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The Difference Between Synthetic and Natural Perfumes
Are Botanical Perfumes right for me?
Our Botanical Perfumes bridge the world between fine fragrance & aromatherapy — providing the therapeutic benefits of being outdoors, with the elevated feeling of a meticulously designed, all-natural fragrance.
How do you know if they’re right for you? Here’s our guide:
Differences between Botanical Perfumes and Synthetic Fragrances
Strength & Longevity
Re-apply throughout the day
Natural perfumes are best worn when reapplied throughout the day.
Without the use of synthetic “fixatives” or chemicals, our perfumes are made to smell as nature intended. They become a part of you.. Often described as gentle veil of fragrance that’s strong enough to let you know that it’s there, without ever being overpowering or headache-inducing.
If your only preference is a strong fragrance that fills the room, then botanical perfumes may not be for you.
Rituals of self-satisfaction
Like applying your favorite moisturizer or sipping the perfect cup of coffee — Natural perfumes are rituals of self-satisfaction.
Because their aromas are more gentle, they allow you to indulge in a taking a moment to re-apply -- to sit, be still, take a breath… and then emerge refreshed and calm.
When applied generously through the day, They provide small moments of joy, that are just for you.
No Perfume Headaches
Have you ever applied too much perfume, only to have a headache moments later ? Natural perfumes work gently with your body and are free from the headache inducing chemicals found in many perfumes.
Evolution of Wear — Natural perfumes evolve !
One the period of a few hours, you’ll be taken on a gentle olfactory joinery, starting with bright and effervescent top notes ( lasting anywhere from a 5-20 minutes) then slowly fading into rich and harmonious heart notes ( lasting for approximately 1-3 hours) before mellowing into a soft lingering base that clings softly to your skin for hours.
If you’re new to our natural perfumes, this dynamic evolution is the first thing many notice.
Perfume as a Mood Ring
Botanical Perfume smells unique to each person’s skin
Sample, Sample, Sample — One of the most fascinating qualities of natural perfumes, is how they wear uniquely on each persons skin.
When I first started making perfume over 10 years ago, I thought this was such a crazy concept, how could perfume smell differently on people? But after all these years, I can tell you fully that this is true.
Here’s why:
All of us have a unique skin biome — determined by many factors; from what we eat, our genetics, our environments, the weather and even our mood. How botanical perfumes interact with your skin biome is completely unique for all of us. Meaning, a perfume that smells sweet on one persons skin, may smell a little more woody on another’s.
But this variance isn’t too dramatic — your skin isn’t going to conjure a scent that isn’t already in the perfume. For example, let’s say you buy a Moonflower perfume - and it smells heavily of Jasmine on your skin. Your friend may try this and find that their skin pulls our more of the Tuberose or Yuzu notes.
Effortless therapy
You've likley heard this before — Skin is our largest organ.
Our skin is porous and provides a pathway into our bodies and central nervous systems. So what we apply to our skin, matters. The beauty of natural materials is their incredibly diversity — within 1 drop of essential oil or absolutes ( what we use to make perfume ), there are dozens to hundreds of unique molecules --most of which are odorless or things we cannot even perceive.
But just because we don’t notice them, doesn’t mean they aren’t providing value.
For example, let’s look at Jasmine —
Within 1 drop of jasmine there are dozens of organic molecules, all existing in harmony to create the scent we know and love. Many clinical studies have shown jasmine’s benefits as a sedative and natural anti-depressant. But where does that come from?
When natural jasmine is either inhaled or applied via perfume, it enters our bodies and interacts with our central nervous system, helping to slow our breathing and reach a calm state of mind.
Even further, as our breathing begins to deepen, our blood-oxygen saturation also increases, which means our brain is getting more oxygen. When this happens, we reach the magic feeling of being calm and focused.
As another example, the scent of natural jasmine, directly interacts with a neurotransmitter in the brain known as GABA ( Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ). Low levels of GABA are thought to be linked to anxiety and mood disorders. Numerous studies has shown that simply smelling jasmine boosts GABA levels by more than 5x, helping to soothe anxiety and mild depression.
These therapeutic benefits are a result of the dozens of “invisible” organic molecules within 1 drop of Jasmine — and these are not found in synthetic perfumes. This is why we love natural perfume so much — for their raw, authentic beauty and ability to help create balance within our bodies.
Perfume Oil vs EDP?
Perfume oils are more ritualistic and wear closer to the skin, while Eau de Parfum spray perfumes are more traditional and project their scent further.
Which is right for you? Read our guide here.
In conclusion — Like anything you will never know until you try.
If you’ve never purchased natural perfume before, you may surprised to find what a real rose smells like. Full of depth and nuance.. with hints of apricot, pepper and warm honey.
Many of us are only familiar with what major fragrances conglomerates want us to think what a rose smells like... But the real thing is so much deeper, richer, multi-faceted. Allow yourself to be surprised by the beauty that nature can offer.
But where to begin?
We recommend trying one our Discovery Sets, containing samples of all of our fragrances for you to explore & see how they make you feel and wear on your skin.
If you’re looking for a personalized recommendation on what may work for you, please send our perfumer, Mason, a message and he’d be happy to help.
mason@mizubrand.com
