Bertrand Duchafour is my favourite living perfumer and in particular I love his Or Du Serail for Naomi Goodsir. One weekend I was bored and decided to play around with a bunch of formulas and see if I could make something as sweet and beautiful as the opening of this brilliant scent. I was somewhat successful and while I have not spent any time editing this formula, I thought it might be fun to publish something that is a work-in-progress.
So here I am presenting my Homage to this sweet honeyed scent in the hopes that you will all have a really good play with it and improve upon it. Use the comments to tell us what changes you make to perfect this skeleton formula. There are some very unconventional additions here (mango flavour for example) but hey . . . the mango flavour I had smelled nicer than the fragrance mangos I had on hand so why not?
Substitute, remove, add, go crazy! This is such a fun and luscious fragrance you should be able to spend weeks changing it up to get something you really like. I should add however, as is it is still pretty damned nice and wearable if you can tolerate the sweetness. A guaranteed hit with the under 30s in your life.
Top Notes
Honey, Rum, Green Apple
Peach, Mango, Red Berries
Heart Notes
Ylang Ylang, Clary Sage, Jasmine
Rose, Geranium, Iris
Base Notes
Musk, Vanilla, Tobacco
Labdanum, Benzoin, Amber
Oak, Sandalwood, Cedarwood
| Quantity | Ingredient | Comments |
| 240 | Romandolide | |
| 150 | Hedione | |
| 50 | Iso E Super | |
| 40 | Helvetolide | |
| 30 | Ambrox Super | |
| 25 | Iralia | Alpha methyl ionone |
| 40 | Benzoin Resin 50% | |
| 18 | Berryflor (Givaudan) | |
| 18 | Oakwood CO2 | Oak & Rum Notes |
| 15 | Phenylethyl Alcohol | |
| 10 | Ylang Ylang Extra | |
| 10 | Clary Sage | |
| 20 | Labdanum Resin 50% | |
| 10 | Vanillin | |
| 10 | Exaltolide | |
| 8 | Geranium Bourbon | |
| 6 | Vertofix Coeur | |
| 5 | Wild Orange | |
| 5 | Ionone Beta Natural | |
| 5 | Raspberry Ketone | |
| 4 | Polysantol | |
| 4 | Manzanate | Overdose! |
| 3 | Cistus EO | |
| 3 | Z11 MIP | |
| 15 | Mango Flavour 10% | |
| 12 | Nonalactone Gamma 10% | |
| 1 | Norlimbanol Dextro | |
| 10 | Mugwort 10% | |
| 10 | Honey Signature 10% | Firmenich – amazing! |
| 8 | Ambrocenide 10% | |
| 6 | Tabanon 10% | |
| 4 | Scentolide 10% | Subst: Ambrettolide |
| 3 | Damascenone Beta 10% | |
| 2 | Mate EO 10% | |
| 200 | DPG | Diluent of your choice |
| 1000 |
Hi Jamie, a very interesting start! I didn’t have a bunch of the things you’ve listed but also experimented by adding alternatives. It needs time to settle but the initial is fantastic honey, sweet, fruity perfume which is not the thing you might find in your average store. I added a bit of iso-butylphenylacetate, nectarste, methyl Laitone, cognac absolute, and amber 83. Trying not to make it too sweet but it balances very well with the juicy fruits of the berries, the manzanste, and the raspberry Keton.
It’s hard to not make it sweet – it’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever made I think 🙂 You’ve definitely made some really nice choices.
Hello,
I used all ingredients but added zenolide, a berry top note musk, some rum co2, beeswax absolute, tobacco blond absolute, used less oakwood, more mate abs, some gamma octalactone, half vanillin half vanilla absolute, and some cedarwood virginia. Interesting, thanks
Oh Nice musk choice! you have a lot of materials I really love to use – beeswax, tobacco blond, etc.
Hi Jamie, Can’t wait to mix this one! I have a few ingredients that I have to buy. I am going to receive Mango Ginger from Hermitage oils and I am applying this one to the mix, according to Hermitage oils: The mouth-watering, piquant top has delicious notes of pine resin, camphor, vanilla, and shimmering ginger. This develops into a fully resinous, coniferous heart cradled by the juicy, macerated flesh of champagne mangoes and pleasantly sweet brown sugar. The dry down reveals tropical fruits encased in amber; deep, dark, delicious, fibrous. One may also detect notes of warm opoponax and… Read more »
Oh that mango ginger sounds a real delight! I can’t imagine it being anything but great in this fragrance. In fact, a bold ginger note would take this in a new direction and really add to it I think – so you could consider supplementing the mango ginger with some fresh ginger EO too maybe.
Is’n’t that oakwood fascinating? Just be careful – it contains a touch of water I believe and can very easily cause a formula to louche.
Hi Jamie, I’m a sucker for honey based fragrances and I really love Honey Signature. Any substitution for Oakwood CO2? I read that material contains high water content (61-69%)!
ooh that’s a tough one! It adds quite a distinctive note (and yes it does have high water content). I’d suggest maybe if you leave it out pick another woody note and use a material that suits it – plus add a touch of another boozy type chemical – rum or brandy.
Hi Jimie, 1. Is there any difference between Ambrox DL by Firmenich, Cetalox by Firmenich and Ambroxan? Isn’t Ambrox Super just 2 ingredients: Cetalox and Amborxan mixed together? What can I use instead of Ambrox Super? 2. What can I use instead of Labdanum Resin 50%? Could It be Labdanum Clear Absolute – Spain? 3. What type of Wild Orange can I use? Can I use something instead of it – Bitter Orange maybe? 4. What Mango Flavor do you recommend, where from? 5. Can I use Dextramber instead of Norlimbanol Dextro? 6. I have found Honey Signature by Firmenich at PellWall. It is kind expensive…is… Read more »
1. Ambrox super is the best quality of Ambrox. Cetalox is more woody. Ambrox super is not two ingredients mixed – it is a refined ambrox. 2. Labdanum absolute would be fine also – but use it at 50% 3. Wild orange is like sweet orange – but you could use bitter orange – you’ll need to experiment. 4. Perfumers Apprentice makes a good one – you could leave it out entirely if you want. 5. I haven’t used it but yes you could. Norlimbanol dextro is the very best of this chemical. Your substitute is like switching cage chicken… Read more »