#fixative balm

Natural perfume, or “Real Perfume” as I like to call it, is the art of taking substances that want to evaporate to spread their aroma into the air, and shaping them into a time-released formula. When we talk about “top notes” we’re talking about the botanical essences that are most volatile—those that evaporate most quickly. “Middle notes” are the second most volatile and “base notes” are the slowest to evaporate—the straight extracts on a test strip can take days or weeks to fade completely (sometimes longer). A fully composed perfume contains all of these elements and, like a story, has a beginning, middle and ending.

Fixation is the term we use to talk about how base notes and other essences can enhance the tenacity of more volatile botanicals. Balsam of Peru, for example, forms a film on the skin, so it takes longer for the other botanicals in a blend to encounter atmosphere and then evaporate. There are other ways botanical fixatives work in a scent but I will get back to the topic at hand.

Fixative balms perform the function of turning a liquid perfume into a solid perfume. A (natural) solid perfume has a base of beeswax and oil which will not evaporate; it’s absorbed by the skin over time. The balm then performs the function that a fixing essence would—slowing evaporation (but also dulling aroma). However, a well-structured perfume should require no additional fixation. If a scent is not properly balanced and structured it is not complete. A vendor who is selling both of these things is charging you twice for a single perfume. What’s more, you lose the benefits of liquid perfume which are greater complexity, purity of aroma, and projection.

You may as well use a heavy unscented cream—the effect is the same. Better yet, layer with a complimentary solid perfume. That’s something I love to do simply for the fun of blending aromas.

Now, it’s true that natural perfume does not have the tenacity of synthetics but no amount of balm or trickery will change that. But a well-composed natural perfume should be aromatic for several hours, whether liquid or solid. I would caution any fragrance shopper, when you see someone selling fixing balms be cautious. The perfumer may have an incomplete understanding of fixation and their scents may therefore be ephemeral. Try their sample sizes to see if the scent is one that lasts. Alternatively, if the vendor also sells the scent in solid form, just go for the solid and avoid the unnecessary fixer.

I’m curious to know if anyone else has thoughts about this topic, please let me know!

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