Let’s break down these fragrance ingredients:

• Benzyl salicylate (Phenylmethyl-2-hydroxybenzoate): This is a naturally occurring ester found in various plants, including ylang-ylang, jasmine, and cloves. It has a sweet, floral, and slightly balsamic scent with subtle powdery undertones. In perfumery, it serves multiple purposes:

  • Fixative: It helps to blend and prolong the scent of other fragrance ingredients, making the overall fragrance last longer.

  • Floral Note: It contributes a sweet, floral, and slightly powdery note to the fragrance composition.

  • UV Absorption: It also has UV-absorbing properties, which is why it’s sometimes used in sunscreens.

  • Potential Allergen: While generally considered safe, benzyl salicylate is identified as a potential allergen for some individuals. Therefore, it’s subject to labeling requirements in many regions.

• Tetramethyl acetyloctahydronaphthalenes: This is a synthetic fragrance ingredient that belongs to a group of chemicals known as polycyclic musks. It has a warm, musky, and slightly woody scent. It’s used to add a sensual, long-lasting, and often powdery or ambery base note to perfumes and other scented products.

• Triplal (2,4-Dimethyl-3-cyclohexene-1-carboxaldehyde): This synthetic aldehyde has a complex scent profile, often described as woody, green, slightly camphoraceous (like camphor or eucalyptus), and sometimes with a hint of citrus or floral notes. It’s used to add depth and complexity to fragrance compositions, particularly in woody, chypre, and fougère (fern-like) accords.

• Coriandrol (Linalool) (3,7-Dimethyl-1,6-octadien-3-ol): Linalool is a naturally occurring monoterpene alcohol found in many flowers and spices, including lavender, coriander, and rosewood. It has a fresh, floral scent with a slightly sweet and woody undertone. It’s often described as having a lavender-like or lily-of-the-valley character. Linalool is widely used in perfumes, soaps, lotions, and other scented products to add a fresh, floral, and calming note.

• Geraniol (3,7-Dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-ol): Geraniol is a naturally occurring monoterpenoid alcohol found in plants like rose, geranium, and palmarosa. It has a sweet, rosy, and floral scent. It’s used to add a rich, rosy, and floral note to perfumes and other scented products.

• 3,4-Dimethoxybenzaldehyde (Veratraldehyde): This is a naturally occurring aldehyde found in some plants. It has a sweet, warm, vanilla-like, and slightly powdery scent with hints of almond or heliotrope. It’s used to add a warm, sweet, and powdery note to perfumes and flavorings.

• Cyclamen aldehyde (2-Methyl-3-(p-isopropylphenyl)propionaldehyde) (repr. Cat 3): This is a synthetic fragrance ingredient that provides a fresh, green, and floral scent. It’s reminiscent of cyclamen flowers, but also has aspects that can be described as lily-of-the-valley, or even slightly cucumber-like. It’s used to add a natural, dewy, and fresh floral quality to perfumes, soaps, and other scented products.

  • “repr. Cat 3”: This is an important note. It means this ingredient is classified as a Category 3 reproductive toxicant. This classification indicates there is some evidence, primarily from animal studies, of potential adverse effects on reproduction or development. However, the level of concern is lower than for Category 1 or 2 substances, where evidence is stronger or comes from human studies. It’s crucial to understand that the concentrations used in consumer products are typically very low and are considered safe under normal use conditions. Nevertheless, this classification means that manufacturers must adhere to strict usage limits and provide appropriate labeling.

• alpha-iso-Methylionone: This is a synthetic fragrance ingredient with a powdery, floral, and slightly woody scent. It’s reminiscent of violets or irises. It’s used to add a powdery, floral, and slightly sweet note to perfumes and other scented products. It also has good blending properties, helping to harmonize other fragrance notes.

• Iso E super (Octahydro-2,3,8,8-tetramethyl-2-acetonaphthone): Iso E Super is a very common synthetic fragrance ingredient known for its subtle, woody, amber-like, and musky scent. It’s often described as having a velvety or smooth quality. It’s incredibly versatile and is used as a base note in many perfumes, providing a foundation for other scents to build upon. It’s also known for its “lift” and diffusion properties, helping other fragrance notes to project and last longer.

• alpha-Hexyl cinnamic aldehyde (HCA) (2-Hexyl-phenyl-2-propenal): HCA is a synthetic fragrance ingredient with a sweet, floral scent reminiscent of jasmine. It’s widely used in perfumes, soaps, detergents, and other scented products to add a floral, slightly waxy, and sometimes powdery note. It’s one of the fragrance ingredients that has been identified as a potential allergen for some people. Therefore, its use is regulated, and products containing it are often required to be labelled accordingly.

This list represents a diverse range of scent profiles, including floral, woody, musky, sweet, green, camphoraceous, powdery, and balsamic notes. It is important to note the potential for allergic reactions to some of these ingredients, such as Benzyl salicylate and alpha-Hexylcinnamaldehyde (HCA). Additionally, the reproductive toxicity classification of Cyclamen aldehyde is something to be aware of, although it’s typically used in very low concentrations in consumer products.