Natural Perfumery

Natural perfumery is the practice of creating fragrances with aromatic materials obtained from natural sources. Plants provide much of its palette, but natural perfumery is not one particular style, method or cultural tradition. It can encompass both oil-based perfume and alcohol-based fragrances, including eau de parfum.

The aromatic materials

Flowers, leaves, fruits, woods, roots and resins all offer different possibilities for scent. Essential oils are generally obtained through distillation or expression, while absolutes, CO₂ extracts, tinctures and botanical infusions offer other ways to capture aromatic qualities. The same plant may yield distinctly different fragrances depending on which part is used and how it is prepared.

Working with complex extracts

An essential oil or botanical absolute is not a single aroma molecule. It is a mixture of naturally occurring compounds that together produce its characteristic fragrance. Some are more volatile and noticeable at first; others contribute to the scent as it develops. Their proportions can vary with the plant, growing conditions, harvest and extraction method. [1]

Natural perfumers combine these materials to create compositions and accords—aromatic impressions that emerge from several ingredients working together. Some natural perfumers also use individual aroma compounds isolated from natural sources; others choose to work with complex extracts without adding isolates. These are different approaches within a broader field. [2]

Across traditions and formats

Fragrance has a long history across cultures, from aromatic resins burned as incense to scented oils and ointments worn on the body. Ancient Egyptian perfumed oils, attar-making traditions in India, and the later growth of alcohol-based perfumery in Europe are just a few examples of different approaches to scent. [3, 4] Ingredients and techniques have also traveled through trade and cultural exchange, shaping traditions that continue to evolve.

Today, natural perfume may be carried in botanical oils or alcohol. The carrier influences how a fragrance is applied and experienced, but neither format defines whether it is natural.

At Deschampsia

Our perfumery draws on different traditions while working with complex botanical materials rather than added synthetic fragrances or isolated aroma chemicals. We make both jojoba-based perfume oils and alcohol-based eau de parfum, using botanical resins, infusions, essential oils and absolutes in our compositions.

Explore our Natural Perfumes + Aromatics collection.

Related Library entries

Notes, Accords & Dry-down · Sillage, Projection & Longevity