Clean fragrances

I suggest you dry your white linen sheets outdoors to let the breeze flow through them. Think of the steamy atmosphere of a laundry room. And why not go back to the old days and watch the provençal laundresses at work, take a delightful, invigorating shower and then put on your immaculate shirt?

The notion of clean scent can be expressed in many ways.

 

Clean citrus scents

The clean citrus scent is achieved thanks to citrus fruits: bergamot, lemon, mandarin, orange, lime. These citrus fruits remind us of that delicious sensation of splashing water on the face or body, the desire to be toned, invigorated, the great bang of freshness.

Eaux de Cologne orchestrated with citrus fruits (cf. Citrus facet) gives clean, fresh feeling. They are reminiscent of the moment after a shower. They are applied generously. Citrus fruits are often dressed with petitgrain (orange tree leaf), aromatic notes and sometimes white musk. Do not confuse classic eau de Cologne, composed of 99% very volatile natural components, and more faceted fake eau de Cologne, composed of some synthetic ingredients for better hold.

The shower is also reminiscent of soap, which is the benchmark for cleanliness in France, especially Marseille soap. Marseille soap is made of soda and olive oil. Soaps were also often scented with classic eau de Colognes.

Since the end of the Second World War, the popularisation of washing machines has led to a decline in the use of Marseille soap, which has been replaced by liquid detergents, at first scented mainly with lavender, and now worked in a more sophisticated way.

 

 

The clean, aromatic freshness is spontaneously associated with lavender

In the past, laundresses used to put lavender essence in the rinsing water when they washed their clothes.
The etymology of the word lavender is significant, it comes from the word lavare which means to wash. The Romans used to perfume their baths with this plant.

Lavender is relaxing, disinfecting and keeps moths away. Do you remember the little sprigs of lavender between two piles of sheets at our grandmother's house?
Thyme, rosemary, and mint can suggest both cleanliness and freshness with gentle touches. 

In all these ingredients, we find a common molecule, Camphrol, which gives the sensation of taking a deep breath of air, of opening the nostrils.

With modern detergents, the advent of synthetic molecules appeared above all, such as white musks discovered at the end of the 19th century. These are heavy and stubborn molecules that cling easily to the linen: Celestolide, Galaxolide, Habanolide, Helvetolide. They give that cocooned, clean feeling.

 

Some white musks smell like baby's skin, what could be more pure and innocent than this wonderful smell?

A certain new freshness molecule gives this sensation, for example Dihydromyrcenol. It has a very invigorating smell, with a clean linen or laundry scent, which differentiates it from aldehydes (cf. Aldehydes facet).

This molecule has the particularity of being a booster of citrus notes in a fragrance. Highly appreciated by men, this molecule has been widely used in fragrances for men, today it becomes more universal. It is also used in laundry powders.

The iodine air, marine, mineral or salty notes may evoke cleanliness for some people.

Molecules, such as Calone or Helional, allow fragrances to convey the scents of the beach swept by the sea spray (cf. Marine facet).

The feeling of cleanliness can also be given by aldehydes.

 

What are aldehydes? Aldehydes and cleanliness

At the beginning of the 20th century, in 1835 synthetic molecules aliphatic aldehydes were discovered and eventually became indispensable in perfume laboratories. Perfume Chanel N°5 brought them out of the shadows.

In chemistry, an aldehyde is a particular group of atoms: C1, C2, C3. In 1903, Mr Darzens discovered a way to stabilise certain aldehydes, in particular the aldehyde C12MNA, with a very characteristic cold, iron-like odour, and a slightly citrus, metallic scent, reminiscent of dyeing plants.

 

Flowers and cleanliness

Orange blossom can also evoke cleanliness, but more precisely the neroli obtained by distillation of the flowers and the small grains of the leaves and twigs.

These notes are used in products and perfumes for babies and children to evoke cleanliness and purity, particularly in France.

Abstract floral notes such as lilial (now banned molecule), florol, can evoke cleanness. They are very popular in the French market.

 

Subjective and personal notion of clean scents

Clean fragrance is also a somewhat subjective notion, everyone has their own truth in this area. All these clean scents are anchored in the memories, often associated with the carefree days of childhood. 

The notes evoking cleanliness change according to each culture:

• Lemon is popular in the US
• Eau de Cologne in Spain
• Fresh flowers and musks in France with the references: Mon Savon and Savon de Marseille
• Aniseed and lavender notes in Brazil
• Oud in the Middle East
• Fresh fruits like apple and pear in China
• The fragrance of Nivea cream (lily of the valley) is more universal and is appreciated in many countries

 

Some perfumes, eaux de toilette or eaux de parfum, illustrating cleanliness

Here is a list of perfumes that evoke the feeling of cleanliness:

• Cologne by Mugler
• Chat Perché by Annick Goutal
• Superdose by Juliette Has a Gun
• Cologne by Chanel
• Noa by Cacharel
• Neiges by Lise Watier
• Clean by Clean 
• White Musk by The Body Shop
• Cool Water by Davidoff 
• 212 by Caroline Herrera
• Les Eaux de Politesse by Serge Lutens
• Un Dimanche à la Campagne by Guerlain
• Eau de Lit by Guerlain
• Eau de Lavande by Diptyque
• Voulez vous coucher avec Moi by Kilian Paris
• Eau Blanche by Brécourt
• Lazy Sunday Morning by Maison Martin Margiela
• White Linen by Estée Lauder
• Eau de Gentiane Blanche by Hermès
• Dovana by Sylvaine Delacourte Paris 

 

Sylvaine Delacourte perfumes

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.