No. Synthetic ingredients are molecules, just as natural fragrances from essential oils are molecules. Because they are ‘synthetic’ does not mean that they are simply bad or harmful. It does not simply mean that they are made from petroleums or plastics. It is important to note that essential oils can be harmful when used without proper knowledge and care. What matters is that fragrance is created and used responsibly and safely.

Synthetic ingredients in perfumery are a source of popular controversy and concern, but largely misunderstood. It is important to understand that natural ingredients, like synthetic ones, are chemical complexes.

Synthetic ingredients can have many benefits in perfumery. They can be more cost effective and have a far lower environmental impact than all-natural ingredients. They offer stability and consistency of quality and performance and allergy-free and cruelty-free alternatives. Plus, they give perfumers the creative freedom to produce fragrances with exceptional complexity, potency and longevity. Scents can now be produced with levels of knowledge, safety and integrity that were once impossible. For example, the rich and luxurious scent of ‘leather’ can now be achieved with birch tar, while ambroxide, created through a process that involves synthesising clary sage in a laboratory, mimics the note known as ambergris. Used as a perfume fixative, ambergris was once, horribly, harvested from whales.

Citrus notes, vanilla notes, and amber notes can be also be simulated in the laboratory more efficiently and achieve a more pleasing olfactory result than if derived from nature alone.

Fragrances created with only natural ingredients simply cannot achieve the quality, integrity and olfactory range of perfumes made with a masterly combination of both natural and synthetic materials. The craftsmanship of our perfumers deserves a nod.