- Incense
- Myrrhe
- Opoponax
- Sandarac Gum
- Dragon Blood
- Gutte Gum
- Assafoetida
- Balsams
- Benzoin
- Elemi
- Red Cachou Powder
Balsams and resins are amongst the raw materials used in the composition of perfumes. They often are used in oriental or amber fragrances. The most common in perfumery are myrrh, incense, styrax, benjoin, balsam of Peru, and Copahu Balm.
Resins are part of a large family that includes hard resins, oleoresins, balms, and gum-resins.
iNCENse or OLIBAn resin
Incense or oliban resin comes from trees of the Boswellia genus, a Family of Burseraceae. This species grows in arid and dry environments, such as Sudan and Ethiopia for the Boswellia papyrifera, and Somalia for Boswellia carterii and Boswellia freerana. These are the three countries that produce the most followed by Yemen, Oman, and India.
Oliban is the aromatic resin that appears as an exsudat after the tree has been wounded. Its smell is both pleasant and strong, mineral and woody. In perfumery, incense is used as an essence or an absolute.
Son odeur est à la fois agréable et forte, minérale et boisée. En parfumerie, l’encens est utilisé sous forme d’essence ou d’absolue.
MYRRHE
Myrrh is an aromatic gum-resin that originates from the arid regions of the North East of Africa as well as the south of the Arabian Peninsula. Like oliban, myrrh comes from trees of the Burseraceae family. They are found in Somalia (Commiphora myrrha, Commiphora opobalsamum), Eritrea (Commiphora abyssina, Commiphora schimperi), Yemen; Saudi Arabia (Commiphora opobalsamum).
Myrrh is obtained after incisions of bark and branches. In perfumery, myrrh is used as an essence or absolute for its warm, spicy and balsamic character. It serves in particular as a link, fixator and background note for “Oriental” fragrances.
Son odeur est à la fois agréable et forte, minérale et boisée. En parfumerie, l’encens est utilisé sous forme d’essence ou d’absolue.
BENzOIN resin
There are two types of benzoins: the Siam benzoin (Styrax tonkinensis Craib.) from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, and the Sumatran benzoin (Styrax benjoin). Widely used today for its sweet, balsamic and vanilla fragrance, Benjoin also served as incense for its sacred virtues. It is a background note, used in “oriental” perfumes. Its smell is both pleasant and strong, mineral and woody. In perfumery, incense is used in the form of essence or absolute.
It serves as a base note for oriental perfumes.
It serves as a base note for oriental perfumes
Son odeur est à la fois agréable et forte, minérale et boisée. En parfumerie, l’encens est utilisé sous forme d’essence ou d’absolue.
elemi
Manila elemi (Canaricum luzonicum, Surseraceae family) is a plant endemic to the Philippines. It is a large tree, 10 to 18 m high, which after incision gives a yellowish gum (4 to 5 kg of resin per tree).
Its smell is both pleasant and strong, mineral and woody. In perfumery, elemi is used in the form of essence or absolute.
Son odeur est à la fois agréable et forte, minérale et boisée. En parfumerie, l’encens est utilisé sous forme d’essence ou d’absolue.
OPOPoNAX
Opoponax is produced by incising the Commiphora Erythracea tree, which grows in Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia. This resin gum has a very strong, warm and exotic balsamic smell that is associated with oriental compositions.
It is an excellent fixator for perfumes and especially for those containing neroli. In fragrance, it is especially harmonious with patchouli, orange, lemon, incense, sandalwood.
It is sold in different forms: small pieces to burn, essential oil, absolute.
Son odeur est à la fois agréable et forte, minérale et boisée. En parfumerie, l’encens est utilisé sous forme d’essence ou d’absolue.
