Ingredients · Herbs & lavender · top note

Linalool

Say itlih-NAL-oh-uhl

Fresh, light floral-woody with lavender, bergamot and lily-of-the-valley facets.

What it is

A molecule made in a lab.

Where it comes from

mostly synthesized, natural grades from ho leaf or rosewood

When you smell it

Top notes: when you spray it.

What perfumers do with it

One of perfumery's most-used molecules: airy floral freshness for citrus, lavender and white-floral accords.

Worth knowing

Its two mirror-image forms smell different: lavender carries mostly the woodier (R)-form, coriander the sweeter (S)-form.

Rules

Limited. Oxidizes to skin sensitizers; peroxide value must stay low

Also called

3,7-Dimethylocta-1,6-dien-3-ol; linalol

On the label of 864 of the 1080 perfumes read so far

No. 5Chanel · printed “Linalool”SauvageDior · printed “Linalool”ShalimarGuerlain · printed “Linalool”MitsoukoGuerlain · printed “Linalool”Eau SauvageDior · printed “Linalool”AngelMugler · printed “Linalool”

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