Sondrine dilutes her materials to play with on the ‘perfume organ’, using high precision scales (0.000g) to create hundreds of tiny trials until she is satisfied. After months – often years – of formulation, the perfume is ready to be blended. Once the perfume is blended, it undergoes a two step ageing process for up to six months. The first stage, maturation, is where the perfume concentrate is mixed and left for a couple of weeks to harmonise. The second stage, maceration, involves adding the alcohol and allowing it to sit for months. During this process physiochemical reactions occur, due to the reactive nature of the chemical constituents that make up each ingredient. To the nose, the fragrance becomes rounder and more complex . We ensure the fragrance ages in a stable temperature with no light, and gently agitate the bottle occasionally. Opinions on length of both ageing processes vary, we have found upwards of six months produce the most stunning results. However, it varies with each fragrance – understanding the materials you are working with and using your nose helps to know when the perfume has reached a point of equilibrium .
Great content, I especially love the tip of chilling to subzero and the addition of bentonite clay to eliminate discrepancies, my question is What indicators would give you an idea of how long to allow a composition to Mature or Macerate?
I’m glad you found the post useful! Great question and a tricky one to answer. It really depends on the concentration of the perfume, and what’s in it. Your best guide is your nose and experimentation. Generally, a fragrance requires an absolute minimum of 6 weeks total in aging. So smell it then on a scent strip, taking notes, and then continue to smell it weekly in the same manner and assess if it is still changing/becoming rounder. What’s actually happening in the ageing process is lots of chemical reactions – both natural and synthetic perfume ingredients are reactive. At some point, you will begin to notice less change and will be happy with how the fragrance has developed – then you know it’s time and equilibrium has been reached. It should smell more complex, rounder, and whole. I’ve found that if it’s heavy with base notes, and extrait de parfum strength, it needs allot longer to age. Perfumes full of citrus and aldehydes will need less time.