“Emmm ~~ that smells good!”

Organic chemistry, the chemistry of carbon-containing compounds plays a huge role in our daily live as well as in the perfume manufacturing industries.

The most common organic compound for creating the lovely fragrance in perfumes is ester.

Ester is most widely used not only because it produces the pleasant aroma of fruits but also its high volatility because of the weak forces of attraction between the particles of the substance which are overcome easily, thus it evaporates easily from liquid to gas. Meaning that it can reach the olfactory system in the upper part of the nose. Then, it attaches to the receptors which transmits an impulse from the nose to the brain via neuron.

Esters

Esters occur naturally, but can be made in the laboratory by reacting an alcohol with an organic acid also known as carboxylic acid. A little sulfuric acid is needed as a catalyst to carry out the reaction. This is the general word equation for the reaction:

alcohol + organic acid    →    ester + water

For example:

methanol + butanoic acid    →    methyl butanoate + water

The diagram shows how this happens, and where the water comes from:

Unsaturated esters have a stronger scent compared to saturated esters because the higher the molecular weight, the weaker the odor they carry. Thus, unsaturated ester containing perfume are most highly preferred by manufacturers when in making of new creation of scents.

What esters smell like

Different esters have different smells. These are some examples:

alcohol	organic acid	ester made	smell of ester
pentanol	ethanoic acid	pentyl ethanoate	pears
octanol	ethanoic acid	octyl ethanoate	bananas
pentanol	butanoic acid	pentyl butanoate	strawberries
methanol	butanoic acid	methyl butanoate	pineapples

Stabilizers and Perfume Bases

All perfumes are composed of both a base and a fragrance compound. The perfume compound will account for 20 to 50 percent of the fragrance and is made from essential oils and synthetic fragrances like from ester. Perfume bases, which account for 50 to 80 percent of a fragrance, are generally made from liquids such as alcohol and water. They also include a variety of stabilizers, which are used to fix a perfume's scent and ensure that ingredients do not separate. Common perfume base is ethyl alcohol and for stabilizers is benzyl benzoate.

Most oil-based perfumes are free of stabilizers. The oils used for these bases are clearly identified and will be familiar to perfume wearers. These fragrances must be applied with the fingertips or with a roller ball and are not available in spray-on form.

Ethyl Alcohol

The majority of perfumes manufactured from industries contain an ethyl alcohol base which is also known as ethanol. Also known as ethanol or pure alcohol, ethyl alcohol vaporizes quickly. It is used in perfume precisely because it acts as a carrier for a perfume compound but dissolves quickly on the skin. Some organic perfumes use a denatured alcohol in place of ethyl alcohol due to concerns about the safety of ethanol-based products.

Benzyl Benzoate

Benzyl benzoate is made from the combination of benzoic acid and benzyl alcohol, is used as a fixative or stabilizer in many perfumes. This compound is often found in plants and naturally processed essential oils. When added to perfumes, it allows for the stability of fragrance ingredients. Benzyl benzoate helps perfumes to have a consistent scent and can prevent variation in scent profiles for several years.

Benzyl Benzoate is a natural component of cinnamon essential oil. It composes about 3% of the oil. Cinnamon essential oil has therapeutic benefit and when used in small amounts is safe.

Generally the amounts of essential oils used in cosmetics and personal care products is so small that you don't have to be concerned with any precautions associated with the essential oil. The synthetic version, on the other hand is the chemical used to kill head lice and is associated with a variety of adverse effects, including burning and itching of the skin, formation of blisters, reddening, crusting or scaling of the skin, jerking movements, difficulty urinating or sudden loss of consciousness. Thus, try to avoid products with benzyl benzoate listed as an ingredient, if it does not specify that it is from cinnamon essential oil.

Essential Oils
Essential oils are used to add scent to many perfumes. Many of these oils have been sourced from plants, woods, herbs, spices, and other organic materials. However, there are many synthetic essential oils available on the market. Common oils used in the industries are lavender oil, jasmine oil, opium oil and more.

Ethers are much stronger than esters but both have similar properties. They are a powerful antispasmodic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory. They are very gentle on the skin and particularly efficient in relaxing and rebalancing the nervous system. Examples of ethers and esters include cinnamyl acetate which are found in cinnamon, and myrtinyl acetate found in myrtle.

Conclusion

There are many esters or chemical elements used in making a bottle of perfume such as benzyl acetate, diethyl phthalate and so on. Some but not all synthetic perfumes are safe for use as some chemical containing perfumes such as the benzyl benzoate have some negative effects on health. So when choosing for a good and safe bottle of perfume, always check the ingredients listed behind the bottle to avoid the danger. Like how many always say, “Better safe than sorry.”