<p>How well do you know your perfume ingredients? If you&#39;ve ever found yourself asking, &#34;What the heck is oud?&#34; we hope you&#39;ll enjoy this glossary of frequently used fragrance and aromatherapy ingredients.<br/><br/><strong>Agrumen</strong><br/><br/>An aldehyde (see below) with a characteristic green, musky odor.<br/><br/><strong>Aldehyde </strong><br/><br/>Organic compounds present in many natural materials, that can be synthesized artificially, such as the aliphatic aldehydes used to give sparkle to Chanel No 5.<br/><br/><strong>Amber</strong><br/><br/>A heavy, full bodied, powdery, warm fragrance note. Amber oil comes from the Baltic amber tree.<br/><br/><strong>Ambergris </strong><br/><br/>A sperm whale secretion with a sweet, woody odor. Usually reproduced synthetically.<br/><br/><strong>Ambrette</strong><br/><br/>The oil obtained from ambrette seeds (from the hibiscus) has a musk-like odor. Commonly used as a substitute for true musk.<br/><br/><strong>Amyris</strong><br/><br/>A white-flowering bush or tree found in Haiti and South America. Often used as a less-expensive substitute for sandalwood.<br/><br/><strong>Benzoin</strong><br/><br/>A balsamic resin from the Styrax tree.<br/><br/><strong>Bergamot</strong><br/><br/>The tangy oil expressed from the non-edible bergamot orange, grown mainly in Italy.<br/><br/><strong>Calone</strong><br/><br/>An aroma chemical that adds a “sea breeze” or marine note to fragrances.<br/><br/><strong>Cashmeran</strong><br/><br/>A synthetic aldehyde with a spicy, ambery, musky, floral odor. Used to invoke the velvety smell or &#34;feel&#34; of cashmere.<br/><br/><strong>Castoreum</strong><br/><br/>An animalistic secretion from the Castor beaver used to impart a leathery aroma to a fragrance. Often reproduced synthetically.<br/><br/><strong>Citron</strong><br/><br/>The zest of this tree&#39;s fruit is used to create citrus fragrance notes.<br/><br/><strong>Civet</strong><br/><br/>Musk produced by a gland at the base of the African civet cat&#39;s tail. Pure civet is said to have a strong, disagreeable odor, but in small quantities is often used to add depth and warmth to a fragrance.<br/><br/><strong>Clary sage</strong><br/><br/>The oil of this herb smells sweet to bittersweet, with nuances of amber, hay, and tobacco.<br/><br/><strong>Coumarin</strong><br/><br/>A commonly used perfume compound that smells like vanilla. Usually derived from the tonka bean (see below), but also found in lavender, sweetgrass, and other plants.<br/><br/><strong>Frangipani</strong><br/><br/>A fragrant tropical flower, also known as West Indian jasmine.<br/><br/><strong>Frankincense</strong><br/><br/>A gum resin from a tree found in Arabia and Eastern Africa. Also called Olibanum.<br/><br/><strong>Galbanum </strong><br/><br/>A gum resin that imparts a green smell.</p><p><strong>Guaiac Wood</strong><br/><br/>A resinous South American tree whose oil is used in perfumery.</p><p><strong>Hedione</strong><br/><br/>An aroma chemical that has a soft, radiant jasmine aroma.<br/><br/><strong>Heliotrope</strong><br/><br/>Flowers of the family heliotropium, which have a strong, sweet vanilla-like fragrance with undertones of almond.<br/><br/><strong>Indole</strong><br/><br/>A chemical compound which smells floral at low concentrations, fecal at high concentrations. Used widely in perfumery.</p><p><strong>Iso E Super</strong><br/><br/>An aroma chemical described as a smooth, woody, amber note with a velvet-like sensation. Used to impart fullness to fragrances.</p><p><strong>Jasmine</strong><br/><br/>A flower employed widely in perfumery. Jasmine is one of The 6 Most Expensive Perfume Ingredients in the World.<br/><br/><strong>Labdanum</strong><br/><br/>An aromatic gum from the rockrose bush. The sweet woody odor is said to mimic ambergris (see above), and can also be used to impart a leather note.<br/><br/><strong>Monoi</strong><br/><br/>Gardenia (tiare) petals macerated in coconut oil. Sometimes called Monoi de Tahiti.<br/><br/><strong>Muguet</strong><br/><br/>French for Lily of the Valley. One of the three most used florals in perfumery. Unlike jasmine and rose, usually synthetically reproduced.</p><p><strong>Musk</strong></p><p>Natural musk comes from the glands of the musk deer. But the vast majority of musk produced and sold in the world today is synthetic. This is a good thing because musk is found in almost every men&#39;s fragrance and cologne. Natural musk is one of The 6 Most Expensive Perfume Ingredients in the World.</p><p><strong>Myrrh</strong><br/><br/>A gum resin produced from a bush found in Arabia and Eastern Africa.<br/><br/><strong>Narciussus</strong><br/><br/>The white flowers of this tree are used extensively in French perfume production.<br/><br/><strong>Neroli </strong><br/><br/>A citrus oil distilled from the blossoms of either the sweet or bitter orange tree. The Italian term for neroli is <em>zagara</em>.<br/><br/><strong>Oakmoss</strong><br/><br/>Derived from a lichen that grows on oak trees. Prized for its aroma, which is heavy and oriental at first, becoming refined and earthy when dried, reminiscent of bark, seashore, and foliage.<br/><br/><strong>Opopanax</strong><br/><br/>A herb that grows in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Mediterranean, also known as sweet myrrh. The resin produces a scent similar to balsam or lavender.<br/><br/><strong>Orris</strong><br/><br/>Derived from the iris plant. Has a flowery, heavy and woody aroma. Orris is one of The 6 Most Expensive Perfume Ingredients in the World.<br/><br/><strong>Osmanthus</strong><br/><br/>A flowering tree native to China, valued for its delicate fruity apricot aroma.<br/><br/><strong>Oud (Oudh) </strong><br/><br/>Refers to wood from the Agar tree found mostly in Southeast Asia. The fragrant resin is treasured by perfumers. Oud is one of The 6 Most Expensive Perfume Ingredients in the World.<br/><br/><strong>Ozone</strong><br/><br/>A modern, synthetic note meant to mimic the smell of fresh air right after a thunderstorm.<br/><br/><strong>Patchouli</strong><br/><br/>A bushy shrub originally from Malaysia and India. Has a musty-sweet, spicy aroma. Often used as a base note.<br/><br/><strong>Rose</strong><br/><br/>One of the main flower notes used in perfumery. Rose is one of The 6 Most Expensive Perfume Ingredients in the World.<br/><br/><strong>Rose de Mai</strong><br/><br/>The traditional name was given to Rose Absolute (rose essential oil) produced by solvent and then alcohol extraction.<br/><br/><strong>Sandalwood</strong></p><p>An oil from the Indian sandal tree. One of the oldest known perfumery ingredients, commonly used as a base note.<br/><br/><strong>Tonka Bean</strong><br/><br/>Derived from a plant native to Brazil. Has an aroma of vanilla with strong hints of cinnamon, cloves, and almonds. Used as a less-expensive alternative to vanilla.<br/><br/><strong>Tuberose</strong><br/><br/>A plant with highly perfumed white flowers, resembling those of a lily.<br/><br/><strong>Vanilla</strong><br/><br/>Derived from the seed pod of the vanilla orchid. Highly fragrant, popular, and expensive to produce.<br/><br/><strong>Vetiver</strong><br/><br/>A grass with heavy, fibrous roots, which are used to distil an oil that smells of the moist earth with woody, earthy, leather and smoky undertones. A highly important ingredient in masculine perfumes.<br/><br/><strong>Ylang Ylang</strong><br/><br/>An Asian evergreen tree with fragrant flowers. Used in expensive floral perfumes.</p>