By now, most of you have read about the 2018 World Perfumery Congress (including Ermano’s report), which took place June 5-June7 2018 in Nice, France. Presented byThe American Society of Perfumers and produced by Perfumer & Flavorist, this event seems to get better and better, combining the best of industry offerings with the latest from independent perspectives alike.

Sherri Sebastian & Chris Dienno, fellow perfumer and the 2018 William Lambert Award recipient. 

The unveiling of new ingredients from suppliers was a big focus at the 2018 World Perfumery Congress, with the release of new synthetic captives along with interesting naturals and new technologies.  As a long time perfumer, I’ve always maintained that perfumery is a practice, not just an art and/or science. Whether you’re an industry perfumer or an independent perfumer the only way to truly understand how to work with new ingredients is by first mastering the basics. “Drop me in a field in the middle of nowhere with ten key ingredients and I can make just about anything”, is something I once told an ex-boss when explaining why having a gas chromatogram (an instrument used to copy existing fragrances. printout does not a perfumer make. Nonetheless, people like to try new things and sometimes ingredient innovations offer the icing on the cake that we enjoy so much! Below are some highlights from the 2018 World Perfumery Congress:

Symrise presents Symbroxane© on gel-like beads

I was able to experience Symrise’s new ingredient, Symroxane©¨at the 2018 World Perfumery Congress.They showcased it on gel-based beads for maximum surface area and projection. In addition to having an amber profile, I found it to be woody with the slightest hint of fruit. Takasago invited me to attend a private unveiling of their latest molecules including my favorite, Dextramber©. This ingredient caught my attention for its tenacious and versatile amber effects across all categories. I can’t wait to formulate with this.

IFF Oakwood© chips

The LMR naturals division of IFF continues to innovate by offering exciting new products. The Oakwood© was particularly interesting and lasted on my blotter well into the next day. I enjoyed following its projection from a sharp woody note as it dried down to reveal a sensuous amber effect.

Mane featured the essence of Gnidia Flower Absolute WPC

Mane featured Gnidia Flower Absolute at the the 2018 World Perfumery Congress, a floral extract from Madagascar’s Gnidia Daphnifoliar. Although I’m still unsure about how to pronounce it, I can confirm that it indeed smells exotic, with earthy notes that make you feel like you’ve arrived on an island filled with an abundance of aromatic plant life.

Firmenich continues to innovate by introducing new biotechnology using fermentation with propriety green chemistry techniques to develop sustainable ingredients like their iconic Z11 molecule. Again, we see ambery notes supporting on-trend scent profiles.

Bontoux Distillation hook

Bontoux offered a refreshing break from ingredient stories by focusing on the craftsmanship involved in material procurement. By displaying tools of the trade they were able to tell a captivating and authentic story that was informative and intriguing.

A seed sampler, for example, is used to ensure consistent quality of ingredients by puncturing a package and withdrawing random samples. It resembles a sword with a hollowed out blade to extract ingredients like, you guessed it—seeds!  I was surprised to learn these tools are still used today.

Biolandes always brings top notch quality across all natural varieties. This year I evaluated geranium oil that was to die for—super clean with no oily notes that can sometimes indicate adulteration.

The Givaudan booth was always packed and I regret not having the chance to personally visit, especially after reading about their exciting work with flavors as fragrances. I would have liked to experience a scent like jasmine with a black olive base.  I guess I’ll have to wait until 2020—Hope to see you there!

–Sherri Sebastian, Contributing Editor and Perfumer for Provision Scents

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 All photos Sherri