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Santolina

Q: Is Santolina natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Steam distillation of the aerial parts (leaves and flowers) of Santolina chamaecyparissus. Oil rich in artemisia ketone, camphor, 1,8-cineole. Production centered in Mediterranean Europe..

GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES / floral · aromatic · green

Santolina

Category	GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES
Subcategory	floral · aromatic · green
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	Santolina chamaecyparissus
Appearance	pale yellow to yellow clear liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	Mediterranean
Pyramid	Heart

Mediterranean chaparral herb. Camphorous, bitter, aromatic -- lavender's wilder, tougher cousin from the garrigue.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Camphorous, bitter, and strongly aromatic. Like lavender that grew up wild on a rocky hillside instead of in a cultivated field -- rougher, more medicinal, with a bitter green edge. The camph or quality is prominent, alongside herbal-artemisi a notes. Less sweet and less floral than true lavender. An authentically wild Mediterranean herb.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Camphorous bitter-herbal burst, strongly aromatic

After a few hours

Warm herbal density, artemisia and camphor

After a few days

Settled aromatic warmth, dry herbal residue

The Full Story

Santolina (Santolina chamaecyparissus, cotton lavender) is an aromatic shrub native to the Mediterranean garrigue -- the dry, rocky scrubland of southern France, Spain, and Italy. Despite the common name 'cotton lavender,' it is not related to true lavender (Lavandula) and smells quite different: more camphorous, more bitter, and more herbaceous.

The essential oil, steam-distilled from the aerial parts, is rich in artemisia ketone, camphor, and 1,8-cineole. The scent is strongly aromatic and medicinal -- closer to wormwood or mugwort than to lavender. It is a garrigue smell, evoking the dry heat of rocky Mediterranean hillsides where the plant grows among rosemary, thyme, and cistus.

In perfumery, santolin a is a specialist ingredient for aromatic, herbal, and Mediterranean territory compositions. Its bitter, camphorous character provides authentic garrigue atmosphere.

This note in Première Peau. Simili Mirage · Gravitas Capitale. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Did You Know?

Did you know?

Santolina has been used since antiquity as a moth repellent -- dried branches were placed in wardrobes and linen chests to protect textiles from insect damage. The same camphorous compounds that repel moths give the plant its aromatic character in perfumery.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Steam distillation of the aerial parts (leaves and flowers) of Santolina chamaecyparissus. Oil rich in artemisia ketone, camphor, 1,8-cineole. Production centered in Mediterranean Europe.

Molecular Formula	Complex mixture — key compounds: artemisia ketone (C₁₀H₁₆O), santolina alcohol, camphor
CAS Number	84961-58-0
Botanical Name	Santolina chamaecyparissus
IFRA Status	IFRA restricted (santolina extract prohibited as fragrance ingredient under 49th Amendment; santolina oil may have separate allowance)
Synonyms	LAVENDER COTTON · COTTON LAVENDER
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Appearance	pale yellow to yellow clear liquid
Specific Gravity	0.910 to 0.940 @ 25 °C (est)

In Perfumery

Santolin a functions as a heart note in aromatic, herbal, and Mediterranean compositions. Its camphorous-bitter character provides authentic garrigue atmosphere alongside rosemary, thyme, and cistus. Used in compositions evoking Provencal or Mediterranean landscapes. Works in aromatic fougere structures where a wilder, less clean herbal note is desired.