natural perfumery
What is a natural fragrance?
A natural fragrance is a living fragrance.
Most of its ingredients grew in the earth. They have known the sun, the wind, the rain and the light, and were nourished by its nutrients.
They have particular olfactory qualities, naturally beneficial, in the air and for the senses. Purifying, soothing, relaxing and energising virtues.
They do not come from chemical synthesis, which is often petrochemical in origin.
What makes it unique.
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Richness
A single natural essence contains dozens, even hundreds, of aromatic molecules. This is what gives it depth, nuance and vibrancy.
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Diffusion
A natural fragrance evolves in the air. It settles, changes and fades delicately, never overpowering.
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Living
Like a wine, an essence varies with the soil, the climate and the harvest. Every bottle keeps a part of that life.
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Rarity
It often takes a great quantity of flowers, leaves or zests to obtain a few drops of essence. A precious material, to be used with care.
Natural extracts are highly complex. They demand perfect mastery and precise dosing: the whole art of a perfumer.
Natural does not mean allergen-free.
Pollen and gluten are familiar examples. Some fragrance ingredients of natural origin can also cause reactions in sensitive people.
Allergens: your questions
Materials that grew in the earth.
Flowers, leaves, zests, woods and resins, such as galbanum: each has its own story and personality.
Your questions about natural fragrances
What is a natural home fragrance?
A natural fragrance is living and complex. Besides its base, it is made mostly of ingredients of natural origin: essential oils, absolutes or plant extracts, sometimes obtained through biotechnology (fermentation).
These plant materials give fragrances that are more nuanced and often more subtle than fully synthetic compositions.
At Domaine Singulier, over 99.8% of the ingredients in our fragrances are of natural origin, alcohol base included. They are fine-fragrance compositions, designed to enhance places and moments with subtlety.
How do you scent your home naturally?
A few simple principles:
- start from a healthy home: clean, well kept and aired regularly;
- choose very high-quality formulas and ingredients of natural origin;
- choose controlled diffusion: non-aerosol spray, reed diffuser, no combustion and nothing electric;
- air the room when you use incense or a candle.
Fragrance is not there to mask or saturate, but to enhance and create harmony.
What is a synthetic ingredient?
It is a molecule obtained through chemical synthesis, rather than extracted directly from a natural raw material. It is usually made in a laboratory, often from petrochemical derivatives.
It is used to:
- reproduce a scent found in nature;
- stabilise or fix a fragrance;
- bring a note that is hard or impossible to extract naturally.
For example, synthetic vanillin reproduces the scent of vanilla. Other molecules imitate flowers whose scent cannot be extracted, such as lily of the valley, lilac or violet.
How can you tell if a home fragrance is truly natural?
The first clue is on the label or the product page. A few pointers:
- check that the composition or the percentage of natural origin is stated;
- beware of vague claims such as “alcohol of natural origin” with no further detail;
- a fragrance claimed to be 95% natural still contains 5% synthetic ingredients: fixatives, colourants, UV filters or controversial molecules.
At Domaine Singulier, we detail our ingredients and explain our formulation choices so everyone knows what they spray at home. The full formula of the concentrate remains a creative secret.
Does a natural fragrance feel different?
Yes, usually very different. Materials from plants, flowers or resins naturally contain many aromatic molecules: the scent is more nuanced, more alive, less linear.
Diffusion is also subtler and airier. The fragrance accompanies the space without saturating it, which is more comfortable day to day.
Finally, some materials are traditionally associated with particular sensations, freshness, softness, comfort, that make the experience more sensory. How it feels still depends on the quality of the formula and on each person’s sensitivity.