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Newer or "Modern" Chypres: Oakmoss Out, Beeswax In?
The thread we were pursuing about Chanel Antaeus, and the interesting question of the use (or not) of oakmoss in its original formula (or subsequent possible reformulations) seems to have shifted focus. The question seems to have come around to what the future of chypres will be with no (or much less) oakmoss. Also, another matter has come up: the use of beeswax absolute in chypres.
The effect of the 1991 IFRA recommendation on restricting levels of oakmoss in fragrances seems to have been to lead to the development of what we are now hearing called "modern chypres," i. e., scents which are "recognizable" chypres, but which rely less (or not at all) on oakmoss in their formulation. A corollary element in this discussion is the question of how the use of beeswax absolute might compensate for the reduction or absence of oakmoss in the formula.
Before saying any more, I must confess that what I will have to say here is all hypothetical and "hunch" thinking; but I'll risk wasting your time anyway:
Beeswax was already used in Antaeus, perhaps (or perhaps not) in conjunction with oakmoss, so why not consider it in the construction of a newer chypre where it seems to be given more prominence? I'll propose for an example to consider:
Tom Ford Special Blends
Moss Breches
(2007)
Top Notes: Tarragon, Rosemary, Clary Sage
Middle Notes: Beeswax Absolute, Spices
Base Notes: Labdanum, Patchouli, Benzoin, Moss
The name "Moss Breches" itself alludes to two of the major ingredients in the formula: tree moss and beeswax absolute. The first is obvious, and the second is explained here:
But tree products (the sap, pollen, resins, etc., in propolis) present in beeswax? In any case, the complex interrelation between animal and plant life has its implications for the natural production of perfume materials; it comes into sharper focus in the case of beeswax and propolis occurring in close proximity, even to the point of being processed together in the extraction of oils and absolutes. The animalic and plant-derived elements seem to become fused in this process. (And the resinous character of propolis may echo the resinous nature of oakmoss and labdanum absolutes in the chypre accord.)
Perhaps a significant parallel can be seen here with oakmoss and other tree mosses themselves, in that they are in actuality not mosses at all, but lichens. And lichens are biologically speaking a combination of two different life forms living in symbiosis: "a fungus (the mycobiont) with a photosynthetic partner (the photobiont or phycobiont), usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium." [wikipedia article "Oakmoss"]
Here, it may be worth noting a further element in the structure of Moss Breches, one that has not been much remarked upon, namely the use of clary sage; and consequently, its potential use in other "modern chypres." This note used to be a fairly common element in chypres and fougères as well, though its possible role in supporting the characteristic "ghost note" effect in either of them is not clear.
Clary sage oil is obtained by steam distillation, and has been variously described as "sweet, nutty, herbaceous"; "resembling [Balsam of] Tolu"; "bright, earthy, herbaceous, with a subtle fruity note"; "fresh, sweet herbaceous odor and wine-like bouquet with ambergris note developing, reminiscent of tobacco and coriander-like notes"; and "reminiscent of muscatel wine." The value of this can be seen more easily perhaps in relation to the fougère accord, in particular as supporting and softening the lavender note and blending it with the hay-like character of coumarin.
A few of the older and newer chypres and fougères in which it figured are Aramis, our old friend Antaeus, Arrogance Uomo, Ayalitta, Canoé, Carven Homme, Caron Pour Un Homme, Étienne Aigner No. 2, Green Water, Monsieur Rochas, Platinum Égoïste, Patou pour Homme, and Versailles pour Homme. Search on the term "clary sage" in the Basenotes Directory, and you get four pages of results, though some are neither chypres nor fougères.
Well, that might be something to get the conversation on filling the "oakmoss gap" started. Any interest in further discussion along these lines, or any others from wiser heads than mine?
The effect of the 1991 IFRA recommendation on restricting levels of oakmoss in fragrances seems to have been to lead to the development of what we are now hearing called "modern chypres," i. e., scents which are "recognizable" chypres, but which rely less (or not at all) on oakmoss in their formulation. A corollary element in this discussion is the question of how the use of beeswax absolute might compensate for the reduction or absence of oakmoss in the formula.
Before saying any more, I must confess that what I will have to say here is all hypothetical and "hunch" thinking; but I'll risk wasting your time anyway:
Beeswax was already used in Antaeus, perhaps (or perhaps not) in conjunction with oakmoss, so why not consider it in the construction of a newer chypre where it seems to be given more prominence? I'll propose for an example to consider:
Tom Ford Special Blends
Moss Breches
(2007)
Top Notes: Tarragon, Rosemary, Clary Sage
Middle Notes: Beeswax Absolute, Spices
Base Notes: Labdanum, Patchouli, Benzoin, Moss
The name "Moss Breches" itself alludes to two of the major ingredients in the formula: tree moss and beeswax absolute. The first is obvious, and the second is explained here:
... "breches" [is] more often written "brèches" in French and sometimes "brêches" ... "[B]reches" can smell animalic, but it has to do with the natural musky, animalic overtones of honeycomb. "Brèches" means "honeycomb" or even more particularly according to a 1935 agricultural dictionary written by Tammo Jacob Bezemer, means something more specialized than that, that is an "old comb" as opposed to a fresh one. [Reference]And that honeycomb note has aged and become "riper" perhaps, but how exactly might that help fill the missing or reduced oakmoss gap? It may have something to do with the presence of propolis in the honeycomb.
Propolis is a resinous mixture that honey bees collect from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources. It is used as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the hive. Propolis is used for small gaps (approximately 6.35 millimeters (0.3 in) or less), while larger spaces are usually filled with beeswax. [wikipedia article "Propolis"]The article, speaking of the uses of propolis in the bees' construction of their hive, goes on to mention that (apart from its use as a sealant of small gaps in the structure), it serves as an antiseptic and preservative, and is even sometimes used to encase and isolate decaying alien elements that have entered the hive and cannot be removed by the bees.
But tree products (the sap, pollen, resins, etc., in propolis) present in beeswax? In any case, the complex interrelation between animal and plant life has its implications for the natural production of perfume materials; it comes into sharper focus in the case of beeswax and propolis occurring in close proximity, even to the point of being processed together in the extraction of oils and absolutes. The animalic and plant-derived elements seem to become fused in this process. (And the resinous character of propolis may echo the resinous nature of oakmoss and labdanum absolutes in the chypre accord.)
Perhaps a significant parallel can be seen here with oakmoss and other tree mosses themselves, in that they are in actuality not mosses at all, but lichens. And lichens are biologically speaking a combination of two different life forms living in symbiosis: "a fungus (the mycobiont) with a photosynthetic partner (the photobiont or phycobiont), usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium." [wikipedia article "Oakmoss"]
Here, it may be worth noting a further element in the structure of Moss Breches, one that has not been much remarked upon, namely the use of clary sage; and consequently, its potential use in other "modern chypres." This note used to be a fairly common element in chypres and fougères as well, though its possible role in supporting the characteristic "ghost note" effect in either of them is not clear.
Clary sage oil is obtained by steam distillation, and has been variously described as "sweet, nutty, herbaceous"; "resembling [Balsam of] Tolu"; "bright, earthy, herbaceous, with a subtle fruity note"; "fresh, sweet herbaceous odor and wine-like bouquet with ambergris note developing, reminiscent of tobacco and coriander-like notes"; and "reminiscent of muscatel wine." The value of this can be seen more easily perhaps in relation to the fougère accord, in particular as supporting and softening the lavender note and blending it with the hay-like character of coumarin.
A few of the older and newer chypres and fougères in which it figured are Aramis, our old friend Antaeus, Arrogance Uomo, Ayalitta, Canoé, Carven Homme, Caron Pour Un Homme, Étienne Aigner No. 2, Green Water, Monsieur Rochas, Platinum Égoïste, Patou pour Homme, and Versailles pour Homme. Search on the term "clary sage" in the Basenotes Directory, and you get four pages of results, though some are neither chypres nor fougères.
Well, that might be something to get the conversation on filling the "oakmoss gap" started. Any interest in further discussion along these lines, or any others from wiser heads than mine?
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Comments
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Excellent post Jaimie! thnx very much for your insight..Posted 5th November 2009 at 01:25 PM by jenson 
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Fascinating! Well, this post has really got me thinking more broadly about modern chypres, if not chypres in general. For starters, I pulled out my sample of Moss Breches (thanks, Mike P.!) and gave it a much more sensitive sniffing. Definitely, that animalic, musky odor is there - and surprisingly heavy in the topnotes. The chypre note starts off big, dives a bit after the start and then picks up again toward drydown. Not sure how long it will last - I'll see by morning. And I need to sniff my clary sage oil, too, but I'll have to wait a bit to do that. But until I do, I have to say that clary sage strikes me as a potentially good component for chypres. It has an inherently piercing odor, which I can imagine would enter into interesting accords - and possibly the chypre accord - with certain other things.
I really would like to smell Sublime Balkiss now. It is said to be a chypre "without oakmoss or synthetic oakmoss or components from an animal origin". See the fragrance here. I see neither beeswax or clary sage - I suspect that the scent may be getting a chypre accord in some other way.
I'll be back with more comments after I do some more sniffing.
Posted 6th November 2009 at 05:02 AM by Redneck Perfumisto
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