The sense of smell is a unique one. You inhale something that smells pleasant, and your moods change instantly.
The same is true when you smell something nasty. And there’s a good reason for that.
The sense of smell is directly connected to the amygdala and hippocampus- the areas which regulate our memories and emotions. That’s why scents can impact our brains so deeply.
So, it’s only natural to be analytical of the ingredients of perfumes and scents. In this article, we shall analyze the role of a key ingredient in perfume- distilled water. We shall try and cover everything about it from its importance in perfume making to the perfect quantity and what have you.
So let’s dive right in!
What Is Distilled Water?
Before we understand the role of distilled water in perfumes, we need to understand what distilled water is.
A regular glass of water and a glass of distilled water can appear similar to the naked eye. But clinically, they are completely different.
Distilled water is a type of purified water that’s just plain water. No minerals, salts, or other organic or inorganic material is present in that type of water.
It’s used when there’s a need to use water without the added impurities. That’s the reason why distilled water is used in perfumes.
What Is The Purpose Of Distilled Water In Perfume?
Most of us know that perfumes are made with alcohol. That’s no secret. But hardly ever does anyone know that perfumes contain water as well. Well, it’s a fact, and we’ll tell you all about the involvement of distilled water in perfumes.
Perfume manufacturers are always looking for ways to cut costs and improve their manufacturing processes.
And surprisingly, producing fragrances with water is way more effective and easier. The primary purpose of distilled water and alcohol in perfumes is to dilute the fragrance. With water, the process gets pretty easy and manageable.
Because it’s easy to procure distilled water because, unlike alcohol, the distilled water isn’t heavily regulated. Plus, it costs less than alcohol.
So the primary purpose of distilled water is to bring down manufacturing costs. But there’s more to it than just the cost.
It’s been observed that perfumes with higher water concentrations perform better when compared to perfumes with higher alcohol concentrations.
That’s because perfumes with high alcohol content can cause irritations on the skin. Consumers may experience redness, mild swellings, and even rashes. With distilled water perfumes, this problem seems to resolve.
Even perfumes with alcohol that’s diluted with distilled water are safe for usage.
Also, reviews indicate that perfumes with higher water concentrations have better top-note silage. This means that top notes linger around for a longer period when compared with perfumes of higher alcohol concentration.
Why Is Distilled Water Used In Perfume?
There are several reasons why distilled water is used for producing perfumes.
Some of them are:
It’s easier to procure
Alcohol is a heavily regulated product. Manufacturers have to follow specific guidelines from the regulatory bodies about the permissible concentrations of alcohol usage. That’s not the case with distilled water.
So the overall manufacturing process of perfume becomes efficient with the usage of distilled water.
It delivers better results
Perfumes with distilled water have better top-note silage.
It’s cheaper
Getting distilled water costs lesser than alcohol. So, manufacturers do really save a lot of money by substituting distilled water with alcohol.
It’s safer to use
Perfumes with a higher concentration of alcohol can cause skin allergies and rashes. But that’s not a common problem with perfumes that are made with distilled water.
How to Make Perfume with Distilled Water?
Making perfumes with distilled water isn’t a difficult feat. All you need are the right ingredients and the recipe to combine them all so that it turns into a liquid that smells magical.
Down below is all you need to know about how to make perfumes with distilled water:
Instructions
Some tips to consider when producing a perfume
Creating perfumes is an art that’s learned with time and practice.
While the instructions above will surely get you a self-made perfume, there’s more to this art than just following the 5 points above.
So here are a few tips to keep in mind when making your way up to become a perfume artisan:
Don’t be afraid of experiments
You’ll not get everything right on the first try. And that’s okay. As long as you are willing to experiment, you’ll get better at making perfumes.
Each batch will be different
Even the perfume giants don’t always have consistent batches. And that’s something you’ll have to accept. You can try to streamline the processes and produce perfumes in a controlled environment to minimize inconsistencies.
But, you can’t eliminate them 100%.
Test your batch
Apply a small amount on your skin to see if everything is fine. If it causes a rash or a skin condition, consider wasting it all and producing a new batch.
Use coloured bottles to fill the perfumes
Coloured bottles look awesome, and they’ll stop the UV rays from evaporating alcohol out of the bottle.
Final Words
Hopefully, by now, you know what is the purpose of using distilled water in perfumes.
It lowers the costs, makes the product better, is easier to get, and even minimizes the risks of skin irritations.
However, it’s not a complete replacement for alcohol. In fact, manufacturers are still conflicted on whether distilled water should completely replace alcohol or not. But anyways, now you know the importance of distilled water in perfume making!