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Amyris Oil

Item#: 500540   CAS: 8015-65-4

Odor Strength: Medium
Odor Description: Woody, sweet, balsamic, sandalwood, creamy, current

When woody scents are mentioned, consumers often think of sandalwood or cedar.  Amyris Oil is a lesser known wood extract, but nothing short of luxurious.  Amongst many other fine extracts, amyris oil is formulated in Givenchy’s extensive Play fragrance collection.

Amyris, formally known as Amyris balsamifera, is a hearty perennial shrub that grows best in dry soils.  Today, it is exploited for the purposes of the fragrance industry in Haiti. Once mature, the twigs of the Amyris shrub are collected for essential oil production.

Amyris is often referred to as a “torchwood” or “candlewood” due to its incredibly high concentration of essential oil.  Steam distillation is used to extract this oil from the bark. Amyrise twigs are placed in a pressurized steam chamber, which releases the compounds trapped within the wood.  The aroma compounds evaporate with the steam.  Then, the steam carrying the fragrant molecules are condensed back into water as they travel through a cooling chamber.  The less dense essential oil floats to the top of the decanting chamber, allowing the oil to be skimmed off of the water.  The resulting oil is rich in compounds such as valerianol, alpha elemol, and alpha eudesmol.

Amyris oil smells slightly sweet, balsamic, woody, and slightly fruity.  Perfumers use if for its fixative virtues, meaning that its aroma lasts for a long time on skin, and prolongs the scent of other extracts.  It is also sometimes used as a more cost effective alternative to sandalwood.  Amyris blends well with other woody notes such as cedarwood, sandalwood, and cypress.  Other extracts such as orange, bergamot, rose absolute, and jasmine add fruity freshness and floral sweetness to amyris.

In regards to aromatherapy, amyris is thought to have a relaxing and stress relieving effect on the body and mind.

Vigon’s Amyris Oil

If you are interested in seeing a sample or placing an order, please email Nicholas Bourne at nbourne@vigon.com or call 570-422-6026.