A Chypre in the 1917 Manner
The classical mossy-floral skeleton, reduced to twelve materials
- Strength
- 18% in perfumer's alcohol
- Level
- Intermediate
- Materials
- 12
- IFRA
- Category 4 (fine fragrance)
The chypre accord is the most durable structure in Western perfumery: a bright citrus top falling onto a floral heart, carried by the damp, bitter woodiness of oakmoss and labdanum. Nearly every chypre built since has been a variation on this proportion.
This is a teaching skeleton rather than a finished fragrance. Build it, smell what each phase contributes, then begin moving the numbers.
The Formula
| Material | Dilution | Parts | Grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top Notes | |||
| Bergamot EO The whole opening. Use a quality FCF grade. | 100% | 180 | 6.00 |
| Lemon EO | 100% | 40 | 1.33 |
| Linalool | 100% | 25 | 0.8333 |
| Heart Notes | |||
| Verisco Rosalume™ A radiant rose base with the soft, dimensional character of fresh petals in bloom. | 100% | 120 | 4.00 |
| Hedione Opens the heart out; hard to overdose. | 100% | 110 | 3.67 |
| Jasmine Absolute | 10% | 60 | 2.00 |
| Phenethyl Alcohol | 100% | 45 | 1.50 |
| Base Notes | |||
| Oakmoss Absolute The defining line — check IFRA first. | 10% | 90 | 3.00 |
| Patchouli EO | 100% | 80 | 2.67 |
| Labdanum Resinoid | 50% | 60 | 2.00 |
| Iso E Super Lifts the base without adding colour. | 100% | 70 | 2.33 |
| Ambroxan | 10% | 20 | 0.6667 |
| Total | 900 | 30.0 | |
Weigh every line. Grams are calculated from the parts column and rounded for display — at the smaller batch sizes a trace material may round below the resolution of your balance, which is the usual argument for working from a stock dilution rather than the neat material.
Method
Weigh the base materials first and allow them to dissolve fully before adding the heart. Oakmoss and labdanum are viscous and will hold the balance back for several minutes. Add the top notes last, then dilute to strength in perfumer’s alcohol and macerate for at least two weeks before judging anything.
Notes on the Structure
The oakmoss figure is the first thing to check against the current IFRA Amendment for your product category; it is the line most likely to need reducing. Substituting a low-atranol oakmoss changes the balance noticeably and usually wants a small compensating increase in patchouli.
Materials in This Formula
CAS 8007-75-8Fresh sparkling bergamot peel, floral-tea nuance; FCF grade minimizes phototoxic furocoumarins
CAS 8008-56-8
CAS 78-70-6Fresh floral, citrus, lavender, slightly woody
FLORAL
CAS 24851-98-7Transparent jasmine-petal, citrus-floral, airy and radiant
CAS 8022-96-6Rich jasmine, indolic, fruity, tea-like, warm floral
CAS 60-12-8Soft fresh rose, slightly honeyed and watery
CAS 90028-68-5Damp forest moss, inky, woody, leathery, marine-earthy
CAS 8014-09-3Earthy woody, camphoraceous, damp soil, cocoa-dark nuance
CAS 8016-26-0Warm resinous amber, leathery, sweet, animalic, incense
CAS 54464-57-2Smooth transparent cedar-amber, velvety, diffusive
CAS 6790-58-5Dry mineral ambergris, warm woody, slightly salty and musky
About This Formula
Composed by Veriscents from the classical chypre structure described in the perfumery literature.
Evaluation Use
Published for study and bench evaluation. Before wearing or selling anything built from it, check every restricted material against the current IFRA Amendment for your product category and against the allergen labelling rules of your market. Check the oakmoss line against the current IFRA Amendment before use on skin.