According to Eurofragance, this new perfumery ingredient is significant in three respects: it completes the woody notes olfactive family; it is made from upcycled wood waste; and it has a genderless olfactive profile that meets today’s consumers expectations in the high-end fragrance segment.

Upcycled from sawdust

For the creation of their first captive note, Eurofragance paid great attention to sustainability. To avoid deforestation and any negative impact on the environment, the company chose to use discarded sawdust from a particular tree.

The long upcycling process required to remove, via natural purification methods, all superfluous molecules from the wood compound, but to keep those of perfumistic interest.

"This time- consuming purification step was repeated over and over, over several months. In the end, [the team of researchers] was able to uncover an ingredient with the best olfactory profile, while retaining the soul of the wood," said Eurofragance.

In French, soul (or essence) translates into “âme.” Hence, Eurofragance named their captive L’Âme du Bois, the soul of wood.

A genderless modern woody note

While wood notes have always held an important place in the perfumer’s palette, as key ingredients to create the heart or base of a fragrance, they were historically perceived as being more masculine.

However, for this new creation, Eurofragance aimed to design an ingredient that could appeal to women and men alike, and also resonate for those seeking more unisex scents.

“L’Âme du Bois is avant-garde in terms of its conception, but, above all, for what it brings to fragrance creation. It redefines woody notes in a manner befitting our time. L’Âme du Bois is inclusive and all-embracing of other accords and olfactive notes. For Perfumers, L’Âme du Bois is a true breakthrough,” said Henry van den Heuvel, Global Creative Director and Senior Perfumer at Eurofragance.

According to Felipe San Juan Tejada, R&D Scientist at Eurofragance, in the near term L’Âme du Bois should be reserved for the design of prestige fragrances and for all premium product categories, be it fine fragrance, home or personal care.

Eurofragance’s L’Âme du Bois was unveiled at the Beautyworld Middle East trade show, which was held in Dubai from 05-07 October 2021. To illustrate the potential of this new captive the Spanish company used it to craft an exclusive collection of fragrances that was presented to visitors. In weeks to come, Eurofragance will present these creations to customers around the world who could not make it to Dubai.