Saturday, August 21, 2010

Eau: The Scent of Moroccanoil®











The magic of fine fragrance lies in two important qualities; composition and the ability to trigger memory. Functional products--like shampoos, moisturizers and detergents--can be as olfactively provocative as an expensive perfume. The frequency with which they are used, combined with the utilitarian “problem solving” aspect attached to their performance, creates loyalty and emotional attachment. Sometimes a functional product hits the market and leads consumers by the nose. Such is the case with Moroccanoil®.

The Moroccanoil® hair care line nourishes, protects and fortifies hair by utilizing fairtrade argan oil and cutting-edge technology. The scent, however, is a clever provocateur. The composition includes the familiar aroma associated with hand lotion (classic white floral aldehyde) and introduces a mashup of suntan lotion, white amber and milky musk. The combination is luxurious, sensual and addictive, evoking memories of warm sandy beaches and vibrant turquoise waters, (something not lost on anyone paying attention to the colors used in the packaging of Moroccanoil® products).

Devotees of the brand have requested that the potent olfactive cocktail be made into a perfume. A Moroccanoil® eau has not been made to date, but there is a way to use the product as a scent. The solution lies in layering; the same principal used when applying fragrance on skin. Hair, unlike skin, holds onto fragrance longer. Combining at least three Moroccanoil® products is recommended. Glass Petal Smoke suggests Moroccanoil® Shampoo, Conditioner and the Hydrating Style Cream. Don’t let the “oil” in Moroccanoil® stop you from using the treatment oil; it is quickly absorbed and doesn’t weigh your hair down. Warning: the desire to use the Treatment Oil as a perfume is tempting.

Notes:

Glass Petal Smoke requested the name of the perfumer who created the scent of Moroccanoil®. Representatives of the brand declined to reveal the perfumer or the fragrance house. The perfumer, however, is welcome to contact the editor of Glass Petal Smoke in confidence. The public knows little about functional perfumers (and the suspense is killing me).

Something which is described as "aldehydic" smells fatty, watery or a bit like a "snuffed candle". The most tangible example of the smell of aldehyde is the scent of steam emanating from an iron as it glides across a shirt. Chanel N°5 contains an overdose of aldehyde and is a benchmark for this quality in perfumery.