Katrina Rosales
The process of perfume distillation has been used for thousands of years, dating back to the 2nd millennium BC. Ancient civilisations such as the Egyptians, Persians, Romans, and Chinese used perfume distillation for cosmetic, ceremonial, and religious purposes. Today, perfume distillation is still commonly used to create fragrances from natural ingredients such as flowers, fruits, woods, spices, and even animal secretions. The process involves heating plant materials in a still with water, capturing the evaporated fragrant oils, and condensing them into a liquid form. This liquid can then be mixed with alcohol and stored in bottles to create a final perfume product.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Distillation is a technique used to recover odorous molecules from plants to make perfume. |
| History | There are records dating back to the 2nd millennium BC that describe a perfume maker who distilled flowers, oils, and calamus with other aromatics. |
| Process | Plants are placed in stills with water, heated, and then cooled to form condensation, which is collected and decanted to separate the essential oil. |
| Types of Distillation | Steam distillation, water distillation, and solvent distillation. |
| Stills | Perfume distillers can be designed in different ways, including pot stills, column stills, and vacuum stills. |
| Other Techniques | Enfleurage, expression, extraction, and maceration. |
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What You'll Learn
Steam distillation
Perfumers use stills, which are large steel tanks topped with serpentine pipes. To recover an essential oil, plants are placed in the still, and then between 5 and 10 times the same volume of water is added. The quantities vary depending on the flowers, plants, bark, or roots being distilled. Everything is then heated, and the steam traps the fragrance of the plants, rising through the serpentine pipe. As it cools, it forms condensation, which is collected and known as floral water. This is then decanted to separate and recover the essential oil.
The distillation process involves preparing the plant material, which may need to be chopped, crushed, or ground to release the essential oils. The still is then loaded with the prepared plant material, and water is added to create steam, which carries the essential oils and other components up through the still. The steam then cools and condenses into a liquid form, which is the essential oil.
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Water distillation
To start the water distillation process, fill the distiller with water and add the plant material to the basket or chamber. The plant material is then heated with water to create steam, which extracts the essential oils from the plant material. The steam then passes through a condenser coil, which cools the steam and causes it to condense into a liquid form. This liquid is then collected in a separate container. The resulting liquid is a mixture of water and essential oils, which can be further processed to create a unique scent.
The amount of water added to the plant material in the distillation process can vary depending on the type of flowers, plants, bark, or roots being used. For example, 500 kg of rose petals require 1,500 litres of water in a large tank topped by a long pipe. The steam rises and is impregnated with the fragrance of the flowers, carrying it through the pipe where it cools and condenses. This liquid is then decanted to separate the essential oil, which is then recovered.
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Solvent distillation
The process of solvent distillation can be used to extract fragrant oils from a variety of natural sources, including flowers, herbs, spices, and other plant materials. The specific steps involved in the process may vary depending on the type of plant material being used and the equipment available.
Generally, the first step in solvent distillation is to prepare the plant material. This may involve chopping, crushing, or grinding the plant material to release the essential oils. The amount of plant material used will depend on the size of the equipment and the desired yield of oil.
Next, the prepared plant material is placed into the distillation equipment, along with a solvent such as water or alcohol. The choice of solvent will depend on the specific needs of the perfumer and the characteristics of the plant material.
The mixture is then heated, causing the solvent to evaporate and carry the fragrant oils with it. The steam is then collected and cooled, causing it to condense back into a liquid form. The resulting liquid is a concentrated form of the natural aroma.
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Extraction techniques
There are several methods used to extract perfume from natural ingredients. The most common techniques include distillation, solvent extraction, expression, sieving, and enfleurage. The results of the extracts are either essential oils, absolutes, concretes, or butters, depending on the amount of wax in the extracted product.
Distillation
Distillation is one of the most common techniques for obtaining aromatic compounds from plants, such as orange blossoms and roses. The raw material is heated, and the fragrant compounds are recollected through the condensation of the distilled vapour. Steam distillation, water distillation, and solvent distillation are the most common types of distillation. Steam distillation is the most frequently used technique, where the natural plant or flower elements are introduced to steam, which causes the fragrant oils to vaporize. The haze or mist is then condensed through cooling equipment and collected. Water distillation involves draping the natural element over water, which is then heated to produce steam. Solvent distillation involves adding an external compound to extract the fragrant oils from the natural element. The solvent evaporates to produce a more intensive form of the aroma.
Expression
Expression is a mechanical treatment that allows the essential oil (or essence) to be extracted from the small glands found in the peel of the citrus fruit (also known as "zests" or "epicarp"). The aim is to subject this to high pressure with the help of a press in order to obtain a liquid called the "absolute". This process does not alter the basic product, so the smell remains intact.
Enfleurage
Cold enfleurage is reserved for the most fragile plants and flowers. It consists of a glass frame on which grease is spread before covering it with flowers. The flowers are changed by hand to be as delicate as possible, until the grease is completely impregnated with perfume, which is every 24 to 48 hours. This process can take several months, and one kilogram of fat can absorb up to three kilograms of plant aroma. Once the pomade is obtained, it must be melted slowly before being decanted by ethyl treatment, so the odorous molecules are dissolved in the alcohol. The mixture is then cooled and the fat is filtered from it. Only the heart of the perfume, also called the Absolute, remains.
Volatile Solvent Extraction
Volatile solvent extraction involves dissolving the perfume of the plant in a solvent that is then evaporated.
Supercritical CO2 Extraction
Supercritical CO2 extraction is a relatively new technique for extracting fragrant compounds from raw materials. It often employs supercritical CO2 as the extraction solvent. When carbon dioxide is put under high pressure at slightly above room temperature, a supercritical fluid forms. Since CO2 is a non-polar compound with low surface tension and wets easily, it can be used to extract hydrophobic aromatics from the plant material.
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Perfume distillation apparatus
The process of perfume distillation has existed since ancient times. It involves heating plant materials in a distiller to extract their essential oils, capturing the evaporated oils and other components, and condensing them into a liquid form.
The specific apparatus used for perfume distillation can vary. Some common types of equipment include stainless steel stills, glass distillation sets, and flasks. The choice of equipment depends on the specific materials being distilled and the desired quantity of perfume or essential oil.
In addition to the distillation apparatus, other components are necessary for the overall process of perfume-making. These include a vessel to heat water, a source of heat, gauze or muslin, thread, a delivery tube, a receiving vessel, and bottles or vials for storing the final perfume.
It is important to note that distillation is not the only technique for extracting fragrances from plants. Other methods such as solvent extraction, expression, sieving, and enfleurage are also used in the perfume industry. Solvent extraction, for example, involves submerging raw materials in a solvent like hexane or dimethyl ether to dissolve and extract the aromatic compounds. The choice of extraction method depends on the type of plant material, the desired fragrance, and other factors.
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Frequently asked questions
Distillation is a process used to extract essential oils and aromatic components from plant materials.
The process involves heating plant materials in a still to extract their essential oils, capturing the evaporated oils and other components, and condensing them into a liquid form.
The various techniques are determined based on the plant material itself or the preference of the manufacturer. These processes include steam distillation, water distillation, and solvent distillation.
Perfume distillers can be designed in different ways, including pot stills, column stills, and vacuum stills.
There are records dating back to the 2nd millennium BC that describe a perfume maker who distilled flowers, oil, and calamus with other aromatics.
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