fixative

chemistry

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June 26, 2026

Quick Summary

A fixative is a substance used to preserve or set something, preventing rapid evaporation, decay, or spoilage. In perfumery, fixatives help a fragrance last longer by slowing down the evaporation of volatile aromatic compounds. In biology and histology, fixatives are crucial for preserving the structure of living tissues for microscopic examination. They can also refer to a type of varnish used to protect drawings, such as those made with pastel or charcoal, from smudging. The term "fixative" is closely related to "preservative," which broadly refers to any additive that protects against decay, discoloration, or spoilage.12

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drawing
Surfaces
This process of fixing was formerly done through repeated varnishing with gum-arabic solution and even with glue or egg-white emulsion. Modern siccatives (drying substances) inhibit discoloration but cannot prevent the living surface from appearing sealed, as it were, under a skin. In pastels especially, the manifold prismatic effects…
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This process of fixing was formerly done through repeated varnishing with gum-arabic solution and even with glue or egg-white emulsion. Modern siccatives (drying substances) inhibit discoloration but cannot prevent the living surface from appearing sealed, as it were, under a skin. In pastels especially, the manifold prismatic effects…
Read More

human sensory reception
Odour sensitivity
Perfumes contain chemicals called fixatives, added to retard evaporation of the more volatile constituents. The temporary anosmia (absence of sense of smell) following colds may be complete or partial; in the latter case, only the odours of certain substances are affected. Paranosmia (change in perceived odour quality) also may…
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Perfumes contain chemicals called fixatives, added to retard evaporation of the more volatile constituents. The temporary anosmia (absence of sense of smell) following colds may be complete or partial; in the latter case, only the odours of certain substances are affected. Paranosmia (change in perceived odour quality) also may…
Read More