Facts To Know About Perfume
Perfume (Latin "per fume" meaning "through smoke") was highly favored by the Egyptians, Romans, and Arabs. In East Asia, perfumes were incense based. People used to make perfumes from spices and herbs like bergamot, myrtle, coriander, conifer resin, and almond. The use of flowers came only after Avicenna, an Iranian doctor and chemist showed the process of distillation, whereby oils could be extracted from flowers. In 1370, at the behest of Queen Elizabeth of Hungary, the world's first modern perfume - "Hungary Water" was made by blending scented oils in alcohol solution.
The composition of a perfume is of vital significance and is handled by an expert known as a perfumer, who deals with primary scents like rose, jasmine, cola, etc; modifiers like esters; blenders like linalool and hydroxycitronellol; and fixatives like resins, wood scents, and amber bases. The resulting scent is explained in a musical metaphor of three 'notes', namely, top notes (consisting of fast evaporating small size molecules) like citrus and ginger scents; middle notes (consisting of slow evaporating medium size molecules) like lavender and rose scents; and base notes (consisting of slowest evaporating largest size molecules) like fixatives etc. All these notes work together like a musical chord.
Perfume oils contain volatile compounds in high concentrations and thus have to be diluted by solvents, so that injury is not caused when applied directly on skin or clothes. The common solvent is pure ethanol or ethanol mixed with water. Fractionated coconut oil or wax, neutral smelling fats such as jojoba, can also act as solvents and dilute the perfume oil. The perfume oil is further mixed with other aromatic compounds. Generally, the percentage of aromatic compounds in perfume extract is 20% to 40%; in eau de parfum is 10% to 30%; in eau de toilette is 5% to 20%; and in eau de cologne is 2% to 5%.
The oil concentration in a perfume along with other aromatic compounds, determines the intensity, longevity, and price of the perfume and thus it is a closely guarded secret of every perfumer and perfume house. By adjusting the percentage level and the notes of the perfume, variations on the same brand may be created like Chanel's Pour Monsieur and Pour Monsieur Concentree.
Classification of perfumes is never complete, due to its ever-evolving nature. The traditional classification comprises of categories like Single Floral, Floral Bouquet, Ambery, Woody, Leather, Chypre, and Fougere; while the modern classification comprises of Bright Floral, Green, Oceanic/Ozone, Citrus/Fruity, and Gourmand. In 1983, Michael Edwards, a perfume consultant, created a new fragrance classification "The Fragrance Wheel", which classified and sub-grouped five standard families, namely Floral (Floral, Soft Floral, Floral Oriental), Oriental (Soft Oriental, Oriental, Woody Oriental), Woody (Wood, Mossy Woods, Dry Woods), Fougere (has fragrance elements from all the families), and Fresh (Citrus, Green, Water).
Perfumery has used a number of aromatic sources like plants, animals, and synthetic sources in the making of perfumes. Plants are used as a source of aroma compounds and essential oils. The parts of plants that are used are:
1 - Bark (cinnamon, cascarilla);
2 - Flowers (rose, jasmine, osmanthus, tuberose, mimosa, vanilla);
3 - Blossoms (citrus, ylang-ylang, clove);
4 - Fruits (apples, strawberries, cherries, litsea cubeba, juniper berry, vanilla, oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit);
5 - Leaves and Twigs (lavender, patchouli, citrus, violets, sage, rosemary, hay, tomato);
6 - Resins (labdanum, myrrh, gum benzoin, Peru balsam, frankincense/olibanum, pine, fir, amber, copal);
7 - Roots, Bulbs, and Rhizomes (vetiver roots, ginger and iris rhizomes);
8 - Seeds (coriander, cocoa, mace, cardamom, anise, nutmeg, caraway, tonka bean);
9 - Woods (agarwood, birch, rosewood, sandalwood, pine, birch, juniper, cedar).
Animal sources include Ambergris, Castoreum, Musk, Rom terpenes, Honeycomb, and Civet. Other natural sources include Lichens and Protists. Synthetic sources include synthetic odorants synthesized from petroleum distillates, pine resins, etc. Modern perfumes are mostly made from synthetic sources as they allow fragrances not found in nature, like Calone is a synthetic compound that imparts a marine metallic ozonous fragrance. Synthetic aromatics are more consistent than natural aromatics, and are hence, widely used nowadays in modern available perfumes.Uses Xanax is a tranquilizer used for the short-term relief of symptoms of anxiety or the treatment of anxiety disorders. It is sometimes prescribed for treatment of alcohol withdrawal, fear of open spaces and strangers, depression, irritable bowel syndrome and premenstrual syndrome. How to take Follow the directions for using this medicine provided by your doctor. Xanax may be taken with or without food. If stomach upset occurs, take with food to reduce stomach irritation. Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while you are being treated with Xanax. Side effects Side effects, which may go away during treatment, include excessive daytime drowsiness, unusual weakness, dizziness, lightheadedness, headache, clumsiness, or unsteadiness. If they continue or are bothersome, consult your doctor. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. Precaution Do not exceed the recommended dose or take this medicine for longer than prescribed. Exceeding the recommended dose or taking this medicine for longer than prescribed may be habit-forming. This medicine may cause drowsiness or dizziness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how you react to this medicine. This medicine will add to the effects of other medicines and alcohol. Ask your pharmacist if you have questions about which medicines can cause drowsiness. For women: this medicine has been shown to cause harm to the human fetus. If you plan on becoming pregnant, discuss with your doctor the benefits and risks of using this medicine during pregnancy. This medicine is excreted in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine. Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, since some medical conditions may interact with Xanax. Inform your doctor if you have glaucoma or a predisposition for glaucoma, liver problems, lung problems or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), muscle problems, depression, suicidal tendencies, a blood disorder known as porphyria, or a history of substance abuse or dependence. Drug interactions Some medicines may interact with Xanax. Inform your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following: Rifampin or St. John's wort , because the effectiveness of Xanax may be decreased; Azole antifungals (e.g., itraconazole, ketoconazole), cimetidine, clozapine, delavirdine, fluvoxamine, HIV protease inhibitors (e.g., ritonavir), fluoxetine, macrolides and ketolides (e.g., erythromycin, azithromycin), nefazodone, omeprazole, propoxyphene, sodium oxybate (GHB), or valproic acid because side effects such as increased sedation or heart problems may occur; Clozapine, hydantoins (e.g., phenytoin), or valproic acid because the actions and side effects of these medicines may be increased. This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Xanax may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine. Missed dose If you miss a dose of this medicine and you are using it regularly, take it as soon as possible. If you do not remember until later, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once. Storage Store at room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Keep this medication and all other medications out of the reach of children.
