Our extensive catalogue of 500 fragrances from Grasse gives you a uniquely rich and varied olfactory palette.
It lets you push your creativity to the limit across a whole range of applications. Today at Terre de Bougies, you can make your own candles, diffusers and even laundry detergent.
But a few questions remain… It is not always easy to understand which of our fragrance ranges are compatible with which uses.
Fragrance solubility in DIY
Before introducing all the types of fragrance for your creations, it is important to understand that a fragrance needs a different composition depending on what it will be used for. Some fragrances mix with water but not with oil, and vice versa!
All soluble substances mix, but not everything that mixes is necessarily soluble.
Solubility means dissolving, whereas mixing can simply be a physical combination.
To create these different fragrances, perfumers sometimes blend the raw materials with solvents, although this is not always the case. The substances these ingredients are combined with generally determine the type of scent you end up with.
Naturally, if you use the wrong fragrance for a given application, the result may fall short of your expectations, or even be dangerous.
A fragrance's solubility therefore tells you how it will interact with the raw materials, the skin or clothing, which affects how well it diffuses and how long it lasts.
What are the different types of fragrance?
To bring your DIY scented creations to life, you need to know the three types of fragrance available at Terre de Bougies. Each type has its own characteristics, which will guide your choice and shape the final result of your products.
Water-soluble fragrances (they dissolve in water)
As their name suggests, water-soluble fragrances dissolve in water. Their main characteristics are:
- Mainly made up of polar molecules that mix easily with water.
- Generally less long-lasting than lipophilic fragrances: their scent fades more quickly.
- Often used in certain hygiene products and in blends made up mostly of water.
- May contain water-soluble alcohols such as ethanol, which help them dissolve.
Lipophilic fragrances (they mix into oily bases)
Lipophilic fragrances dissolve in fats and oils. Their main characteristics are:
- Made up of non-polar molecules with an affinity for fatty substances.
- Longer-lasting on the skin, as they cling better to the hydrolipidic film, giving extended staying power.
- Used in fine fragrance and in classic alcohol-based perfumes.
- Often contain essential oils and fatty aromatic compounds that add to their olfactory complexity.
Hydrophilic fragrances (they mix into aqueous bases)
Hydrophilic fragrances have an affinity for water without being fully soluble in it. Their particular features are:
- Made up of molecules with polar groups.
- Can form emulsions or dispersions in water, which makes them versatile.
- Generally used in eaux de toilette.
- May contain alcohols such as ethanol, which help them disperse in water.
The type of fragrance you choose depends on the application you have in mind and on the properties you are looking for in terms of staying power, diffusion and compatibility with your finished product. Once you understand these differences, you will be able to create fragrances that win over and fully satisfy your customers or loved ones.
Our compatibility table by use
To help you see at a glance the different applications possible with our Terre de Bougies products, we have put together a summary table. It will help you easily work out which fragrances are best suited to your scented creations.
Please note, however, that a compatible fragrance is not necessarily the best one, nor one we recommend using. Other types of fragrance may be better suited to your specific needs.
We carefully select specific fragrances according to their intended use. For example, you would rarely scent your laundry detergent with an "Oh Christmas tree" fragrance. That is why our different ranges offer fragrances perfectly suited to each defined use, so you can always find the ideal fragrance for your creations.
So it is important to choose the fragrance that best matches the properties you are looking for and the result you want for your products.
Available at Terre de Bougies
- Among the water-soluble fragrances, our website offers mist fragrances.
- Fragrances for candles, wax melts and diffusers correspond to lipophilic solvents.
- Fragrances for laundry detergents, liquid soaps or cars are hydrophilic solvents.
| Applications/type | Water-soluble fragrance | Lipophilic solvent | Hydrophilic solvent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candle and wax melt | |||
| Reed diffuser | |||
| Car diffuser | |||
| Electric diffuser | |||
| Pillow mist | |||
| Solid soap | |||
| Liquid soap | |||
| Laundry detergent / Black soap | |||
| Fabric softener | |||
| Cleaning product | |||
| Ironing water |
Where to find further information in the SDS
If you are looking for more details on the physical and chemical properties of our fragrances, you will generally find them in section 9 of the safety data sheet (SDS). Some data is given there, although this may vary from one product to another.
For more general information, such as the IFRA category or additional uses, please refer to the table below.
| Applications/type | IFRA category | Can also be used for: |
|---|---|---|
| Candle and wax melt | Cat 12 | - Reed diffusers - Solid soaps - Electric diffusers - Car diffusers - Cosmetics |
| Reed diffuser | Cat 10A | - Candles - Solid soaps - Electric diffusers - Car diffusers - Cosmetics |
| Car diffuser | Cat 12 | - Candles - Reed diffusers - Electric diffusers - Solid soaps - Cosmetics |
| Pillow / Linen mist | Cat 11B: pillow Cat 10A: linen |
- Cleaners - Ironing water |
| Solid soap | Cat 9 | - Reed diffusers - Candles - Car diffusers - Cosmetics |
| Liquid soap | Cat 9 | - Cleaners |
| Laundry detergent / Black soap | Cat 10A: hand wash Cat 12: machine wash |
- Liquid soaps |
| Cleaning product | Cat 10A | - Liquid soaps - Mists |
| Ready-to-use reed diffuser refill | Cat 10A | / |
| Ready-to-use car diffuser refill | Cat 12 | / |
As for the recommended dosages, you will find them directly on each of our fragrance product pages, in the "Use(s)" section.
The origin of our French-made fragrances
At Terre de Bougies, our fragrances are carefully crafted in-house and made in Grasse, the world capital of perfume, by renowned master perfumers.
Every fragrance complies with IFRA standards, the European REACH (EC) No 1907/2006 and CLP (EC) No 1272/2008 regulations, and the Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, guaranteeing you optimal quality and safety.
As for whether our fragrances are natural or synthetic in origin, each one is made from premium raw materials, natural and/or synthetic, depending on the olfactory result our experts are aiming for. We have devoted a full article to this topic to give you more details.
Conclusion
For now, though, we would like to point you towards another aspect of our scents by introducing the olfactory pyramid. You may be surprised to learn that it does not unfold in the same way as in traditional body perfumes.
Before tackling that topic, it is essential to understand that every fragrance has its own solubility and compatibility characteristics. Whether you need a water-soluble, lipophilic or hydrophilic fragrance, choosing the right type for the intended use guarantees an optimal and safe result.
