History of botany
This aromatic perennial plant, which grows spontaneously in the mid-mountains, is covered with silky silvery white hairs and takes its name from the Greek apsinthion which means“deprived of sweetness”, that is to say bitter. Botanical specificity: the whole plant is fragrant.
Obtaining technique
Distillation is practiced by training with steam from crushed leaves.
Olfactory profile
Slightly bitter and green, full of liveliness, the essential oil is clearly similar to absinthe as an alcohol with this little aniseed side.
History of botany
A small tree typical of Haiti, 5 meters high, the Amyris balsam has the particularity of catching fire easily and is used as a torch by fishermen. Its name comes from the Greek amyron which means “strongly fragrant”. For these reasons, it has sometimes been confused with sandalwood although it is not part of the same botanical family.
Obtaining technique
Hydrodistillation of wood chips.
Olfactory profile
The essential oil is characterized by its woody, sweet, green notes, with surprising inflections of sandalwood and cedar.
History of botany
The bluish-black berry of this small, rustic shrub from the Balkans (Macedonia and Slovenia), which clings to the mountainside, is harvested manually at the end of summer in an ancestral gesture: by shaking the tree to make the fruit fall into a sheet.
Obtaining technique
Once traditionally distilled by steam distillation (not without having been dried on mats).
Olfactory profile
The essential oil expresses its festive side, at once green, peppery and tangy, slightly resinous, which clearly recalls the smell of gin alcohol.
Upcycled
History of botany
Long reserved for cooking, this false pepper is the fruit of the Schinus molle species native to South America and now cultivated on Reunion Island.
Obtaining technique
Supercritical CO2 extraction allows for an extract that is more faithful to the berry in situ.
Olfactory profile
Long reserved for cooking, this false pepper is the fruit of the Schinus molle species native to South America and now cultivated on Reunion Island.
History of botany
Of tropical origin, this king of gardens which has been the delight of medicinal preparations for thousands of years belongs to the same family ofLamiaceaethan thymes, sages, lavenders and rosemaries.
Obtaining technique
The essential oil is obtained by steam distillation of the flowers and the whole plant, which have been previously dried.
Olfactory profile
The essential oil offers a herbaceous, aniseed, spicy scent, a perfect alchemy between freshness and serenity.
History of botany
The Tolu balsam (Myroxylon balsanum) is a large tree from Colombia and Venezuela that can reach 40 meters in height. It is by cutting its bark in a V shape and applying a flaming torch to the wound that the “balsameros” obtain the exudation of the resin.
Obtaining technique
The precious balm is diluted in alcohol to obtain what is called a resinoid.
Olfactory profile
The absolute gives off a warm, balsamic, sweet, woody and vanilla scent that is so captivating that it takes all the senses on a journey.
History of botany
The fragrant gum called Benzoin comes from a large tree in the misty forests of northern Laos (Styrax tonkinensis). Traditionally, the farmer cuts the bark of the trunk about fifteen centimeters deep and the resin begins to “cry” three months after the incision.
Obtaining technique
Organic solvent extraction.
Olfactory profile
Benzoin absolute gives off an incredible vanilla, syrupy, honeyed and almond scent and expresses richness and comfort.
History of botany
A hybrid of the lemon tree and the bitter orange tree, it was probably brought from the Canary Islands to Spain before spreading to Europe. The citrus fruit has been cultivated for 600 years in Calabria (Italy), on a strip of land 120 kilometers long along the Ionian coast.
Obtaining technique
Cold expression of the fruit zest.
Olfactory profile
Tonic, luminous, bergamot essence is a perfume in itself. Depending on whether the precious nectar is extracted at the beginning or end of the harvest, the scent will be green or, on the contrary, fruity and floral.
Sustainably sourced
History of botany
While oud wood has been used for thousands of years, its cousin Aetoxylon (also known as “black oud”) remains little known. This species is found exclusively on the island of Borneo, in the depths of the mangroves, where it is endemic.
Obtaining technique
Hydrodistillation.
Olfactory profile
This precious wood develops a unique, very leathery woody scent, which is softened by gourmet notes combining cocoa and tonka bean. Mangrove wood represents an alternative to classic ingredients such as tobacco, birch and cistus labdanum.
History of botany
In Burgundy, where it grows almost exclusively, we know that we have to wait for the arrival of frost, when the plant is in a period of "dormancy", just after the leaves have fallen, to obtain red buds swollen with life.
Obtaining technique
Extraction with volatile solvent and supercritical CO2.
Olfactory profile
The resulting extract is fruity, green, crisp and resinous. It represents one of the rare natural fruity notes in the perfumer's palette.
History of botany
The coffee tree is native to the highlands of Ethiopia, more precisely to the Kaffa region from which it takes its name. Its fleshy fruits, which look like small cherries, turn from pale yellow to red once ripe. Each cherry contains two beans.
Obtaining technique
It is after roasting that the coffee bean is ground and then extracted with a volatile solvent. A CO2 extract, closer to the bean, is also used by our perfumers.
Olfactory profile
Round and sweet, the coffee extract sometimes resembles that of tobacco but more gourmand. It also reveals some sweet notes of leather.
History of botany
This herbaceous rhizome plant originated in India before traveling to Guatemala. It is not the rhizome that is sought after but the fruit, a sort of green capsule containing about ten small aromatic brown seeds.
Obtaining technique
Steam distillation of the seeds previously dried for 5 hours.
Olfactory profile
Both spicy and aromatic, cardamom develops its green, spicy, aniseed scents which are reminiscent of eucalyptus.
History of botany
The ancestor of the lemon owes its name to its peel which smells surprisingly of cedar wood. This slow-growing fruit, cultivated mainly in Corsica and Italy, is part of the citrus family.
Obtaining technique
Cold expression of the fruit zest.
Olfactory profile
Much less acidic than lemon, in the large citrus family, citron is sweet, tangy, with that little “candy” side that makes it so close and accessible to us.
Upcycled
History of botany
This majestic tree (cedrus atlantica) grows abundantly in the mountain range that stretches from Morocco to Algeria. The forest is organized according to a management plan controlled by the government in order to keep the population intact.
Obtaining technique
Our exclusive essential oil is obtained by hydrodistillation from sawdust, a by-product of the furniture industry.
Olfactory profile
The essence exudes a woody, leathery, camphoraceous and slightly balsamic scent that adds warmth and depth to the fragrance.
History of botany
This small conifer from the United States, also called “red cedar” because of its color, belongs to the juniper family (Juniperus virginiana). It is produced in Virginia but also in North Carolina.
Obtaining technique
Steam distillation of cedar wood reduced to sawdust and shavings.
Olfactory profile
A replica of the smell of pencil lead from our childhood, the scent of cedar is woody, dry, green and resinous.
History of botany
An eternal emblem of the Mediterranean, the lemon tree found its Eden in Sicily (it originates from the Indian lands of Kashmir), in the regions of Messina, Syracuse and Acireale, where limoncello, a delicious lemon-based liqueur, was invented.
Obtaining technique
Lemon essence is produced by cold mechanical pressing of the zest.
Olfactory profile
Among its cousins in the large “citrus” family, it is recognizable by its vibrant, volatile, zesty, clean, slightly acidic notes, which ideally express the impression of light.
History of botany
Before the stick found in churches, there is a small, crooked tree with tangled branches (Boswellia carterii) that grows wild in arid environments in the Horn of Africa. Gum has been harvested for thousands of years by lightly incising the bark from which the fragrant sap flows in the shape of tears.
Obtaining technique
Frankincense essential oil is obtained by hydrodistillation.
Olfactory profile
A fresh and aromatic note from the depths of time with a camphorated, resinous and smoky effect and very slightly peppery.
History of botany
Originally from Greece, where it was used to feed livestock, this perennial plant is now cultivated all around the Mediterranean and also in India, in the state of Rajasthan.
Obtaining technique
The seeds of the fruit are crushed and dried before treatment by steam distillation.
Olfactory profile
The extract expresses a warm spicy, dry woody and even roasted odor.
History of botany
Brazilian teak (coumarou) produces small ovoid fruits throughout its height containing the famous bean. This olfactory treasure is venerated by the Amazonian Indians for its medicinal virtues.
Obtaining technique
Extraction with volatile solvent of seeds previously dried and soaked in rum.
Olfactory profile
The extract develops an almondy, caramelized, vanilla, almost roasted scent, which has the gift of sweetening everything that accompanies it.
History of botany
Native to South America, this tree, renowned for the density of its trunk, is cultivated in Paraguay, Argentina and Venezuela. Long confined to the manufacture of boat parts, furniture and wooden toys, it was discovered by the perfume industry in the late 1950s.
Obtaining technique
The essential oil is obtained by hydrodistillation of the bark, branches and shavings over a period of around thirty hours.
Olfactory profile
This wood with smoky and slightly leathery notes brings warmth and sensuality to compositions.
History of botany
The one that is wrongly called geranium is in reality a pelargonium, botanically speaking. It is in the bright green leaves and stems of this small, particularly fragrant bushy plant that the treasure coveted by the perfumer is hidden.
Obtaining technique
Hydrodistillation of leaves and stems.
Olfactory profile
The “Egyptian quality” essential oil gives off a herbaceous scent of peppermint, rose, lemon and even green apple and lychee of great richness.
History of botany
Originally native to India, this perennial plant with a creeping rhizomatous root, whose stem and leaves resemble a reed, is cultivated in this country but also in China and Nigeria. In perfumery as in cooking, it is the rhizome of the plant that is coveted.
Obtaining technique
The essential oil is obtained by steam distillation or CO2 extraction from cleaned, peeled and dried rhizomes.
Olfactory profile
The CO2 extract develops a fresh, slightly rosy and candied scent with zesty, peppery and slightly spicy inflections.
History of botany
Clove is none other than the flower bud of a tree native to the Indonesian archipelago of the Moluccas. It is now cultivated in Madagascar, Indonesia and Tanzania.
Obtaining technique
Steam distillation of previously dried flower buds that have not yet opened (called cloves).
Olfactory profile
Clove oil invariably brings to mind the comforting aromas of mulled mountain wine and gingerbread. It adds a lot of depth and character to a composition.
History of botany
Grown in the Nantes region and in the South West of France, the carrot (daucus carota) is part of the umbelliferae family, just like parsley and fennel.
Obtaining technique
All the complexity of the seed is extracted after steam distillation.
Olfactory profile
A velvety fruity note, fresh apricot and a woody and earthy note as natural as it is elegant. It also has an iris facet, which gives it a warm and noble side.
History of botany
The “pale” iris — due to its pastel blue color — which grows in Tuscany (Italy) in an area between Florence and Siena is traditionally grown in the shade of olive trees. It is in the heart of the rhizome and not the flower that the olfactory treasure is hidden: the irone.
Obtaining technique
Steam distillation of iris powder.
Olfactory profile
The absolute embodiment of luxury, its delicate scent combines notes of violet, woody notes and even hints of carrot and cocoa.
History of botany
Jasmine sambac, a variety with thin, long, opalescent white flowers, is mainly grown in South India, in the state of Tamil Nadu. The flowers are harvested by hand in the early morning, before they lose their fragrant power.
Obtaining technique
Alcohol extraction of the flowers to obtain an extract called “absolute”.
Olfactory profile
The extract asserts its beautiful difference from its cousin grandiflorum. Less heady, sunny and fruity, lighter and virginal.
History of botany
Cistus Ladaniferusàonly tastes the scorching temperatures of Andalusia and Portugal. The shrub that grows in the wild secretes a viscous resin (labdanum) to prevent dehydration.
Obtaining technique
The leaves and twigs are either distilled or extracted to produce cistus extracts.
Olfactory profile
Particularly complex, the extract is characterized by the rare combination of warm notes such as amber, camphor, resinous and leather, as well as sweet notes of licorice.
History of botany
This large herbaceous plant nicknamed “lemon grass” or “Indian verbena” comes from the same family as lemongrass. It grows exclusively in hot and humid regions: India, Guatemala and to a lesser extent in South Africa.
Obtaining technique
Hydrodistillation of aerial parts.
Olfactory profile
The essential oil, highly appreciated in aromatherapy, is characterized by an immediately recognizable sparkling, fresh and tangy note.
History of botany
Originally from China (it seems that “mandarin” refers to the orange color of the ceremonial robes of the high dignitaries of the ancient Chinese Empire), the mandarin was introduced to Europe in the 19th century and ended up finding its chosen land in Calabria and Sicily.
Obtaining technique
Cold expression of citrus zest.
Olfactory profile
There are in an essence facets of orange blossom, orange, lemon, grapefruit and even thyme. The perfumer can play on three varieties: green mandarin (zesty, herbaceous), yellow mandarin (zesty and more fruity) and red (juicier with a little orange note).
History of botany
What is commonly called “oak moss” (Evernia prunastri) is a lichen from the Balkans, Morocco or France, a combination of a fungus and an algae, which grows on the north face of trees.
Obtaining technique
Extraction of lichens with volatile solvents followed by purification in alcohol which allows the reduction of the atranol content (substance listed as an allergen).
Olfactory profile
In all its complexity, this undergrowth note, with smoky and marine accents, brings warmth, intensity, richness and depth.
History of botany
This small wild tree grows in the arid savannahs of the Horn of Africa. At the end of the drought, the trunk and branches become covered with blisters from which small whitish tears flow. Herders have been harvesting the aromatic gum resin for thousands of years using a stone or a stick.
Obtaining technique
The essential oil results from the steam entrainment of the odorous compounds of the resin.
Olfactory profile
A faithful translation of the scent of the precious resin, myrrh essential oil develops an intense balsamic and spicy scent, a hint of incense, with a delicious caramelized licorice facet.
History of botany
Native to India and Indonesia, this soft and fragrant wood was once used to build temples and roof frames. The intensive consumption ofsantalum albumhas endangered its existence to the point that the Indian authorities have limited its cutting.
Obtaining technique
This reconstitution of sandalwood, a sort of recreation by the perfumer himself, allows us to rediscover its olfactory characteristics while ensuring the protection of the tree.
Olfactory profile
A woody, milky, sweet note, evoking all the richness of this precious wood.
History of botany
Its delicate name was given to it in the 17th century by Marie-Anne de La Trémoille, Princess of Nerola, who perfumed her bath and gloves with this orange blossom essence. What we call “neroli” is the essential oil of the bitter orange flower, a tree that flourishes in Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt and Vallauris (Alpes-Maritimes).
Obtaining technique
Treatment of bitter orange flowers by hydrodistillation.
Olfactory profile
With its orange, zesty and green floral character, neroli has always given colognes a form of nobility in simplicity.
History of botany
Native to the Moluccas archipelago in Indonesia — a country where it is still traditionally cultivated — the nutmeg tree bears its first fruits after 15 or 20 years. Only the female tree bears fruits which, when ripe, fall and release a seed: the nutmeg.
Obtaining technique
Extraction of the seed with a volatile solvent produces an absolute.
Olfactory profile
A dry, warm and deep spicy note, with leather and clove inflections.
History of botany
Blood orange is a variety of sweet orange, the fruit of the orange tree (Citrus sinensis) grown on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, where it enjoys plenty of sunshine during the day and cool temperatures at night.
Obtaining technique
Extraction involves mechanically scraping the zest to remove the olfactory compounds.
Olfactory profile
The essence develops a zesty, orange character with a confectionery facet, pleasantly sweet, highly sought after by perfumers.
History of botany
Native to the humid regions of sub-Saharan Africa, this tall-stemmed herbaceous plant was once cultivated in the Nile Delta to make paper (the Latin term papyrus is the origin of the word “paper”).
Obtaining technique
After being pulled out and cleaned from the soil, the rhizomes of the plant are extracted by hydrodistillation.
Olfactory profile
The essential oil gives off a woody, smoky and earthy scent that is reminiscent of vetiver in some ways. It is quite close in olfactory to cypriol essence.
History of botany
This miracle of nature smells of humus, forest and damp earth. The secret of patchouli is not hidden in a wood but in the large, downy leaf of a shrub from Indonesia.
Obtaining technique
Fractional distillation of the leaves which consists of erasing the less noble facets of the essence.
Olfactory profile
The “rectified” essential oil delivers a more elegant tone and less earthy notes than the starting essence.
Upcycled
History of botany
Originally from Syria (hence its name “Damask rose” or rosa damascena according to the Latin name) it is now cultivated in Bulgaria and Turkey where it is harvested by hand in May and June at an altitude of 1200 meters, in the provinces of Isparta and Burdur.
Obtaining technique
The essential oil is obtained by distillation of the flowers already extracted and made reusable as a new ingredient, by an exclusive process. A new environmental challenge made possible thanks to research.
Olfactory profile
The resulting extract draws a fresher, greener and crisper rose, which resembles the smell of the freshly picked flower.
History of botany
From the bitter orange tree, cultivated mainly in the Maghreb, we can extract the flower (we obtain orange blossom absolute and neroli) but also the branches to obtain petitgrain.
Obtaining technique
Petitgrain essential oil is produced by steam distillation of the leafy branches of the bitter orange tree.
Olfactory profile
The essence develops a scent called “citrus”, fresh, green, slightly woody and floral with some nuances that evoke both the sweetness of orange blossom and the freshness of the green leaves of the tree.
Of biological origin
History of botany
This perennial vine (piper nigrum) originating from the Malabar coast in the state of Kerala (India) has spread to other countries in Southeast Asia and Madagascar. It is cultivated for its berries which produce a highly sought-after spice: black pepper.
Obtaining technique
Black pepper essential oil is obtained after steam distillation of the berries when they are half ripe, fermented and then dried.
Olfactory profile
With its characteristic spicy, dry and dusty notes, black pepper gives character, strength and relief to compositions.
History of botany
Originating from Crete, saffron is obtained by growing a variety of crocus (Crocus sativus), which can be recognized by its three bright red stigmas, which only blooms when exposed to the sun and only hatches for one day.
Obtaining technique
Once the stigmas are air-dried, a volatile solvent extraction of this spicy beauty is carried out.
Olfactory profile
The extract obtained develops a dark, leathery and spicy odor, with slight honeyed inflections, full of character.
History of botany
Daughter of an orchid native to Mexico,Vanilla planifoliaeventually found its paradise on the island continent of Madagascar. The flower is still hand-pollinated to produce a fleshy pod that must dry for several weeks to develop its full aroma.
Obtaining technique
CO2 extraction, followed by transformation into absolute on specially selected pods of Madagascar origin.
Olfactory profile
The immense richness of the vanilla pod is present in this exclusive warm, sweet, smooth, woody, smoky and slightly cocoa-flavored extract.
FFL certified
History of botany
Originally from India, it has been rooted for hundreds of years in the volcanic soils of Haiti and the island of Java in Indonesia. Twelve months is an ideal maturity for these roots to gorge themselves on the spices of the earth.
Obtaining technique
Steam distillation.
Olfactory profile
A fiery essence with earthy, smoky and leathery facets, evoking grapefruit and peanuts here and there. The FFL label affixed to this essence guarantees environmentally friendly agricultural practices and a purchase price for small producers higher than the market price.
History of botany
Born on the Indonesian archipelago of the Moluccas, ylang was introduced to Madagascar by French religious leaders at the beginning of the 20th century. Its intoxicating scent explains why the small flower with six petals was named by Filipino women “flower of flowers”.
Obtaining technique
The odorous principle of the flower is obtained by steam distillation.
Olfactory profile
It is during the first hours of distillation that the flowers deliver the most precious elixir (“super extra”), creamy, floral and solar which immediately transports you to an island in the Tropics.
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