Benzoin (Sumatra)

Balsamic, woody, vanilla-scented, soft, resinous, powdery, milky and spicy.

Benzoin offers distinctly rich scents of woody, sweet vanilla. Its layered composition unfolds in warm, honeyed facets not dissimilar to caramel, almond or freshly roasted coffee. Subtle floral notes awaken slight nuances of carnations in soft, wispy or even powdery tones. Benzoin is renowned for its qualities as a perfume fixative, providing a fullness and warmth to compositions with its round, buttery-smooth tones. Benzoin can most commonly be found in ambery or gourmand accords.

Data sheet

Type
Extraction Method
Used parts

Production

Benzoin is acquired through a process of tree “tapping”, whereby the bark is deliberately damaged in order to extract the balsamic resin from trees of the genus Styrax. First, a harvester must bravely climb to the top of the tree and cut the bark several times on his descent to the ground. Once cut, the tree will “cry” precious tears of semi-liquid resin. A curated waiting process of six months ensures that the benzoin hardens. After careful cleaning by hand, the resin “tears” are cleaned and sorted before being extracted with volatile solvents.

History

Alongside its decadently warm aroma, the qualities of benzoin have been celebrated throughout the centuries for their therapeutic healing abilities: balsamic resin has the unique ability to act as a styptic, slowing the bleeding of small wounds, among other useful medicinal purposes. Throughout the Middle Ages, benzoin would be added to an intricate collection of other scented delights and carried in the pomanders of society’s privileged.

Most combined ingredients

Rose

Bergamot

Sandalwood (Australia)

Iconic Fragrance

Estée Lauder

YOUTH DEW

This fragrance, originally designed for a bath oil, has excited American women with its powerful spicy accord, clove and cinnamon, which enhances the floral heart and spices up the very persistent balsamic base of benzoin.