I love this place!! Some question about Ambrinol 95

[Annick]

Hello, Basenotes! I made perfumes on essential oils, sometimes I added extracts and tinctures that I made myself. Looks like it's time to move on. I really want to learn the AC how to work with them correctly, and most importantly - how to hear/smell correctly. My nose is an incorrect comrade I recently bought Ambrinol 95, it doesn’t smell like anything but an old, smelly mold for my nose. This is right? I have a long way to learn, but I am sure that thanks to this place and friendly, and most importantly competent in perfumery, I will succeed!
Who is hav an experience with Ambrinol 95, could you write your opinion about this ingredient?

 

[viebelle]

Are you smelling it straight from the bottle, or did you dilute it before smelling?
I actually find Ambrinol 95 pleasant. It reminds me of the inside of a down jacket / puffer jacket. Warm, fur-like.

 

[PeeWee678]

Ambrinol is a very potent material that oscillates between bad breath, dirty sea notes and mustiness with other facets mixed in as well.
The thing is: that's how it's supposed to smell. It's a great enhancer for Ambroxan or Cetalox.

It's not supposed to smell nice, warm and cosy like Ambroxan but it's used to add dirt, depth and complexity. Use small/trace amounts, preferably together with Ambroxan/Cetalox (or other materials like Labdanum), to get some nice results.

P.S. Ambergris bases typically contain some Ambrinol.

 

[pkiler]

Use is usually very small in a formula, sub 0.5%, sub even 0.05% maybe.

 

[Annick]

Thank you for your answers, this is important for me, I immediately make notes in my notebook
I tried to sniff Ambrinol 95 undiluted on a test strip for 1 week, I tried to sniff Ambrinol diluted, I tried mixed experiments: Ambrinol 95 + Ambroxan, Ambrinol 95 + IES, Ambrinol 95 + Benzyl Benzoate, Ambrinol 95 + Tobacco and a few other experiments. There is always one way out - old, smelly mold.I I already began to think that I acquired a spoiled ingredient

 

[jfrater]

Thank you for your answers, this is important for me, I immediately make notes in my notebook
I tried to sniff Ambrinol 95 undiluted on a test strip for 1 week, I tried to sniff Ambrinol diluted, I tried mixed experiments: Ambrinol 95 + Ambroxan, Ambrinol 95 + IES, Ambrinol 95 + Benzyl Benzoate, Ambrinol 95 + Tobacco and a few other experiments. There is always one way out - old, smelly mold.I I already began to think that I acquired a spoiled ingredient

That is what ambrinol smells like - use it in very small amounts as others have mentioned. It is incredibly beautiful and powerful when used right so don't lose hope!

 

[Annick]

Oh, thank you very much! Tomorrow I'll try to test in very small amounts. I really do not want to be disappointed in Ambrinol, I have been waiting for it for a long time.

 

[Alex F.]

The key to understanding many ambergris-materials is to give them time to breathe and to realise that they're much more potent than you may at first think. If you want to study ambrinol solo, I suggest making a small, strongly diluted trial batch (≤1 ppt, traces are enough for me). Spray/dab it on a smelling strip or piece of tissue paper. At first, you'll notice mostly the geosmin-like, moldy cellar type of odour you've described. Leave the strip/piece of paper in the bathroom. (Do not use a fresh one, do not reapply.) Smell it again over the course of several hours. See how it transforms to the exciting sweaty side of ambergris. If you have clary sage oil (salvia sclarea), do the same with a drop of that. It'll take several hours, but there's something in it (oxidised sclareol) that smells very much like ambrinol that had time to breathe to me.

(PS: I do this with every new material. I observe how its scent develops over the course of at least 2 days. Some, especially essential oils, reveal very interesting sides after a while, which you wouldn't expect if you only smell them fresh.)

 

[Annick]

The key to understanding many ambergris-materials is to give them time to breathe and to realise that they're much more potent than you may at first think. If you want to study ambrinol solo, I suggest making a small, strongly diluted trial batch (≤1 ppt, traces are enough for me). Spray/dab it on a smelling strip or piece of tissue paper. At first, you'll notice mostly the geosmin-like, moldy cellar type of odour you've described. Leave the strip/piece of paper in the bathroom. (Do not use a fresh one, do not reapply.) Smell it again over the course of several hours. See how it transforms to the exciting sweaty side of ambergris. If you have clary sage oil (salvia sclarea), do the same with a drop of that. It'll take several hours, but there's something in it (oxidised sclareol) that smells very much like ambrinol that had time to breathe to me.

(PS: I do this with every new material. I observe how its scent develops over the course of at least 2 days. Some, especially essential oils, reveal very interesting sides after a while, which you wouldn't expect if you only smell them fresh.)

Thanks a lot for the great tips! I've been experimenting with Ambrinol all day today. This is the most unusual ingredient I've ever had. The scent ranges from terrible to wonderful. And yes, when diluted to 1 percent, the smell of musty and mold noticeably decreased, animalic and seaweed notes are more distinct. Terribly Beautiful

 

[jfrater]

Thanks a lot for the great tips! I've been experimenting with Ambrinol all day today. This is the most unusual ingredient I've ever had. The scent ranges from terrible to wonderful. And yes, when diluted to 1 percent, the smell of musty and mold noticeably decreased, animalic and seaweed notes are more distinct. Terribly Beautiful

Edmond Roudnitska who created Diorrisimo and many other beautiful fragrances suggested that you should always include one ugly note in a fragrance. It makes me think of the Persian rug makers who always include an intentional error and quilters who always include an ugly patch. It adds character.