Petrichor is the scent that is created when the rain hits dry ground after a long period of dry weather. Bacteria, plants and even lightning can all play a role in the pleasant smell we experience after a thunderstorm. This scent has long been chased by scientists and even perfumers for its enduring appeal. First named by two Australian researchers in the 1960s as petrichor, it is the warm, earthy fragrance we experience when rain hits dry ground. It was already a signature fragrance being produced in Kannauj, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India in the 1960s and was called "mitti attar" (Earth's perfume). This village has been capturing the scent of rain and do it to this day.
For a bit more of a scientific look, you know how just before it rains, you can smell the rain? That's because the air becomes more humid and the ground begins to moisten. This process helps to speed up the activity of the actinobacteria and more geosmin is formed. When raindrops fall on the ground, especially porous surfaces such as loose soil or rough concrete, they will splatter and eject tiny particles called aerosols. The geosmin and other petrichor compounds that may be present on the ground or dissolved within the raindrop are released in aerosol form and carried by the wind to surrounding areas. If the rainfall is heavy enough, the petrichor scent can travel rapidly downwind and alert people that rain is soon on the way. The scent eventually goes away after the storm has passed and the ground begins to dry. This leaves the actinobacteria lying in wait – ready to help us know when it might rain again.
You will receive a 1/2ml sample (1ml sample vial filled half full) of each of the following fragrances.
- Pierrot Perfumery The Larval Mask Perfume - A forest fragrance with notes of oakmoss, warm wet stone, petrichor, rotting wood, loamy substrate and musty accord.
- The Strange South Petrichor EDP - A layering note to add to your favorite fragrance or to wear alone.
- Solstice Scents During the Rain Perfume Oil - A scent that is intended to be a singular atmospheric experience or a layering note. This is an isolated accord meant to capture an impending storm, followed by a thunderbolt signaling the imminent rain to come. The petrichor accord is comprised primarily of natural materials. It is meant to be an evocative experience, a bottled storm that you can revel in or layer with other perfumes in your collection to add a rain-soaked-earth element or to boost the rain note in perfumes that already contain a petrichor note. It focuses on providing one experience of petrichor and earth. It is a heart note that wears with moderate strength in the first half hour before receding to a more intimate throw for the next few hours. Just like a sudden summer storm, it comes on quick and heavy before tapering off to a gentle drizzle with the lingering scent of soft rain and earth over the next few hours. With notes of petrichor, soaked earth, limestone, loam, clay and wet concrete.
- Ghoulish Goods Petrichor Perfume Oil - A beautiful blend of wet earth, fresh rain and pebblestones. This scent will instantly transport you to that calm and easy place in your soul that emanates when the rain falls. It captures the fresh rain hitting warm stones and pavement, wet earth from the stirring of the top soil and raindrops, the fresh summer air and puddles beneath your feet. It sparks images of moody lighting, sipping a warm drink while watching the rain from the window, a cozy blanket and book in hand. Or perhaps it transports you to a more cheerful time of twirling in the summer rain and splashing in the puddles. With top notes of white florals, wood and ozone; middle notes of patchouli, wood and ozone; and base notes of geosmin and earth.
- Sixteen92 Layering Accord No 01: Petrichor Parfum - The earthy scent of rain on warm, dry soil. This is a layering accord to use as a singular crafted note or to experiment with different combinations to create your own unique scent.
