Head Space

The head space is a technique used in perfumery to isolate the odorous components of a place or a raw material.

The Head Space is a technique used in organic chemistry to isolate odorous molecules from a raw material. The smell is captured “in vivo”. For example, a flower is placed into a glass bell equipped with sensors and filled with a neutral gas that will absorb the scents under the bell. Then, the sensors analyse the gas collected to identify the scent’s components and allow the perfumer to recreate it accurately. This modern method allows the chemist to catch the fragrance of immaterial spaces such as the forest or the sea.