| Natural | Mainstream | |
| Perfumer’s Goal: | Beauty and Health | Beauty |
| Aromatic Palette: | Essential oils, concretes, absolutes, CO2s, tinctures, and infusions | Primarily synthetic aromachemicals, minimal essential oils and absolutes |
| Number of Aromatics per Blend: | 10 – 30 | 30 – 100+ |
| Creative Process Goals: | Blend to create a unique classic artisan vision with top/mid/base notes | Meet market demands; can use top/mid/base structure, or linear |
| Diluent: | Typically, undenatured alcohol; sometimes oil, cream, or a solid base | Typically, synthetic denatured alcohol; solid, dry spray |
| Customer Experience: | Perfume unfolds on skin, revealing layers of scent | Strong aesthetic statement, trendy, or nod to vintage |
| Drydown time: | 1 – 8 hours; base may persist for 24 hours | 1 – 24+ hours |
| Cost per pound of undiluted compound: | Extremely expensive; some aromatics are $10 – $100,000 per pound | Very inexpensive; corporations insist on the lowest cost; there are rumors of a $20 per pound limit |
| History: | Link to ancient Egypt, historical figures | Link to ancient Egypt, historical figures |
| Diffusion of Scent: | Arm’s length, slight sillage, unobtrusive | Can scent an entire room; strong sillage |
| Known respiratory issues: | Some: If you are allergic to roses, you will be allergic to rose in a perfume. | Well-documented; some municipalities have enacted no-fragrance laws |
