How Premium Perfumes are Created

With the launch of Oriflame’s latest premium perfume range, Sublime Nature, we wanted to investigate what premium means and what it takes to create such fragrances. So, we sat down with the master perfumer Nathalie Lorson to learn more.

1. WHAT CRITERIA MUST A PERFUME FULFILL TO BE CONSIDERED PREMIUM?
When designing a fragrance for a premium collection, I select the most refined, elegant and unique ingredients my perfumer palette offers me.

2. WHAT DOES PREMIUM MEAN TO YOU?
Premium means unique to me. I like to create for consumers looking for uniqueness. Beauty, harmony and quality are my guidelines when I design a unique signature.

3. WHAT MAKES SUBLIME NATURE TUBEROSE AND TONKA BEAN PREMIUM?
I crafted Sublime Nature Tuberose and Tonka Bean from sublime extractions of ethically harvested Tuberose from India and ethically harvested Tonka bean from Brazil. Also, I have put the ingredients at the center of the fragrance, making them shine.

4. HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT DEVELOPING A PREMIUM SCENT?
Once I’ve chosen the ingredient I want to work with, I make sure to choose the right quality. Then I play around with the scent – mixing it with other ingredients to help re-inforce and push the real characteristics of the first ingredient. For instance, it took about a year to find the perfect scent for Sublime Nature Tuberose.

5. YOU SELECTED THE BEST, MOST ICONIC INGREDIENTS FOR THESE SCENTS. HOW DOES THE SELECTION PROCESS WORK?
Tuberose is one of the most iconic ingredients in classic perfumery. It has always been explored as a single flower fragrance in highly selective perfumes presenting its opulent character. During a journey in Indian flowers fields, some years ago, I remember my emotion in discovering Tuberose’s pure vegetal freshness and delicacy. The new state of the art Sublime CO2 technology has now offered me the opportunity to re-create that scent.

Tonka Bean is an Amazonian treasure that unveils its multiple gourmand facets with vanilla, almond, cinnamon and caramel tonalities. It has a deep, warm and intense character. It’s difficult to harvest and has delicious olfactive notes that make it one of the most beautiful ingredients of perfumery. The idea of designing a highly refined scent inspired by nature was a true novelty.

6. WHEN CREATING THESE SCENTS, YOU AIMED FOR SMELLS THAT OCCURE AT SPECIAL MOMENTS IN TIME. WHICH MOMENTS?
The pure and natural Indian Tuberose best expresses its distinctive fresh and dewy green floral note at dawn. Every day between May and December, women in saris carefully harvest the valuable white flowers, which will be used as garlands and for perfumery. This is the moment I wish to re-create – when the Tuberose is blooming at dawn and the petals are still a bit wet and dewy.

For Tonka Bean, I chose the moment when the bean dries in the sun after the monsoon rains. This crystallization phenomenon gives the Tonka Bean its most opulent and intense scent. It has a warm and smoky smell, faceted with bright watery transparent notes.

7. HOW WOULD YOU, A MASTER PERFUMER, DESCRIBE THE SCENTS OF SUBLIME NATURE TUBEROSE AND TONKA BEAN?
Sublime Nature Tuberose is dewy and floral. It has a bouquet of fresh white flowers and a luminous top note. It’s full of character and has a natural feeling. This is the way it smells before it’s cut.

Sublime Nature Tonka Bean is sensual, but also fresh. It has a watery feeling, at the same time it’s quite intense. Very feminine, caring and sophisticated.

Skrevet af: Fotografier af: Oriflame and Getty