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Almond-based perfumes: the almond in all its states

I love the almond note, in all its forms! First of all in sweets: frangipane, orgeat syrup, calissons, horns of Gazelle, tiramisu, financiers, macaroons, amandines, amaretto liqueur and finally the "granita de mandorle'' at Grom. This is an absolutely irresistible almond granita ice cream.

I also like it in perfumes (in some of them it disappeared): Castelbajac's, Dior's Hypnotic Poison, Dior's Portofino, Lolita's L, Etro's Héliotrope, and of course Pivert's Héliotrope Blanc, which is historically the first almond perfume, a mixture of icing sugar and almond powder. It is still on the market. It is the ancestor of almond perfumes. Its original version was released in 1850.

Randa Hammami added it to Instant Magic and in Mon Précieux Nectar. It is also present in Petite Robe Noire (to make a cherry note in perfumery, you have to add almond to the red fruits), in Tonka Impériale of the Guerlain Perfume Exclusives, which I developed with Delphine Jelk. L'Homme Idéal by Guerlain is a "masculine almond", tribute to Jicky. It is an amaretto accord: made of natural almond notes, also called benzaldehyde, accompanied by tonka bean and leather notes.

 

A look back at the natural almond

To make a natural almond note, we start from the apricot kernels and we make a hydro distillation. This allows the benzaldehyde to be extracted. The result is a product called natural benzaldehyde. When apricot brandy (apricotine) is made, only the flesh of the apricot is used and the stone is discarded. So it's a new use of the stone where we recover the inside of the stone and hydro-distil it.

 

 

Heliotropin

Another almond note, heliotropin, was discovered in 1869 and used for the first time in Après L'ondée, then in Heure Bleue, and 100 years later in the exclusive Heure de Nuit.

It's a molecule that I love, but it is not as good as the natural scent of heliotrope. Heliotrope is a little magic flower that looks a bit like a violet with the delicate smell of vanilla and rice powder (you can find it in good nurseries). Unfortunately, this flower does not give off its scent! Heliotropin has come to the rescue of perfumers.

Emile Zola: "They were walking through reseda, which reached up to their knees, like a real perfume. Beside them, a field of heliotropes, with a breath so sweet of vanilla, that it gave the wind a velvet caress".

 

Anisic aldehyde

In the slightly almondy notes, one can also take into consideration the anisic aldehyde. It acts more in the head than the heliotrope, thus prolonging it in the heart of the formula. It was also used for the first time in Après L'ondée.

 

Almond and tonka bean

And finally the tonka bean, a very rich note with its multiple facets of almond, tobacco, wood and gingerbread. It is present with the natural almond in Vangelis of the Vanilla Collection by Sylvaine Delacourte Paris.

The coumarin is present in the tonka bean and can be synthesised. It was discovered in 1868. The true soul of the tonka bean, coumarin was also used for the first time in Jicky by Guerlain in 1889. And finally, amandolene from Firmenich, which has an almondy note, quite floral, really interesting.

Most of the time we add heliotropin to the very fleeting benzaldehyde. Heliotropin is flowery, powdery, vanilla and almondy as well as tonka bean which is balmy, vanilla and slightly almondy.

The natural almond note is very present in Florentina from the Musk Collection as a top note, which is followed by a cohort of powdery flowers: mimosa, heliotrope, violet and iris root. The vetiver note runs through the fragrance and gives it its vibration.

 

Virtues of almonds

What about its virtues? Almonds are very rich in vitamin E, minerals and trace elements.

  • The almond is an alkalizing, highly nutritious, energetic, remineralizing fruit. This fruit is cholesterol-free, rich in phytosterols and vegetable proteins.
  • It is beneficial for the chest, lungs, stomach and intestines. It has intestinal antiseptic properties. It opposes all untimely fermentations.
  • Favours a good nervous balance. Its richness in magnesium and assimilable phosphorus makes it an excellent tonic for our nervous system.
  • It is excellent for bone health thanks to its high calcium content.

 

Almond in Sylvaine Delacourte perfumes

You can find the natural almond note in Vangelis from the Vanilla Collection and in Florentina from the Musk Collection by Sylvaine Delacourte.

Discover Sylvaine Delacourte's brand with her Orange Blossom, Musk and Vanilla Collections. You can try them thanks to the Discovery Boxes (5 Eaux de Parfum x 2 ml) and rediscover these raw materials as you have never smelled them before.