Benzyl Salycilate

[treeman5823]

I was wondering if anyone has been able to smell an isolated sample of benzly salycilate, since it is a ubiquitous material with an alleged distinctive character. If you have, please give a description of its qualities. (Note: Even though this thread does not technically belong in the male fragrance forum, salycilates have not been explicitly addressed in the single note exploration forum.)

[southerngardens]

It appears as an almost colorless liquid with a mild odor described as balsam, clean, herbal, oily, sweet.^[1] It occurs naturally in a variety of plants and plant extracts and is widely used in blends of fragrance materials. This is all could find out.

[David Ruskin]

The description provided by southerngardens was obviously made by someone who is anosmic to Benzyl Salicylate. And very many people, including many perfumers (including myself) cannot smell Benzyl Salicylate. On a smelling strip I find there is a very weak, greasy smell; and that's all. However those who can smell it describe it as fresh green floral. What I find interesting about this material is that, even though I cannot smell it in isolation I am aware of the effect it has in a composition. The two most common Salicylates used in Perfumery are Benzyl Salicylate and Amyl Salicylate. Amyl Sal smells green and slightly bitter/sweet (together with Coumarin it is used to provide a clover note), and in a composition containing Benzyl Sal, I can smell a similar bitter greenness. Benzyl Salicylate is the more subtle and sophisticated of the two.

Benzyl Salicylate is also used as a fixative.

Bezyl Salicyate was used at a very high level in the original L'Air du Temps (over 15.0%, I think) and cannot be replaced by anything else. Unfortunately Benzyl Salicylate is one of the 26 allergens, and is regarded as a sensitiser by IFRA, who have severely restricted it. This is one reason why the current version of L'Air du Temps is such a mess, which has no resemblance to the original.

[treeman5823]

Thanks, SouthernGardens and David--your input is appreciated. Now, does anyone know where you can get some Benzyl Sal without buying an oil drum's worth from some sketchy Chinese plant?

[socalwoman]

Thanks, SouthernGardens and David--your input is appreciated. Now, does anyone know where you can get some Benzyl Sal without buying an oil drum's worth from some sketchy Chinese plant?

Try asking about where to get supplies here:
http://www.basenotes.net/forums/15-Fragrance-DIY

There's a sticky with a list of suppliers in that section too.

[southerngardens]

The description provided by southerngardens was obviously made by someone who is anosmic to Benzyl Salicylate. And very many people, including many perfumers (including myself) cannot smell Benzyl Salicylate. On a smelling strip I find there is a very weak, greasy smell; and that's all. However those who can smell it describe it as fresh green floral. What I find interesting about this material is that, even though I cannot smell it in isolation I am aware of the effect it has in a composition. The two most common Salicylates used in Perfumery are Benzyl Salicylate and Amyl Salicylate. Amyl Sal smells green and slightly bitter/sweet (together with Coumarin it is used to provide a clover note), and in a composition containing Benzyl Sal, I can smell a similar bitter greenness. Benzyl Salicylate is the more subtle and sophisticated of the two.

Benzyl Salicylate is also used as a fixative.

Bezyl Salicyate was used at a very high level in the original L'Air du Temps (over 15.0%, I think) and cannot be replaced by anything else. Unfortunately Benzyl Salicylate is one of the 26 allergens, and is regarded as a sensitiser by IFRA, who have severely restricted it. This is one reason why the current version of L'Air du Temps is such a mess, which has no resemblance to the original.

I think my description of Benzyl Salicylate was pretty spot on. My nose may not be the best , but it's pretty good.

[Chris Bartlett]

It appears as an almost colorless liquid with a mild odor described as balsam, clean, herbal, oily, sweet.^[1] It occurs naturally in a variety of plants and plant extracts and is widely used in blends of fragrance materials. This is all could find out.

Interesting to read that - I wrote most of the rest of that Wiki article as it happens - but those note descriptions are sourced from The Good Scents Company page for Benzyl Salicylate - usually a very reliable source for accurate organoleptics.

Having said which, I have a bottle of it in front of me and as I'm not anosmic I can check: what I find is that it does indeed, as David suggests, smell green, fresh and floral. It is very mild, does have a herbal/musty component in the background and I can see why it might be described as oily too, though I wouldn't have said that myself. Having done the test I really want to correct the Wiki article but original research (which is what I've just done) isn't allowed so I'll need to find another source . . .

Meanwhile two other points to note:

1) the IFRA restriction is 8% of the finished product, which is quite a lot compared to many things that are restricted but because of it's low odour yield is significant with this material.

2) You can buy small amounts from De Hekserij but I'm afraid they don't ship to the US. If you want a tiny sample just to smell I can sell you some diluted in ethanol though - I'm in need of re-stocking myself so I can't sell you enough to do anything much with until I've done so however and that will be after the pre-Christmas rush is over. Message me with your details if you want some.

- - - Updated - - -

Update:
Having checked in my copy of Perfume and flavor chemicals : (aroma chemicals) by Steffen Arctander, I have found a better description of the odour and updated the Wikipedia page accordingly:

It appears as an almost colorless liquid with a mild odor described as "very faint, sweet-floral, slightly balsamic" by those who can smell it, but many people either can't smell it at all or describe it's smell as "musky". Trace impurities can have a significant influence on the odour.[1]

Arctander's odour descriptions are widely regarded in perfumery circles as definitive, so I'm happy that represents a genuine improvement to the encyclopaedia.

[DragonN]

http://perfumersworld.net/products.htmlhttp://perfumersworld.net/products.htmlhttp://

Purchase by the gram, min 4 grams. Very good and rapid service. Well packaged.
Shipping rates are beyond reasonable as they are priced in Baht and the conversion is in favor of the vast majority of the globe.

[treeman5823]

http://perfumersworld.net/products.htmlhttp://perfumersworld.net/products.htmlhttp://

Purchase by the gram, min 4 grams. Very good and rapid service. Well packaged.
Shipping rates are beyond reasonable as they are priced in Baht and the conversion is in favor of the vast majority of the globe.

Nice. Thanks a lot!

[Renegade]

I can't really smell benzyl salicylate either. I've used it to dissolve musk ketone (another one I can barely smell!).

[hednic]

The description provided by southerngardens was obviously made by someone who is anosmic to Benzyl Salicylate. And very many people, including many perfumers (including myself) cannot smell Benzyl Salicylate. On a smelling strip I find there is a very weak, greasy smell; and that's all. However those who can smell it describe it as fresh green floral. What I find interesting about this material is that, even though I cannot smell it in isolation I am aware of the effect it has in a composition. The two most common Salicylates used in Perfumery are Benzyl Salicylate and Amyl Salicylate. Amyl Sal smells green and slightly bitter/sweet (together with Coumarin it is used to provide a clover note), and in a composition containing Benzyl Sal, I can smell a similar bitter greenness. Benzyl Salicylate is the more subtle and sophisticated of the two.

Benzyl Salicylate is also used as a fixative.

Bezyl Salicyate was used at a very high level in the original L'Air du Temps (over 15.0%, I think) and cannot be replaced by anything else. Unfortunately Benzyl Salicylate is one of the 26 allergens, and is regarded as a sensitiser by IFRA, who have severely restricted it. This is one reason why the current version of L'Air du Temps is such a mess, which has no resemblance to the original.

Learned something new. Thanks for this.

[Hondo]

Hello,

about the Benzyl Salicylate i found out something special for me.
The most time for me it smells very faint balsamic very low floral.
Mainly it also depends on the day and my nose.

But last time i used it for my perfume-projekt there was something special.
I grabbed the bottle opened it and only expect it like everytime to be very faint.
But still 15cm away from the bottle there was an little explosion to my nose.
I smelled something wonderful very rich floral-fruity which tends me to think i have selected the wrong bottle with something different.
Very confused i looked many times at the bottle but it was Benzyl Salicylate.

What happened:
As i examined the bottle after a time i saw the whole Benzyl Salicylate has crystalised.
As i stored my aromachemicals now in the coolest room the Benzyl Salicylate has gone solid.
In my cellar i have an thermometer and it sayd about to be 12-13 degrees centigrade.

Even more confusing cause one thing comes to mind that the higher the temperatur of an aroma-chemical i thought the more we will smell.
Only i could try this to explain about the Benzyl Salicylate:
Because it crystalised maybe there is more space/air around the crystals than the normal surface when it is liquid.

Maybe you also could try it out and have the same wonderful experience.

Best Regards:

Hondo

[mabu]

Hello,

for me Benzyl Salicylate has a very faint green herbal smell, which reminds me very much of the smell in a flower shop. This effect is multiplied immediately, if adding a bit of eugenol, forming the Mellis Akkord. The character 'behind' the Eugenol is an amplified version of Benzyl Salicylate.

[Talya_Israel]

When I smell Benzyl Salicylate the first thing tjat comes to my mind is plumeria. Its a delicate magical floral to my nose...

[shinycrow]

I was wondering if anyone has been able to smell an isolated sample of benzly salycilate, since it is a ubiquitous material with an alleged distinctive character. If you have, please give a description of its qualities. (Note: Even though this thread does not technically belong in the male fragrance forum, salycilates have not been explicitly addressed in the single note exploration forum.)

Bump! I used to not be able to smell benzyl salicylate, but now it smells to me like a flower shop.