Ingredient Spotlight: Lavender
Lavender: A Bit Of History
Lavender has a rich history in the Mediterranean region, especially in Spain, France, and Italy. The name comes from the Latin "lavare," meaning "to wash," reflecting its long-standing association with cleansing rituals and baths.
Lavender has been valued since ancient times. The Egyptians used it in mummification and perfumes, while the Greeks and Romans added it to baths and culinary dishes. It was recognized for its medicinal benefits, including helping treat headaches and anxiety.
In the Middle Ages, lavender symbolized cleanliness. It was frequently used to scent clothing and linens and to ward off pests and disease. It gained further popularity during the Renaissance as a staple in gardens and herbal remedies.
The Greeks and Romans valued it for its soothing properties, adding it to baths and culinary dishes. They recognized its medicinal benefits, using it to treat headaches and anxiety.
Lavender's rich history inspires me, and I love its scent. For RHR Luxury, lavender is a key ingredient in many iterations, present in several formulas and different scent collections.
When I was working on the first scent I created, Atlántico, lavender was one of the key accords I wanted to include in it. Lavender can be used as a soliflore, meaning a fragrance built around a single flower perfume. It can also be used as a heart or a top note and can also be included in traces to lift other notes.
Lavender In Perfumery
Lavender has been a significant part of perfumery for centuries, prized for its distinctive, calming aroma. Its scent, often floral yet herbaceous, brings a unique freshness that can evoke tranquility and relaxation.
In modern perfumery, lavender remains a staple in many fragrance compositions. It frequently sits at the heart of aromatic and floral blends but is versatile enough to complement woody, spicy, and citrus notes. Its ability to balance and enhance other scents makes it a favorite among perfumers.
Beyond its aromatic qualities, lavender is celebrated for its calming and soothing effects, which add an emotional layer to fragrances. Many contemporary scents utilize lavender to evoke a sense of peace and wellness, making it a sought-after ingredient in high-end perfumes and mainstream products.
Overall, lavender's rich history and multifaceted aroma have solidified its place as a beloved ingredient in perfumery. At RHR Luxury, we use different species of lavender and various extraction methods, depending on the particular effect I want to create in the fragrance.
Lavender In Luxury Home Fragrance
Lavender is a cherished component in creating luxury candles and luxury home fragrance in general. RHR Luxury uses it not only for its familiar fragrance but also for the ambiance it helps to create. Lavender's soothing properties make it an ideal choice for our luxury candles and diffusers, perfect for promoting relaxation and tranquility in any space.
When we use it in our luxury candles, lavender offers a delicate balance between floral and herbaceous notes, helping to harmonize or enhance other notes. RHR Luxury uses P&N (Pure & Natural) Origin lavender raw materials; we believe in the calming benefits of lavender oils as they diffuse naturally through the burning of our candles or the slow evaporation of our diffusers.
Lavender Essential Oil Versus A Lavender Accord
I prefer to use materials of natural origin to create the basic skeleton of my fragrances, which is what we consider the basic structure of a perfume. So, when I decide to include lavender in a blend, I will use lavender essential oil or an absolute. I use different species of lavender, from the well-known English lavender Lavandula angustifolia to the lesser-known spike lavender Lavandula latifolia to a variety called lavender maillete. Sometimes, I use a lavender absolute when I want to work with the herbaceous aspect of lavender more than the floral. The most used types in perfumery are the so-called lavender 40/42, in which the main components linalool and linalyl acetate have been standardized to maintain a constant aromatic profile, and lavandin, a less expensive version.
Generally speaking, no one lavender is better than another; it's just a matter of taste and end use.
But, many times, what you may smell in a fragrance is a lavender accord, a blend of different aroma chemicals that have been blended to recreate the scent of lavender.
But, many times, what you may smell in a fragrance is a lavender accord, a blend of different aroma chemicals that have been blended to recreate the scent of lavender.
Because I prefer to use the entire range of lavender oil's constituents in my formulas, I choose to use genuine oils from Nature.
Remaining faithful to the craft of perfumery, the fragrance blends in RHR Luxury's product range are created following classic and high-perfumery methods, in which different accords of synthetic provenance enhance the presence of natural materials.
If lavender of natural origin is available on the market, I prefer to use it instead of a built-in accord. So, when you see lavender noted in a scent pyramid of one of our fragrances, it is the real thing, a lavender essential oil or an absolute.
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