Galbanum and its use in perfumery

Galbanum - what is this plant? What are its features, and what makes perfumers turn to it again and again?

It was Jacques Guerlain who was the first to use this plant in his aromas and in high concentrations. Yes, again Guerlain, it was he who became the discoverer of a new plant in perfumery, which turns fragrances into so desirable that it is not possible for some to replace them with others.

Galbanum, in Hebrew "chalbaneh", which means "oily". A plant from the Umbelliferae family, a bit like our flowering celery. The stem is smooth, the leaves are shiny. The aroma of galbanum is woody and balsamic. A resinous liquid that flows from the cut roots of a plant, and then is dried in the sun, it is she who has the valuable qualities that will be discussed.

In galbanum, substances have been found that can affect the human psyche. That is why this plant has long been used in oriental medicine and in modern aromatherapy. Galbanum has a positive effect on the nervous system of people who are addicted to diseases such as depression, panic attacks. Galbanum is also used in cosmetics. Even the ancient Egyptians knew and appreciated the oil of this plant and used it to restore skin elasticity, to combat skin aging and, of course, when embalming. Galbanum even helps heal scars and various skin inflammations. Now there are many artificial compositions of galbanum oil, which makes it possible to use perfumes with its content for a wider range of consumers. The aroma is quite interesting - it is a mixture of spicy green, forest and balsamic shades, moreover, the smell is strong.

Now let's get back to Guerlain fragrance Vol de Nuit... It was in this fragrance that the perfumer used for the first time a large concentration of galbanum oil.

Jacques Guerlain was a close friend of Antoine de Saint-Exupery, a pilot and writer. In memory of him, he created the fragrance Vol De Nuit - Night Flight. And it was again a perfume masterpiece. Just like the story of the pilot itself, which tells about the struggle of a person with the elements, about the thirst for adventure and glory, so galbanum in the aroma, combined with spicy and citrus notes, is like a cyclone, which is replaced by vanilla softness and a delicate violet in consonance with Peruvian balsam. sandalwood, benzoin, ambergris and castorium in the final. Vol de Nuit was released two years after Exupery's magnificent novel.

J'ai Ose.

Guy Laroche J'ai Ose - a fragrance of feminine charm, which became a bestseller in 1977.
J'ai Ose (“I dare”) is a symbol of timeless beauty. The exciting, elegant, feminine perfume owes its beauty and inimitable sound to notes of citrus, peach and bergamot, which open a ball of flowers - rose, jasmine, iris combined with vanilla, cedar oil, vetiver, patchouli, oak moss, musk and galbanum. In the name of the fragrance, there is a hidden admiration for a beautiful woman.

The fragrance dedicated to magnolia, Magnolia, opens with bright accords of galbanum and the unique scent of magnolia, created by one of the oldest perfume houses in Italy, Santa Maria Novella.

Chanel No 19 - a perfume for confident women with a steel character, in which aggressive galbanum is combined with oak moss and the powdery scent of iris.

And how many of their perfume masterpieces that take us to the world of light, happiness, joy and a fairy tale!