What is ambergris? Previously, people who found pieces of ambergris on the coasts believed that it was the saliva of a dragon or some mythical creature. In fact, ambergris is a substance that forms in the intestines of the sperm whale and is expelled from the body after eating tons of fish and plankton. The more she dwells in water, the better her aroma will be. But fresh ambergris is a pungent smell already in the order of spoiled fish.
The foundation of the perfume industry ?
Ambergris is used in perfumes. In appearance, it is an irregular shape with many clumps of dark gray. The composition of ambergris is 60-85% composed of amine (a substance similar in composition to cholesterol). Immediately after collection, it is soaked in alcohol, and after 3-6 years, it becomes one of the components of the perfume composition, which has the most unusual aroma. It was also actively used and is used for culinary purposes (as a spice), and for medical purposes (such diseases as asthma, typhoid, and epilepsy were treated with its help). What smell does ambergris have? This substance initially has the smell of stale fish, and after years acquires a tarry-tobacco musky aroma with a slight sea faint trail.
In perfume compositions, it is used not as a perfume, but as the main attractive and persistent element - an aphrodisiac. It is known from history that the most popular seducers always had a piece of ambergris with them, helping them attract the interest of women and stir up passion. A remarkable property of this substance is the ability to give resistance to any perfume. It is difficult to imagine that one tenth drop of such perfume will be enough for the fragrance to last about a day. This can be achieved due to the fact that approximately 70% of ambergris consists of compounds that fix the fragrance on the skin and slow its disappearance.
Second gold
Currently, almost all of the ambergris mined is bought by perfume companies to create perfumes and oils. The uniqueness and value of this fragrant substance is comparable in price to gold, so some perfume manufacturers synthesize ambergris artificially, but there are also companies in whose aromas there is real, natural ambergris. The following are some of the perfumes that make up this substance: "Opium" from Yves Saint Laurent (1977), "Dune" from Christian Dior (1991), "Givenchy" L'Interditde Givenchy (1957).
On the basis of ambergris, they also create oils that have a beneficial effect on the skin, soothing and giving sensuality. Ambergris oil is simultaneously skin care, lifting, correction and a positive effect on the body as a whole. In medicine, ambergris is used to normalize the work of the gastrointestinal tract, eliminate seizures, stable work of the nervous system, with senile dementia. It is used to create the homeopathic medicine "Amber 30". However, this is the topic of a completely different material. You can endlessly list the beneficial properties of marine matter, but still ambergris, mainly, finds its use in perfumery. The average global annual production of such raw materials is tens of kilograms, and the cost of one kilogram reaches 600-800 US dollars.