RESINS: LIQUIDAMBAR (STYRAX)

Continuing the Wednesday series on resins, today’s featured material is liquidambar, also known as styrax. The use of multiple names, like a lot of other perfume nomenclature, is confusing. Styrax is technically the species Styrax benzoin, but it also refers to Liquidambar styraciflua, the American sweetgum tree. These deciduous trees are common on the US East Coast, and have been planted as ornamental trees on the West Coast, where they flaunt their bright colors in fall and drop loads ofhard, spherical “gumballs” all over the park paths and city sidewalks.

The tree has been used for lumber and furniture building, and is now commonly used in production of paper products and particle board. The red heartwood of older trees has been used as a substitute for mahagony.  The “gum” or resin is exuded from cuts made on the tree trunk. It has been used as incense, chewing gum, and for medicinal purposes as well as in flavorings and perfumes. I’m not sure why it is not commonly used in perfumery, but maybe it has to do with the fact that the tree is not well-respected in its native habitat and/or because the raw sap contains some compounds that may be irritating to the skin. The liquidambar essential oil  that I use has had these potential irritants removed. Even though it’s been distilled, it’s still quite viscous, so I dilute it with alcohol before using it.

Liquidambar smells very sweet (it is, after all, called “sweet gum”) and has distinctly golden honey-like and resinous notes as well as some “industrial solvent”-like notes, probably due to the resin’s styrene content. If combined with other materials, these odd “industrial” notes disappear. The scent of the oil is much stronger than that of benzoin, tolu balsam, or many of the other resins, so it really adds a distinctive layer to any composition that uses it. I combined liquidambar with other materials to produce a resinous-honey note in Hamsa and in the fruit accord for Zoologist Bat. It would probably make a really nice addition to any amber formula. It’s not just a fixative, it’s a fragrance material in its own right.

[Photos from Wikipedia or a retailer's website]

SCENTS OF THE SEASON: WINTER 2015

It’s that time again when I have been putting together a seasonal collection for my Scents of the Season subscribers, and it’s always a challenge to pick a group of fragrances that I haven’t sent out before. At some point I suppose I’ll have to start recycling some of them, but so far I haven’t yet reached that point. My color printer stopped working when the internet went down after the last big rain- and windstorm, and I haven't gotten it back up and running so won't have the nice color box labels this time. Oh well, maybe by spring. 

This winter’s collection is mostly centered around resinous and balsamic scents, partly because of an experience I had the other day when I was mixing up a batch of concentrate that used some balsamic notes and was struck by what a subtly rich smell they had. As a limited edition extrait for the winter collection I mixed up a balsamic fragrance that I’ve been enjoying for the past few days, showcasing these types of materials. Some of the main ingredients are benzoin, tolu balsam, and liquidambar. These would typically be base notes, but they are beautiful alone.

Most people who are into perfume have probably at least heard of benzoin and tolu balsam, but Liquidambar styraciflua is the American sweetgum tree, an ancient species that has been around for at least 50 million years and is often planted as an ornamental. It grows fast, puts on a gorgeous show of orange, red, and purple leaves in the fall and drops those pesky, spiky “gumballs” that fall on the roads and sidewalk like a scattering of ball-bearings, creating a hazard for unsuspecting runners. Although not generally thought of as a source of perfume, the sweetgum tree exudes a sweet-smelling gummy resin when wounded. The resin has a unique balsamic smell and has been burned like frankincense and chewed like gum. On its own, I find that it contains an odd note that’s not entirely pleasant, but combined with other resins it enhances and deepens the richness and sweetness of the mix.

Tomorrow I’m going on a local “adventure” trip on Whidbey Island, and will be out of electronic contact for a couple of days. Before I go, I’d like to share the fact that two of my perfumes have made the 2015 “best-of” lists: White Cattleya on Cafleurebon, and Zoologist Bat on Now Smell This (NST). A big thank-you to Michelyn and Erin!

Leave a comment here on your favorite perfumes to wear in 2015 (they don’t need to have been released in 2015) and be entered to win a Scents of the Season Winter 2015 sample pack (including Bat), plus a sample of White Cattleya. The drawing will occur on Saturday, January 9. Please share info about the drawing with your perfume-loving friends and family.

[The top photo was grabbed from the local ski area webcam, the bat graphic is the one that's on the label of Zoologist Perfumes Bat, and the other two are adapted from Wikimedia. The lowest one shows Deception Pass, the gateway to Whidbey Island.]