What Does Maceration Mean In Perfumery?

Maceration is a widely used technique for extracting the oils from flowers that are then utilized to create particular perfumes. In perfume development, the more well recognized reference is the process of aging a final perfume blend in a container to essentially “build” the aromatic presentation. In some cases, both a long maturation (aging the oil itself) period and a maceration (aging the finished alcohol solution) period are part of the final production process. Maceration can be a critical step especially when the perfume contains natural elements or certain base notes. The protocol of the aging process is determined by the creator.

The maceration step is considered a slow process because over a period of time, the oils and alcohol will marinate to create a strong scent that will deliver a longer lasting presentation on the skin. After allowing the mixture to settle and blend, the liquid solution is filtered and filled in bottles that are then finalized for retail purchase by consumers. Until the bottle is opened and the fragrance is used, the scent will continue to develop until it is able to reach its highest scent potential.