The aromatic industry makes use of several techniques in the extraction of essential oils from natural sources. Distillation, Expression, maceration, Enfleurage, etc are a few effective techniques among them. The method of extraction depends largely on the type of raw material used. Enfleurage is one such method which is employed effectively in the extraction of fragrances. Here, the fragrant compounds that are emitted from the raw materials are absorbed into wax and then extracted as oil with the help of alcohol.

In this method, odorless fats which remain solid at room temperature are made use of to capture the fragrant compounds which are given off by plants. The process of Enfleurage can either be ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ according to the raw material from which the oil has to be extracted.
The process involved in extraction of aromatic compounds through cold Enfleurage is as follows. A layer of animal fat usually from pork or beef is smeared on a large framed, glass plate which is known as chassis. After it sets completely, the raw material which normally comprises of petals or whole flowers are placed on it for a period of one to three days for their scent to get diffused on to the fat. This process is repeated by replacing the withered flowers until the fragrance absorbed by the fat reaches a saturation point. This method of fragrance extraction was initially developed in the South of France towards the nineteenth century and was mainly used for the creation of high-grade concentrates.

Hot Enfleurage is a process in which the fats which are in a solid state of form are heated initially and the raw materials which consist of different plant material are stirred into it at repeated intervals until the fat becomes saturated with the scent. Considered to be one among the ancient methods of preserving fragrances from plant matter, it was used widely and was a very popular method.

Both the hot and cold Enfleurage produces the ‘enfleurage pomade’, or fat which happens to be heavily saturated with fragrance.  It could be sold directly or treated further by ethyl alcohol so that the aromatic molecules are absorbed by the alcohol. This alcohol, when evaporated, leaves behind the odorant or fragrant compounds.

The technique of Enfleurage is not considered to be very economically viable by the aromatic industry these days and as a result it has given way to more cost effective and efficient extraction methods.

Tim Walt

Perfumes have become an integral and inevitable part of our attire and today, we can find thousands of fragrances in the market. Although, in ancient times, perfumes were created out of pure floral distillations, today we see that perfumes are created with more of synthetic chemicals or various animal and plant matter derived through artificial means. This, though economically feasible, can result in various health hazards, the prime one of which is considered to be perfume allergies.

Allergies caused due to using perfumes or due to being around others who use perfumes can be seen commonly these days. Identifying the cause of these allergies becomes all the more difficult since it is very difficult to know the ingredients which go into the creation of the said fragrance as the formulas are a closely guarded secret in the industry.

The problem is not just restricted to perfumes alone. Regular household cleaners, air fresheners, cosmetics, hair spray, shampoos, scented candles; etc can bring about devastating reactions on people who are allergic to the particular scent. The mildest form of such allergies may be a simple rash or triggering off a headache, but in its most severe form, perfume allergies can also cause a full blown attack of asthma.
Perfume allergies are very commonly found these days. This sometimes happens in confined spaces, say for instance an office, where lots of people are forced to work in close proximity and it becomes inevitable when you are forced to take in the smell of the perfume that your co-worker is wearing, and which in turn results in an allergy. The only solution in this aspect would be to either request the person to stop wearing perfume to work or to shift your seat to a different area. But this is really not practical all the time and it becomes a problem if the company policies are a bit rigid.

Other common symptoms found in the course of perfume allergy are runny nose, watery and itchy eyes, wheezing, coughing, sneezing, etc.  when you come across such symptoms when wearing that particular perfume or being near someone who is wearing the perfume, you can be sure that it is a case of allergy. But it is very difficult to diagnose the problem mainly due to the fact that this is the last thing that comes to the mind of people. Allergies are seldom connected with perfumes and even doctors sometimes confuse it with other seasonal allergies.

Another thing to be taken into account is that not all perfumes may trigger off an allergy since the composition differs according to the type of perfumes.  So, do pay attention to your surroundings so that you are able to identify the particular fragrance that triggers off an allergic reaction in you.

Tim Walt