This article was taken from the December 2013 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Wired chemist Dr Ling Ge, based at Imperial College, is the author of many high-impact research papers and popular-science articles, and has edited two books.
Ingredients
Alcohol denat.
Butane, isobutane and propane
Parfum
Propylene glycol
Polyaminopropyl biguanide stearate
Amyl cinnamal
Citronellol
Citral
Coumarin
Limonene
Linalool
Butane, isobutane and propane
These are propellants used in cans and foam products. Isobutane is also used as refrigerant in fridges worldwide.
Polyaminopropyl biguanide stearate
A synthetic polymer used as a preservative and antibacterial agent.Also used in contact-lens solution due to its very low toxicity.
Alcohol denat
A solvent that dissolves the various ingredients, it is also used as a fuel for marine and backpacking stoves.
Linalool
This has a floral smell with a hint of spice. It also produces vitamin E and is used to kill fleas and cockroaches.
Fragrance molecules
Amyl cinnamal smells like jasmine; citral smells of lemon; citronellol smells of roses.
Propylene glycol
This helps the skin to absorb moisture. It is also used in cigar humidifiers and as an antifreeze.
Coumarin
A fragrant compound with a sweet scent, coumarin has been used as an aroma enhancer in pipe tobaccos and spirits.
Limonene
A by-product of orange-juice manufacturing, this colourless liquid is extracted from orange-peel zest.
Parfum
A body-odour mask. "Parfum" is the collective name for the chemicals used to produce a fragrance in toiletries.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
