Jackie Zykan Maître Liquoriste + Perfumer + Herbalist

By: Jackie Zykan

Olfaction, or scent detection, is our oldest sensory system. The ability to detect and respond to chemicals in our environment is an ancient application originating all the way back to single celled organisms. The system allows us to respond to that which could nurture and replenish us, as well as that which can threaten our survival. At our core lives an incredibly complex memory bank constituted by both personal and collective experiences which serve as a navigation system for our very existence. The judgement of a “good” or “bad” smell can be formed from these and this programming runs in the background of our present day to day life. As we establish scent memory in association to what is really a chemical stimuli combined with emotional context, we add to this database. As Kentuckians, for example, the smell of bourbon with all of its warm, sweet nuances can fire neurological pathways rooted in a wide spectrum of emotional responses. While these may not always be positive, they connect with a sense of “home” in a way, a normalized element of our surroundings here in the bluegrass state. For example, with my fragrance brand, ODUOAK, bourbon plays a key role in story telling with each composition. We experience the phenomenon of memory excitation with any scent we have encountered before, and this month I would like to share a simple, straightforward way of capturing those elements in a natural and pure form. I remember the lilacs growing in the backyard of my childhood home. I remember the viburnum blooms in spring in Louisville. I remember my grandmother every time I smell gardenia. And I have no doubt there are flowers whose aromas brought you to places where you felt safe, loved, and inspired.

The process

Flowers are tricky to work with when it comes to capturing fragrance. They’re delicate, fleeting, and can require substantial methodology to extract. This practice is a simplified form of a traditional enfleurage process used for ages in France. The main difference is I have adapted the steps to yield a solid perfume, saving you the process of alcohol washing and dehydration. With all simple techniques, the devil is in the details, as they say. So pay close attention to the suggestions following the recipe.

Solid Perfume

3 g cocoa butter

7 g shea butter

10 g beeswax

10 g jojoba or sweet almond oil

Fresh flowers

Directions: Begin by combining the three solid fats in a wide heat safe glass container. Melt the components using intermittent microwave sessions, or in a shallow pan of simmering water. Be careful to not get any water in the dish! Once the solids have turned completely liquid, tilt the dish to coat the sides to your best ability as the mixture cools. Once completely cooled and resolidified, you’re ready to place your desired blooms. Pay close attention to the recommendations following this recipe regarding best practices for harvesting. Allow the blooms to sit in contact with the solid fats for 24 hours, covering the dish with a towel and storing in a cool place without risk of strong smells (such as a kitchen). Discard the blooms, and repeat the process multiple times until the intensity you desire is reached. Be sure to remove all plant material from the solid fats each time. Add the portion of liquid oil and very slowly and gently heat the entire dish to melt all ingredients together. This can be done on a heating pad, in a shallow water bath, or slowly in the microwave. Pour the liquid mixture into your desired containers, and allow to cool to resolidify.

Simple methods leave room for more errors

It’s incredibly important to take care to follow the recommendations for this process to achieve the best result. For your chosen base ingredients, make sure to use clean, aromatically neutral elements. For example, if you use coconut oil, your perfume will smell starkly of coconut. I have found this composition to be most ideal, however shea butter and cocoa butter still have a slight signature scent to them. Keep in mind any aromas which come in contact with your setup will be captured in the final mix, so take care not to cook intensely aromatic foods around your container. When placing blooms, make sure the fats are completely solid in the dish. You are trying to create an environment wherein the scent of the flower is sticking to the solid fat. This is not an infusion of blooms in melted fatty compounds, which can spoil quickly. When harvesting, pay attention to the appropriate time of day to maximize scent for your chosen flower. For flowers which are pollinated during the day and primarily by bees etc., collect your blooms after the morning dew has fully dried but before the peak heat of the day. For night time pollinated blooms (jasmine, nicotiana, etc.), collect flowers after the sun has set and the aroma becomes noticeable. Do not use wet or even damp blooms. They will cause your project to mold. Be mindful of which flowers you use, and double check their toxicity before proceeding. Do not use commercially grown flowers, such as roses from a florist, as they may carry toxic compounds used for pesticide and transport preservation. Of course, you are not limited to flowers with this process, and any aromatic plant can suffice. Just be sure to avoid moisture getting to your container. If you choose to work with herbs, for example, harvest them as you would day time pollinated blooms - in the mid morning after the dew has dried. Lastly, do not place an airtight lid on your container, instead utilize a dish towel to allow some airflow.