How to create Amber in Perfume

Rich, powdery, warm, deep, sweet and spicy. The warm smell of amber is a winter staple in perfumery – perfect for snuggling up in.

Here we tell you what ingredients compose the oh so famous amber accord that many think to be a single ingredient. It is in fact a blend of a few ingredients.

The Amber Fantasy

Amber is a ‘fantasy’ note that adds a certain kind of cosiness and sensuality to fragrances. This popular accord is centred on three main components – vanilla, resins and musks. Amber pairs well with spicy and woody notes and can appease the strong leathery and animalic facets of a fragrance. Amber is the central note of oriental fragrances, bringing dark yet soft powdery facets to a composition.

Tree resins such as frankincense, myrrh and benzoin are added to create an amber accord.

The formula to create warm and cozy scents

There are three main components required for the creation of an amber accord: vanilla, resins and musk.

 

Vanilla and its synthetic counterpart vanillin is a well-loved ingredient in perfumery and is the core component for creating an amber accord. It lends its sweet soft powderyness to the amber note.

Resins like myrhh, frankincense, labdanum, and benzoin are added to counteract the edible vanilla notes. These resinous ingredients add the warm, smoky, deep and earthy facets of the amber accord. A sense of sophistication is evoked from the addition of these ingredients along with a touch of sensuality. You can see now how the vanilla becomes less edible.

Musks are incorporated to complete the amber accord, giving it its softer undertones. Synthetic musks like Galaxolide, Muscenone and Velvione are often used to give the accord added longevity. These ingredients give the amber not a comforting and powdery facet.

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