Amber is an ingredient that creates unique confusion in perfumery. Although it appears in the fragrance pyramids of many perfumes, do we really experience it in them? It turns out that authentic amber in perfumes is as niche as it is fascinating. In this article, we will explore what amber is in modern perfumery and how much it has in common with natural amber.
AmbRA vs. AmbER – A Great Misunderstanding
To begin a discussion about amber, we should first distinguish between two ingredients that are often confused with each other. Both play a significant role in the world of perfumery!
Ambergris is a secretion from the digestive tract of the sperm whale, which, after being expelled and oxidized for a long time in the ocean’s embrace, acquires a unique scent. Many centuries ago, it was noticed and appreciated by perfumers. This iconic ingredient is now one of the most valuable raw materials in perfumery. Natural grey ambergris can only be found in a few of the most luxurious and artisanal perfumes. Its name comes from the Arabic word anbar which evolved into the French ambre and finally into the English “amber.”
The issue is that at some point in medieval Europe, the term “amber” also came to refer to amber, the fossilized resin of the Pinus succinifera tree, which is millions of years old. At one point, we had two completely different ingredients with the same name. Although ambergris was later more precisely termed grey amber, these ingredients continued to be confused, and this confusion persists to this day.
Perfumers themselves do not make this any easier. Often in English descriptions, we encounter the term “amber,” and we have no idea whether the creator was trying to replicate the scent of ambergris or amber. It’s worth being aware of this and staying vigilant, especially since both ingredients “appear” in perfumes and have completely different scents. I put “appear” in quotes because, in the case of amber, the issue is a bit more complicated.
Amber Accord vs. Natural Amber
Although amber was once used to create incense, it never became a mainstream ingredient in perfumery as a natural component. Yet, in many perfumes, including classics like Angel by Mugler or Jicky by Guerlain, we find a note of amber. So how is that?
In perfumery, we usually talk about amber not as a single ingredient but as an accord, a combination of several ingredients. A very classic one was developed in the 19th century when methods for synthesizing vanillin were discovered. Vanillin was combined with labdanum (rockrose resin) and sweet resins like benzoin. This combination created a unique, warm, and round effect that perfumers visually associated with the translucent, golden amber resin. Thus, the first “amber” perfumes were created, based on this accord.
Perfumes with such a representation of amber immediately conquered the market, and to this day, most oriental perfumes are based on the same idea. The difference is that natural resins and labdanum have gradually been replaced by a whole range of synthetic ingredients with a woody-amber profile, such as Trisamber or Z11. These currently build the smooth, warm, balsamic-woody effect found in countless perfumes, also fixing them well and giving them depth.
Natural Amber in Perfumes
Given the success of the amber accord, perfumers could have completely ignored the existence of natural amber. It is still widely believed today that it is impossible to derive an ingredient for perfumes from amber resin. But is that really the case?
Some of us may have tried (or our parents did) to make a tincture from Baltic amber by soaking it in alcohol. It was usually used as a remedy for various ailments, mainly rheumatic. Rubbing oneself with such a tincture, one surely remembers its very unique scent.
Perhaps someone has an even more interesting experience and has had the opportunity to be in a jeweller’s workshop during the processing of amber. Here in northern Poland, we have many craftsmen specializing in amber jewellery. When they polish the pieces for rings and necklaces, the scent of amber fills the entire workshop. And it is incredibly beautiful!
It seems, then, that amber is not completely devoid of scent. But is it attractive enough to build a decent perfume on it? I decided to find out. However, it was not easy to start because natural amber is virtually impossible to find in the perfumery raw materials market. It’s as if this ingredient is shrouded in a curse. This motivated me even more to work on it!
So I had to start from scratch and develop amber-based ingredients on my own. How did it turn out? More on that in the next part…