love this type of video format and thank you so much for covering greenwashing! it happens so much with the overall beauty industry (makeup, skincare, fragrance, etc) and it frustrates me so much because the term "clean" isn't even properly regulated and the fearmongering is insane... such a good video!!
To add to the safety of it.. the pthalates found in perfumes are from the plastic atomizers not the Perfume themselves.. our food and water has waaayyyy more to worry about.. Sam Macer makes an amazing video on synthetic vs natural perfumes.. thank you for saying all this about green washing... I've always loved natural way of living but I love perfumes so I love this talk on it and not fear mongering my passion
I really love that you’re making these kinds of videos, I’ve always wanted to learn more about this side of things with perfume, but people don’t make videos on these types of topics. So thank you!!
Nope because all they know how to do is “smell” them and “describe” them 🙄 they wouldn’t know this knowledge from a hole in the ground. Fragrance is their passion, but have no idea how they’re made. It’s all for a check and free fragrances.
That was super educational, thanks!! I think many of us didn’t know “clean” and regular fragrances actually often come from the same supplier so this helps us understand the industry practices much better.
I think you should own your opinion. It might be slightly biased but in reality it is actually INFORMED. Your opinion carried more weight than most other people. You are well spoken and knowledgeable about your field. Own it!
Thanks Emma for breaking down the nuts and bolts of the fragrance industry. It's so refreshing to see videos that help us understand why our fragrances don't smell like they used to. "Keep up the good work." 🙂👌
Thanks for the great video :) Have you seen Lab Muffin Beauty Science? She's a cosmetic chemist who posts similar content debunking "clean" beauty, but for skincare & cosmetics instead of fragrance. She has a lot of great resources and education about green-washing.
I’m halfway through watching and just wanted to say that I always learn something new from your videos. Keep up the educating. I find the fragrance industry so interesting 😊
I also would like to say, most fragrance TH-camrs have no idea how it’s made or anything that has to do with the process. All they know is how it smells, so this is why YOUR channel is different. You actually have the knowledge that makes you stand out. A lot of the fragrance TH-camrs wouldn’t have a clue if it came down to making a fragrance, so this is such a breath of fresh air truly. You also smell the fragrances and describe them, but you also know how their made is well and I love that about you and your channel! Thank you for being different and honest!!! People are so quick to lie for free fragrances, and I love that you don’t hype up every single fragrance you get for free. I’ve been a subscriber to a lot of these fragrance TH-camrs from the beginning, and over time the more popular they got, the more brand deals they get, which in turns the more free fragrances they get, and almost EVERY SINGLE ONE they “get” they just absolutely RAVE about it like it’s the best fragrance in the world 🙄 it’s so frustrating. They don’t buy any of their fragrances no more, so of course they’re gonna rave about a 400 creed fragrance they got for free like it’s nothing!
Great video Emma! I see a lot of parallels with cosmetics, where 'clean' is being used to sell products without perservatives, where actually all that's doing is making your makeup expire faster so you have to repurchase more! Sad to see the same happen to fragrance as it's getting more popular now. So much fear-mongering and misconceptions around 'natural' being better for you, there needs to be a stronger scientific lens criticising this sort of greenwashing that companies are just exploiting for profit.
Yes I absolutely agree! Just "clean" fragrances don't use stabilizing agents, so your non-clean fragrances might actually be more stable than the "clean" counterparts!
I love your channel so much. Of all the perfume girlies that I follow you are the only one that actually goes in depth of the topic of perfume and actually is your passion and career. Thank you for sharing your knowledge your opinions are valued❤
I love this video! It’s really educated me on all the fear mongering topics everyone has been talking about. I really needed this to know what’s what and to not just follow whatever people are pushing for. Thanks girl keep em coming!! 🫶🏽
Great video! 👏🏻 Truly loving the discussion and content presented here. Something else about those fragrance houses they also make fragrances for the FMCG industry. I know from direct experience as a research scientist/chemist in R&D. Givaudan, Firmenich, IFF and Takasago supply fragrances based upon concepts and what consumers want in these products. Marketing is a fierce strategy to get sales and brand loyalty.
I didn’t know anything about perfumes before I came across one of your vids a few days ago. Now I’ve binge watched most of your vids and have become super interested in finding fragrances that may be for me! ✨
Although the plant beautifully blending with the glowy light is such a vibe, make sure the plant isn't touching the bulb for too long (if the bulb gets hot of course)... My friend accidentally lit her plant on fire this way, she's ok, the plant's ok, I just wanted to give a kind warning ❤
Please never stop making videos 🙏🙏 I love perfume and I started growing my own perfume collection last year. I started with about 2 perfumes and now I’m at 37 that I’m in LOVE with thanks to your recommendations. I even found my signature scent thanks to you. Although my wallet isn’t very happy, I am, thank you so much ❤
Also: there are a lot of dupes that people say smell nearly identical to the originals; how does this work, if the formula is such a well-kept secret? Do the dupes usually come from the same houses as the originals, or?
Now I'm not an expert on this, but they use gas chromatography. It helps them reveal which materials are likely in the perfume, but it doesn't really reveal the concentration of each material. From there a perfumer would use the materials they know are in the fragrance and would adjust a given formula to best approximate the dupe. The original formula for the duped perfume stays discreet.
I am an expert on reverse engineering competitor products and gas chromatography with a mass spectroscopy detector is used to breakdown the compounds. It’s a step in the process. However, this is qualitative, not so much quantitative without a known standard to create a calibration curve.
Loved this video, we should also talk about how the term “clean” is super unregulated and can be slapped on just about anything. Contributes even more the fear mongering and makes it even harder for people who genuinely care🥹 but super informative video!!
What I appreciate about the nontoxic fragrance brands is the consumer transparency! Also, you seem to be insinuating that a house is not capable of working with a brand to meet their personal requirements for their fragrances… I don’t care if the ingredients come from the same house as long as it’s free of all the harmful things it says it’s free of
Hi Emma, love your perfume 101 sequel, I hope it continues as a series. Would you be interested doing a video on how fragrances complement each other? Like how colours complement each other and we have the colour wheel for it.. Is there an equivalent for fragrances? I have an overly sweet sour grape scented perfume and it is just too overpoweringly sweet and warm to wear on its own. Is there a way to wear it paired with another fragrance to balance out the sweetness? I could throw it out, Id hate to do that.. Forever grateful for your content!
This was so interesting, I love how well researched and mindful you are. It’s interesting to me learning that notes are just marketing basically because sometimes you really can’t judge a fragrance by its notes and it smells nothing like it but wouldn’t that be the entire purpose of putting notes, to try to best describe the scent? Perhaps it’s just that everyone perceives scent a little differently?
Yes! It is so interesting as a concept. Our brands have 400-ish olfactory receptors that all respond to different scents. These receptors often activate simultaneously, and they light up parts of our brains which correspond to memory and feeling. This is so personal, and everyone has a unique "olfactive imprint"
Terrific video, Emma! For me you're one of the most intelligent, thoughtful, articulate and informative influencers out there, which is why I love your channel so much! I would love to learn more about perfume as well, so I'm wondering where you took your master's in perfumery. It's a dream of mine to take a short course at ISIPCA just for enjoyment, education, and to smell a lot of things, haha! Would you recommend their 10-day summer course on perfumery? Any info would be greatly appreciated!
I loved their summer course! I took it as well. The teachers were great and it was a relatively accurate glimpse into the school, in my eyes. Super pricey but a great experience!
I loved this video. I’m a chemist, and these topics perfectly hit my interests. Do you have any book recommendations about the science behind fragrance? (Can’t believe I want to read textbooks lol)
tapping into your videos feels like a weekly tv show I love it so much 😊❤ also greenwashing makes my blood boil because it capitalises of demonising... which is alarming. And thanks for recommending 'covered in roses' it's absolutely beautiful and I got it off your recommendation (having previously smelled delina of course)
So I guess what you're trying to say is that clean fragrances are very likely as clean as the regular ones, given the fact that the house that makes them has to abide by the same regulations for both clients, even if the formulations differ.
Mostly, yes. "Clean" at Sephora does ban some more specific ingredients including stabilizing agents, etc. This is why "clean" fragrances are more likely to discolour since they do not have agents preventing this!
New to channel shout out to all my noses 👃! Was wondering if you could review Kuumba oil or fragrance oils in general. Think you would love Water Goddess by Kuumba! And they have an amazing lavender scent called Lavender Lace as well
These videos are sooo interesting! Specially as a fragrance lover and collector myself! I got to say, I recently just bought the “Noyze Unmute” yesterday at Ulta and I’m OBSESSED!!! It’s sooo sexy and perfect for fall!! If yall haven’t smelled it, seriously it’s gorgeous! It’s a deep amber/vanilla it’s superrrr sexy!!
Your critique on the marketing term "clean" is very similar to all the dermatologists I follow. It's a good reminder that marketing is not science. Thank you for sharing this information.
Hey Emma!! I love your videos! Could you make possibly a couples series for fragrance? ❤ Like.. 2 fragrance for a couple that complements each other so that when put together puts out its own vibe?! I'm looking for fragrances for my husband and I. For the fall/winter could be warm for cuffing season holiday season vibe, etc.
Thanks for your video. Greenwashing and fearmongering is so popular in the cosmetic industry and I really try to avoid brands making money out of such marketing. And I hate IFRA regulations - why the perfume cannot just have potential allergens listed on the box? E.g. peanuts can even kill some people but we don't ban them from our food. I don't think any perfume ingredient can kill you, they can just give your some skin reaction and these constant reformulations destroyed so many perfumes already 😡
No pressure but if you have any cool man-eater perfume recommendations I would love to hear them. Im going to a ball and I can't for the life of me think of a good Vampire/Mystic Falls/Twilight esque scent 😂
No, sometimes ingredients are restricted because it's allergenic in general. Basically, your scent could harm someone else. It's rare nowadays for ingredients to be banned for toxicity.
Not necessarily. If they found any real danger for an ingredient to be hazardous it would be recalled. If it works for you and does not cause allergies it should not be a big deal to continue. Fragrances are also reformulated if supply chain issues or cost issues prevent the use of a specific material.
Sometimes the reformulation is to protect the raw material source itself. It’s not always about consumer safety. They may also reformulate based upon FDA regulations and restrictions.
hey i love your previous informative reviews of different scents, would you perhaps go into perfumes that are unisex? mainly gourmand with whiskey/woody undertones. I WOULD LOVE IT PLEASEE!!
I’ve heard that IFRA is incentivized to put in these harsh restrictions so that the industry moves away from naturals towards newer patented chemicals…or something like that 💰 Just word on the street. Love this content from you. Hope to see more!
This was so interesting! I think its great that the perfume ingedients get tested like that. I feel like that doesnt happen enough for skincare and/or make-up ingredients. Do you happen to know if its a similar process or its just for pefume ingredients?
Great video, I would love to see one day your thought on non-vegan ingredients in perfumes. As a vegan, how to recognise them? Does milk note is really milk derived or the beeswax is really there? Is it possible that some animal derived parts are used during the ingredient production?
Milk is not used in perfume ever. Beeswax is used sometimes. There is no way to know exactly what is in your fragrances unfortunately! You can look to purchase from vegan brands only if you wish!
This video is explained so well! I love it. However, small fragrance brands have to follow ifra as well. I know several owners of indie brands, and some are even more strict than big brands. Of course, there's the few that are not compliant, but I would say it's the minority. I think we should help bring up indie brands because this is their livelihood. Big brands don't need the help!
3:39 Xerjoff will most likely go to Christian Carbonell (a family lead composing house to be clear) and he'll hand a pre-made perfume, with maybe a minor tweak or two 😆
Are the fragrance brands very open about the frangrance houses that they source from? Or is it a confidential thing? And I am assuming the landscape (and even regulations) is very different based on countries, the price ranges, etc.
Also-- I can't help but wonder if studies that discover how "harmful" certain traditional substances are, aren't also being funded by the big chemical companies who are selling the chemicals to replace those same substances.
This is so informative! Ive been thinking about this, especially fragrances ive gotten at TJ Maxx. What are your thoughts on perfumes made in China from these types of stores. Should they be avoided?
"made in china" refers to the packaging, not necessarily the fragrance oil. TJMaxx sells brands like Le Monde Gourmand that work with brands like Mane, which are renowned industry professionals. The point of my video was to say that we should not discriminate based on price.
@@saranoel5692 thank you so much!! I appreciate you so much for watching and asking questions! It really is my ultimate goal to spread information and get discussions going about fragrances!
I disagree with your take that "clean" brands are being misleading about their ingredients. By "clean", they do not mean "without allergens" necessarily (hence why geraniol and linalool can still appear in their ingredients lists). What they are really saying is that their products are *not endocrine disrupting*, primarily. This means that their perfumes do not include phthalates (which is the BIGGEST concern for a lot of perfume enthusiasts looking for cleaner alternatives these days). Phthalates are particularly scary in that they are endocrine-disrupting AND do not appear explicitly in ingredients lists. They are usually encapsulated into "Parfum" on the ingredients list of a perfume, so it's often impossible for the everyday consumer to figure out whether a perfume is endocrine-disrupting or not. That's why they need the brands to specifically SAY their perfumes do not contain phthalates. These "clean" brands are not shouting their "cleanness" from the rooftops in order to put other brands down / fearmonger, they do it because the ingredients lists are otherwise completely opaque. You yourself said that fragrance houses do not release full ingredients lists because it is proprietary information. So then why would you come to the conclusion that because Henry Rose and BBW use the same supplier, they must be using the same exact ingredients?
Thank you so much for your comment! I appreciate having a larger discussion and welcoming opposing opinions. I agree, phthalates are concerning. Do you know the chemical function of phthalates? Phthalates, such as diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-isononyl phthalate (DiNP), and di-iso-decyl phthalate (DiDP), are mainly used in the plastic industries as plasticizers to produce polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Phthalates are not scented aromachemicals, and therefore have no use or need in a fragrance formula. If anything, phthalates in fragrance come from the atomizers and packaging! This is a huge and very common misconception. Fragrance formulas usually contain UV blockers, water, a preservative, and the scented oils.
@@perfumerism thank you! and thanks for clarifying the specific role of phthalates. I think that's the reason why the "clean" fragrance movement offers reassurance that regardless of how the fragrance was produced, there are no phthalates in the final result, like a kind of transparency with the consumer, in particular because like you mentioned the ingredients lists often obscure the full picture. :) I appreciate you giving the context to how phthalates are potentially introduced into a fragrance.
If someone is allergic to eating lemon and Chestnut, does that mean they can still wear a lemon/Chestnut perfume, because they aren't really made with those ingredients?
This question has a complex answer. Lemon and chestnut are both raw materials that can be extracted and put in perfumes, but that doesnt mean that all fragrances that list "lemon" or "chestnut" in the notes use raw materials. Many notes are fantasy notes, such as strawberry, cognac, milk, peony, honey, caramel, musk, etc. These aren't actually extracted ingredients, but "accords" of fragrance oils meant to represent a note. Items like rose, lemon, lavender, cedarwood, etc. are often raw materials, but this is not always the case. You will never know which is which because the fragrance houses do not share their formulas! That said, if you have an allergy, all the allergens will be listed in the ingredients list. So if youre allergic to lemon, you're likely allergic to limonene, and it will say in the ingredients if that molecule is present.
Products that aren’t fragrances per se, but have fragrance in them (e.g. shampoo or scented cosmetics)-are they also beholden to the IFRA & its regulations?
For a single molecule IFRA has different restrictions depending the final product: whether it's going to be applied on skin, lips, no contact, etc they are classified into categories
Do you think we will get to a point where you can buy frags that exceed IFA-standards for certain ingredients signing a waiver? If not from sephora, then directly from suppliers/nichemarketers?
anything labeled "clean" tells me everything else is dirty. I avoid anything labeled "clean". I may buy a "clean" product because I like the actual product instead of their claims of being "clean".
This is a great video. Unfortunately for ME-- I ordered Santal Complet on Friday. It is literally in the mail as I type this. 🙄 Oh well. Maybe I can return it
Animal testing is something I want to avoid.. but I think it is allowed for cleaning products still.. so if a fragrance is made of raw materials that are also used in cleaning products it is not automatically cruelty free.. its a difficult topic
Hi, my question : is lataffa or Emirates brands conforming to IFRA ? Like europeans perfumers accept to make them fragrances, i ask myself. I live in France france I have a baby and my favorite perfume IS Musamam white intense by Lataffa ...
Exactly! Your company relies on the fragrance industry, so why are you perpetuating a rhetoric that actively harms the industry and turns people away from it?
I work with pesticides. It is funny to me that people are worried about spice and natural oils in their perfume but they will claim that spraying straight essential oils on their skin will be safer than a formulated and tested pesticide. The formulated ones are the extracted component of a natural oil that is actually doing the work and quantified. Like She was saying, the allergen listed is the actual molecule that causes the reaction not the whole food/plant product it comes from.
i have bought my 3rd bianco latte and I cannot smell it anymore , I don't know what's wrong with it , I can smell my 2 other old bottles but not the new one, I fear they have reformulated the perfume or added less oil concentration due to it becoming very popular ? it's very faint not intense like before , I did check with them and the perfume is original , I don't know what to do :/ , I have also tried it on my friends and they have the same thought as me , I even went to the store and asked for them to give me another bottle of bianco latte and they did after a month and the new bottle again doesn't smell or have the same performance as the older ones , I wonder what it can be ?
Doesn't it depend on how the ingredients are extracted and distilled or created?! Different brands have different needs and some don't care if their products are clean and want cheaper materials!? Others are willing to pay more for higher quality materials.
So apparently, middle eastern houses produce their proper perfumes and that’ why they are so cheaper, and also because they don’t market in the same amount
What do you mean? Middle eastern brands work with major fragrance houses as well. Dubai specifically is a hub for fragrance houses like CPL Aromas, Givaudan, etc.
love this type of video format and thank you so much for covering greenwashing! it happens so much with the overall beauty industry (makeup, skincare, fragrance, etc) and it frustrates me so much because the term "clean" isn't even properly regulated and the fearmongering is insane... such a good video!!
To add to the safety of it.. the pthalates found in perfumes are from the plastic atomizers not the Perfume themselves.. our food and water has waaayyyy more to worry about.. Sam Macer makes an amazing video on synthetic vs natural perfumes.. thank you for saying all this about green washing... I've always loved natural way of living but I love perfumes so I love this talk on it and not fear mongering my passion
Thank you for all this info, very informative ❤
I really love that you’re making these kinds of videos, I’ve always wanted to learn more about this side of things with perfume, but people don’t make videos on these types of topics. So thank you!!
Nope because all they know how to do is “smell” them and “describe” them 🙄 they wouldn’t know this knowledge from a hole in the ground. Fragrance is their passion, but have no idea how they’re made. It’s all for a check and free fragrances.
That was super educational, thanks!! I think many of us didn’t know “clean” and regular fragrances actually often come from the same supplier so this helps us understand the industry practices much better.
I think you should own your opinion. It might be slightly biased but in reality it is actually INFORMED. Your opinion carried more weight than most other people. You are well spoken and knowledgeable about your field. Own it!
Thanks Emma for breaking down the nuts and bolts of the fragrance industry. It's so refreshing to see videos that help us understand why our fragrances don't smell like they used to. "Keep up the good work." 🙂👌
This discussion type format is fun!
Thank you! I want to do more content like this! Product-focused content can be useful, but I want my channel to be more than just "buy this"
As a fragrance nerd i absolutely love these videos!!!! Please make more 🤩
Thanks for the great video :) Have you seen Lab Muffin Beauty Science? She's a cosmetic chemist who posts similar content debunking "clean" beauty, but for skincare & cosmetics instead of fragrance. She has a lot of great resources and education about green-washing.
I love her channel! Yes!!
I’m halfway through watching and just wanted to say that I always learn something new from your videos.
Keep up the educating. I find the fragrance industry so interesting 😊
I also would like to say, most fragrance TH-camrs have no idea how it’s made or anything that has to do with the process. All they know is how it smells, so this is why YOUR channel is different. You actually have the knowledge that makes you stand out. A lot of the fragrance TH-camrs wouldn’t have a clue if it came down to making a fragrance, so this is such a breath of fresh air truly. You also smell the fragrances and describe them, but you also know how their made is well and I love that about you and your channel! Thank you for being different and honest!!! People are so quick to lie for free fragrances, and I love that you don’t hype up every single fragrance you get for free. I’ve been a subscriber to a lot of these fragrance TH-camrs from the beginning, and over time the more popular they got, the more brand deals they get, which in turns the more free fragrances they get, and almost EVERY SINGLE ONE they “get” they just absolutely RAVE about it like it’s the best fragrance in the world 🙄 it’s so frustrating. They don’t buy any of their fragrances no more, so of course they’re gonna rave about a 400 creed fragrance they got for free like it’s nothing!
Great video Emma! I see a lot of parallels with cosmetics, where 'clean' is being used to sell products without perservatives, where actually all that's doing is making your makeup expire faster so you have to repurchase more! Sad to see the same happen to fragrance as it's getting more popular now. So much fear-mongering and misconceptions around 'natural' being better for you, there needs to be a stronger scientific lens criticising this sort of greenwashing that companies are just exploiting for profit.
Yes I absolutely agree! Just "clean" fragrances don't use stabilizing agents, so your non-clean fragrances might actually be more stable than the "clean" counterparts!
Yup! I can believe that preservatives are not great for us, but moldy makeup has to be way worse for the health of our skin and body!
I love your channel so much. Of all the perfume girlies that I follow you are the only one that actually goes in depth of the topic of perfume and actually is your passion and career. Thank you for sharing your knowledge your opinions are valued❤
Thank you !! That is so nice of you!!
That’s because none of the fragrance girlies know anything about fragrance other than how it smells 😂
i love these videos, i find the fragrance industry so fascinating. thank you!!!!!!
I love this video! It’s really educated me on all the fear mongering topics everyone has been talking about. I really needed this to know what’s what and to not just follow whatever people are pushing for. Thanks girl keep em coming!! 🫶🏽
Great video! 👏🏻 Truly loving the discussion and content presented here. Something else about those fragrance houses they also make fragrances for the FMCG industry. I know from direct experience as a research scientist/chemist in R&D. Givaudan, Firmenich, IFF and Takasago supply fragrances based upon concepts and what consumers want in these products.
Marketing is a fierce strategy to get sales and brand loyalty.
I didn’t know anything about perfumes before I came across one of your vids a few days ago. Now I’ve binge watched most of your vids and have become super interested in finding fragrances that may be for me! ✨
This was extremely helpful. You cleared up a lot of misconceptions!!
Although the plant beautifully blending with the glowy light is such a vibe, make sure the plant isn't touching the bulb for too long (if the bulb gets hot of course)... My friend accidentally lit her plant on fire this way, she's ok, the plant's ok, I just wanted to give a kind warning ❤
Please never stop making videos 🙏🙏 I love perfume and I started growing my own perfume collection last year. I started with about 2 perfumes and now I’m at 37 that I’m in LOVE with thanks to your recommendations. I even found my signature scent thanks to you. Although my wallet isn’t very happy, I am, thank you so much ❤
I need more videos that go into depth of the industry and the process. This was so interesting.
this is sooo informative. Thank you for sharing your 101 information. :D
I loved this video and your last video. Soki London recently interviewed her perfumer and it was very informative! I love Perfume history and science!
If it was reformulated to last more than 20 minutes as the OG, I will buy it gladly.
Also: there are a lot of dupes that people say smell nearly identical to the originals; how does this work, if the formula is such a well-kept secret? Do the dupes usually come from the same houses as the originals, or?
Now I'm not an expert on this, but they use gas chromatography. It helps them reveal which materials are likely in the perfume, but it doesn't really reveal the concentration of each material. From there a perfumer would use the materials they know are in the fragrance and would adjust a given formula to best approximate the dupe. The original formula for the duped perfume stays discreet.
I am an expert on reverse engineering competitor products and gas chromatography with a mass spectroscopy detector is used to breakdown the compounds. It’s a step in the process. However, this is qualitative, not so much quantitative without a known standard to create a calibration curve.
@@Blondie77128 that is so cool omg
@@Blondie77128 we need an interview with you! 😊🙏
Loved this video, we should also talk about how the term “clean” is super unregulated and can be slapped on just about anything. Contributes even more the fear mongering and makes it even harder for people who genuinely care🥹 but super informative video!!
It's unregulated bc it's not a legal or scientific term. It's a marketing term. There is no specific definition it has to follow.
Thank you for this! So informative! I would love to see a holiday gift guide video! I need gift ideas :)
I can totally do this!
I second this! 😊
Emma, thank you for making such an informative video. Very interesting and well delivered.
What I appreciate about the nontoxic fragrance brands is the consumer transparency!
Also, you seem to be insinuating that a house is not capable of working with a brand to meet their personal requirements for their fragrances…
I don’t care if the ingredients come from the same house as long as it’s free of all the harmful things it says it’s free of
I rly love this type of perfume contents cause as much as i also like perfume recs, watching them sometimes gets overwhelming
I completely agree! I don’t want all my content to be constantly influencing and recommending products
Hi Emma, love your perfume 101 sequel, I hope it continues as a series.
Would you be interested doing a video on how fragrances complement each other? Like how colours complement each other and we have the colour wheel for it.. Is there an equivalent for fragrances?
I have an overly sweet sour grape scented perfume and it is just too overpoweringly sweet and warm to wear on its own. Is there a way to wear it paired with another fragrance to balance out the sweetness? I could throw it out, Id hate to do that..
Forever grateful for your content!
This was so interesting, I love how well researched and mindful you are. It’s interesting to me learning that notes are just marketing basically because sometimes you really can’t judge a fragrance by its notes and it smells nothing like it but wouldn’t that be the entire purpose of putting notes, to try to best describe the scent? Perhaps it’s just that everyone perceives scent a little differently?
Yes! It is so interesting as a concept. Our brands have 400-ish olfactory receptors that all respond to different scents. These receptors often activate simultaneously, and they light up parts of our brains which correspond to memory and feeling. This is so personal, and everyone has a unique "olfactive imprint"
Terrific video, Emma! For me you're one of the most intelligent, thoughtful, articulate and informative influencers out there, which is why I love your channel so much! I would love to learn more about perfume as well, so I'm wondering where you took your master's in perfumery. It's a dream of mine to take a short course at ISIPCA just for enjoyment, education, and to smell a lot of things, haha! Would you recommend their 10-day summer course on perfumery? Any info would be greatly appreciated!
I loved their summer course! I took it as well. The teachers were great and it was a relatively accurate glimpse into the school, in my eyes. Super pricey but a great experience!
@@perfumerism Thanks, Emma, will definitely weigh the price now vs the experience. 😜
I loved this video. I’m a chemist, and these topics perfectly hit my interests. Do you have any book recommendations about the science behind fragrance? (Can’t believe I want to read textbooks lol)
I like the chemistry of fragrances from Charles Sell!
tapping into your videos feels like a weekly tv show I love it so much 😊❤
also greenwashing makes my blood boil because it capitalises of demonising... which is alarming.
And thanks for recommending 'covered in roses' it's absolutely beautiful and I got it off your recommendation (having previously smelled delina of course)
The fear mongering in our society today is WILD. Thanks for this video!
So I guess what you're trying to say is that clean fragrances are very likely as clean as the regular ones, given the fact that the house that makes them has to abide by the same regulations for both clients, even if the formulations differ.
Mostly, yes. "Clean" at Sephora does ban some more specific ingredients including stabilizing agents, etc. This is why "clean" fragrances are more likely to discolour since they do not have agents preventing this!
@@perfumerism very interesting, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience, it's awesome to learn!
New to channel shout out to all my noses 👃! Was wondering if you could review Kuumba oil or fragrance oils in general. Think you would love Water Goddess by Kuumba! And they have an amazing lavender scent called Lavender Lace as well
These videos are sooo interesting! Specially as a fragrance lover and collector myself! I got to say, I recently just bought the “Noyze Unmute” yesterday at Ulta and I’m OBSESSED!!! It’s sooo sexy and perfect for fall!! If yall haven’t smelled it, seriously it’s gorgeous! It’s a deep amber/vanilla it’s superrrr sexy!!
Yess I am so glad you love it! I brought it to France with me and I am in LOVE!
Thank you so much for this video❤
I find this topic so fascinating. Please do more videos like this ❤
Thank you Emma, always love these kinda videos!
Your critique on the marketing term "clean" is very similar to all the dermatologists I follow. It's a good reminder that marketing is not science. Thank you for sharing this information.
Hey Emma!! I love your videos! Could you make possibly a couples series for fragrance? ❤ Like.. 2 fragrance for a couple that complements each other so that when put together puts out its own vibe?! I'm looking for fragrances for my husband and I. For the fall/winter could be warm for cuffing season holiday season vibe, etc.
That is an interesting idea! I will look into pairings when I get back home in a few weeks~
Thanks for your video. Greenwashing and fearmongering is so popular in the cosmetic industry and I really try to avoid brands making money out of such marketing.
And I hate IFRA regulations - why the perfume cannot just have potential allergens listed on the box? E.g. peanuts can even kill some people but we don't ban them from our food. I don't think any perfume ingredient can kill you, they can just give your some skin reaction and these constant reformulations destroyed so many perfumes already 😡
hi emma, how u doing? i think u should try the perfume "Imperial" by Granado, have a note of white tea and mate. i think u will like
it's a brazilian brand (brazilian here)
she definitely needs to know Granado!!
I think what these brands mean is that a lot of aromachemicals are endocrine disruptors.
No pressure but if you have any cool man-eater perfume recommendations I would love to hear them. Im going to a ball and I can't for the life of me think of a good Vampire/Mystic Falls/Twilight esque scent 😂
Very interesting! I’m wondering , if a new perfume is reformulated does that mean it’s best to stop using the old version for safety reasons?
No, sometimes ingredients are restricted because it's allergenic in general. Basically, your scent could harm someone else. It's rare nowadays for ingredients to be banned for toxicity.
I was going to ask the same thing!
Not necessarily. If they found any real danger for an ingredient to be hazardous it would be recalled. If it works for you and does not cause allergies it should not be a big deal to continue. Fragrances are also reformulated if supply chain issues or cost issues prevent the use of a specific material.
Sometimes the reformulation is to protect the raw material source itself. It’s not always about consumer safety. They may also reformulate based upon FDA regulations and restrictions.
hey i love your previous informative reviews of different scents, would you perhaps go into perfumes that are unisex? mainly gourmand with whiskey/woody undertones. I WOULD LOVE IT PLEASEE!!
I’ve heard that IFRA is incentivized to put in these harsh restrictions so that the industry moves away from naturals towards newer patented chemicals…or something like that 💰 Just word on the street.
Love this content from you. Hope to see more!
Yeah, who knows!
This was so interesting! I think its great that the perfume ingedients get tested like that. I feel like that doesnt happen enough for skincare and/or make-up ingredients. Do you happen to know if its a similar process or its just for pefume ingredients?
How do you know that it does not happen for makeup ingredients?
Great video, I would love to see one day your thought on non-vegan ingredients in perfumes. As a vegan, how to recognise them? Does milk note is really milk derived or the beeswax is really there? Is it possible that some animal derived parts are used during the ingredient production?
Milk is not used in perfume ever. Beeswax is used sometimes. There is no way to know exactly what is in your fragrances unfortunately! You can look to purchase from vegan brands only if you wish!
Super informative and definitely clears up a lot for me!
Yay! I am so glad to hear that!!
Such an informative video! ♥️
Such an informative video!! Thank you!!
Thanks a lot Emma! That was truly informative ❤ do you have any idea about the regulations for the Middle Eastern perfumes
It’s the same
This video is explained so well! I love it. However, small fragrance brands have to follow ifra as well. I know several owners of indie brands, and some are even more strict than big brands. Of course, there's the few that are not compliant, but I would say it's the minority. I think we should help bring up indie brands because this is their livelihood. Big brands don't need the help!
This was so interesting!
aw pisa is my hometown ❤️
There is a movie called Perfume by Tom Tykwer showing how perfume is made. It shocked me!
Loved this video, knowledge is power ❤
Very interesting video. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the fragrance industry!
These videos are so interesting. Thank you
3:39 Xerjoff will most likely go to Christian Carbonell (a family lead composing house to be clear) and he'll hand a pre-made perfume, with maybe a minor tweak or two 😆
Yes!! I think it’s Carbonnel? I’ve met him and he is lovely:)
Okay but lowkey are you gonna try the new santal complet to tell us your thoughts on the reformulation compared to the old one 👀
Yes I totally will! I am so curious. I heard it's not as good lol
@@perfumerism I heard its not as magical and Im so sad I didnt get a bottle of the OG now 🥲
Are the fragrance brands very open about the frangrance houses that they source from? Or is it a confidential thing? And I am assuming the landscape (and even regulations) is very different based on countries, the price ranges, etc.
love this series
*Aldehyde* (chemical) and I are not friends :/ Throbbing headaches. Sorry Chanel!
Maybe this explains why baccarat doesn’t last the way my first bottle did. The new batches are sooo watered down and it’s so sad!
Thanks for this perspective
OOHH new upload right as I was scenting up for bed.
I’m so sorry to hear Santal Complet has been discontinued. That’s awful!
Also-- I can't help but wonder if studies that discover how "harmful" certain traditional substances are, aren't also being funded by the big chemical companies who are selling the chemicals to replace those same substances.
So Maison Mataha, Maison Margiela, etc are all brands, not houses even if they say 'house' (in French)?
I had such a bad allergy to Babycat, it lasted for more than 1 week. I love the fragrance but can not wear it !
Ugh that is such a bummer!
This is so informative! Ive been thinking about this, especially fragrances ive gotten at TJ Maxx. What are your thoughts on perfumes made in China from these types of stores. Should they be avoided?
"made in china" refers to the packaging, not necessarily the fragrance oil. TJMaxx sells brands like Le Monde Gourmand that work with brands like Mane, which are renowned industry professionals. The point of my video was to say that we should not discriminate based on price.
@@perfumerism That is super helpful! Thank you so much - I really enjoy all your videos. They've gotten me into perfumes. 😁
@@saranoel5692 thank you so much!! I appreciate you so much for watching and asking questions! It really is my ultimate goal to spread information and get discussions going about fragrances!
@@perfumerism Well you are doing such a fantastic job! Keep it up girl! 🥰
I disagree with your take that "clean" brands are being misleading about their ingredients. By "clean", they do not mean "without allergens" necessarily (hence why geraniol and linalool can still appear in their ingredients lists). What they are really saying is that their products are *not endocrine disrupting*, primarily. This means that their perfumes do not include phthalates (which is the BIGGEST concern for a lot of perfume enthusiasts looking for cleaner alternatives these days). Phthalates are particularly scary in that they are endocrine-disrupting AND do not appear explicitly in ingredients lists. They are usually encapsulated into "Parfum" on the ingredients list of a perfume, so it's often impossible for the everyday consumer to figure out whether a perfume is endocrine-disrupting or not. That's why they need the brands to specifically SAY their perfumes do not contain phthalates. These "clean" brands are not shouting their "cleanness" from the rooftops in order to put other brands down / fearmonger, they do it because the ingredients lists are otherwise completely opaque. You yourself said that fragrance houses do not release full ingredients lists because it is proprietary information. So then why would you come to the conclusion that because Henry Rose and BBW use the same supplier, they must be using the same exact ingredients?
Thank you so much for your comment! I appreciate having a larger discussion and welcoming opposing opinions. I agree, phthalates are concerning. Do you know the chemical function of phthalates?
Phthalates, such as diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-isononyl phthalate (DiNP), and di-iso-decyl phthalate (DiDP), are mainly used in the plastic industries as plasticizers to produce polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
Phthalates are not scented aromachemicals, and therefore have no use or need in a fragrance formula. If anything, phthalates in fragrance come from the atomizers and packaging! This is a huge and very common misconception. Fragrance formulas usually contain UV blockers, water, a preservative, and the scented oils.
@@perfumerism thank you! and thanks for clarifying the specific role of phthalates. I think that's the reason why the "clean" fragrance movement offers reassurance that regardless of how the fragrance was produced, there are no phthalates in the final result, like a kind of transparency with the consumer, in particular because like you mentioned the ingredients lists often obscure the full picture. :) I appreciate you giving the context to how phthalates are potentially introduced into a fragrance.
If someone is allergic to eating lemon and Chestnut, does that mean they can still wear a lemon/Chestnut perfume, because they aren't really made with those ingredients?
This question has a complex answer. Lemon and chestnut are both raw materials that can be extracted and put in perfumes, but that doesnt mean that all fragrances that list "lemon" or "chestnut" in the notes use raw materials.
Many notes are fantasy notes, such as strawberry, cognac, milk, peony, honey, caramel, musk, etc. These aren't actually extracted ingredients, but "accords" of fragrance oils meant to represent a note. Items like rose, lemon, lavender, cedarwood, etc. are often raw materials, but this is not always the case. You will never know which is which because the fragrance houses do not share their formulas!
That said, if you have an allergy, all the allergens will be listed in the ingredients list. So if youre allergic to lemon, you're likely allergic to limonene, and it will say in the ingredients if that molecule is present.
@@perfumerism this info is so helpful, thank you!
Products that aren’t fragrances per se, but have fragrance in them (e.g. shampoo or scented cosmetics)-are they also beholden to the IFRA & its regulations?
Idk if it's the ifra but you can assume there's another organisation just like it if not
Yes, IFRA regulates fragrance for those products too. Usually the overall parfum content in those consumer products is less than that of perfumes.
Yes
For a single molecule IFRA has different restrictions depending the final product: whether it's going to be applied on skin, lips, no contact, etc they are classified into categories
Yes they do! Brands that make shampoo, etc, also formulate their fragrances at at Givaudan, IFF, Symrise, etc. !
Do you think we will get to a point where you can buy frags that exceed IFA-standards for certain ingredients signing a waiver? If not from sephora, then directly from suppliers/nichemarketers?
That's a great question! I can't imagine that happening, but it could!
@@perfumerism With "everyone" buying niche and luxury, it would be a way to get back to "exclusive".
IFRA is similar to NSF & UL, but for the fragrance industry?
Such valuable info omfg
Thank you!... Very interesting!
anything labeled "clean" tells me everything else is dirty. I avoid anything labeled "clean". I may buy a "clean" product because I like the actual product instead of their claims of being "clean".
Yes exactly this!!
The same happens in skincare.Brand's marketing is awefull and do not trust brands who say and lie about green and clean ingredients
I have so much skin reactions to ME fragrances that I only spray ME fragrances to my clothes now. Never had skin reaction to western fragrances
Which ME scents?
This is a great video. Unfortunately for ME-- I ordered Santal Complet on Friday. It is literally in the mail as I type this. 🙄 Oh well. Maybe I can return it
Animal testing is something I want to avoid.. but I think it is allowed for cleaning products still.. so if a fragrance is made of raw materials that are also used in cleaning products it is not automatically cruelty free.. its a difficult topic
Hi, my question : is lataffa or Emirates brands conforming to IFRA ? Like europeans perfumers accept to make them fragrances, i ask myself. I live in France france I have a baby and my favorite perfume IS Musamam white intense by Lataffa ...
IFRA is international
Excellent video! 👍
Loved your discussion on greenwashing and marketing and making money from the same sources as the people they demonise
Exactly! Your company relies on the fragrance industry, so why are you perpetuating a rhetoric that actively harms the industry and turns people away from it?
I work with pesticides. It is funny to me that people are worried about spice and natural oils in their perfume but they will claim that spraying straight essential oils on their skin will be safer than a formulated and tested pesticide. The formulated ones are the extracted component of a natural oil that is actually doing the work and quantified. Like She was saying, the allergen listed is the actual molecule that causes the reaction not the whole food/plant product it comes from.
Yes exactly!! People see chemicals they don't recognize and immediately think chemicals=bad. Thank you so much for your input.
Yea bc pesticides are neurotoxins…
i have bought my 3rd bianco latte and I cannot smell it anymore , I don't know what's wrong with it , I can smell my 2 other old bottles but not the new one, I fear they have reformulated the perfume or added less oil concentration due to it becoming very popular ? it's very faint not intense like before , I did check with them and the perfume is original , I don't know what to do :/ , I have also tried it on my friends and they have the same thought as me , I even went to the store and asked for them to give me another bottle of bianco latte and they did after a month and the new bottle again doesn't smell or have the same performance as the older ones , I wonder what it can be ?
I am not sure! Maybe it has been reformulated? That is so upsetting!
is real ambergris still used?
Not by companies that follow IFRA
Doesn't it depend on how the ingredients are extracted and distilled or created?! Different brands have different needs and some don't care if their products are clean and want cheaper materials!? Others are willing to pay more for higher quality materials.
Do you have promo codes for people in Canada? :) I want to sample amore cafe
What do you this of Daisy by Marc Jacob’s? I think that’s what it’s called lol
6:03 that’s a little frustrating cus what about allergies?
Keep watching the video. I answer this question
Emma, may I offer you my Microphone holding services ?....i can start ASAP...Xxx
So apparently, middle eastern houses produce their proper perfumes and that’ why they are so cheaper, and also because they don’t market in the same amount
What do you mean? Middle eastern brands work with major fragrance houses as well. Dubai specifically is a hub for fragrance houses like CPL Aromas, Givaudan, etc.