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Cetonal®

Q: Is Cetonal® natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Fully synthetic. Manufactured as a standard aroma chemical by multiple producers..

POPULAR AND WEIRD / creamy · warm · tropical

Cetonal®

Category	POPULAR AND WEIRD
Subcategory	creamy · warm · tropical
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	N/A - synthetic molecule
Appearance	Colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	N/A - manufactured globally
Pyramid	Heart

Clean, waxy-aldehydic, with a faint violet-orris layered. A synthetic that bridges the gap between aldehydic sharpness and powdery-floral softness.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Clean, waxy-aldehydic, with a faint violet-powdery undertone. Less sharp than C-11 aldehyde, less sweet than ionone, occupying a middle zone between aldehydic metallic and floral-powdery. The waxy quality is the most identifiable character — like a freshly opened box of quality candles. Smooth and abstract.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Clean waxy-aldehydic lift, faintly powdery

After a few hours

Soft violet-like powder, smooth and abstract

After a few days

Faint waxy residue, subtle and clean

The Full Story

Cetonal is a synthetic molecule with a waxy-aldehydic character and a subtle violet-orris layered. It belongs to the family of ketonic materials used to add powdery, clean texture to compositions. The molecule provides a bridge between the sharp, metallic quality of true aldehydes and the soft, powdery character of ionones.

The scent is clean and somewhat abstract — not easily categorized as floral, woody, or musky, but rather a textural element that adds surface sheen to a composition. At low doses it provides a subtle lift and powdery quality; at higher doses the waxy-aldehydic character becomes more prominent.

Cetonal is a workhorse ingredient used across fine fragrance and functional perfumery. It rarely features as a recognizable note but contributes to the overall finish and texture of compositions.

This note in Première Peau. Nuit Elastique · Albâtre Sépia. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Related: Almond Tree · Ambrox Super · Amburana Wood · Amyris · Blonde Woods · Caoutchouc · Cashalox · Cashmir Wood

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Aldehydes were first used prominently in fine perfumery in 1921 — the famous aldehydic opening was a revolutionary technique that created an abstract, non-natural brightness never before experienced in fragrance.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Fully synthetic. Manufactured as a standard aroma chemical by multiple producers.

Molecular Formula	C₁₅H₂₈O
CAS Number	N/A — proprietary a Swiss fragrance house captive molecule
Botanical Name	N/A - synthetic molecule
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	a Swiss fragrance house Cetonal
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Appearance	Colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Boiling Point	270.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg (est)
Flash Point	230.00 °F. TCC ( 110.00 °C. ) (est)
Specific Gravity	0.890 to 0.910 @ 25.00 °C.

In Perfumery

Cetonal is a modifier and textural ingredient used across fragrance categories. It provides a clean, waxy-aldehydic quality that smooths transitions and adds powdery finish. Functions in the top-to-heart range. Useful in aldehydic florals, powdery compositions, and clean-modern fragrances. Works alongside true aldehydes (C-11, C-12) to soften their metallic edge, and alongside ionones to extend their powdery quality.