Words by Margo Marrone, co-founder of skincare brand The Organic Pharmacy.
Our fragrances are really the finishing touch added to every one of our outfits, but have you thought about how natural ingredients can add that element of luxury to set everything off?
Natural ingredients can really set off any fragrance and make it extra special, giving it that added element of luxury that you need to make any outfit feel finished, and any night feel special. But why is this?
Here, I’ll take you through some of the ways that natural ingredients add to your fragrances to really heighten and elevate them. The most exclusive perfumes are made from absolute oils rather than synthetic scents and they take more time to produce. From being used by royalty throughout history, to adding depth and interest to perfumes, they have so many qualities to explore.
They create a personal fragrance
When you add synthetic fragrances to your skin, they tend to smell the same as they would on anyone else, because synthetic fragrance works by masking the smell of your body. In contrast, natural scents react in small ways with your skin, and work with the smell of your skin to create a unique version of the perfume that you’re wearing.
This means that when you apply a perfume made of natural fragrance, it won’t smell quite the same as it would on someone else. This personal touch can really make choosing a natural fragrance a unique, individual experience and give you a sense of luxury that you can’t get from buying a synthetic perfume, however nice it smells. It also means that you can gradually find which ingredients work best with your skin and find the perfect formula for you.
They add aroma therapy to your routine
When you’re getting ready in the morning, a natural fragrance can add an element of relaxing aromatherapy and make you feel more energised or relaxed, depending on what scents you choose. Scents like lavender and rose are calming, while there are plenty of options if you want to feel more awake throughout the day, such as lemon, orange, and other citrus notes.
Having this extra boost of scent during your day can help with stress levels, make you feel more alert, or simply just add a pleasant layer of fragrance. Having ingredients in your perfume that can help you to feel more uplifted is a real added element of luxury and is something that natural fragrances do much better than synthetic ones.
The ingredients can be rare
When you’re shopping for your favourite perfume, one thing you might be interested in is where the ingredients come from. The stories behind natural fragrance formulations are a journey into where each tiny element was sourced from and can be intriguing to learn about. It also adds a much more luxury feel when the ingredients have to be discovered and harvested, and many are only available in certain parts of the globe.
When considering which perfume to go for, also consider the sustainability of the formula and its ingredients. Not only is this better for the planet, but sustainability is garnering much more consumer interest as the years go on, and it can add the finishing touch of luxury knowing that all your fragrance ingredients are sourced carefully and in an eco-friendly way. Our liking for rare ingredients dates right back to some of the earliest perfumes, such as frankincense, and is always sure to make you feel like you’re getting that luxury experience.
It connects to the history of perfume
For a long time, of course, the only ingredients we had to make perfume out of were natural ones. This means that there is a lot of history behind these natural fragrances and wearing scents that draw on this can really connect us to a luxury fragrance and its history in a new way. In the times of ancient Egypt, perfume was a treasured commodity because it was associated with the sacred ritual of cleanliness. Persian rulers were depicted in their portraits as being surrounded by lots of perfume bottles.
Many of the ingredients used in ancient times are still in use today, such as cinnamon, rose, calamus, and benzoin. So, when you are choosing a perfume, you can add that final classic touch by picking one that includes some of these cornerstone scents.
Natural fragrances have been in use for thousands of years and bring a unique sense of history and luxury to our perfumes. So, choose a formula that includes some of these natural ingredients, and enjoy having that touch of classic perfumery added to your daily scent.