This work describes the second and third orders of nonlinear optics properties of unsubstituted chalcone (C15H12O) and mono-substituted chalcone (C15H12O) in solution, using hyper-Rayleigh scattering and Z-Scan techniques to determine the first molecular hyperpolarizability (beta) and the two-photon absorption (2PA) cross section respectively. beta Values of 25.4 x 10(-30) esu and 31.6 x 10(-30) esu, for unsubstituted and mono-substituted chalcone, respectively, dissolved in methanol have been obtained. The highest values of 2PA cross-sections obtained were 9 GM and 14 GM for unsubstituted and mono-substituted chalcone, respectively. The experimental 2PA cross sections obtained for each chalcone are in good agreement with theoretical results. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.