Abbreviations in the field of Perfumery

During my education I was having this habit write down the important, unique and fresh information on Notebook. I continued the same habit when I commenced my Perfumery profession, and I love to do the same even today.

I usually write formulas in notebook which helps me knowing and bringing it more closely; I can analyze it point-wise and I can easily visualize how it will get change with single ingredients i.e. signature ingredients, and then it is easy for me to give it to blender.

In short this is the process I am comfortable with me, not sure why, but writing the formula first on notebook, and then on Word, Excel or some other software make me feel sheltered.

This article will talk more about the abbreviations for Floral Family.

Advantage of using this Abbreviation

• Increase in work speed, helps building efficiency.

• Time-saving.

• Allows you to focus more toward nature of fragrance, rather than writing incessantly.

• Encoding the text, only perfumer can decode it.

So when I was appointed as Assist Chemist somewhere in 2013; right from then and there onwards I started abbreviating frequent used aroma chemical utilizing some of well-known words and some other fabricated at my choice. Listing some of them -

• PEA: Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol

• PCPA: Para Cresyl Phenylacetate

• DHM: Dihydrmyrcenol

and some lengthy ones -

• OTBCHA: Ortho Tertiary Butyl Cyclohexenyl Acetate

• PTBCHA: Para Tertiary butyl cyclohexenyl acetate

• DMBCA: Dimethyl Benzyl Carbonyl Acetate

• DMBCB: Dimethyl Benzyl Carbonyl Butyrate

• DMBC: Dimethyl Benzyl Carbinol

• PADMA: Phenylacetaldehyde Dimethyl Acetal

• HADMA: Hydratropaldehyde Dimethyl Acetal

• IBCH: Isobornyl Cyclohexanol

And some abbreviation which are not so famous but perfumers use them commonly:

• COL: Citronellol

• GOL: Geraniol

• NOL: Nerol

• LOL: Linalool

• LOLAc: Linalyl acetate

• COLAc: Citronellyl acetate

• LOLPoP: Linalyl propionate

• BB: Benzyl benzoate

• BOH: Benzyl alcohol

• StyOAc: Styrallyl acetate

• TOL: Terpineol

• TOLAc: Terpinyl acetate

and many more. But all mentioned above are aroma chemicals, what if anyone has to give abbreviation to Odor Description used in Perfumery. Like Floral note, Fruity note, Fresh note, Spicy note, and many more. . .

Here I am sharing again some important abbreviations which are used by Perfumers and definitely will help you as well to understand more and to give less time while writing formula or interpretation odor description.

In this article I will focus only on Floral Family. In future I will pick up some other family for the benefit of you all.

Floral Family abbreviated as FLO

1. Broom (BRM) : Sweet, Floral, and Herbaceous Note

SWE, FLO, HER

2. Carnation (CAN) : Delicate, Floral Clove

DEL, FLO, CLV

3. Cassie (CAS)

Floral, Diffusive, Orange Flower, Violet

FLO, DIF, OFL, VIO

4. Clover (CLO)

Sweet, Honey, Herbaceous, Floral

SWE, HNY, HER, FLO

5. Cyclamen (CYC)

Floral, Lilac White, Lilac colored, Violet, Green

FLO, LLY, LLC, VIO, GRN

6. Gardenia (GDN)

Floral, Tuberose, Jasmine, Orange Flower, Green

FLO, TBR, JAS, OFL, GRN

7. Hawthorn (HAW)

Floral, Bitter almond related, Biter, Diffusive

FLO, ALM, BIT, DIF

8. Heliotrope (HLT)

Floral, Almond, Balsamic, Fruity

FLO, ALM, BAL, FRU

9. Honeysuckle (HON)

Sweet, Floral, Heavy, Orange Flower Blossom, Tuberose, Honey, Rose

SWE, FLO, HVY, OFL, TBR, HNY, ROS

10. Hyacinth (HCT)

Fresh, Green, Floral, Jasmine, Balsamic

FRE, GRN, FLO, JAS, BAL

11. Jasmine (JAS)

Sweet, Floral, Heavy, Fruity, Herbaceous

SWE, FLO, HVY, FRU, HER

12. Jonquil (JON)

Fresh, Floral, Sweet, Heavy, Honey, Green

FRE, FW, SWE, HVY, HNY, GRN

13. Lilac Colored (LLC)

Fresh, Floral, Jasmine, Green

FRE, FLO, JAS, GRN

14. Lilac (White)- (LLW)

Floral, Hawthorn, Heavy, Jasmine, Heliotrope

FLO, HAW, HVY, JAS, HLT

15. Lily (LLY)

Sweet Heavy, Floral

SWE, HVY, FLO

16. Lily of Valley (LOV)

Floral, Rose, Green, Very Slightly Citrus

FLO, ROS, GRN, CIT

17. Linden (Lime Blossom) (LIN)

Floral, Fresh, Lily, White Lily, Orange Flower

FLO, FRE, LLY, LLW, OFL

18. Magnolia (MAG)

Floral, Lily, Hawthorn, Orange Flower, Green

FLO, LLY, HAW, OFL, GRN

19. Mimosa (MIM)

Sweet, Floral, Hawthorn, Orange Flower, Green

SWE, FLO, HAW, OFL, GRN

20. Narcissus (NCS)

Delicate, Fresh, Green, Floral, Sweet

DEL, FRE, GRN, FLO, SWE

21. Orange Flower (OFL)

Floral, Heavy, Animalia, Fresh, Rich, Bitter

FLO, HVY, ANM, FRE, RIC, BIT

22. Orris (ORR)

Delicate, Dry, woody, violet

DEL, DRY, WDY, VIO

23. Reseda/Mignonette (RSD)

Floral, Green, Anisic, Herbaceous

FLO, GRN, ANI, HER

24. Rose (ROSE)

Sweet, Floral, honey, Waxy, spicy, Fruity

SWE, FLO, HNY, WXY, SPI, FRU

25. Sweet Pea (SWP)

Sweet, Delicate, Floral, Orange flower, Hyacinth, Lily

SWE, DEL, FLO, OFL, HCT, LLY

26. Tuberose (TBR)

Heavy, Floral, Orange Flower, Ylang Ylang, Caramel, Green

HVY, FLO, OFL, YLA, CML, GRN

27. Violet (VIO)

Floral, Powdery, Green

FLO, PDR, GRN

28. Wallflower (WAL)

Floral (0.1% solution of para cresyl methyl either give resemblance of Wallflower)

29. Ylang Ylang (YLA)

Resinous, Sweet, Medicated, Wintergreen, Benzoate, Floral, Fruity, Civet

RIS, SWE, MED, WIG, BEN, FLO, FRU, CIV

References :

1. Introduction to Perfumery by Tony Curtis.

2. Image source - Google.

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Archana Shandilya