Fragrance Fixatives in Body Lotion

Making fragrance last longer in a body lotion involves using ingredients known as fixatives. These ingredients help to slow down the evaporation rate of the more volatile fragrance components, allowing the scent to linger on the skin for a longer period. Dipropylene Glycol is commonly used as a solvent for fragrances and can also contribute to fixation, but other ingredients offer different properties and can enhance longevity further.

Alternatives to Dipropylene Glycol for Fixation

While Dipropylene Glycol serves as a good solvent and provides some fixative properties, other ingredients can be used to enhance fragrance longevity, often by acting as less volatile carriers or by having inherent fixative qualities. These often include ingredients that are themselves base notes in perfumery. Some examples include:

• Resinoids: Natural exudates from plants like Styrax Resinoid or Labdanum Absolute are classic fixatives. They are viscous, slow to evaporate, and contribute deep, rich base notes to a fragrance composition, anchoring the more volatile top and middle notes.
• Synthetic Musks: Ingredients such as Cosmone, Celestolide, Zenolide, Paradisamide, and Traseolide are synthetic compounds often used to replicate the effect of natural musk. They are known for their excellent fixative properties, providing a long-lasting base and often a clean, soft, or powdery scent profile that blends well with many fragrances.
• Other Base Note Ingredients: Certain individual aroma chemicals or natural extracts commonly used as base notes in perfumery, like Coumarin or Ambergris (Fragrance Oil), also possess fixative qualities due to their low volatility.

Choosing the right fixative depends on the desired scent profile, the type of fragrance used, and the overall formulation of the body lotion. Often, a combination of fixatives is used to achieve the best results.

Difference Between Resinoid and Animal-Derived/Musk Fixatives

You asked about the difference between two groups of fixatives:

1. Resinoids (e.g., benzoin, labdanum, myrrh, olibanum, storax, tolu balsam): These are natural, solid or semi-solid exudates from plants, obtained by extracting the resin. They are highly viscous and have very low volatility, making them excellent at anchoring fragrances and providing long-lasting base notes. Their scent profiles are typically rich, balsamic, woody, or earthy. Examples include Styrax Resinoid and Labdanum Absolute.

2. Animal-Derived (e.g., ambergris, castoreum, musk, civet) and their Synthetic Alternatives: Traditionally, these were derived from animal sources and were highly prized for their potent fixative properties and unique, often animalic or musky scents. Due to ethical and sustainability concerns, these are now largely replaced by synthetic alternatives (like the synthetic musks mentioned above: Cosmone, Celestolide, Zenolide, Paradisamide, Traseolide) or plant-derived ingredients that mimic their scent and function. These fixatives provide a different type of base note, often described as warm, sensual, powdery, or clean, and are highly effective at extending fragrance life. Ambergris (Fragrance Oil) is an example of a product aiming to replicate the effect of traditional ambergris.

In essence, the main differences lie in their origin (plant vs. animal/synthetic), their specific scent profiles, and the nuances they add to the overall fragrance composition, although both groups serve the primary function of enhancing fragrance longevity.

Additional Resources

To learn more about fragrance fixatives and perfumery, you can explore resources such as:

• Books on cosmetic formulation and perfumery.
• Online databases and articles on fragrance ingredients and their properties.
• Websites and forums dedicated to perfumery and cosmetic science.
• Technical data sheets for specific fragrance ingredients and fixatives.

Experimenting with different fixatives and concentrations in your body lotion formulation will help you achieve the desired scent longevity and profile.