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What Exactly Are Fragrance Accords - A Perfumer's Guide

AirScent Diffusers • May 13, 2024

This fusion of multiple notes is the true quintessence of a fragrance.


It can be thought of as the skeleton of the formulation, as every great perfume must contain one original accord.


It is often compared to its cousin of the same name in music, where it also serves as a combination of several diverse facets.


Our perfumers blend notes to create new, sophisticated and unforgettable scents.

Perfume Accords

The worlds of music and perfume collide in the sense that they use the same language to describe their wondrous elements.


In music, the result is a new composition; in perfume, a one-of-a-kind-fragrance. 


Just as genres, like jazz or hip hop, are delineated in music, so are accords in perfume.


They are comprised of six to ten different aspects that derive from: floral, amber, citrus and woody olfactory families, just to name a few.


The word, accord, also indicates that mixtures are a blend of the minimum materials needed to create a single, greater synergistic effect. 


Perfume accords fall into two different categories; namely, simple and complex.


The simple accord is usually comprised of five raw materials that are specifically included to reproduce exactly a well known scent, such as rose.

Fragrance Accords of Love Affair diffuser oil

This becomes the framework for more complex accords, such as a floral bouquet rather than just a simple flower.


These formulations require consummate skill and artistry and results are alluring and delightfully mysterious. 


The floral accord is the most common, and it usually blends rose, jasmine and tuberose, which provide a sweet romantic character that is often found in the dry down of many fine fragrances.


While Euclid, the father of geometry, extolled the whole as being the sum of all its parts, modern perfumers know that an accord cannot be so defined.


It is, rather, far greater and equal to one new scent.


Where Do Accords Fit Into Perfume Structure?


Formulating an accord is the first step to perfume creation, after which other facets are added.


Despite the fact that they only account for one to two percent of a total perfume construction, they provide the fragrant path leading from a dull scent to a superior fragrance.

Lavender sage diffuser oil perfumer accords

They can be found in all stages of development; namely, top, heart or base notes


Creation requires consummate skill, extreme patience, seemingly endless research and repeated modifications.


Each new accord becomes a base for a myriad of new scents.


Understanding the power of accords lies in the knowledge of the synergy that lies at the core of their composition.


This interaction of elements leads to the birth of a one-of-a-kind and entirely new fragrance.


The concept of time during this process does not exist, as the boundaries of creation expand and overwhelm the human imagination.


It seamlessly resumes once the formulation is complete. 


There is also no substitute for patience and practice when it comes to prioritizing and shuffling diverse accords in search of the right combination.


Advancements in industrial science permit the identification in chemical terms of more than 90% of any given formula, but at the same time, an accord’s specific aspects can be difficult to pinpoint because traces of their assimilation become embedded into the sub structure of the scent itself. 

Santal Black Currant fragrance accords

How Exactly Are Accords Created?


The methods for producing accords have remained unchanged since ancient times, 


Their creation requires an expertise and education of its own kind.


Materials must be carefully studied as to their duration, impact, and how well they perform on skin, test strips and in diverse bases.


While many perfumers are experts who know the many ropes, so to speak, it is not an easy climb to accord perfection. 


The first step involves the incremental adjustment of the necessary proportions of essential oils via a test strip process.


Each new ratio demands a separate strip. Dilution of a small amount of materials of up to 10% alcohol, which will cut back on waste, is the second step.


A bit like fishing, this technique requires a strip for each desired material and smelling them both (not the case for fish, of course) to ascertain how well they work together. 


The next part requires careful thought and will determine the ultimate affect of selected materials.


For this step, two essential oils on two separate strips will tell the fragrant truth. This is the easiest way to determine which oil is stronger than the other, and if blended, which one will require more or less in the making of a new accord.


If using natural raw materials, to prevent inexact results, it is a good idea to limit development with just three elements.


If desired, others can be added later.

White tea and thyme 10ml with dropper

A Few Accord Examples Found In Our Fragrances


This list is just a sampling, but it does feature some of the most commonly utilized elements in the accords found in many of our formulations.


The roster includes: sugary, woody and resinous balsam; warm, mossy Chypre; bright and clean Citrus; powdery, fragrant and piquant Floral; dewy melon, velvety peach, crunchy apple, sweet, tart and almond-nuanced cherry, soft apricot and berry-tinged Fruit; bright, mild, fresh-cut grass Green; candied, creamy and fruity Gourmand; sharp, cool and aromatic Herbal; vanilla-nuanced, musky, exotic and smooth Ambery (formerly Oriental); inviting, rich Spice and earthy, smoky and aromatic Wood.


For the following scents, one accord is highlighted. 


Santal Black Currant


Streams of sugary banana, piquant cardamom, fruity iris, woody violet and fresh, leafy green open this wild, intense fragrance.


These aspects soon drift into a fruity heart marked by warm, inviting cinnamon, sharp black currant and crisp apple.


Dry, somber cedar wood, dark, earthy and potent patchouli and creamy sandalwood form the dry down that closes this heady scent.


Santal Lavender Sage


Aspects of cool, piney minty eucalyptus, fruity-nuanced iris, piquant cardamom and smooth soothing lavender stream though the opening notes of this appealing fragrance.


An aromatic heart soon follows marked by facets of earthy, nutty sage, soft, inviting cashmere and dusty, woody violet.


A dry down of animal-like, erotic musk, noble, lush vanilla and smooth, creamy sandalwood complete this compelling scent.


White Tea and Thyme


The redolence of a summer meadow in full bloom with aspects of white flowers and sweet, green white tea open this warm, inviting fragrance.


These facets seamlessly drift into a floral heart of woodsy, smoky incense, rich, intense jasmine, velvety, musky red rose, and sensual, nutty sage.


A dry down of wild, green thyme, tart, warm and light lily pad, dark, honeyed amber and dry, balsamic cedar complete this scent.


In Conclusion


Accords represent the more fragrant aspects of our every day lives.


Take the time to experience them in diverse perfumes.


The pleasant side of life is often elusive. Take a little time to smell Mother Nature’s bounty and all the beauty that surrounds you.

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