Fragrance for improving relaxation state and method of assessing

A fragrance composition for improving the relaxation state of a human subject, the fragrance composition comprising:

• a) at least about 25% by weight in total of at least five relaxing fragrance materials R;
• b) optionally up to about 45% by weight in total of non-relaxing fragrance materials NR, provided that the weight ratio of R to NR is at least 0.75;
• c) optionally up to about 75% by weight in total of neutral fragrance materials N;
• and
• d) optionally up to about 25% by weight in total of other fragrance materials M, provided that the weight ratio of R to (M+NR) is at least 0.75;
• wherein
• (i) all percentages are based on total weight of the fragrance materials constituting the fragrance composition;
• (ii) the relaxing fragrance materials R are selected from the group consisting of a musk ingredient, a floral-orris ingredient, a sweet-vanilla ingredient, a sweet-heliotrope ingredient, a sweet-tonka ingredient, a woody-vetiver ingredient, 2-(phenoxy)ethyl 2-methylpropanoate (phenoxyethyl isobutyrate), 1-(2-naphtalenyl)-ethanone (oranger crystals), 2-(4-methylcyclohex-3-en-1-yl)propan-2-ol (terpineol), (E)-1-methoxy-4-(prop-1-en-1-yl)benzene (anethole) 2-ethyl-4(2′,2′,3′-trimethylcyclopent-3-enyl)but-enol (Bangalol or Radjanol), basil oil, (E)-3,7-dimethylnona-1,6-dien-3-ol (ethyl linalool), 2-(2′-methylpropyl)-4-hydroxy-4-methyltetrahydropyran (Florosa), (E)-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dien-1-ol (geraniol), methyl 2-aminobenzoate (methyl anthranilate), (E)-3-methyl-4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohex-2-enyl)but-3-en-2-one (alpha-iso-methyl ionone), mixtures of 2-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-yl butanoate and (phenoxy)ethyl 2-methylpropanoate (Prunella), 5-heptyldihydrofuran-2(3H)-one (gamma undecalactone or peach pure), and mixtures thereof;
• (iii) the non-relaxing fragrance materials NR are selected from the group consisting of 2-methylundecanal (methyl nonyl aldehyde), prop-2-enyl 2-(3-methylbutoxy)acetate (allyl amyl glycolate), (Z)-1-((3aS,6R,7R,8aS)-6,8,8-trimethyloctahydro-3H-3a,7-methanoazulen-3-ylidene)propan-2-one (acetyl cedrene), 3a,6,6,9a-perhydrotetra-methylnaphtho [2,1-b] furan (Amberlyn Super), pentyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (amyl salicylate), armoise oil, benzyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (benzyl salicylate), bergamot oil, 4-tert-butyl-3-phenylpropanal (Bourgeonal), cedar leaf oil, 3,7-dimethyloct-6-en-1-ol (citronellol), (E)-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexenyl)but-2-en-1-one (beta damas-cene), 2-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-yl acetate (dimethyl benzyl carbinyl acetate), ethyl 2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexadienecarboxylate (Ethyl Safranate), methyl 2,4-dihydroxy-3,6-dimethylbenzoate (Evernyl or Everniate), (E)-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienenitrile (geranyl nitrile), 3-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-methylpropanal (Helional or Tropional), Z-hex-3-enol, hexyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (hexyl salicylate), lemon oil, 2,4-dimethyl-3-cyclohexene-1-carbaldehyde (Cyclal C or Tricyclal or Ligustral), 3-(4-(1,1-dimethylethyl)phenyl-2-methylpropanal (Lilial), 4-(4-hydroxy-4-methylpentyl) cyclohex-3-enecarbaldehyde (Lyral), 3-methyl-5-phenylpentanol (Mefrosol), orange oil, orange terpenes, tagetes oil, 3,7-dimethyloctan-1-ol (pelargol), and mixtures thereof,
• (iv) the neutral fragrance materials N are selected from the group consisting of benzyl acetate, cassis base, 2-methyl-3-(4-(1-methylethyl)phenyl)propanal (cyclamen aldehyde), (5R)-2-methyl-5-prop-1-en-2-ylcyclohex-2-en-1-one (carvone), (E)-3-phenylprop-2-en-1-ol (cinnamic alcohol), 2-methoxy-4-propylphenol (dihydro-eugenol), 2,6-dimethyloct-7-en-2-ol (dihydromyrcenol), 4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol (eugenol), galbanum, 5-hexyloxolan-2-one (gamma decalactone), 7-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyloctanal (hydroxycitronellal), 1H-indole, (E)-2-methoxy-4-(prop-1-en-1-yl)phenol (isoeugenol), jasmin oil, 3-pentyltetrahydro-2H-4-pyranyl ethanoate (Jasmopyrane Forte), 3,7-dimethylocta-1,6-dien-3-ol (linalool), 3,7-dimethylocta-1,6-dien-3-yl acetate (linalyl acetate), methyl 3-oxo-2-pentylcyclopentaneacetate (methyl dihydrojasmonate), patchouli oil, 2-phenylethyl alcohol, 4-methyl-2-(2-methylprop-1-en-1-yl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran (rose oxide), rose oil, 5-(2,2,3-trimethyl-3-cyclopentyl-3-methylpentan-2-ol (Sandalore), 1-phenylethyl acetate (styrallyl acetate), ylang-ylang, and mixtures thereof, and
• (v) the other fragrance materials M comprises fragrance materials not included in the above, excluding odourless or low-odour solvents or diluents used as vehicles for fragrance materials.

A method of using a fragrance ingredient in improving the relaxation state of a human subject, wherein the fragrance ingredient is selected from the group consisting of 17-oxacycloheptadec-6-en-1-one (ambrettolide), (9Z)-cycloheptadec-9-en-1-one (Civettone), (E)-3-methyl-5-cyclotetradecen-1-one (Cosmone), 1-(1,1,2,3,3,6-hexamethyl-2H-inden-5-yl)ethanone (Fixolide), (12E)-1-oxacyclohexadec-12-en-2-one (Habanolide), [2-[1-(3,3-dimethylcyclohexyl)ethoxy]-2-methylpropyl]propanoate (Helvetolide), octahydrohexamethyl naphthoxirene (Moxalone), (5E)-3-methylcyclopentadec-5-en-1-one (Muscenone), 3-methyl-1-cyclopentadecanone (Muscone), 4-tert-butyl-2,6-dimethyl-3,5-dinitroacetophenone (musk ketone), 1,7-dioxacycloheptadecan-8-one (musk R1), (10Z)-13-methyl-1-oxacyclopentadec-10-en-2-one (Nirvanolide), 2-[1-(3,3-dimethylcyclohexyl)ethoxy]-2-methylpropyl cyclopropanecarboxylate (Serenolide), (3′E)-2-((3′,5′-dimethylhex-3′-en-2′-yl)oxy)-2-methylpropyl cyclopropanecarboxylate (Sylkolide), 1,15-pentadecanolide (Thibetolide), (5Z)-cyclohexadec-5-en-1-one (Velvione), N-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohex-2-enyl)pent-1-en-3-one (Isoraldeine), 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohex-2-enyl)pentanal (Cetonal), (E)-1-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl)hepta-1,6-dien-3-one (cetone V), 4-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-1-en-1-yl)butan-2-one (dihydro-ionone beta), 7,9-dimethylspiro[5.5]undecan-3-one (Dispirone), (E)-4-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-1-en-1-yl)but-3-en-2-one (ionone beta), (E)-4-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl)but-3-en-2-one (irisone alpha), (E)-4-(2,5,6,6-tetramethylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl)but-3-en-2-one (irone alpha), (E)-3-methyl-4-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl)but-3-en-2-one (Isoraldeine cetone alpha), (Z)-3,4,5,6,6-pentamethylhept-3-en-2-one (Koavone), benzoin resinoids, 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (ethyl vanillin), 4-formyl-2-methoxyphenyl 2-methylpropanoate (Isobutavan), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (vanillin), 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol (creosol), 2-ethoxy-4-(methoxymethyl)phenol (methyl diantilis), 2-propoxy-4-(methoxymethyl)phenol (propyl diantilis), 1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanone (acetanisole), 1-phenylethanone (acetophenone), 4-methoxybenzaldehyde (aubepine para cresol), benzo[d][1,3]dioxole-5-carbaldehyde (heliotropine), 1-(p-tolyl)ethanone (methyl acetophenone), octahydro-2H-chromen-2-one (bicyclononalactone), dec-9-en-1-yl (E)-3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)acrylate (Scentaurus Tonkarose), tonka bean oil, resinoid, extract or balsam, tonka roasted absolutes, coumarin replacers (e.g. Coumarex DB), and mixtures thereof.