What ingredients are in your favourite fragrance?

Guilty of spending too much on perfume? You're not alone. In 2022, the Irish fragrance market was worth more than €127 million. While many of us have a go-to scent, many more have several bottles sitting idle in our drawers.

Maybe they're unwanted gifts. Perhaps you've made an ill-judged purchase and the scent simply isn't right for you.

Looking to make a better choice the next time you're at the perfume counter or shopping online? Take some time to study the ingredients list. Below, we spotlight some of the most commonly used ingredients in your favourite perfumes, along with what they bring to the table.

1. Jasmine

Jasmine extract is one of the most commonly used ingredients in women's perfume.

It's a staple of scents like Chloé Nomade, although this premium ingredient comes at a cost.

Thousands of jasmine flowers need to be harvested for a single bottle of perfume, which goes a long way in explaining the high price tag attached to brands boasting this delicate scent in their ingredients list.

While the likes of Chloé perfume use genuine sambac jasmine, many manufacturers use synthetic alternatives. While these artificial scents can deliver long-lasting results, there's no substitute for the real thing.

2. Citrus

Despite many perfumes labelling citrus as an ingredient, it's a fairly broad term that can refer to any number of things. Citrus fruits are the staple here, although lemongrass is also regularly used to produce that signature zingy aroma.

Citrus ingredients are almost always used to deliver fresh top notes. They're a hallmark of everyday scents, producing a fresh and clean-smelling aroma that lingers long after the first application.

3. Patchouli

If you prefer perfumes with a more lingering fragrance, there's a strong chance you're dealing with something that contains patchouli. Although this ingredient is synonymous with woody odours, it's actually derived from the leaf of the flowering plant from which it takes its name.

To produce a distinct olfactory profile, patchouli leaves are harvested from mature plants. These leaves are then dried before being distilled to produce patchouli oil.

Once distilled, the resultant oil produces a complex and herbaceous odour. High-end fragrance manufacturers tend to choose patchouli oil that's been left to age for several months, if not years.

The longer the oil is left to age, the more nuanced the aromas will be. Patchouli is typically combined with other earthy ingredients like cedarwood and clove, along with classic florals such as rose and lavender.

4. Oud

Like jasmine, oud doesn't come cheap. As such, you won't find it listed in the ingredients list of many budget-friendly perfumes. This premium ingredient is derived from a fungus that grows on the Agar tree. Once this fungus takes hold of the wood of the tree, a fragrant resin is produced.

Oud itself is incredibly evocative, boasting a heady mix of woody and earthy aromas. If the resin is of high quality and has been left to age for long enough, it also makes for a long-lasting scent that will endure from morning until long after the sun sets.

5. Amber

Like oud, amber is a plant resin that's regularly harvested for use in perfumery. It's also used to create jewellery and ornate objects. If you're someone who enjoys oriental fragrances, there's a good chance you're applying something that contains at least a hint of amber.

Amber is typically sweet-smelling and warm. It's regularly used alongside patchouli and vanilla and is a staple of oriental fragrances. If you're looking for a perfume that's sensual and packs a subtle hint of spice, look out for amber in the ingredients list.