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Kephalis

Q: Is Kephalis natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Fully synthetic. CAS 36306-87-3. Classified as a woody-amber cyclohexanone. a major aroma-chemical supplier proprietary molecule..

MUSK, AMBER, ANIMALIC SMELLS / musky · warm · amber

Kephalis

Category	MUSK, AMBER, ANIMALIC SMELLS
Subcategory	musky · warm · amber
Origin
Volatility	Base Note
Botanical	N/A — synthetic molecule
Appearance	White to off-white crystalline powder or liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	Switzerland
Pyramid	Base

Rich, woody-amber with a smoky-leathery depth. A synthetic ketone that reads as warm wood, tobacco leaf, and old velvet -- diffusive and volumizing like Iso E Super but darker.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Woody-amber, smoky, and leathery. Like opening a cedar-lined tobacco humidor in a wood-paneled study -- warm wood, aged tobacco leaf, a whisper of leather, and the particular diffusive glow of a material that fills a room rather than sitting on the skin. Darker and smokier than Iso E Super.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Warm, woody-amber with a smoky-leathery edge. Diffusive and enveloping.

After a few hours

The smoke softens. Rich, warm, cedar-tobacco amber dominates.

After a few days

A persistent, warm, woody-amber residue. Excellent tenacity.

The Full Story

Kephalis (CAS 36306-87-3) is a synthetic woody-amber ketone created by a major aroma-chemical supplier. It belongs to the family of volumizing, diffusive woody molecules that have become essential to modern perfumery, alongside Iso E Super, Cashmeran, and Clearwood.

The olfactory character is rich and complex: woody-amber fundamentally, with smoky, leathery, and slightly tobacco-like qualities. It has a warm, enveloping quality and excellent diffusion -- it radiates outward from the skin, creating a soft, warm cloud around the wearer.

Kephalis functions similarly to Iso E Super in that it adds volume and diffusion to a composition, but its character is darker and more tobacco-oriented. Where Iso E Super is dry and cedar-like, Kephalis is warmer, smokier, and more leathery.

The molecule is frequent in modern oud reconstructions, tobacco-amber accords, and rich woody bases. It can be detected at very low concentrations and has excellent tenacity.

As a a major aroma-chemical supplier captive, Kephalis is proprietary but widely available to industry perfumers.

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

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Related: Aldambre · Ambrarome · Ambrein · Ambreine · Ambrettolide · Ambronova · Ammonia · Animal Notes

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Kephalis is frequently used in synthetic oud (agarwood) reconstructions alongside materials like Cashmeran and Iso E Super. The combination of these volumizing molecules can create an oud-like effect without any actual agarwood oil -- a significant cost advantage given that genuine oud can exceed $50,000 per kilogram.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Fully synthetic. CAS 36306-87-3. Classified as a woody-amber cyclohexanone. a major aroma-chemical supplier proprietary molecule.

Molecular Formula	C₁₄H₂₄O₂
CAS Number	28219-61-6
Botanical Name	N/A — synthetic molecule
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	none
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Lasting Power	> 200 hours
Appearance	White to off-white crystalline powder or liquid
Boiling Point	~280°C @ 760 mmHg (est)
Specific Gravity	0.960–0.980 @ 25°C

In Perfumery

Base note and volumizer in woody, amber, oud, and tobacco compositions. Functions as a diffusive warmth enhancer -- it radiates outward and creates sillage. CAS 36306-87-3. Used in oud reconstructions, tobacco accords, and dark woody bases. Darker and smokier than Iso E Super, with a leathery-tobacco edge. a major aroma-chemical supplier creation.