The process, which was developed by Cosmo International Fragrances and has been made exclusively available to L'Oréal, uses slow, water-free extraction and low energy consumption. It is said to reveal the “exact smell of an ingredient” while preserving its integrity.
Using only air, this technology exploits the volatile odorous molecules of flowers, fruits and other natural ingredients without using traditional distillation processes or chemical solvents.
Harnessing the new technology will mean perfumers can create luxury fragrances using natural ingredients while limiting environmental impact.
Recycled and reused for a second extraction
According to the companies, the flowers will retain all their integrity and can be recycled and reused during a second extraction, for a more sustainable approach.
Deputy Managing Director of Research, Innovation and Technology at L'Oréal, Barbara Lavernos, said: “With this green extraction process, we can capture the olfactory power of flowers in all their authenticity, as if we were walking through a garden, a field or a forest. With more than 100 perfumery experts within the Group, this exclusive partnership constitutes a masterstroke at the very heart of the perfumery industry.”
While Managing Director of L’Oréal Luxe Cyril Chapuy said that creating fragrances with authentic scents has become reality. He said: “With Cosmo International Fragrances, our brands will be able to explore new creative avenues, letting natural ingredients reveal their full olfactory identity.”
Chapuy continued: “As a global leader in luxury perfumery, we are committed to ensuring that the entire fragrance value chain is sustainable. It's not just a choice: it's a conviction. This partnership with Cosmo International Fragrances allows us to usher in a new creative era for our luxury fragrances."
President of Cosmo International Fragrances Marc Blaison also said the new tech will exploit the transformation capabilities of Green Sciences to produce fragrances on a large scale.
“The combination of our expertise in luxury perfumery and our common commitment to preserving the planet will make it possible to offer perfume lovers around the world exceptional olfactory creations, developed responsibly using a perfectly controlled process,” he stated.
The first collaboration will create a scent based on the natural floral signature of tuberose and will launch in 2024.
AI optimising fragrance production
This is not the first cutting-edge innovation Cosmo International Fragrances has launched this year. In September, the Mougins-based company introduced ScentElligenceTM – an AI platform that helps transform perfume formulations – into its business model.
The AI-powered platform analyses data and delivers fragrance possibilities by combining sensoriality with performance.
When it launched, the company stated that the tool would act as an advisor to its perfumers and could “predict the performance of a perfume” thanks to analysis of more than 3,000 analysed raw materials through their molecules’ physicochemical properties.
It also shared that the new technology “would facilitate the integration of technical constraints for higher application performances” and “optimise the development process time.”
