N/A — synthetic musk molecule (a Swiss fragrance house captive)
Appearance
colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Odor Strength
Medium
Producing Countries
Switzerland (a Swiss fragrance house — proprietary captive molecule)
Pyramid
Base
Fruity-musky, pear-clean, with an ambery warmth. Helvetolide smells like white musk clean through a filter of ripe fru it — one of a Swiss fragrance house's most successful captive molecules.
Fruity-musky, pear-clean, with amber warmth. More radiant than traditional macrocyclic musks, less sweet than Galaxolide, more three-dimensional than simple white musks. The pear note is particular — not a literal fru it but a clean, luminous fruitiness integrated into the musk character. Like a whisper of ripe pear on warm, clean skin.
Helvetolide is a proprietary musk molecule created by a Swiss fragrance house, classified as a macrocyclic-type musk with a particular fruity-pear quality and ambery warmth. Its full chemical name is 2-(1-(3,3-dimethylcyclohexyl)ethoxy)-2-methylpropyl propanoate, and it belongs to a newer generati on of musk chemicals that combine musky character with fruity-ambery dimensionality.
Unlike classical macrocyclic musks (Exaltolide, Muscenone), Helvetolide is not a true macrocycle — it achieves musk-like character through a different structural approach. The result is a molecule with excellent diffusion, moderate tenacity, and a clean, modern character that has made it ubiquitous in contemporary perfumery.
Helvetolide's name references Helvetia (the Latin name for Switzerland), reflecting a Swiss fragrance house's Swiss heritage. It was introduced commercially in the early 2000s and has since appeared in hundreds of commercial fragrances.
In formulation, Helvetolide provides a luminous, fruity-musky base that lifts compositions and adds radiance without heaviness.
Helvetolide was named after Helvetia, the female national personification of Switzerland, where a Swiss fragrance house is headquartered in Geneva. The naming convention of captive molecules after national or cultural references is a tradition in fragrance chemistry.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: Fully synthetic — a Swiss fragrance house proprietary synthesis. No natural equivalent. The molecule is produced through multi-step organic synthesis involving cyclohexane derivatives and propanoate esterification.
Molecular Formula
C₁₇H₃₂O₃
CAS Number
141773-73-1
Botanical Name
N/A — synthetic musk molecule (a Swiss fragrance house captive)
IFRA Status
No known restrictions
Synonyms
["Cyclopentadecanolide"]
Physical Properties
Odor Strength
Medium
Lasting Power
> 336 hours at 100.00%
Appearance
colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Boiling Point
346.00 to 347.00 °C @ 760.00 mm Hg (est)
Flash Point
253.00 °F TCC ( 122.90 °C )
In Perfumery
Helvetolide (a Swiss fragrance house) is a fruity-ambery musk functioning as a base-note radiance booster. Not a true macrocyclic — achieves musk character through a different structural approach. Provides luminous, clean, fruity-warm diffusion. Used extensively in modern floral, fruity, and clean compositions. Excellent blending properties — lifts and adds radiance to floral hearts. a commercially successful musk molecules of the 21st century. Often combined with other musks (Habanolide, Ethylene Brassylate) for multi-dimensional musk bases.
