And just to add some colour, here's a beautiful picture from the same source:
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| Saturn, its rings and largest moon Titan |
I found these in this article on The Atlantic.
Friday, 31 August 2012
Images of Saturn
It's a bit naughty to do two off-topic posts in a row, but I couldn't resist this video made with compilations of shots from the Cassini probe.
Wednesday, 15 August 2012
Do it anyway
I'm posting this just because I thought it was rather wise, it has nothing in particular to do with perfume:
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Do good anyway.
These verses are often attributed to Mother Teresa of Calcuta, sometimes called her 'Anyway Poem' and it has been reported that they were written on the walls of the children's home where she worked but according to the official website maintained in her memory they were never her words, although a version of some sort does seem to have been displayed in that home.
In fact they are an adaptation from a work called The Paradoxical Commandments by Dr. Kent M. Keith
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
Musk
Musk is one of the most common elements in perfumes - some form of musk is included in virtually every fragrance on the market, but which form varies a great deal as there are a great many options.
At one time, musk came almost exclusively from various species of Musk Deer but this has almost entirely disappeared from use for ethical and cost reasons.
Most fragrances now use some form of synthetic musk, but there are a few natural sources still sometimes used. In particular ambrette seed oil (containing the chemical widely used in synthetic form as ambrettolide) and angelica root oil (now known to contain the chemical exaltolide, though this was not recognised until long after exaltolide had been made synthetically).
Some synthetic musks are crystalline solids and as a result are often sold either pre-diluted or ‘mobilised’ in something to make them liquid and easier to handle.
There are a huge number of musks on the market, these are some of those I use particularly like or find useful:
Ambrettolide this synthetic is the same as the musk in Ambrette Seeds - a very good quality diffusive musk, slightly fruity, very smooth and exalting.
Applelide an IFF product, this is relatively short-lived for a musk but has a strong, velvety top-note that give a great deal of richness and has a fruity aspect of apples as well.
Cashmeran also from IFF is interesting - liquid and easy to handle - has a spicy quality. When used successfully it is very warming and velvety. Not everyone considers this molecule as a musk at all.
Celestolide crystals that are slow to dissolve in ethanol. Adds more brightness than the others, very good diffusion.
Civettone isn't widely used alone or available in small amounts. It is the musk component of natural civet paste and the synthesised version is used as part of civet recreations, arguably the most powerful fixative in perfumery.
Ethylene brassylate (also called Musk T), widely available, liquid at room temp and cheap, good fixative properties and easy to use macrocyclic musk.
Exaltolide solid at room temp but melts easily, very widely available and used macrocyclic musk with a fairly strong, sweet-musk aroma. Not everyone can smell exaltolide but it's one of the finest musks you can use.
Exaltone is the key molecule in muskrat musk and although it can now be synthesised even the synthetic version is very expensive. It is however incredibly persistent and, arguably, one of the best fixatives known to perfumery. More animal smelling than most synthetic musk.
Galaxolide a polycyclic musk, very widely available and used, especially in functional products. Often sold as 50% in DEP or IPM as it’s so thick a liquid as to be virtually solid otherwise. A polycyclic musk which is not biodegradable and very persistent in the environment and people.
Habanolide a macrocyclic musk from Firmenich with a strong odour and slightly waxy and metallic freshness.
Helvetolide another Firmenich product, this is unusual in having a strong top-note as well as the more usual persistence of musks. It also has a fruity aspect of pears.
Muscenone is one of the components of natural deer musk, very good fixative and diffusive qualities and has a stronger musky smell than the better-known muscone:
Muscone this is the main musk that is in musk deer pods but synthesised. Lovely fine musk that has the edge over the others for its erogenic quality l-Muscone is a more expensive and even finer quality - just the L isomer. Both forms have a nice powdery quality.
Romandolide not so widely available, similar in scent to Galaxolide but alicyclic (or linear) and biodegradable: very useful and I'm in the process of phasing out galaxolide to be replaced by romandolide in all my retail range.
Tonalid polycyclic, crystalline solid again but a bit easier to dissolve than some. Often disparagingly referred to as ‘laundry musk’ it’s nevertheless a good fixative and very widely used. Cheap enough for functional products and gives a very clean effect.
Velvione another macrocyclic, very fine musk of great diffusion, rather like ambrettolide but less fruity and even softer. A great exalting agent, it has little scent of it's own but has a big effect in a blend and gives a distinct powdery effect.
There are plenty of others. I nearly always use musks in combination rather than using just one in a composition. In particular you can get good effects by using very tiny amounts of ambrettolide or velvione alongside one of the cheaper musks. Both work well with Exaltolide and Romandolide.
Another option is Auratouch from Givaudan - a blend of several of their musk products which I believe also includes a captive.
Synthetic musks have also been the cause of some controversy and a number of them were found to be unstable, carcinogenic or environmentally damaging.
Musk Ambrette is prohibited by IFRA and Musk Ketone is banned in some countries even though it isn't restricted by IFRA. Musk Xylene is banned throughout the EU and prohibited by IFRA.
If you want to understand the different categories of musk (based on their chemical structure) and something of the history of their production the Wikipedia article on Synthetic Musks makes excellent reading.
At one time, musk came almost exclusively from various species of Musk Deer but this has almost entirely disappeared from use for ethical and cost reasons.
 |
| Moschus moschiferus - one of the species that were the original source of musk |
Most fragrances now use some form of synthetic musk, but there are a few natural sources still sometimes used. In particular ambrette seed oil (containing the chemical widely used in synthetic form as ambrettolide) and angelica root oil (now known to contain the chemical exaltolide, though this was not recognised until long after exaltolide had been made synthetically).
Some synthetic musks are crystalline solids and as a result are often sold either pre-diluted or ‘mobilised’ in something to make them liquid and easier to handle.
There are a huge number of musks on the market, these are some of those I use particularly like or find useful:
Ambrettolide this synthetic is the same as the musk in Ambrette Seeds - a very good quality diffusive musk, slightly fruity, very smooth and exalting.
Applelide an IFF product, this is relatively short-lived for a musk but has a strong, velvety top-note that give a great deal of richness and has a fruity aspect of apples as well.
Cashmeran also from IFF is interesting - liquid and easy to handle - has a spicy quality. When used successfully it is very warming and velvety. Not everyone considers this molecule as a musk at all.
Celestolide crystals that are slow to dissolve in ethanol. Adds more brightness than the others, very good diffusion.
Civettone isn't widely used alone or available in small amounts. It is the musk component of natural civet paste and the synthesised version is used as part of civet recreations, arguably the most powerful fixative in perfumery.
Ethylene brassylate (also called Musk T), widely available, liquid at room temp and cheap, good fixative properties and easy to use macrocyclic musk.
Exaltolide solid at room temp but melts easily, very widely available and used macrocyclic musk with a fairly strong, sweet-musk aroma. Not everyone can smell exaltolide but it's one of the finest musks you can use.
Exaltone is the key molecule in muskrat musk and although it can now be synthesised even the synthetic version is very expensive. It is however incredibly persistent and, arguably, one of the best fixatives known to perfumery. More animal smelling than most synthetic musk.
Galaxolide a polycyclic musk, very widely available and used, especially in functional products. Often sold as 50% in DEP or IPM as it’s so thick a liquid as to be virtually solid otherwise. A polycyclic musk which is not biodegradable and very persistent in the environment and people.
Habanolide a macrocyclic musk from Firmenich with a strong odour and slightly waxy and metallic freshness.
Helvetolide another Firmenich product, this is unusual in having a strong top-note as well as the more usual persistence of musks. It also has a fruity aspect of pears.
Muscenone is one of the components of natural deer musk, very good fixative and diffusive qualities and has a stronger musky smell than the better-known muscone:
Muscone this is the main musk that is in musk deer pods but synthesised. Lovely fine musk that has the edge over the others for its erogenic quality l-Muscone is a more expensive and even finer quality - just the L isomer. Both forms have a nice powdery quality.
Romandolide not so widely available, similar in scent to Galaxolide but alicyclic (or linear) and biodegradable: very useful and I'm in the process of phasing out galaxolide to be replaced by romandolide in all my retail range.
Tonalid polycyclic, crystalline solid again but a bit easier to dissolve than some. Often disparagingly referred to as ‘laundry musk’ it’s nevertheless a good fixative and very widely used. Cheap enough for functional products and gives a very clean effect.
Velvione another macrocyclic, very fine musk of great diffusion, rather like ambrettolide but less fruity and even softer. A great exalting agent, it has little scent of it's own but has a big effect in a blend and gives a distinct powdery effect.
There are plenty of others. I nearly always use musks in combination rather than using just one in a composition. In particular you can get good effects by using very tiny amounts of ambrettolide or velvione alongside one of the cheaper musks. Both work well with Exaltolide and Romandolide.
Another option is Auratouch from Givaudan - a blend of several of their musk products which I believe also includes a captive.
Synthetic musks have also been the cause of some controversy and a number of them were found to be unstable, carcinogenic or environmentally damaging.
Musk Ambrette is prohibited by IFRA and Musk Ketone is banned in some countries even though it isn't restricted by IFRA. Musk Xylene is banned throughout the EU and prohibited by IFRA.
 |
| Muscone, a macrocyclic musk |
If you want to understand the different categories of musk (based on their chemical structure) and something of the history of their production the Wikipedia article on Synthetic Musks makes excellent reading.
Sunday, 5 August 2012
The Shrewsbury Flower Show
On Friday and Saturday 10th and 11th August 2012 the oldest horticultural show in the world will be celebrating it's 125th anniversary and Pell Wall Perfumes will be there too.
The Shrewsbury Flower Show, organised by the Shropshire Horticultural Society, is held each year in the Quarry Park in Shrewsbury - 29 acres including the Dingle - a sunken garden designed by Britain's first celebrity gardener Percy Thrower.
It promises to be a wonderful day out and, fingers crossed, it even looks as though the weather will be good.
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| Pell Wall Perfumes will be on Stand A26 in the Home and Craft Marquee |
The Shrewsbury Flower Show, organised by the Shropshire Horticultural Society, is held each year in the Quarry Park in Shrewsbury - 29 acres including the Dingle - a sunken garden designed by Britain's first celebrity gardener Percy Thrower.
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| The Dingle in the centre of Quarry Park |
Pell Wall Perfumes will have some special offers and several new and exclusive products that you can't buy from the website, so if you're anywhere within reach do come along to see us in the main Home and Craft marquee stand A26.
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| {1953} a new luxury fragrance from Pell Wall |
Here's some of the stock, in cold storage, ready to go to the show:
Another of the fun products being displayed for the first time:
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| Perfume Stock |
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| Frogspawn & Pondweed Bubble Bath |
Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Mill Hill Essays | MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London
Interesting article exploring how research into the way the sense of smell works has applications for wider human health. Included is a well-written explanation of the prevailing theory of how smells are perceived.
Mill Hill Essays | MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London
Mill Hill Essays | MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London
Saturday, 21 July 2012
What Space Smells Like
An interesting article featuring the work of Steve Pearce, a British perfumer, who also happened to give one of the best presentations at this year’s BSP symposium, to recreate the distinctive smell of space for NASA to use in astronaut training.
What Space Smells Like - The Atlantic
Here you can also read an interview with Steve Pearce on the subject published on Discovery.
What Space Smells Like - The Atlantic
Here you can also read an interview with Steve Pearce on the subject published on Discovery.
Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Bitter Almond Oil
Bitter Almond Oil is one of those curious perfumery ingredients that isn’t at all what it appears to be: it almost certainly won’t have been made from almonds, bitter or otherwise, isn't bitter and may be natural or synthetic.
What is called Bitter Almond Oil and was originally and is still occasionally made from bitter almond kernels - Prunus amygdalus Amara - is now more usually made from apricot, plum, cherry or peach kernels (or by synthesis from various pre-cursors, most commonly toluene). It consists of about 99% Benzaldehyde whether made from a natural or a synthetic source, and may be sold as Bitter Almond Oil in either case.
When almonds are used it is the press-cake remaining after extraction of the fixed almond oil that is the starting point which is macerated in warm water prior to extraction. A substance called Amygdalin, present in all the kernels mentioned, is converted by enzymatic action into benzaldehyde and hydrocyanic acid (what is commonly called cyanide when people are talking about the poison, once also called Prussic Acid). There is enough cyanide present in about 10 drops of the crude oil to kill an average person, and it is poisonous by ingestion and by inhalation, so the oil is quite useless at this point as a flavour or perfume agent. The process is nearly identical when it is made from the kernels (stones) of apricots, plums, cherries or peaches.
As an aside, amygdalin is also present in apple pips, so far as I know they have never been used as a commercial source of the oil, but if you’ve ever heard that apple pips are poisonous, now you know why. In practice they don’t contain cyanide unless they are crushed up and fermented and tend to pass through the human gut whole, so if you’re in the habit of eating your apples core-and-all you’re not likely to come to any harm.
The crude oil is cleaned by alkali washing and rectification resulting in the nearly pure benzaldehyde that is sold widely as Bitter Almond Oil. Oddly enough it’s main use in flavouring is as a sweetener - so not only is in not usually made from almonds but it isn’t bitter either! The odour is familiar to most people as marzipan, which was traditionally made with about 1% bitter almond kernels ground up with the sweet almonds into a paste. Now it is more likely to be made with all sweet almonds and some benzaldehyde added to flavour it.
According to Arctander, Hydrocyanic acid smells rather similar to Benzaldehyde - though I don’t recommend testing that assertion.
Arctander also has this to say about the natural vs synthetic origins of the oil:
Bitter Almond Oil is very rarely produced from bitter almonds. If the oil is a natural distillate at all, it is most often produced from other kernels (see above). A large part of all the so-called bitter almond oil in the market is actually a refined synthetic benzaldehyde, supposedly free from chlorine. The labelling FFPA stands for “free from prussic acid” (old name for hydrocyanic acid). The abbreviation FFC means “free from chlorine”, and is obviously applied to synthetic products.
He goes on to say that some of the imitations of the natural distillate contain traces of (deliberately added) hydrocyanic acid and if completely free of chlorine, are thus identical with the natural product. I’ve no idea whether this kind of adulteration continues today, but it seems likely.
Benzaldehyde by the way isn’t very stable and tends to turn into Benzoic acid (white crystals that are essentially odourless) on exposure to air and consequently it is often sold with some ethanol added to improve stability.
Benzaldehyde is highly volatile liquid: a top note if you use it in perfumery and isn’t all that widely used. I happen to have some at the moment because one of the things I’m researching is a lilac fragrance, in which it is a component.
A draft of this material appeared on the fragrance discussion forum Basenotes in this post.
 |
| Bitter Almond Blossom |
When almonds are used it is the press-cake remaining after extraction of the fixed almond oil that is the starting point which is macerated in warm water prior to extraction. A substance called Amygdalin, present in all the kernels mentioned, is converted by enzymatic action into benzaldehyde and hydrocyanic acid (what is commonly called cyanide when people are talking about the poison, once also called Prussic Acid). There is enough cyanide present in about 10 drops of the crude oil to kill an average person, and it is poisonous by ingestion and by inhalation, so the oil is quite useless at this point as a flavour or perfume agent. The process is nearly identical when it is made from the kernels (stones) of apricots, plums, cherries or peaches.
As an aside, amygdalin is also present in apple pips, so far as I know they have never been used as a commercial source of the oil, but if you’ve ever heard that apple pips are poisonous, now you know why. In practice they don’t contain cyanide unless they are crushed up and fermented and tend to pass through the human gut whole, so if you’re in the habit of eating your apples core-and-all you’re not likely to come to any harm.
The crude oil is cleaned by alkali washing and rectification resulting in the nearly pure benzaldehyde that is sold widely as Bitter Almond Oil. Oddly enough it’s main use in flavouring is as a sweetener - so not only is in not usually made from almonds but it isn’t bitter either! The odour is familiar to most people as marzipan, which was traditionally made with about 1% bitter almond kernels ground up with the sweet almonds into a paste. Now it is more likely to be made with all sweet almonds and some benzaldehyde added to flavour it.
According to Arctander, Hydrocyanic acid smells rather similar to Benzaldehyde - though I don’t recommend testing that assertion.
Arctander also has this to say about the natural vs synthetic origins of the oil:
Benzaldehyde by the way isn’t very stable and tends to turn into Benzoic acid (white crystals that are essentially odourless) on exposure to air and consequently it is often sold with some ethanol added to improve stability.
Benzaldehyde is highly volatile liquid: a top note if you use it in perfumery and isn’t all that widely used. I happen to have some at the moment because one of the things I’m researching is a lilac fragrance, in which it is a component.
A draft of this material appeared on the fragrance discussion forum Basenotes in this post.
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