What is enfleurage? Is it still commonly used?

What is Enfleurage?

Hey, asking about enfleurage? This is an old-school tradition in perfume making. When I was researching perfume history, this method fascinated me. Simply put, enfleurage (also known as the "fat absorption method") uses animal fat to "absorb" the fragrance from flowers. Imagine taking a glass plate, coating it with odorless lard or tallow, and then laying fresh flower petals on top. The essential oils from the petals slowly seep into the fat over several days or even weeks, with fresh petals replaced daily. Once the fat is saturated, alcohol is used to wash out the fragrance, resulting in a pure floral essence.

This method is especially suited for delicate flowers like jasmine or tuberose, which cannot withstand high-temperature distillation without damaging their scent. Sounds pretty primitive, right? But in 19th-century French perfumery, this was the mainstream technique, and artisans in Grasse mastered it brilliantly.

Is It Still Used Today?

Not so much these days. Most modern perfumeries opt for more efficient methods like solvent extraction (using chemicals to directly pull out essences) or steam distillation—faster, cheaper, and scalable for mass production. But enfleurage hasn’t vanished entirely! Some high-end, luxury brands, especially those emphasizing "all-natural" or "traditional craftsmanship," still use it. For instance, certain limited-edition jasmine absolutes rely on this method to preserve the most delicate nuances of the fragrance. It’s just costly, time-consuming, and labor-intensive, so it’s mostly found in niche markets or among artisanal perfumers. If you’re into DIY perfumery, enfleurage is a fascinating experiment—but patience is key! All in all, it’s like an antique, but its charm endures.