For the latest rendition of “Perfumer Notes," Perfumer & Flavorist+ (P&F+) connected with Ana Gómez, perfumer at Iberchem, to discuss her thoughts on Hedione. Gómez shared her personal and professional insights on the versatility and beauty of Hedione, an ingredient that has evolved throughout the years in fragrance formulation.
For the latest rendition of “Perfumer Notes," Perfumer & Flavorist+ (P&F+) connected with Ana Gómez, perfumer at Iberchem, to discuss her thoughts on Hedione. Gómez shared her personal and professional insights on the versatility and beauty of Hedione, an ingredient that has evolved throughout the years in fragrance formulation.
P&F+: What comes to mind when one first comes across this component?
Ana Gómez [AG]: Hedione’s aroma isn’t at all easy to describe. When I smell it, I sense many different scents, but curiously, some people don’t notice any smell at all. In the case of the latter, this is due to a condition known as anosmia (smell blindness) and people who suffer from it aren’t able to distinguish Hedione’s aroma.
Hedione is so complex and sophisticated that it is a perfume in its own right and has so many nuances. Accurately describing Hedione depends on the olfactory experience of the person in question; choosing the exact words is challenging, as we are not dealing with a specific smell as such, but rather a mixture of sensations.
For me, the first perceptible aromas of Hedione are floral, reminiscent of white flowers such as jasmine, but almost immediately, a fresh, citrus, fruity scent hits you. I can even perceive a subtle, slightly oily, leafy green essence.
Personally, if I had to choose just two words to describe it, I would use “fresh” and “floral.” It is a blended fusion that evolves after its application, just as when you smell a perfume whose initial aroma changes and gives way to its full-bodied essence.
Footnotes:
aHedione is a trademark of Firmenich.
For the full article, please check out the Perfumer & Flavorist+ September 2022 issue originally titled "Perfumer Notes: Hedione, A Fragrance In Its Own Right."