I love Ambergris, and I love animals. I never condone the practice of poaching or the harming of any animals in any way. With that said, here is a little info I dug up on Ambergris and its history. I will cite these sources at the end.
Ambergris: a Solid, waxy substance from the digestive system of the Sperm Whale. Known in its true form to smell very intensely; however, as this product ages it acquires a sweet aroma. It has been used as a fixative in perfumery for ages, though in recent years has been mostly replaced with synthetics.
Ambergris can be found floating on sea water and on beaches and in no way does it require harming the Sperm Whale. In fact, the highest quality ambergris is found this way. Being exposed to air and elements removes the distinctive bile/fecal odor the Ambergris originally has.
American perfumers usually avoid it due to legal ambiguities. It was banned from use in many countries in the 1970s, including the United States, because its precursor originates from the Sperm Whale, which is an endangered species. However it has been legal since 2005 due to strict monitoring of distributors who ensure that only ambergris that has been naturally washed to shore is sold.
This information has been taken from Wikipedia.
No comments:
Post a Comment