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Alcohol in Fragrance
Products which enhance the fragrance of the body have always been prized. In olden times, people made their own concoction at home, and created their very own aromatherapy products. Unguents, oils, perfumes and other varieties of fragrances have been used by people for 1000s of years.
Then, fragrances were made raw and were used untreated. However, as time passed, synthetic perfume products replaced some expensive or unavailable components. This is when alcohol was introduced in creating a fragrance. Now, perfume is the common form of fragrance containing 15% to 22% of essential oils and 78% to 85% fillers. These fillers are sometimes water but mostly, alcohol.
Why alcohol:
The main function of alcohol is to make perfume oils fade away earlier than they would on their own. This makes the fragrance of a perfume give off a more pungent odor than it actually is. Due to this, when we initially wear a commercial fragrance, it is often breathtaking. This is also why, its scent fades significantly within an hour or two, as the perfume oils evaporate along with the alcohol.
Another reason for using fillers is just a marketing trick-bigger and fancier bottles of fragrance plus fillers seem like a much better deal than a smaller one of pure oil.
Some common problems:
Some of the delicate notes in many fragrances that are delightful the in pure form tends to get distorted or covered up by alcohol. The resulting scent is quite diluted and presents a few problems such as:
- The most commonly used alcohol as filler is Ethyl alcohol, also known as Ethanol. This causes allergic reaction in many people.
- Alcohol, being a drying agent, is used as an additive to hasten evaporation. When applied with fragrance, it fades away the fragrance and the natural body oil as it evaporates.
Because of the alcohol content in some fragrance:
- Always keep bottles tightly closed, lest it evaporates.
- Remember to keep it out of the reach of small children, as they could be sick if perfume is ingested.
- Spraying or applying it near the eye could be harmful, so be cautious while spraying it.
- Store perfume in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Extended exposure to intense sunlight or extreme temperature can impair the delicate balance of the fragrance and alter its smell.
- Once the alcohol content in the perfume evaporates, the fragrance can depreciate as well. The perfume tends to thicken and the color changes rapidly, emitting a sour smell on opening.
So, if you are considering getting a fragrance for yourself, go for pure fragrance oils as they are the best to wear. Differing immensely in quality, they are classier, longer lasting and more delightful than commercial perfumes with fillers.