FAQ

PERFUME

What is botanical perfumery?
Botanical perfumery is the art of blending perfume from 100% natural ingredients.

What fragrant ingredients do you use?
Essential oils, co2 extracts, absolutes, resins, oleoresins, balsams, natural isolates, enfleurage extraits and tinctures.

Where do you source your ingredients from?
We try to source as much as we can locally. The base of Spiritus Vini is distilled in the Barossa Valley from 100% Australian grapes and winemaking residuals using a closed loop system. Aromatic botanical extracts that are not available in Australia are sourced internationally from two reputable suppliers that align with our values. We use organic ingredients where available and do not use plants that are endangered.

Are your perfumes suitable for vegans?
Cygnet products are never tested on animals. All our products are vegan except for Primaveral extrait de parfum which contains Beeswax Absolute.

What is Spiritus Vini?
Spiritus vini is a natural alcohol made from 100% Australian grapes/ winemaking residuals. Spiritus vini was the traditional perfumers alcohol in 16th-18th century france, boasting it’s own unique aroma profile and chemistry with fragrant ingredients. There are no denaturants or petrochemicals in our alcohol. 

What is extrait de parfum and how concentrated is it?
Extrait de parfum is the most luxurious and potent of perfume expressions containing 30% aromatic ingredients. 

How long does a perfume last?
The average length from customer feedback and our own experience is one year of applying it most days.

Are your perfumes suitable for all genders?
Yes! Cultural conditioning has created the illusion that fragrance is gender binary. There is nothing inherently gendered about perfume – it all comes down to personal preference.

Do your perfumes wear differently on the skin to synthetic perfumes?
Botanical perfumes express themselves individually on each wearer, due to their dynamic relationship with skin. Rather than a loud and linear cloud of fragrance, the complex structure of botanical perfume is revealed to you over the hours of wearing. Slowly unfurling from top, to heart, to base notes; botanical perfumes are energetic and may reveal something new each time. They are for you and those close to you. It is recommended to apply botanical perfume to moisturised skin in order to prolong how long it lasts. The molecular composition of the perfume, where it is applied on your body, the climate and your skin type all affect how long a fragrance lasts.

Your perfumes are natural – does that mean I won’t have an adverse reaction to them?
Unfortunately it is possible to have a reaction to anything – including natural perfume. Our ingredients are used at a safe dermal level in accordance with IFRA. However, some people can have sensitivities to particular components of essential oils and other aromatic ingredients. Always patch test before use and cease use immediately if signs of irritation occur, consulting a doctor if necessary.

What’s the expiry date?
If stored correctly, botanical perfume can age like fine wine. If looked after, you can expect it to have a shelf life of three years. Store your perfume in a cool and dark space away from sunlight, extreme temperatures and humidity and ensure the lid is tightly sealed. 

Can I purchase your perfumes outside of Australia?
Unfortunately we do not send perfumes outside of Australia at this current time.

SKINCARE

Is your skincare made from natural ingredients?
Yes, our skincare is made from only natural ingredients. 

I have sensitive skin, are your products suitable for me?
We formulated our skincare products to be gentle, and they were tested on people experiencing rosacea, hormonal acne and sensitive skin with great results. However, as with every new product it is crucial to patch test on yourself prior to use to make sure it is right for your skin.

Is your skincare strongly scented?
Our skincare smells beautiful, but no - it is not strongly scented. We like to wear our perfume on our pulse points - not on our face! The ingredients that give our skincare such a beautiful scent have been included primarily for their therapeutic effect on our skin.

What is a hydrosol?
A hydrosol is on of the two products obtained from the steam or hydro distillation of plant material, the other being an essential oil. It contains water-soluble therapeutic properties of the plants as well as minute amounts of essential oil which gives it a beautiful aroma.

What is so special about your sourcing?
Most brands in our industry outsource production which means they have little control over ingredient sourcing, or if made in-house they purchase their ingredients from a supplier that offers lots of ingredients in bulk. This is a convenient and affordable way to order ingredients however can mean the product isn't as fresh or high quality due to product passing through multiple hands, questionable sourcing and potential storage issues. It also means the brands supply chain is not traceable- their Jojoba may come from multiple sources some of which there is no way to find out how the land and people are treated in it's production.

True to the slow movement, a minimum of 70% of our ingredients are sourced directly from farmers, artisan distillers and producers using organic, biodynamic, regenerative, and/or closed loop practices. No middle man, unknown supplier or products that has been oxidising on a shelf stored too long or incorrectly. We choose local wherever possible, and what we can't source direct we procure from trusted, value aligned suppliers.