Extrait: Aglaia Absolute

Production: Solvent extraction from Aglaia Odorata

Origin: China

Use in Perfumery: A fresh light floral with a lemon jasmine character and a soft green undercarriage.  An unusual floral that adds freshness to heavier florals and depth to citrus.  Very useful to marry citrus and floral blends harmoniously.

Size 10ml

Collection of extraits used on the Artisan Perfumery Course.

Includes the standard extrait kit of 36:

Balsam of Tolu, Benzoin Resin, Bergamot FCF, Caraway Seed, Carrot Seed, Cedarwood Atlas, Cedarwood Virginian, Clary Sage Absolute, Coriander, Cypress, Frankincense, Galbanum Resinoid, Geranium Bourbon, Grapefruit Yellow, Green Mandarin, Guaiacwood Oil, Immortelle Absolute, Jasmine Absolute - The king of flowers, Labdanum (Rock Rose, Cistus), Lavender - High Altitude, Lavender Absolute, Lemon Myrtle Organic, Lime Oil Distilled, Linden Blossom Absolute, Litsea Cubeba, Mimosa Absolute, Myrrh, Patchouli, Petitgrain Oil Bigarade, Rose Absolute Maroc (Rose de Mai), Sandalwood Genuine, Thyme Absolute, Tobacco Leaf Absolute, Vetivert Bourbon, Violet Leaf Absolute, Ylang Extra

Plus the following additional extraits:

Balsam of Peru, Beeswax Absolute, Blackcurrant Bud Absolute, Cocoa Absolute, Coffee Absolute, Gardenia Absolute, Green Brandy Absolute, Hay Absolute, Jasmine Sambac Absolute, Laurel Leaf Absolute, Neroli Bigarade, Nutmeg, Oakmoss Absolute, Opopanax Resin, Osmanthus Absolute (Kwei Hwa, Mo Hsi), Pink Lotus Absolute, Roman Chamomile Absolute, Rose Otto - The Queen of Flowers, Tonka Bean Absolute, Vanilla Absolute, Wild Rose, White Champac Absolute

Plus Botanical Musk

Optional wooden case.

 Beech display stand, holds 30 x 10ml extrait bottles. 

Heart - Classical Floral

Nuance - Warm Balsamic

Intrigue - Floral Citrus Accord

A special edition fragrance, created by Alec Lawless especially for BBC2 TV's "The Victorian Pharmacy", Empress of India invokes the traditions of perfumery from a bygone age.  The heart of this classical fragrance is based on absolutes of rose, Indian Jasmines of grandiflorum and sambac, orange blossom and tuberose. The base provides warm balsamic nuances being composed of absolutes of opoponax, vanilla and tonka bean with sandalwood, frankincense and botanical musk. The top notes are a floral citrus accord. Orris, rose Otto and neroli provide the florals with a fresh delicate citrus lift courtesy of green mandarin, bergamot and a hint of coriander.

56ml Italian Flint Glass Bottle.

For more information about Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum click here.

To buy a 12ml miniature size bottle of Empress of India click here.

Miniature (12ml) bottle of Empress of India, your chance to try the special edition perfume created by Alec Lawless for BBC2 TV's "The Victorian Pharmacy"

You can also send a personalized gift message.

SPECIAL OFFER:

Price includes a £10 discount voucher to be redeemed against a full size bottle of Empress of India.

Remembering the First Christmas, a gift bag containing a gold chocolate coin, frankincense tears and myrrh.

Hang on the Christmas tree or burn the frankincense and myrrh on a burner, the top of a wood-burning stove or throw on an open fire to scent the room. (And eat the chocolate whilst you do it).

Create your own signature scent at home!

Based on our popular one day Make Your Own Perfume workshop, we've come up with a kit that allows you to create your own perfume in the comfort of your own home.   Perfumer Alec Lawless, has devised a set of natural aromatic blends that take care of the technical aspects of perfumery, so that you can experiment and blend your own finished perfume by following the simple instructions provided.  

If you would like to blend a perfume using individual extraits, click here to have a look at our Perfume Making Kit.

Kit contains:

12 x 10ml bottles of aromatic blends - top, middle and base notes

Dropper for measuring blends

Smelling strips for testing blends

Blending bottles

2ml Syringe for measuring final perfume

5ml Atomiser Bottle for final perfume

Instruction booklet

  Cylindrical 12ml atomiser bottle, push fit atomiser and silver top

  Empty box for 56ml perfume bottles.  Does not include tissue paper, sleeve or raffia.

  Pillow pack and sleeve, empty

  Glass vials for perfume samples with plastic stopper

 Tube of 500 Smelling Strips 

Choose 1ml miniatures size perfumes from Essentially Me’s Collection of 10 natural perfumes to create truly ‘scentsational’ wedding favours!

Perhaps you’ll pick floral and elegant White Blooms for the ladies and warm Amber for the men; or you could opt for exotic Kuan Yin for ladies and spicy Chypre for the men. Whichever you choose, you can be sure that Essentially Me’s perfumes are made with the finest natural aromatics in the world. So you’ll be giving your guests a rare and exclusive treat.

To help you choose your wedding favours, order our set of 10 perfume miniatures for £20 and we will deduct the price from your final order.

To present your favours, either select from our collection of organza bags, or contact us to discuss other options.

For more than 20 years Alec Lawless has been hand-making fine perfume following traditions handed down from antiquity. He explains the origins and use of fabled ingredients such as frankincense, ambergris and attar of roses, essential elements in the beautiful, strange and beguiling smells that haunted the court of Cleopatra and the salons of 19th-century Paris.

SPECIAL OFFER:

Save £5 if you buy a copy of the book and ten perfume samples for £24.99

Card with 1ml perfume sample.

Hand written message on the card.

Don't know which gift to choose? 

Gift Vouchers are available in multiples of £10 - select a £10 voucher and then update your basket with the desired number (e.g. for a £50 voucher, enter a quantity of 5)

We also offer vouchers for our "Make Your Own Perfume" 1 day workshop (£125) and for the ultimate indulgence, our Bespoke Perfume Consultation (£245).  Please note, vouchers are valid for 12 months from date of purchase.

To find out more about our Bespoke Perfume Consultation, click here

To find out more about our  "Make Your Own Perfume" 1 day workshop, click here.

Please choose five 1ml samples out of our range of ten house fragrances. You can send a personalised message with your gift. You can read descriptions of each by clicking here.

Samples are Eau de Parfum strength.
 

To send or receive 1ml miniatures of the ten fragrances from our main collection. You can send a personalised message with your gift.  

Fragrances included are: Amber, Chypre, Classique, Fauve, Kuan Yin, La Joupe, Souk, Tangos, Trade Wind, White Blooms. 

To try the special edition fragrance "Empress of India" order a 12ml mini atomiser.

Miniatures are Eau de Parfum strength.
 

To send or receive an eau de toilette strength fragrance please choose below. You can send a personalised message with your gift.

56ml Italian flint glass bottle

To help with your choice you can read about each fragrance by clicking here.

To send or receive any five 1ml samples and an eau de toilette strength fragrance (in a 56ml Italian flint glass bottle) please choose samples below. The samples will be sent first and once the recipient has chosen their favourite we will send the fragrance of their choice.You can send a personalised message with your gift.

To help with your choice you can read about each fragrance by clicking here.

To send or receive an eau de parfum strength fragrance please choose below. You can send a personalised message with your gift.

56ml Italian flint glass bottle 

To help with your choice you can read about each fragrance by clicking here 

To send or receive any ten samples and an eau de toilette strength fragrance please choose samples below.

The samples will be sent first and once the recipient has chosen their favourite we will send the fragrance of their choice. You can send a personalised message with your gift.

To send or receive any five 1ml samples and an eau de parfum strength fragrance (56ml Italian flint glass bottle) please choose samples below. The samples will be sent first and once the recipient has chosen their favourite we will send the fragrance of their choice. You can send a personalised message with your gift.

To help with your choice you can read about each fragrance by clicking here.

To send or receive any ten 1ml samples and an eau de parfum strength fragrance in a 56ml Italian flint glass bottle. The samples will be sent first and once the recipient has chosen their favourite we will send the fragrance of their choice. You can send a personalised message with your gift.

A perfume making kit comprises of a collection of 36 extraits and a lab pack, with the option of an attractive wooden box to hold the extraits. The kit is aimed at the perfume enthusiast who wants to use individual aromatics to create fragrances from scratch.

For our easy-to-use Make Your Own Perfume Kit, click here.

36 Extrait Collection

The 36 extraits in this starter pack have been carefully selected to represent a spectrum of the most useful extraits available to the natural perfumer. A bottle of botanical musk fixative is also included. You can also choose to order a hand made wooden box which has space for further extraits to be added to your collection. The price represents a saving of over 25% from buying the included items individually.
 

Extraits Included are:-

Citrus : Bergamot, Green Mandarin, Linden Blossom Absolute, Grapefruit, Petitgrain, Litsea Cubeba, and Lime.
Woody: Cedarwood Atlas, Cedarwood Virginian, Cypress, Guaiacwood and Sandalwood.
Balsamic: Balsam of Peru, Benzoin, Labdanum, Frankincense and Myrrh.
Floral: Geranium Bourbon, Immortelle Absolute, Jasmine Absolute, Rose Maroc Absolute, Lavender Absolute, Mimosa Absolute and Ylang Absolute.

Herbaceous:, Clary Sage Absolute, Coriander, Lavender - High Altitude, Lemon Myrtle and Thyme Absolute.
Spicy: Caraway Seed, Carrot Seed
Agrestic: Galbanum Resinoid, Tobacco Leaf Absolute and Vetivert Bourbon.
Green: Violet Leaf Absolute.
Mavericks: Patchouli.
Botanical musk fixative.

Lab pack.  

This contains: 1ml pipette, 10ml pipette, Glass funnel, Pack of 10 filter papers, 100g Fullers Earth, Wooden Funnel stand, Two 100ml blending bottles.

We recommend the use of pipette fillers.  To buy pipette fillers, click here.

For a complete explanation of our extraits please click here.  

You can also buy the Extrait Collection and Lab Packs separately if you wish. To buy the Extrait Collection without the lab pack then please click here.

Extrait Collection - 36 Extraits

Citrus : Bergamot, Green Mandarin, Linden Blossom Absolute, Grapefruit, Petitgrain, Litsea cubeba, and Lime.

Woody: Cedarwood Atlas, Cedarwood Virginian, Cypress, Guaiacwood and Sandalwood.
Balsamic: Balsam of Peru, Benzoin, Labdanum, Frankincense and Myrrh.
Floral: Geranium Bourbon, Immortelle Absolute, Jasmine Absolute, Rose Maroc Absolute, Lavender Absolute, Mimosa Absolute and Ylang Absolute.

Herbaceous:, Clary Sage Absolute, Coriander, Lavender - High Altitude, Lemon Myrtle and Thyme Absolute.
Spicy: Caraway Seed, Carrot Seed
Agrestic: Galbanum Resinoid, Tobacco Leaf Absolute and Vetivert Bourbon.
Green: Violet Leaf Absolute.
Mavericks: Patchouli.
Botanical musk fixative.

For more information about extraits, click here.

For more information about lab packs, click here.

1ml pipette.  

Ideal for initial working on compositions and adding minute quantities accurately. Measures up to 1ml in 1% increments.

10ml pipette. 

Quicker than the 1ml pipette for making up final blends.

25ml pipette.

Largest practical size before moving up to measuring cylinders.

Pipettes are essential for being able to make hygienic and accurate measurements of mobile fluids. All made from Pyrex glass, which is tough and doesn’t get odour contamination like plastic.

Using the mouth to fill pipettes is not recommended. Apart from the obvious risks of getting fluid in the mouth and saliva in the pipette if one uses the mouth one cannot see the volume scale. Our pipette fillers are extremely easy to use. 

1ml pipette filler.  

Ideal for initial working on compositions and adding minute quantities accurately. Measures up to 1ml in 1% increments.

10ml pipette filler. 

Quicker than the 1ml pipette for making up final blends.

25ml pipette filler.

Largest practical size before moving up to measuring cylinders.

These pipette fillers are extremely easy to use. Using the mouth is not recommended. Apart from the obvious risks of getting fluid in the mouth and saliva in the pipette, if one uses the mouth one cannot see the volume scale. The pipette fits tightly into the filler and by rolling the wheel usng the thumb, the pipette is filled.

To discharge simply allow air into pipette by  squeezing a lever without having to change hand position. Rolling the wheel in the opposite direction can make a quicker discharge.

Please note, pipette fillers supplied may look different from those pictured.

Small glass funnel – Ideal for making up small batches. Dishwasher proof.

Please see article 'A Word About Blending' for instructions about fining and filtering fragrances. Matching filter papers are available.

Hand made wooden funnel stand, designed to be used in conjunction with our perfume bottles.  Holds 3 funnels.

Fullers Earth Powder for fining. 100g

Please see article 'A Word About Blending' for instructions on correct use.

Professional Filter Papers to fit small glass funnel. Much finer than coffee filter papers, which are too coarse for effective filtering of fragrance.

Packs of 10.

Frequently seen in perfume shops and used for testing lots of perfumes without the confusion of applying many directly to the skin. They are most useful for getting to know oils and absolutes or a blend as it changes over time.

Some oils like sandalwood, patchouli and myrrh will last for days on a strip but almost all of them change over time.By following a blend that we are working on and seeing how it changes over time, is necessary to inform our blending.

Pack of 25 smelling strips.

100ml Pyrex Beaker. Dishwasher proof.

Glass measuring cylinder available in 2 sizes.

Less labour intensive than using pipettes to make up larger batches. Larger size doubles as a very useful pipette stand. Storing pipettes upright in alcohol keeps them clean and ready for immediate use. 

Brown amber glass blending bottles. 100ml, 500ml and 1 litre.

Obtaining small quantities of high quality fragrance bottles is difficult as most of the top end manufacturers have high minimum orders. We have chosen this bottle because it is unisex and comes with a choice of either silver or gold atomiser. It is made from Italian flint glass and the atomiser is fitted by screwcap – 56ml.

Please note that we can only sell the atomisers with the bottles.

We shall be offering more fragrance bottles shortly.

Obtaining small quantities of high quality fragrance bottles is difficult as most of the top end manufacturers have high minimum orders. We have chosen this bottle because it is unisex and comes with a choice of either silver or gold atomiser. It is made from Italian flint glass and the atomiser is fitted by screwcap – 56ml.

Please note that we can only sell the atomisers with the bottles.

We shall be offering more fragrance bottles shortly.

Handmade Wooden Case to hold extraits.

Does not include extraits.

The Lab Pack contains the following items:- 1 ml pipette, 10 ml pipette, glass funnel, pack of 10 filter papers, 100 g of Fuller's Earth, wooden funnel stand and two 100 ml blending bottles. The price represents a saving of 25% from buying the included items individually. Please remember that you might need atomising bottles to dispense your finished fragrances.
 

We recommend using pipette fillers.  To buy pipette fillers, click here.

Our Fragrance Base is aged for at least six months before we use it. To encourage the softening process we add a blend of essential oils, which also act as fixatives and other botanical extracts to make it more gentle on the skin. Please see Our Extraits An Explanation.

Please note, Fragrance Base is subject to higher postal charges due to the alcohol content.

Fragrance Base available in 100ml, 500ml and 1litre volumes.

Our Certified Organic Grain Fragrance Base has had a blend of essential oils and other botanical extracts added to it. It is then left for at least six months to mature. The maturing process softens it enabling it to marry more effectively with the most delicate of floral fragrances. It also becomes much kinder on the skin.

The high price is a direct consequence of duty levied by HM Revenue and Customs.

Please note, Fragrance Base is also subject to higher postal charges due to the alcohol content.

Certified Organic Grain Fragrance base available in 100ml, 500ml and 1litre volumes.

Heart – masculine floral

Nuance – balsamic incense

Intrigue – herbs and spice.

The first impression is soft, warm and masculine. Subtle hints of spice, mint, caraway and thyme evolve on the skin to reveal a floral heart of jasmine, lavender, rose and clary sage. The base is provided by labdanum, frankincense, sandalwood and myrrh with hints of vanilla and patchouli. Distinctive, subtle and masculine. 

56ml Italian flint glass bottle

For more information about Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum, click here.

To order a sample of this perfume, click here

Heart – linden blossom, wood and tobacco,

Nuance - floral citrus

Intrigue - marine and hay.

One of the green classics named after Cyprus. A fresh and complex blend of citrus, floral and green notes which obscure the woody floral heart which in turn covers the base of tobacco and oak moss. Top citrus notes of linden blossom, neroli, bergamot, lime and cassis gently obscure hints of lavender and rose. Fresh green notes are provided by violet leaf, mint, cumin and seaweed. Cedarwood and cypress help marry the lighter citrus and floral notes with oak moss and tobacco. Like the best men, dead butch, but also soft and feminine.
 

56ml Italian flint glass bottle

For more information about Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum, click here.

To order a sample of this perfume, click here

Heart - cool sea

Nuance - warm earth

Intrigue - warm wind.

A light green day perfume with a citric twist. I wanted to catch the experience of being on an exotic island. Seaweed absolute with mint and violet leaf conjure up the ocean whilst galbanum resin, sandalwood, and vetivert hint at the soft warm earth. Carried in the breeze are faint impressions of orange flowers, linden blossoms, hay and nutmeg.

56ml Italian flint glass bottle

For more information about Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum, click here.
 

To order a sample of this perfume, click here

Heart - floral rose

Nuance - citrus

Intrigue - fresh herb and spice

A classical floral fragrance from yesteryear that whispers elegance. From an era when quality was more important than price. This is timeless, elegant and beautiful. The floral heart is a generous blend of rose otto, and rose de mai, supported by orange blossom with neroli and hints of ylang, geranium Bourbon and jasmine. Bergamot, green mandarin and petitgrain provide a subtle citrus lift. Intrigue is imparted by the freshness of coriander and bay, which is warmed by hints of, clove bud and vetivert Bourbon. I had a card from a lady that wears this perfume it said ‘this must be very good because all the young men are after me’.

56ml Italian flint glass bottle

For more information about Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum, click here.

To order a sample of this perfume, click here

Heart - Heady floral

Nuance - Oriental

Intrigue - musky.

This is unashamedly musky,  mysterious and very sexy for the confident woman. Why wait for the young men to chase you? Voluptuous, heady floral notes of tuberose and orange blossoms emerge out of the sultry heart of jasmine, patchouli and ylang. The base is very warm balsamic and musky comprising of vetivert bourbon, frankincense, guaiacwood, labdanum, tonka, oakmoss and vanilla. One for the evening.
 

56ml Italian flint glass bottle

For more information about Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum, click here.

To order a sample of this perfume, click here

Heart - delicate white floral

Nuance - soft green balsam

Intrigue - warm woody.

A light delicate feminine floral perfume based on mostly white flowers. White Champac and orange blossoms cover a faint hint of pink lotus and jasmine. Delicacy is maintained by using absolutes of hay and beeswax to impart soft warm green notes, which are, in turn supported by a base of sandalwood, frankincense and a light vanilla courtesy of benzoin resin. A daytime fragrance delicate enough for warm balmy evenings.

56ml Italian flint glass bottle

For more information about Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum, click here.

To order a sample of this perfume, click here

Heart - Vanilla, jasmine

Nuance - Rose, Sandalwood

Intrigue - Patchouli,oakmoss.

Genuine vanilla has tremendous depth and is very sensual. Here we try and show the depth and sensuality which is continents away from the synthetic flavouring. The exotic side is supported by absolutes of jasmine and ylang whilst rose Otto and rose de Mai marry the floral heart to sandalwood and earthy vetivert Bourbon. Mystery comes from oakmoss and patchouli which is softened by frankincense, beeswax abs and trusty absolute of lavender. Suitable for day or night use.

56ml Italian flint glass bottle

For more information about Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum, click here.

To order a sample of this perfume, click here

Heart - Precious woods

Nuance - Rose and spice

Intrigue - Incense.

This was inspired by travelling in the Middle East and India where there is much to celebrate from these ancient cultures. The haunting smells of the spice markets, the Arab love affair with the rose, fragrant gardens, precious woods, resins and incense. Sandalwood, frankincense and Cedar of Lebanon are blended with balsams to provide a complex woody heart. Rose Maroc, jasmine, orris and neroli bring floral tributes from surrounding lands. Citrus fruits, herbs and oriental spices bring nuance from the market stalls and the ancient mysterious opoponax suggests incense with help from frankincense and sandalwood. Deep complex and beguiling - the beauty is in the mystery.

56ml Italian flint glass bottle

For more information about Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum, click here.

To order a sample of this perfume, click here

Heart - violet leaf, tobacco

Nuance - Jasmine, rose

Intrigue - guaiacwood

A bold musky perfume originally made for a friend from Argentina based upon her choices of aromatics. Named after the most popular form of Flamenco. It has turned many heads in Buenos Aires. A deep green sultry forest (oak moss, violet leaf, vetivert Bourbon and tobacco) slowly releases complex floral bursts (jasmine, ylang, rose Otto, geranium Bourbon, vanilla and rose Maroc) with hints of herb and spice (hay, coriander, tonka bean). Probably needs to be worn by a dark haired women day or night if you have the confidence.
 

56ml Italian flint glass bottle

For more information about Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum, click here.

To order a sample of this perfume, click here

Heart - Osmanthus floral

Nuance - other florals, green notes, citrus

Intrigue - spices and herbs.

Sophisticated, subtle and unusual floral fragrance. Light enough for daytime use and sexy enough for the evening. The floral heart is made up of Osmanthus with mimosa and is supported by hints of jasmine, pink lotus, white champac, rose and ylang. Nuance and depth are added by using violet leaf and citrus fruit. Finally intrigue is provided by fresh green herbs and spicy tobacco leaf. The making of this perfume is described in detail on the page 'A Word About Blending'.

56ml Italian flint glass bottle

For more information about Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum, click here.

To order a sample of this perfume, click here

Extrait: Beeswax Absolute
Production: Solvent extraction from honeycombed wax propolis of Apis mellifera L
Origin: Italy.
Use in Perfumery: Rich warm honeyed with soft green backnotes of hay.
Safety: Normal usage but don’t forget your pipe when raiding the hive.
Comment: Highly underrated fixative which is as versatile as Guaiacwood

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Galbanum Resinoid.
Production: Natural resin exuded by ferula galbaniflua.
Origin: Turkey
Use in Perfumery: The resinoid is a base note, which is used as a fixative in any composition with green notes. It can also be used to freshen the base notes in heavy Oriental type compositions. Green sharp spicy balsamic notes mask a slightly floral earthy agrestic body.
Safety: Normal Usage.
Comment: A giant fennel whose resin is used as a medicine; in Iran the resinoid has traditionally been blended with opopanax in old Arab perfumery.

Size 10ml.

 

Extrait: Hay Absolute.
Production: Solvent extraction from dried Hierochloe alpina
Origin: Italy
Use in Perfumery: Very seldom in main-stream perfumery because coumarin which has a hay like odour is much cheaper. This absolute is warm sweet rich green and yes, hay like. It can lighten intense florals, warm citrus and introduce green notes to almost any blend.
Safety: Normal Usage.
Comment: Perhaps a contender for a happy smell. We do not know anyone who suffers from hay fever being adversely affected by the absolute.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Tobacco Leaf Absolute.
Production: Solvent extraction from semi-dried nicotianum tabacum.
Origin: France
Use in Perfumery: Rich warm amber with greenish hue and also deep dark and mysterious. The synthetic versions used in mainstream perfumery cannot get any where near this depth. Lovely with citrus especially lime and linden blossom. Imparts warmth and depth to florals.
Safety: Normal Usage.
Comment: This and oakmoss are contenders for the most butch oils.

Size 10ml.

 

Extrait: Vetivert Bourbon
Production: Steam distillation from roots of vetivera zizanoides.
Origin: Reunion.
Use in Perfumery: Invaluable as a fixative. It has a sweet earthy woody green character that remains the same over days on a strip. Its woody note is inimitable in the green classics, woody, Oriental and floral blends.
Safety: Normal Usage.
Comment: The Bourbon is the premium quality being much smoother and deeper than normal grade vetivert from Java.

Size 10ml.
 

 Extrait: Vetivert Java

Production: Steam distillation from roots of vetivera zizanoides.
Origin: Indonesia.
Use in Perfumery: Invaluable as a fixative. It has a sweet earthy woody green character that remains the same over days on a strip. Its woody note is inimitable in the green classics, woody, Oriental and floral blends.
Safety: Normal Usage.
Comment: This is the normal grade vetivert from Java, which is less expensive than the slightly smoother Bourbon variety which we also offer.

Size 10ml.

Extrait: Balsam of Peru.
Production: Distilled from resinoid of myroxylon pereirae.
Origin: South America
Use in Perfumery: As a superior fixative in floral blends where it can impart an amber quality.
Safety: Do not exceed 2% in a blend.
Comment: Many balsams appear similar on first encounter and yet each is subtly different as is the effect they can have in a blend. Only familiarity and experimentation will enable a perfumer to utilise their individual characteristics for fine-tuning of fragrances. The non-distilled oil is a sensitizer.

Size 10ml.

 

Extrait: Balsam of Tolu.
Production: Solvent extraction from resinoid of myroxylon toluifera.
Origin: South America
Use in Perfumery: Base note with rich sweet balsamic floral quality with a hint of spice and fruit on a back note. Good fixative for heavier floral fragrances.
Safety: Normal usage
Comment: Good choice for imparting warmth and body.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Benzoin Resin
Production: Solvent extraction from resinoid of styrax tonkinensis.
Origin: Thailand
Use in Perfumery: Base note with sweet balsamic vanilla character, which acts as a fixative. Especially good with light floral blends
Safety: Normal usage.
Comment: Add in small increments as too much can hide a blends fragrance.

Size 10ml.

Extrait: Organic Benzoin Absolute

Production: Solvent extraction from resinoid of styrax tonkinensis.  

Origin: Thailand

Use in Perfumery: Base note with sweet balsamic vanilla character, which acts as a fixative. Especially good with light floral blends
Safety: Normal usage.
Comment: The finest benzoin we have seen in 24 years.   Available from March 2010.

Click here to buy the Pure Absolute.

Size 10ml.

Extrait: Frankincense
Production: Steam distillation from resinous tears of boswellia carterii.
Origin: Arabian Peninsula.
Use in Perfumery: Fresh resinous balsamic slightly green with a hint of lemon base note. A classy fixative and versatile blending ingredient.
Safety: Normal usage.
Comment: Highly valued in the ancient world. Frankincense tears were used as currency and along with the spice and silk routes there was also a frankincense route. Frankincense derived wealth built Petra. This carteri variety is vastly superior to the thurifera. Not popular amongst lapsed Catholics; provoking insight into smell learnt memory relationship.

Size 10ml.

Size 10ml.

Extrait: Labdanum (Rock Rose, Cistus)
Production: Solvent extraction from resinous exudates of cistus ladaniferus.
Origin: Mediterranean
Use in Perfumery: A base note, which takes days to dry out. Sweet rich balsamic amber character with warm dry woody backnotes. Indispensable fixative.
Safety: Normal usage.
Comment: Herodotus (5th C BC) observed Arabs combing the resin from the beards of their goats, which had grazed amongst labdanum bushes. It was also listed by him as one of the principal perfume ingredients brought from Arabia. Possibly the ‘myrrh’ referred to in the early chapters of the Bible. Often called amber by perfumers because it resembles ambergris and is used as the raw material for synthetic ‘amber’. Listed as the main ingredient in 33% of modern quality fragrances it blends well with most fragrances. Essential component in Chypre blends. If you pick only one balsamic fixative this is it.

Size 10ml.

Extrait: Myrrh
Production: Solvent extraction from oleo-gum-resin of commiphora molmol.
Origin: Arabian Peninsula.
Use in Perfumery: Warm spicy and at the limit of what could pass for balsamic. Good fixative for woody, Chypre and Oriental blends that imparts sweetness, depth and mystery.
Safety: Normal usage.
Comment: Goes well with oppoponax, labdanum and tuberose.

Size 10ml.

Extrait: Opopanax Resin.
Production: Solvent extraction from oleo-gum-resin of commiphora erythroea.
Origin: Arabian Peninsula.
Use in Perfumery: Fresh warm spicy balsamic resinous and slightly floral base note used a superior fixative in fine perfumery.
Safety: Normal usage
Comment: Another Biblical balsam that goes well in Oriental blends.

Size 10ml.

Extrait: Tonka Bean Absolute
Production: Solvent extraction from dried beans of dipteryx odorata.
Origin: South America.
Use in Perfumery: Rich sweet and warm with hints of vanilla herbs and hay. Delicate and subtle quality fixative for fine fragrance use.
Safety: Normal usage.
Comment: Unlike most of the other balsamics this is very light in colour so if you like your roses red....

Size 10ml.

Extrait: Vanilla Absolute.
Production: Solvent extraction from cured beans of the orchid vanilla planifolia.
Origin: Madagascar.
Use in Perfumery: Base note with sweet rich warm vanilla character. Blends beautifully with heavier floral and Oriental blends.
Safety: Normal usage
Comment: It is one of a small number of fixatives that holds its odour profile on a smelling strip over many days. Associated by many people with synthetic vanillin and bubble gum notes that we’re told celebritneys smell of. The real thing is rich warm deep mysterious heady and incredibly sexy. It dances all night with jasmine, patchouli, frankincense and sandalwood. Greening vanilla with violet leaf and warming with celery or caraway seed makes it sophisticated and intimate. Produced by co-operative.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Bergamot FCF.
Production: Cold expression from peel of citrus bergamia.
Origin: Sicily.
Use in Perfumery: Extensively in Classical Eaux de Colognes, Chypre and Fougère as a top note with fresh, sweet, rich, lemon pepper floral character which imparts lightness.
Safety: Use only furanocoumarin free (FCF) as this constituent is photo toxic.
Comment: Indispensable as a top note.

 Size 10ml.

Extrait: Bitter Orange
Production: Cold expression from peel of citrus aurantium var. amara.
Origin: South America.
Use in Perfumery: Can be used in Classical Eaux de Colognes, Chypre and Fougère blends as a top note to impart a fresh, slightly bitter, orangey character with a pithy backnote.
Safety: Do not exceed 1.4% in final blend.
Comment: Indispensable as a top note. More interesting and tenacious than sweet orange

Size 10ml.

Extrait: Cedrat

Production: Cold pressed from the fresh fruit of citrus medica Linn.

Origin: Sicily

Use in Perfumery: The fruit is similar to a lemon but larger and has a thick sweet smelling skin. The aroma of the oil is unmistakably lemon in quality but it is more floral, sweet and softer than even the finest Sicilian cold pressed lemon oil. The sharpness expected from citrus oils is reduced – a very clean citrus oil that invokes an early Mediterranean summer.  Useful oil for the citrus floral palette in fine perfumery.

Size: 10ml

Extrait: Grapefruit, Yellow.
Production: Cold expression from peel of citrus paradisi.
Origin: Israel, USA.
Use in Perfumery: Top note in citrus and Cologne blends to impart fresh non-green sharpness, body and tenacity.
Safety: Do not exceed 4% in final blend.
Comment: Citrus oils are normally produced as a by-product of the juice industry. The trend in the market is to feed us more and more sugar so consumer preference is now for red grapefruit juice,  consequently yellow grapefruits are more scarce. The yellow oils cost  more than the red for this reason alone. The nuketone content provides grapefruit with its ‘bite’ and even though this is a trace element the difference between 0.05% and 0.07% is fairly significant. The red grapefruit oil is much lower in nuketone than the yellow. We prefer the tang and ‘bite’of the yellow to the fruitiness of the red, which can be invoked more economically by judicious blending of sweet orange, mandarin and lime.
  

Size 10ml.

Extrait: Green Mandarin
Production: Cold expression from peel of unripe citrus reticulata.
Origin: Sicily.
Use in Perfumery: As a light top note with fresh, sweet, green citrus character.
Safety: Normal usage.
Comment: Indispensable as a top note. Imparts interest to citrus blends and sharpness to floral blends. Mandarin is produced three times a year. The first time is when the fruit naturally falls from the trees before it is ripe and this fruitfall is  used to make  green mandarin. The fruit is later thinned by hand and these fruits go for yellow mandarin production and finally, the ripe fruit is used to produce the red mandarin. 

Size 10ml.

Extrait: Lime Oil Distilled
Production: Steam distillation from the peel of citrus aurantifolia.
Origin: Mexico
Use in Perfumery: As a fresh sweet fruity citrus lime top note in Eaux de Colognes.
Safety: This distilled oil is not phototoxic like the expressed variety.
Comment: Use with discretion as it can easily overwhelm but used carefully it can provide a delicate lift to green florals.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Litsea Cubeba
Production: Steam distillation from ripe fruits of tetranthera polyantha.
Origin: China, S.E. Asia.
Use in Perfumery: A sweet fresh lemony middle note with more intensity and tenacity than lemon. It smells more like lemon than lemon and adds body to citrus blends, though it can be somewhat coarse on its own.
Safety: Normal usage
Comment: A good substitute for lemon, which has a tendency to oxidise and is phototoxic. The name Cubeba comes from the shape of the fruits. It is known in China as May Chang. See lemon myrtle.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Neroli Bigarade
Production: Steam distillation from blossoms of citrus aurantium var. amara.
Origin: Egypt..
Use in Perfumery: A light floral slightly bitter top note with a herby green freshness which leaves a trace of orange blossom in the dry out phase. Neroli softens citrus blends and imparts freshness and definition to florals. Important ingredient in classical Eaux de Colognes.
Safety: Normal usage
Comment: Invaluable versatile ingredient.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Petitgrain Oil Bigarade
Production: Steam distilled from the leaves and twigs of citrus aurantium var .amara.
Origin: Paraguay
Use in Perfumery: Fresh orangey floral top note with bitter herbal and woody backnotes.
Safety: Normal usage
Comment: Often used as a cheaper alternative to neroli but invaluable in its own right for the tenacity and body it brings to Eaux de Colognes and Fougère blends.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Boronia Absolute.
Production: Solvent extraction from fresh flower spikes of boronia megastigma.
Origin: Tasmania/Australia
Use in Perfumery: Its top note is fresh but the body is extraordinarily warm and rich in violet lily freesia notes against a beautifully soft green backnote.
Safety: Normal Usage
Comment: The concrete was exhibited at the British Empire Exhibition of 1924 yet has remained obscure until recently. It has been used as a flavour in confectionary. Recently it has become extremely rare as a result of gaining iconic status amongst natural perfumers.  

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Frangipani Absolute

Production: Solvent extraction from fresh flowers of Plumeria rubra acutifolia.

Origin: Haiti

Use in Perfumery: A rich deep warm and heady floral heart note that is also soft and complex. Suggestive of jasmine, orange blossoms, tuberose and gardenia. 

Comment: Vastly superior to the cloying Indian versions that are the more commonly available. Plumeria are most fragrant during the evening and at night in order to attract the sphinx moth which pollinates them. The flowers of this variety can be pink or white and yellow.  The flowers don't contain any nectar but get inadvertantly pollinated by duped moths going from flower to flower in search of supper.

Size: 10ml

Extrait: Gardenia

Production: Solvent extraction from fresh flowers of Gardenia jasminoides.

Origin: China.

Use in Perfumery: A rich floral heart note that is distinctive because it resonates with many other more familiar floral absolutes but yet remains aloof and splendidly itself. 

Comment: Usually described by reference to jasmine, tuberose and orange flower which provide the clues as to how the fake gardenia “soups” are made. It contains a fresh green sweet quality that distinguishes itself from those other heady florals. One kilo of concrete  is produced from three to four thousand kilos of flowers.

Size: 10ml

Extrait: Genet Absolute (Spanish Broom)
Production: Solvent extraction from very fresh flowers of spartium junceum.
Origin: France.
Use in Perfumery: Sweet fresh delicate floral and a hint of hay. Excellent for softening intense floral blends and warming citrus.
Safety: Normal Usage
Comment: Grown in southern France and Spain since the 16th C as a perfume ingredient. The flowers are similar in appearance to those of the sweet pea to which it is related. The Plantagenets named themselves after this plant (planta genet).

Size 10ml.
 

Production: Steam distillation from leaves and branches of Pelargonium graveolens.
Origin: Réunion.
Use in Perfumery: A fresh rosy middle note with a slightly green minty quality. Very useful for bolstering rose, if not allowed to dominate. It can also be used to freshen up and bring depth to other floral notes.
Safety: Normal Usage.
Comment: Bourbon is indisputably the premium quality geranium oil.

Size 10ml.

Extrait: Immortelle Absolute.
Production: Solvent extraction from fresh petals or concrete of helichrysum angustifolium.
Origin: France.
Use in Perfumery: Floral sweet and woody with hints of herb honey and hay. Base note blender in floral compositions. Lovely in masculine Chypre, Amber or Fougère fragrances.
Safety: Normal Usage
Comment: Deserves to be better known.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Jasmine Absolute - The King of Flowers.
Production: Solvent extraction from concrete of jasminum officinalis.
Origin: Egypt/India.
Use in Perfumery: Traditionally used in the finest compositions with rose and neroli to provide classical floral heart. Will enhance almost any feminine blend and in lower doses almost any masculine fragrance. Quite intense heady floral character with fruity green backnotes. Its long dry out period helps the persistence of other floral scents in a blend.
Safety: Normal Usage
Comment: Another indispensable oil for the natural perfumer. Like vanilla, synthetically ‘enhanced’ jasmines are so prolific that many people don’t like it until they come across the real thing, which has a depth and complexity that if used in the right proportions is magical. Remains inimitable.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Jasmine Sambac Extrait.
Production: Solvent extraction from concrete of Jasminum Sambac.
Origin: China, India.
Use in Perfumery: Sweet, fresh, light, white floral and lily like with a delicate, ethereal, soft, green backnote. Like its cousin above. a versatile, classy, floral middle note. Also known as Arabian or sometimes Tuscan jasmine. The English name is derived from the Arabic Zanbaq and has a long history of fragrance use in India where the plant is known as Chameli and the oil as Motia.
Safety: Normal Usage
Comment: I have been offered the absolute many times in India but never encountered one that justified the asking price (it is usually more expensive than j.officinalis or j.grandiflorum). However, one of my Chinese suppliers sent me a sample that had the tingle factor. It reminded me of the smell inside a quality florist’s shop. The top note has an elusive floral character partly reminiscent of bunches of freesias or lilies. It is too fresh to be heady, courtesy of the angelic, green back note. I sent a sample to a colleague from a French fragrance company. When I asked him for his opinion he said, ‘I want to lick it.’

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Lavender Absolute.
Production: Solvent extraction from flower heads of lavandula angustifolia.
Origin: France
Use in Perfumery: As a fresh floral middle note in almost any blend. Its ability to marry floral, herbal and woody notes in a blend is incomparable. Fresh floral lavender with backnotes of herb wood and hay.
Safety: Normal Usage.
Comment: The absolute is much more floral, deep and complex than the oil. Over familiarity and its popularity should not prevent its use, truly versatile, dark blue.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Linden Blossom Absolute.
Production: Solvent extraction from dried flowers of tilea europea
Origin: France
Use in Perfumery: Light warm citrus and floral with hints of beeswax and honey. Works well to green floral blends and to impart subtlety and warmth to citrus and Chypre fragrances.
Safety: Normal Usage
Comment: Essential part of floral/citrus palette along with neroli.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Mimosa Absolute
Production: Solvent extraction from fresh flowers of acacia dealbata.
Origin: France.
Use in Perfumery: Soft sweet floral and waxy with a light green back note. Excellent for lifting and as a marrying agent in many fragrance categories. Good for blends that require a delicate or subtle floral quality.
Safety: Normal Usage
Comment: Grown up floral – non pollyannas.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Orange Flower Absolute.
Production: Solvent extraction from fresh blossom of citrus aurantium var. amara.
Origin: Normal Usage
Use in Perfumery: As a fresh middle note providing a fragrant bouquet in many types of composition. From delicate light to rich intense heavy green orange blossom scent.
Safety: Normal Usage
Comment: Extremely versatile and a candidate to prove the ‘less is more rule’. Blends beautifully with neroli and lavender absolute but brings out nuance in almost any other floral.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Orris Root Concrete.
Production: Steam distilled from dried rhizomes of Iris Pallida with a yield of 1-2 parts per 1000, effectively an essential oil, but solid at room temperature.
Origin: Italy
Use in Perfumery: Another highly important perfume material. A top note reminiscent of violets but so delicate with warm fruity tenacious undertones. The real magic is the effect it has on other oils. It is an excellent fixative and has the power to amplify other fragrances.
Safety: Normal Usage.
Comment: Orris root concrete – this is the premium Orris product, also known as butter/beurre due to its appearance. The plant is named after the Goddess of the Rainbow and has been esteemed for centuries. The best is produced from three-year old dried rhizomes of Iris Pallida. Quality and therefore price is determined by the irone content. This butter has an irone content of 16% and is the best quality that money can buy

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Osmanthus Absolute (Kwei Hwa, Mo Hsi)
Production: Solvent extraction from fresh flowers of osmanthus fragrans.
Origin: France.
Use in Perfumery: Sweet soft warm delicate jasmine like floral with hints of plum and dried fruit. A grown up floral, which adds interest and sophistication to fragrances. Blends well with mimosa and violet leaf.
Safety: Normal Usage.
Comment: Flowers of an evergreen tree native to China and Japan. It surprises. Part of the beauty of blending naturals is the effect that oils have on each other. Experience means fewer surprises but nature usually has the last word. Recently, when working on a perfume, osmanthus produced completely unbidden delicate notes of peach blossom. Beautiful.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Pink Lotus Absolute.
Production: Solvent extraction from fresh blooms of nelumbo nucifera.
Origin: India
Use in Perfumery: In floral compositions to impart fresh floral warm rich and slightly heady notes. Blends well with quality green notes to produce exotic yet understated character.
Safety: Normal Usage.
Comment: Chosen from several kinds of lotus we found that the pink lotus was the most consistent quality and had the most unique fragrance. 

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Rose Absolute Maroc (Rose de Mai).
Production: Solvent extraction from fresh petals of rosa centifolia.
Origin: Morocco
Use in Perfumery: As for rose otto it can form the backbone of a blend and transform a lack lustre composition. It brings warmth, delicacy, smoothness, harmony and beauty. Again it will blend with almost anything.
Safety: Normal Usage
Comment: Wax Lyrical.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Rose Otto – The Queen of Flowers.
Production: Distillation from fresh petals of rosa damascena
Origin: Bulgaria
Use in Perfumery: Only limited by cost as it is so versatile that it can be used in almost any type of fragrance to impart rich rosy floral notes. A middle note of great tenacity making it effective in small doses – a great harmoniser.
Safety: Normal Usage.
Comment: Perfumers are divided on preference for Turkish or Bulgarian. Originally, the rose of Damascus was introduced to Bulgaria by a visiting Turkish merchant. Bulgaria is now the largest producer followed by Turkey. Cultivation and husbandry is labour intensive, which combined with extremely low yields and the fact that more than one distillation is needed accounts for the cost. Rose is unquestionably the single most important oil in perfumery.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Tuberose Absolute.
Production: Solvent extraction from concrete of polyanthes tuberosa.
Origin: France
Use in Perfumery: Mainly used in sweet, heavier floral and oriental compositions. Small doses enhance light florals with body. Sweet heavy floral balsamic with slightly green honey backnote. Has been described as a ‘well stocked garden at eventide.’
Safety: Normal Usage
Comment: Known as mistress of the night in India and Malaysia as the growing blooms get more intense after nightfall. The cut flowers are extracted by enfleurage because they continue to produce essential oil for 48 hours. Native to Mexico and highly valued by the Aztecs.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: White Champac Absolute, AKA Champak and Champaka
Production: Solvent extraction from fresh flowers of michelia champaca.
Origin: India.
Use in Perfumery: To impart powerful sweet heady velvety floral character with hints of lily and orange blossom. Versatile enough to produce delicate soft floral character of something approaching jasmine like intensity.
Safety: Normal Usage
Comment: Flowers picked in the morning and woven into the hair gradually open during the day but being indolic, seduction happens at night when they release their soft magic, which hangs invisible in the air. The real thing is scarce.

Size 10ml.
 

  Extrait: Wild Dog Rose.

Extrait: Ylang Extra.
Production: Solvent extraction from freshly picked flowers of cananga odorata.
Origin: Madagascar.
Use in Perfumery: To provide lift and as a harmoniser in floral blends. Tropical floral quality with hints of fruit medicine and spice with a slightly balsamic dry out.
Safety: Normal Usage
Comment: Extremely useful especially in oriental compositions. Enhances most floral blends in small doses by bringing lightness. Low quality oils are used as a flavour in fruity chewing gum and highly synthetic versions are responsible for the bubble gum note in modern mass produced perfumes. Without gold there could be no false coin. Another oil, which can be used well below the level of conscious detection, yet which still imparts valuable body, some lift and a harmonising effect.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Violet Leaf Absolute.
Production: Solvent extraction from concrete of viola odorata.
Origin: France.
Use in Perfumery: Traditionally in the green classics but its green woody floral earthy character can be used in small doses to impart body and intrigue to all the quality florals. A middle note that certainly knows how to bring ylang absolute down to earth. Compliments osmanthus and mimosa beautifully.
Safety: Normal Usage.
Comment: Very dark green in colour. The obvious combination is with orris concrete but try it with lavender absolute too.

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Clary Sage Absolute.
Production: Solvent extraction from fresh salvia sclarea.
Origin: French
Use in Perfumery: Used as a fixative and also for its appealing sweet light herby woody amber warmth. The absolute is much warmer than the oil. Classically included in Chypre, Fougere, Oriental and herbal compositions for its distinctive notes. Can be used in small doses in almost every type of blend.
Safety: Normal Usage
Comment: Extracted sclareol is used as a natural fixative

Size 10ml.
 

Extrait: Coriander.
Production: Steam distillation from dried seeds of coriandrum sativum.
Origin: France.
Use in Perfumery: A fresh top note useful with heavy florals and Oriental type blends. Quite intense fresh pepper spicy woody floral with green herb character. Brings freshness and intrigue.
Safety: Normal Usage.
Comment: Use in moderation. Like some of the spices they bring their best when below the threshold of conscious detection.

Size 10ml.