The Making Of Designer Colognes: A Step-By-Step Process

Creating designer cologne is a complex process that involves a combination of art and science. While some designer brands like Chanel and Hermes have in-house perfumers, most outsource the production of their fragrances to one of five multinational companies: Givaudan, IFF, Firmenich, Symrise, and Mane. These companies use various methods to extract scented oils from natural ingredients, including plants, fruits, woods, and even animal secretions. The oils are then blended according to a specific formula, diluted with alcohol, and aged to allow the different scents or notes to blend together. The final product is a cologne that can enhance one's mood and evoke emotions and memories.

Mixing the fragrance oil and alcohol

Mixing fragrance oil with alcohol is a simple process, but it requires precision and patience. The first step is to gather your base, middle, and top notes, as well as any bridge notes you may want to include. The basic ratio to follow is 20% base notes, 50% middle notes, and 30% top notes. Add these to your 2-ounce glass bottle in that order.

Next, you will fill the bottle with your diluting agent, which is often rubbing alcohol or high-proof alcohol like vodka. You can also add a couple of drops of glycerin to help the mixture bind. After adding the alcohol, shake the bottle well and let it sit. The longer you wait, the stronger the scent will be. You can let it sit for up to six weeks.

Once you are happy with the product, add 2 tablespoons of water, and then pour the mixture through a coffee filter and return it to the bottle.

It is important to keep detailed records and clearly label everything when experimenting with fragrance creation. Even changing the amount of one type of oil by a couple of drops can make a big difference in the final aroma.

Multinational companies that make designer perfumes

The process of creating designer cologne or perfume involves extracting and blending essential oils, adjusting the formula, and mixing the final product with alcohol. While some fashion houses like Chanel, Guerlain, Dior, and Hermès have in-house master perfumers, many others outsource perfume creation to multinational fragrance companies. These companies include Givaudan, IFF (International Flavours and Fragrances), Firmenich, Symrise, and Mane. These companies create fragrances for some of the biggest names in fashion, including Gucci, YSL, Paco Rabanne, and Thierry Mugler.

For example, Givaudan produces the popular men's cologne "1 Million" by Paco Rabanne, while Symrise creates "Be Delicious" for women by DKNY. IFF produces "Alien" by Thierry Mugler. These fragrance manufacturers also create similar scents, known as "smell-alikes" or duplicates, which are often sold by other fashion brands at lower prices.

Another company, Royal Aroma, is a renowned scent manufacturing company that creates fragrances for beauty care, personal care, home care, and fabric care products. They work with both established and upcoming brands to create unique fragrances that help their business stand out.

Alpha Aromatics is another international perfume designer and fragrance supplier, creating scents for respected and innovative brands. They offer organic, natural, and designer fragrance compositions for fine perfumes, personal care products, candles, diffusers, and more. With decades of experience, Alpha Aromatics has a global presence and works with companies of all sizes, from start-ups to multinational firms.

Extraction methods

Solvent Extraction

Flowers are placed in large rotating tanks and covered with benzene or petroleum ether, which extracts the essential oils. This causes the flower parts to dissolve, leaving a waxy substance that contains the oil. This substance is then placed in ethyl alcohol. The oil dissolves in the alcohol, which is then burned off, leaving a highly concentrated perfume oil.

Steam Distillation

Natural materials are placed in a still and extracted using steam. The resulting substance is then passed through tubes, where it is cooled and liquefied.

Boiling

Oils can be extracted by boiling flower petals in water.

Enfleurage

Flowers or plant material are spread across large grease-coated glass sheets, which are then placed in tiers between wooden frames. The flowers are moved by hand and replaced until the grease absorbs the fragrance.

Maceration

Similar to enfleurage, maceration involves using warmed fats to soak up the flower fragrance. The fats are then dissolved in alcohol so that the essential oils can be obtained.

Expression

The simplest and oldest method of oil extraction, expression involves pressing, squeezing or compressing peels of citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges.

Blending ingredients

Blending the ingredients is a crucial step in creating a scent. Once all the ingredients have been chosen, they are blended together according to a formula predetermined by a master in the perfume industry, often referred to as a "nose". These formulas are carefully created over several years and can include hundreds of different ingredients.

The blending process involves combining the extracted essential oils with other ingredients such as alcohol and sometimes water. The ratio of alcohol to scent determines the perfume's strength and worth. The more essential oil in the blend, the stronger and more expensive the perfume will be. For example, perfume, which has the strongest scent, can contain up to 40% essential oils, while eau de toilette contains up to 15% and cologne contains about 10%.

In addition to essential oils, some perfume ingredients come from animal products. For instance, castor comes from beavers, musk from male deer, and ambergris from sperm whales. These animal substances are often used as fixatives, allowing the fragrance to evaporate slowly and emit odours for a longer period. Other fixatives that serve the same purpose include coal tar, mosses, resins, and synthetic chemicals.

The blending process is a complex and time-consuming task, requiring expertise and precision. It can take years to develop a unique recipe, and a single scent may contain up to 800 diverse ingredients. After blending, the perfume is then mixed with varying amounts of alcohol, with the majority of perfumes consisting of 10-20% perfume oils dissolved in alcohol.

Aging and quality control

After the perfume has been blended, it is left to age for several months or even a year. This process allows the alcohol and essential oils to permanently bond, creating a stronger scent. The perfume is kept undisturbed in a cool, dark area, reducing the damaging effects of time. Antioxidants such as Butylated hydroxytoluene are added to aid in the scent's longevity.

Once the aging process is complete, an expert is called in to test the perfume. If the scent is stronger than it was before aging, it passes the test. Adjustments can then be made, such as additional blending. The final product should be a scent that contains three distinct notes: a top note, a central or heart note, and a base note.

Quality control is an essential step in the perfume manufacturing process. It ensures that the finished perfume does not contain any harmful or banned substances, protecting both the brand's reputation and public health. Natural ingredients and natural animal oils can be challenging to source and collect, so synthetic perfumes have gained popularity as they are easier to create and require less quality control.

Frequently asked questions