Guaiac wood oil

Chemotypes :

The Gaiac wood used in perfumery is actually a "false Gaiac." Strictly speaking, the genus associated with true Gaiac woods is Guaiacum, which includes Guaiacum officinale (also called palo balsam) and Guaiacum sanctum (or Bahamas Gaiac), native to Central America.

Extraction process :

The gaiac or palo santo (the "sacred wood" in Spanish) can be up to 15 meters tall and grows in tropical forests of South America. The propagation of this tree is done by cuttings and it grows quite fast. In Paraguay, 170 tons of gaiac wood are collected each year for perfumery.
In perfumery, the Gaiac wood EO is extracted by hydro-distilling the bark, the branches and the chips, lasting up to 30 hours with a yield of up to 6%. A viscous, yellowish essential oil, which recrystallizes because it mainly consist of Guaiol (precursor of Gaiyl Acetate) and Bulnesol, is obtained.
The essential oil of Gaiac wood is sometimes acetylated. During this process, the alcohols of the oil are reacted with acetic anhydride to be esterified. Therefore, Gaiyl Acetate becomes the main compound of the acetylated essential oil.

Uses in perfumery :

Good fixator of heart notes. Used in rose, vanilla and sandalwood notes. Natural antioxidant. Its low price allows it to be used in soaps or detergents.

Stability :

Stable oil in perfumes and in diverse functional bases

Other comments :

In the past, palo santo wood was used in South America to practice fumigations as an offering to the gods. Nowadays, the exploitation and production of Gaiac wood is closely monitored because its cultivation and the intensive treatment that this specie has suffered has dangerously reduced the population.
Natural Guaiol can be obtained by recrystallizing Bulnesol, then Gaiyl acetate can be obtained by acetylation.

In the past, palo santo wood was used in South America to practice fumigations as an offering to the gods. Nowadays, the exploitation and production of Gaiac wood is closely monitored because its cultivation and the intensive treatment that this specie has suffered has dangerously reduced the population.
Natural Guaiol can be obtained by recrystallizing Bulnesol, then Gaiyl acetate can be obtained by acetylation.

Allergens :

This ingredient does not contain any allergen.

Signal word :

Warning

Hazard pictograms :

Precautionary statements :

IFRA 51^th :

This ingredient is restricted by the 51th amendment

Annexe I :

Some regulated synthetic ingredients are found in nature and in certain proportions in natural ingredients. This presence in nature has to be taken into account when calculating limits of use recommended by the IFRA. In case you do not know these concentrations, you can use the ones estimated by the IFRA. Here they are :

Disclaimer :

ScenTree is solely responsible for the information provided here.

To learn more about IFRA's standards : https://ifrafragrance.org/safe-use/library