The Animalic Family 101
The animalic family refers to a family (or class) of notes in which provide an aspect of intrigue or fixation, as well as an extension of a fragrance. Think of these notes as “fixatives”. In past times, the animalic family consisted of raw materials sourced from animals. However, in modern day perfuming, the utilization and the capturing of these ingredients has been abolished by all fragrance houses as the obtainment of these once prized ingredients highly threatened the welfare of animals. Pressure from concerned consumers and animal activists also provided a push for manufacturers to ban the use of natural animalic notes. Technology has allowed for synthetic replicants to replace these animal-derived ingredients. Notable perfumers have incorporated animalic notes in their formulations which have been modernized through these synthetic reproductions. This is another reason why a perfume created in years past may smell differently in present time. Let’s explore these ingredients and discover what popular perfumes have utilized them — some will surely surprise you.
Raw animalic notes in the past would be extracted from infusion or tincture techniques. Infusion — maceration through allowance of warm alcohol — and tincture —maceration method in cold or chilled alcohol — drew out the concrete absolute of these natural notes. It is important to note that animalic notes can resonate as a manure-like odor or a waxy, bodily-like aroma. For example (I know many will think I am crazy after reading this next line), rose offers a natural animalic aroma of feet — it is faint, yes, but it is there. Take note of the different scent aspects and associations that come to mind the next time you smell a rose. You may smell honey, citronella, lychee, and then the faint smell of feet. Some even associate the aroma of nasal spray when smelling a rose due to the phenyl ethyl alcohol rose possesses. There are many aspects and associations in which create a scent.
Now onward to the animalic notes:
CIVET
Civet provides an exotic, sensual, and deep flair to fragrance. Derived from the civet cat, this fecal note was popularly selected in formulation due to its tolerance once distilled in alcohol. Utilization of civet in perfumery has been dated back to Ancient Egyptian times (Page). In order to obtain this unusual ingredient, the substance or secretion would be taken from the anal glands of the animal for further processing. Use of synthetic civet absolute is found in modern formulations, as the process to gather natural civet was immensely unethical in generations past, along with many accounts of abuse in raising the species. One of the earliest editions of Chanel N° 5 once included raw civet cat in its formula, back in 1925 (Delacourte SAS).
Natural civet possesses an intense fecal odor, offering a sensuality to a fragrance. It is hard to imagine at first why a striking, possessive, unusual ingredient would be utilized in a formulation. However, when diluted in alcohol or accompanied by select notes, civet can offer an enticing aroma embodying intrigue through its sexual nature.
CASTOREUM
Raw castoreum provides a smoky, leather-like offering, slightly less intense than the likeness of the fiery and woody essence of birch-tar. Castoreum can also offer notes of olives, while synthetic reproductions play around with the sweetening of the note or even lean into the sensual leather aspects found in the natural absolute. To source the raw ingredient, castoreum would be taken from secretions captured from the castor gland of beavers. Depending on the species of beaver, castoreum can offer different scent associations. Beavers would have to be sacrificed in order to capture the ingredient, hence why the use of castoreum in fragrance has been banned for many years across the globe. The utilization of this ingredient in fragrance can date back to the 17th century, (BMV Fragrances) while medicinal use of the ingredient has been reported to date back to 500 B.C. (Price). An early edition of Guerlain’s infamous Shalimar once utilized natural castoreum in its formulation (Grasse's Museums).
MUSK
It is important to note when speaking the language of fragrance to understand that musk can be regarded as a singular fragrance family, alike when one refers to the floral, fruit, citrus, green, aromatic, etc., families. Musk can also refer to a specific ingredient, alike reproduction accords of musk from a fragrance house. Reproductions as such have been included in formulations for generations to replace the raw, animal byproduct. Adding musk to a formulation can assist the rounding out of a fragrance, as seen across modern chypre perfumes. The musk olfactive family categorizes notes that lean animalic or of white musk, for example notes that are often found in home care products such a laundry detergent. Musk can range from offering a clean aroma to earthy, powdery, soft, or sweet nuances, and so on. In the past, the note of musk originally was sourced from musk deer, a species predominately native to South Asisa. Raw absolute from musk deer — the result from the isolation of muscone— offers a sensual, leather-like scent. Zoologist — a brand centered around developing animalic forward scents utilizing synthetic reproductions while spreading awareness on the history of raw animalic notes — offers a perfume, Musk Deer, a sublime selection for those interested to discover what animalic deer musk is all about. The brand itself is an ode to the creatures that have been unjustly taken advantage of many years ago for the sake of fragrance and beyond.
AMBERGRIS
All of the mentioned animalic notes are peculiar, not only in their scent profiles, but also regarding the selection from the species in which they originate from. The method of deciding what animal, which part of said animal, and how to extract the desired ingredient are curious — especially in how these considerations were originally birthed. Ambergris particularly always twisted my mind into knots. Ambergris was derived from the stomach of sperm whales, commonly sourced through the mammal’s spew. This ingredient was found in fragrance production in Rome and in the Middle East in the 14th century, while theories also suggest that ambergris was worn as amulets to protect its wearer from the bubonic plague in the Middle Ages (Bogaard). Ambergris offers a pronounced fecal scent, adding a fixation to a formulation. Notes of synthetic ambergris in today’s perfumes can be found in formulas such as Chantecaille’s Pétales and Ambergris Cologne Spray by Demeter Fragrance Library. Ambroxan, a dry and soft synthetic wood note, contains similar molecules to that of ambergris. Brands such as Papillon Artisan Perfumes utilize sustainable and ethical measures of obtaining natural ambergris for their creations by means of beachcombing to obtain debris washed up ashore, as seen with their fragrance Spell 125 and Tobacco Rose (Le Secret du Marais).
THE IMPORTANCE OF SYNTHETICS
Synthetic animalic notes have aided in the reformulation of many perfumes that have once utilized these raw animal materials. As mentioned, synthetic forms of civet cat, castoreum, ambergris and deer musk absolutes are used in modern perfuming. These unusual notes all have a common theme of providing intrigue and sensuality. The concentration of these synthetic reproductions assists a formulations interest and extension.
MAKE IT MAKE SCENTS:
Take a look into your favorite perfume’s formula — you may just come across synthetic reproductions of cat urine or sperm whale vomit. Intriguing, no?
WORKS CITED
BMV Fragrances. (2022, July 11). Castoreum as Perfumery Base. https://www.bmvfragrances.com/blogs/castoreum-as-perfumery-base
Bogaard, C. (2023, April 11). Arabians used ambergris whale feces to make perfume!. Ancient Origins Reconstructing the story of humanity’s past. https://www.ancient-origins.net/weird-facts/ambergris-0018239
Delacourte SAS, S. (n.d.). Civet. Parfum de niche et de luxe made in France. https://www.sylvaine-delacourte.com/en-us/guide/the-civet#:~:text=Civet%20was%20present%20in%20Chanel%27s,to%20adapt%20to%20public%20demand.
Grasse’s Museums. (2012, September 5). CASTOREUM. archive.today. https://archive.ph/20070624132157/http://www.museesdegrasse.com/MIP/fla_ang/mat_prem_10.shtml
Originally sourced from removed webpage, © 2000 - 2007 Grasse's Museums. All rights reserved. https://www.museesdegrasse.com/MIP/fla_ang/mat_prem_10.shtm
Le Secret du Marais. (n.d.). Papillon. https://www.lesecretdumarais.com/en/papillon
Lewis-Whelan, Beth., Ardiansyah, Ahmad., Roberts, Peter D., Nijman, Vincent., Damianou, Evros., Morcatty, Thais Q., … “Welfare and Management of Civets in Civet Coffee Tourism Plantations.” Taylor & Francis Online, 18 Oct. 2023, www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09668136.2023.2254606.
Price, J. T. (2023, November 15). Does your vanilla ice cream have beaver goo in it?. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/beaver-butt-goo-vanilla-flavoring#:~:text=The%20secretions%20were%20also%20used,people%27s%20pharmacopeia%2C%E2%80%9D%20says%20Francl.