Powdery perfumes
Soft, sensual, talcum powder, lipstick... A powder accord is not one specific ingredient, but often a combination of natural and synthetic notes that together give a powdery feel to perfume compositions. Powdery scents have a dry, yet soft and nourished feeling. Think of the smell (and feel!) of facial, baby, or talcum powder.
Most people associate powdery perfumes with luxury, sophistication and seduction thanks to the musky and soft floral combinations. The most common powdery notes are iris/orris, violet, vanilla, rose, musk, heliotrope, opoponax resin and amber.
The soft feeling of powdery scents...
So soft, so elegant. The softness of flower petals, the caring feeling of face powder and lipstick. From cuddly and lovely, to feminine, tad soapy to sensual, exciting boudoir-like. Luxurious, cared for and cocooning. Powdery perfumes give the wearer a clean, well-groomed and elegant feeling. But you can go in many directions with powdery, including make-up, boudoir or the creamy sensuality of vanilla or the seductive character of musk.
Which ingredients provide that recognizable powdery scent?
Powder is not one specific ingredient or scent note, but more of a feeling that can be found in perfumes. A perfumer has many different ingredients and fragrance notes at his/her disposal to create a powdery effect.
For example: ingredients that can be powdery are musk, violet, heliotrope (small purple flower) or heliotropin (a synthetic molecule that smells powdery, soapy, fresh). But almond, vanilla and orris root can also give perfumes beautiful powdery notes.
Finally, tonka beans, vanilla or almond can also give a wonderfully smooth and enveloping effect to perfumes.