themes. The net worth of the fragrance industry was about $41 billion in 2016. What about today?
“According to a recent Fact.MR report, the global fragrance market is expected to reach $70,000 million by 2022, increasing at a CAGR of 6.2% during the period”
Some of the basic reasons behind this growing trend include
- Continuously shifting consumer demands
- Increasingly emerging niche brands and personalized trade names
- Increase in demand for natural perfumes instead of synthetic ones
The oriental fragrance has a high mandate because of its exotic integrations as well as a personalized touch. The fragrance industry faces such challenges as
- Need to improve
- Requisite to diversify
- Mandatory update and creation of new fragrances
- Addition of organic touch
The oriental fragrance has the capacity to accommodate all these prerequisites. It thereby holds the potential to compete in the ever-booming fragrance industry. This is particularly true for men's perfumes too as the oriental influences provide more room for innovation and expansion. Celebrity-inspired and youth-oriented perfumes are integrating more oriental aromas in order to market natural and organic brand names to stay in the competition.
Constituents of perfume
The making of perfume requires a ton of knowledge in organic chemistry. The expensive accessory exhibited on shelves of posh cosmetic stores is not a simple blend of essential oils, aromatic elements, solvents, and fixatives.
It is an exhibition of art that undergoes a careful process of analysis and integration. Such a creative approach takes multiple contrasting extracts and dispenses them as layers of fragrances. The collection is then named a striking tag and dispensed as a single perfume.
Why perfumery is art? We say so because a perfume almost always comprises of three notes. They harmonize just like a melodious musical beat. The three notes of perfume include
- Top note
- Middle note
- Base note
These notes are based upon the evaporation gradient of each aromatic extract. That is why a careful assortment is necessary in order to deliver the perfect olfactory experience. The top note, after making the first impression blends into the middle one which lingers a while. The base note is the one that dominates and confers the lasting impression.
The top note, also called the head note, is the one that is immediately observed upon application of the perfume. This note makes you pick up and explore the tag name further or may compel you to put it back. Obviously, it is the one that evaporates the quickest. Though it stays on for the least amount of time, the top note is the one that attracts the specific consumer group thereby making it the most important of all notes.
The middle note or the heart note has more creative work at hand. It emerges just before the final departure of the top note. The middle note is creative enough to disguise the rich base note. It carefully blends into the base and releases the base aroma in a calculated meticulous manner.
The base note delivers the main theme of perfume. With delayed evaporation, the base note is here to stay. Usually, it heralds a rich and deep aroma that takes its time to reveal itself. It is usually perceived about after thirty minutes of application so it is important to make a careful selection. Another important aspect regarding selecting the base note is that it should complement and aide the middle note.
Perfumery is an art because the designer of a particular scent needs to create a balance between the different notes. The base should be subtle enough not to mask the middle and top notes. The top and middle notes should not be rich so as to deface the base note.
All in all, a perfume comprise of 78-95 percent ethyl alcohol while the remaining 22-5 percent constitutes the aromatic oils.
Organic ingredients for perfume are fast gaining repute for being skin-friendly. Some of the synthetic components as galaxolide (a synthetic musk) and diethyl phthalate, a plasticizing agent cause allergic reactions, dermatitis, and hormone imbalance. That is why we see a rise in demand for organic perfumes with more natural ingredients.
What is an oriental fragrance?
There are nine families of fragrances, oriental or amber is one of them. The word ‘Oriental’ takes you back to Victorian descriptions of middle and Far East. That is because these perfumes still use the age-old ingredients like heliotrope, sandalwood, coumarin, orris, vanilla and gum resins.
Though there is quite an overlap between different families of fragrances, oriental fragrance typically emits a spicy scent. Usually recommended for nightwear, the oriental fragrance delivers a dark, heavy, warm diffusive aroma that makes you feel like fully-fledged. The smell can be finely tuned to suit men and women. Lately, some day-wear varieties that integrate lighter smells prevail the market. As mentioned before, some youth-oriented fragrances are making use of the oriental fragrance.
The oriental variety makes use of ambergris and labdanum, which deliver a sweet animalistic smell. They are often integrated with spicy, floral or woody characters. Depending upon the kind of notes, the oriental fragrance comprises of
- Floral oriental
- Soft oriental
- Woody oriental
- Basic oriental
The floral oriental contains orange blossom and sweet spices, the former considered an aphrodisiac and thought to bring good fortune. The spices may include cinnamon and vanilla. Clove is a dried flower bud and imparts floral essence to a perfume.
The main notes of soft oriental contain incense and amber. Incense is used for religious ceremonies, aesthetic and healing purposes. The contemporary perfume industry has made use of its comforting smell. Amber is the fossil remains of tree resins collecting both woody and earthy scents. It imparts warm sensuous olfactory experience.
The woody oriental comprises of sandalwood and patchouli. Sandalwood delivers a very strong, powerful and heady signature scent. So if you want to make a statement, go for the woody oriental fragrance.
The main notes of oriental include the frankincense and vanilla.
Do you have the oriental personality?
Bold yet mysterious. Sensuous and intriguing. Sophisticated and in control. Passionate and adventurous. You leave a yearning behind yourself wherever you go. You are the one with an oriental touch. You will not be satisfied with smelling ordinary or like everyone else.
If you like to live life to the fullest with an edge, oriental fragrance is the one for you. You may be labeled as overbearing or pompous. Pay no heed. Instead, go for some of the latest olfactory ensembles in oriental variety. These include luscious caramel notes, succulent dark or white chocolate, and even a stirring of cappuccino. Called the gourmands, these contemporary Orientals tease your counterparts to a level of allure and submission.
Some of the irresistible varieties include
- Calvin Klein Euphoria, notes include black orchids with exotic smells of pomegranate and persimmon integrated with base of amber and sandalwood.
- Dior Midnight Poison contains strong notes of intoxicating black rose, amber, and patchouli.
- Ralph Lauren Hot, entices with mischievous spicy cinnamon, sumptuous mocha, and lush maple sugar ending it with soothing notes of milk, fig, and musk.
- For the love of vanilla, go for the classic Guerlain Shalimar Perfume. It includes top notes of bergamot, orange, green chords with middle notes comprising of the iris, rose, vetiver, patchouli. The base notes invigorate you with caramel, Tonka, vanilla, and musk. An exotic yet playful fragrance that has fascinated infinite since its decree.
- Habibi Desert Oud.
Ever smelled the scent of raindrops falling on dry desert sand. That is an experience of its own kind. Habibi Desert Oud is an effort to capture that smell and experience in its true essence and all.
With top notes of Citrus, Peach, Clove, Pink Pepper, Green Leaves, the middle notes deliver a balancing act with Jasmine, Rose, Lily of the Valley, Tuberose. The base note lingers with smells of Oud, Benzoin, Labdanum, Amber, Guaiac wood, Musk, and Patchouli.
Habibi embraces its consumers with budget-friendly perfumes that incorporate only the organic extracts. The oriental fragrance with a contemporary touch is sure to leave many hearts to yearn in longing while you take on the world.
Dare to be distinguished? Go for a signature attire with oriental fragrance.