Need more projection / sillage

Dear Ambolt,
i notice a lot of the molecules you describe are base notes. They tend to stay close to the skin.

Generally speaking, projection is directly dependent of the weight of the molecules.
Hence, the more top-notes (light weight molecules) and the more alcohol (evaporation), the bigger chances are you will gain in projection.
Secondly, if the top-notes contain light weight molecules with big impact, normally aroma chems, that one would dilute to 0.1% for normal usage, the projection will be greater too.

On the other hand, using *only* light weights, will not give you any base that provides wearability over a few hours, or even minutes. It should be a balancing act between top-heart-base notes, generally speaking 60:25:15. If your composition lacks on silage and projection, pump up to 70:20:10 in the tops, IMHO. Or even 80:15:5, when some heavy weights in middle and base tend to convert your composition to "mud".

For the desired vanilla effect in the room, take a look at TGSC and look for the chemicals with a vanilla scent and have a low molecular weight. Ideally, your composition should contain some 'sweet' molecules in top, heart and base. The beeswax honey and vanilla are definitely base notes.

Take a look at e.g. bezoë tincture, benzaldehyde, (ethyl) vanillin(e), linalyl acetate, methyl ionone, levistamel, vertraldehyde, and even de aldehydes like C11 undecyleen.

Happy perfuming!

Jeroen

My formulation blog

If you want to use only Essential Oils and Naturals (although I cannot see why) then you will not be able to achieve what you want, as there are no Natural materials that smell of Beeswax and Vanilla that are top notes. Your fragrance will stay close to the skin, because of the materials you are using. Should you wish to stray into the Synthetic Dark Side, then you will be able to improve your fragrances.

Phenyl ethyl acetate gives a sweet honey note.

As always, the answer is "depends on the type of fragrance you want". I have never divided up any formulation of mine in that way (in terms of numbers), but without thinking it usually came out the way I wanted it. If you want your fragrance to last a long time, then up the Base notes; if you want a very strong fragrance then use strong materials, or materials (like Hedione) that amplify the fragrance.

I like to think of the structure of a fragrance in the same way as the structure of a painting. First of all you have a layer of the most opaque paint over which is layered paints of increasing transparency, through which the lower layers may be seen. In a painting the layers stay put, and colours are modified as light passes from the opaque to the transparent. In a fragrance the various layers evaporate over time, revealing the less volatile materials, but even at the beginning the Base note materials make their presence felt.

There is a difference between strength and longevity however, and it partially the knowledge acquired over time that allows you to create what you want.

Hi Ambolt,

60:20:20 is just a general guideline for someone who suffers with the base notes. ;-)

As you study my perfume compositions you will notice i'm a heavy base user , some formulations convert to 20:20:60!

But, you *must* know what you're doing to *not* end up in darkish mud, close to the skin, heavy on the nose formulations.
Then again, it *is* possible to compose projection and sillage with a heavy base, but it's a *lot* easier done with high top notes

And yes, *if* you find any commercial formulations like the ones mentioned of Glen Brechbill, you will definitely see a balancing act done well towards 1:1:1. That's especially true when they aim for linear perfumes (smells from first minute to last hours more or less the same). It all comes down to this delicate balance, the chems and oils used. All materials will behave different. But, if you want to make things easier in the first rounds of developing a new scent, power up the complex molecules (oils) and base in the latest phase of your skeleton construction. Just my 2 cents.

Jeroen.

Hi Ambolt,

EO = Essential Oil, the naturals
PO = Perfume Oil (or: Fragance oil), usualy made up by a range of Aroma Chemicals and differently done by different suppliers
AC = Aroma Chemical

(tried to explain it on the homepage , 4th bullet from above)

Best,
Jeroen.

Hi Ambolt,

well, that's an excellent question, given the many 'debates and discussions' on this forum about the need and function of H2O in a perfume. Almost everybody seems to agree that H2O does not have a significant effect on a perfume, usually in the context of evaporation rates, projection and fixation. I tend to agree to the majority of the arguments given it has *no* effect.

However, i do believe in UFO's

Well, as a fan of single malt whiskeys, i know that a tiny amount of H2O will open up a complete new set of aroma's (usually esters) captured in the otherwise closed oils in the whiskey. I still believe it changes and attributes to the composition and makes a difference noticeable in the scent. However, most professionals here will disagree. But they don't believe in UFO's either

I don't believe in UFOs . . . but I don't think a small amount of water (by which I mean less than 5%) will do your fragrance any harm. So on the principle that you might as well be shriven just in case, you could put some in. ;-)

Water is for commercial reasons. The rest is rather good hype, but if you believe in it then do it. It does no harm unless an ingredient decides to cloud. I never add it.

As for sillage. Try and learn all your own ingredients alone. Keep notes. It is like learning the colours for your painting. No-one can be expected to paint well without a full working knowledge of their paints.

I agree about the commercial motive and the hype, however if you do want to add some water to your ethanol based fragrance then adding a hydrosol is a great idea because then you'll be adding additional odour molecules along with the water. Rose hydrosol for example contains most of the phenyl ethyl alcohol from the natural rose fragrance because it will dissolve in water - it therefore tends not to make it into the rose otto (essential oil). Similar effects happen with many essential oils. Of course they tend not to be very strong, most don't keep well and you can't add much without risking clouding or the whole perfume going off or both.

Even so 5% or less of, for example, orange flower hydrosol would make a lot of sense in a cologne formulation, especially an aftershave type where you don't want too much alcohol sting going on.

A little water seems to sometimes effect the odour strength a tiny bit at the front end (maybe by slowing evaporation?)