Synthetic

Sulphur

Note Profile

Mineral 2 perfumes

About

Sulphur is a naturally occurring element. In perfume it comes from synthetic means, and it also occurs in trace amounts in materials such as blackcurrant bud absolute. It smells sharp, acrid and mineral, like struck matches or hot stone, and at times like cooked eggs. It has a slightly metallic or smoky edge and is very diffusive. It is used in trace amounts as an accent.

Scent Profile

Sulphur smells sharp and acrid, like struck matches, gunpowder and hot stone. At strength it turns to rotten egg and volcanic brimstone. A metallic, mineral edge and a smoky trace run through it. It is very diffusive and is used in traces, where it reads more as an atmosphere than as a note.

ScentWheel

Breadthfocused

EnvelopeTop · ~2h lasting

Family Elemental, Woody & Earthy

Read off the wheel, not a label applied to the note.

What this is made of

Sulphur names no single substance

No material referent

An element, and the character is on the flavour side of the vocabulary.

How the layers join

Origin

Sulphur is a naturally occurring element but is used in perfumery primarily through synthetic means or as a byproduct of certain chemical reactions. It is not extracted from plants but can be present in trace amounts in some natural materials, such as blackcurrant bud absolute or certain animalic notes.

Usage in Perfumery

Perfumers employ sulphuric notes sparingly, often as an accent in avant-garde or niche fragrances to add realism, tension, or a mineralic effect. It is typically used in trace amounts in the top or heart of a fragrance, blending well with green, fruity, or leathery notes to create complexity or a provocative edge.