Benzoin in the raw

[Solua Botanica]

I'm fascinated with benzoin...it can be so subtle yet so present. It can be used in small amounts to lift and fix other notes. With a little more, it becomes perceptible and can play a 'part' of an accord. Then when there's too much, it just suppresses everything...
2 years ago, I realized that most of my liquid benzoin resionoids were actually 20-30% benzyl benzoate (used as solvent).
I wanted to understand this mysterious resin so I decided to buy some raw resin and make my own tinctures.
Here's my process since then.
I ordered different grades from different places and tried them all out....as incense and as perfume. I also decided to buy some good absolutes to compare with my extracts. I also have a small sample of a rare, clear and fluid essential oil of benzoin. Small artisan batch...lots of resin for very little oil. There is also a bottle of white lotus aromatics benzoin abs. which I had not opened in years due to a very sticky stuck cap.
Wow ! when I opened that bottle, after having been sealed for a decade, I was blown away.
I guess I knew it was good benzoin back then, but after having smelled a whole lot more, I can definitely say it is the best benzoin in my collection.

My experiments showed me a few things I had underestimated.
One great thing is that dissolving benzoin in ethanol is super easy, no stirring, no heating, just a few hours in the beaker. You can bring a solution to 50% in no time...
I started using it as a raw resin straight in the ethanol base for small batches of perfume...later found out that this wasn't giving me consistency.
I was looking at the raw resin closely and I saw some clear tears, some milky white resin and some bright orange opaque bits...all from the same clumps !
Then I made some tests by separating the different 'forms' of benzoin and indeed there was a small difference in aroma.
Some extracts had a sweet vanilla dominance, others had more balsam quality, some were even lightly smoky. Very educative experiment !
I had some clumps of lower grade that had lots of bark mixed in, and the result was a dense, dry, sweet, woody, leathery note.
My conclusion on the different scent profiles, is that it's better to make a large batch of tincture to get all the different aspects of a batch. Then it's consistent !

Siam vs Sumatra ...
It's hard to know the origin for sure, but assuming you can trust your seller, I've found some differences according to origin.
My overall perception is that Siam is sweeter and has a strong vanilla tone while Sumatra is 'drier' with less sweetness and a slight smokiness.
They come from the same tree, but being harvested and stored differently, they acquire a different character.
On that note, I've noticed that fresh benzoin is very mild, while dry and aged benzoin is 'fuller' and more potent.

I used to gently heat my bottles to get them to flow, I finally stopped doing that because I saw the damge it can do over time.
I now keep my benzoin abs. at 50% so it's easy to use with pipettes.
Recently, I prepared a liter of ethanol with 1% benzoin in it. It has been my 'prefixed' ethanol base for many types of perfume and accords.
Still have so much to learn from this natural treasure.

 

[mnitabach]

Beautiful post w detailed empirical analysis of a central classic perfumery material!!! Kudos!!!

 

[Alex F.]

Siam vs Sumatra ...
It's hard to know the origin for sure, but assuming you can trust your seller, I've found some differences according to origin.
My overall perception is that Siam is sweeter and has a strong vanilla tone while Sumatra is 'drier' with less sweetness and a slight smokiness.
They come from the same tree, but being harvested and stored differently, they acquire a different character.

With natural materials, especially resins, it can be hard to say, because you can't always tell if the harvesters really only used the sap of a specific type of tree. But generally speaking, Siam and Sumatra benzoin are not from the same tree. They're from related trees of the Styrax family, S. tonkinensis and S. benzoin. In my experience they smell quite different, too. Sumatra is less sickly sweet, a bit musty (I agree with "drier"), and with somewhat animalic undertones (which become more apparent when you burn it).

By the way, here's a picture of my Sumatra benzoin with its typical heterogenous look:

 

[Solua Botanica]

Great to know...I thought it was the same tree, but now that I know there are subspecies, the differences in scent profile makes sense.
The resin chunks sure look different !

 

[Dan 3.141]

I'm fascinated with benzoin...it can be so subtle yet so present. It can be used in small amounts to lift and fix other notes. With a little more, it becomes perceptible and can play a 'part' of an accord. Then when there's too much, it just suppresses everything...
2 years ago, I realized that most of my liquid benzoin resionoids were actually 20-30% benzyl benzoate (used as solvent).
I wanted to understand this mysterious resin so I decided to buy some raw resin and make my own tinctures.
Here's my process since then.
I ordered different grades from different places and tried them all out....as incense and as perfume. I also decided to buy some good absolutes to compare with my extracts. I also have a small sample of a rare, clear and fluid essential oil of benzoin. Small artisan batch...lots of resin for very little oil. There is also a bottle of white lotus aromatics benzoin abs. which I had not opened in years due to a very sticky stuck cap.
Wow ! when I opened that bottle, after having been sealed for a decade, I was blown away.
I guess I knew it was good benzoin back then, but after having smelled a whole lot more, I can definitely say it is the best benzoin in my collection.

My experiments showed me a few things I had underestimated.
One great thing is that dissolving benzoin in ethanol is super easy, no stirring, no heating, just a few hours in the beaker. You can bring a solution to 50% in no time...
I started using it as a raw resin straight in the ethanol base for small batches of perfume...later found out that this wasn't giving me consistency.
I was looking at the raw resin closely and I saw some clear tears, some milky white resin and some bright orange opaque bits...all from the same clumps !
Then I made some tests by separating the different 'forms' of benzoin and indeed there was a small difference in aroma.
Some extracts had a sweet vanilla dominance, others had more balsam quality, some were even lightly smoky. Very educative experiment !
I had some clumps of lower grade that had lots of bark mixed in, and the result was a dense, dry, sweet, woody, leathery note.
My conclusion on the different scent profiles, is that it's better to make a large batch of tincture to get all the different aspects of a batch. Then it's consistent !

Siam vs Sumatra ...
It's hard to know the origin for sure, but assuming you can trust your seller, I've found some differences according to origin.
My overall perception is that Siam is sweeter and has a strong vanilla tone while Sumatra is 'drier' with less sweetness and a slight smokiness.
They come from the same tree, but being harvested and stored differently, they acquire a different character.
On that note, I've noticed that fresh benzoin is very mild, while dry and aged benzoin is 'fuller' and more potent.

I used to gently heat my bottles to get them to flow, I finally stopped doing that because I saw the damge it can do over time.
I now keep my benzoin abs. at 50% so it's easy to use with pipettes.
Recently, I prepared a liter of ethanol with 1% benzoin in it. It has been my 'prefixed' ethanol base for many types of perfume and accords.
Still have so much to learn from this natural treasure.

The best Siam Benzoin resin that I have found so far: https://www.apothecary-shoppe.com/products/benzoin-resinoid

Have you tried diluting it in fixed oils? Yields a different scent profile but is a total pain in the ass, I use it in my oil-base formulas. I love this stuff!

 

[Solua Botanica]

The best Siam Benzoin resin that I have found so far: https://www.apothecary-shoppe.com/products/benzoin-resinoid

Have you tried diluting it in fixed oils? Yields a different scent profile but is a total pain in the ass, I use it in my oil-base formulas. I love this stuff!

Yes I have apothecary's siam benzoin, it is very good indeed... very sweet, very round, ther's an 'almost too much vanilla' note in there.
So I use it when appropriate, otherwise I use Sumatra, or I tone it down with a frankincense oleo-extract that I make.
I use benzoin in Jojoba quite a lot, and I also use it in alcohol.
It dissolves completely in ethanol but in the oils, it's another story... a good filtration is needed without squeezing too much, because some waxes can end up in the final product, then you need to decant again.
Anyways, it's a great resin that fascinates me !

 

[Solua Botanica]

The best Siam Benzoin resin that I have found so far: https://www.apothecary-shoppe.com/products/benzoin-resinoid

Have you tried diluting it in fixed oils? Yields a different scent profile but is a total pain in the ass, I use it in my oil-base formulas. I love this stuff!

I went back to a bottle of ground siam benzoin (apothecary) and jojoba and totally agree with you that the scent profile is very different, I almost like it better in oil !
I used to infuse my oils in the cool basement where I thought the oils would be better preserved. But since I've started infusing above the fridge where it's constantly warm, I have better results. I always start with warm oil and a lot of stirring, and after 2-3 months in the warm spot, I see a difference compared to six months in the cool. I get more scent out of less resin, I've decreased from 20% resin to only 10% and have been very satisfied with the results.

 

[pkiler]

I went back to a bottle of ground siam benzoin (apothecary) and jojoba and totally agree with you that the scent profile is very different, I almost like it better in oil !
I used to infuse my oils in the cool basement where I thought the oils would be better preserved. But since I've started infusing above the fridge where it's constantly warm, I have better results. I always start with warm oil and a lot of stirring, and after 2-3 months in the warm spot, I see a difference compared to six months in the cool. I get more scent out of less resin, I've decreased from 20% resin to only 10% and have been very satisfied with the results.

Heat always speeds up molecular movement.

 

[Dan 3.141]

I went back to a bottle of ground siam benzoin (apothecary) and jojoba and totally agree with you that the scent profile is very different, I almost like it better in oil !
I used to infuse my oils in the cool basement where I thought the oils would be better preserved. But since I've started infusing above the fridge where it's constantly warm, I have better results. I always start with warm oil and a lot of stirring, and after 2-3 months in the warm spot, I see a difference compared to six months in the cool. I get more scent out of less resin, I've decreased from 20% resin to only 10% and have been very satisfied with the results.

The Benzoin oil maceration is very ambery, it has a scent much like some of the Ambergris oil macerations I have.

I have worked with this Saim benzoin resin for several years, I have found a combination of MCT and Jojoba (75/25) oil helps the maceration process, I yield slightly more oil this way. With time (6mo-1yr) and some heating along the way, it will settle into an absolutely beautiful material very far from the alcohol dilution or absolute.

You can do a 50/50 maceration, there will be lots of fallout, the waxes will eventually settle to the bottom after a year and the oil on top is the prize. A total pain in the ass but well worth it if you do aromatherapy or make oil-based perfume.

 

[Solua Botanica]

The Benzoin oil maceration is very ambery, it has a scent much like some of the Ambergris oil macerations I have.

I have worked with this Saim benzoin resin for several years, I have found a combination of MCT and Jojoba (75/25) oil helps the maceration process, I yield slightly more oil this way. With time (6mo-1yr) and some heating along the way, it will settle into an absolutely beautiful material very far from the alcohol dilution or absolute.

You can do a 50/50 maceration, there will be lots of fallout, the waxes will eventually settle to the bottom after a year and the oil on top is the prize. A total pain in the ass but well worth it if you do aromatherapy or make oil-based perfume.

Interesting, thanks for sharing your experience. I've never mixed both together.
I've stopped MCT and now only use Jojoba for it's qualities for the skin and the fact that it is a liquid wax.
I feel that it extracts more of the waxy aromamolecules than MCT does.
Of course that becomes another layer of liquid waxes to decant later if you filter warm.
These leftover waxes are super concentrated and can be used in other products like salves and lipbalm.

I've been making Jojoba oil perfumes for years also, and I've never let it infuse for a year, 6 month max.
I guess I've always been worried about oil degradation, which is why I tell my customers to use the perfume within two years.
If I calculate the time for maceration, then time to compose the perfume, then time to mature/macerate the final composition.
By the time it gets to the client, the oil may already be 1 year old, then if they use it within 2 years, it falls within the 3 year safety mark, which is the standard for Jojoba.
Of course some resins like frankincense and myrrh can augment the preservation of the oil, I've seen some oils keep for up to five years.
But in my extra caution with time, I may have missed some interesting notes. I find that some resins really give out their best in oil.

But veg. oils have a short biological time clock and I remain conservative with my quantities.
This is exactly why I started making alcohol perfumes, I was tired of seeing great compositions go to waste eventually.
Different story with ethanol, I feel like I have time, no clock ticking...
It made me realize a lot of my mistakes, because everything is clear, apparent and magnified with ethanol.
Working with animalics became a lot more fun and rewarding.
Being able to test my accords sooner was also a big plus for me....I guess oils work a little slower.
Both types of perfume have their pros and cons.
Even though I'm doing more research and experimenting with ethanol these days,
I keep doing the Jojoba because it's what sells out in the events I attend. I don't overstock and I create something new every year.
Some people just come back for the same bottle every year, sometimes buy two just to be sure they don't run out !
It's hard to stop making something when there's a good demand.

 

[Dan 3.141]

Interesting, thanks for sharing your experience. I've never mixed both together.
I've stopped MCT and now only use Jojoba for it's qualities for the skin and the fact that it is a liquid wax.
I feel that it extracts more of the waxy aromamolecules than MCT does.
Of course that becomes another layer of liquid waxes to decant later if you filter warm.
These leftover waxes are super concentrated and can be used in other products like salves and lipbalm.

I've been making Jojoba oil perfumes for years also, and I've never let it infuse for a year, 6 month max.
I guess I've always been worried about oil degradation, which is why I tell my customers to use the perfume within two years.
If I calculate the time for maceration, then time to compose the perfume, then time to mature/macerate the final composition.
By the time it gets to the client, the oil may already be 1 year old, then if they use it within 2 years, it falls within the 3 year safety mark, which is the standard for Jojoba.
Of course some resins like frankincense and myrrh can augment the preservation of the oil, I've seen some oils keep for up to five years.
But in my extra caution with time, I may have missed some interesting notes. I find that some resins really give out their best in oil.

But veg. oils have a short biological time clock and I remain conservative with my quantities.
This is exactly why I started making alcohol perfumes, I was tired of seeing great compositions go to waste eventually.
Different story with ethanol, I feel like I have time, no clock ticking...
It made me realize a lot of my mistakes, because everything is clear, apparent and magnified with ethanol.
Working with animalics became a lot more fun and rewarding.
Being able to test my accords sooner was also a big plus for me....I guess oils work a little slower.
Both types of perfume have their pros and cons.
Even though I'm doing more research and experimenting with ethanol these days,
I keep doing the Jojoba because it's what sells out in the events I attend. I don't overstock and I create something new every year.
Some people just come back for the same bottle every year, sometimes buy two just to be sure they don't run out !
It's hard to stop making something when there's a good demand.

Glad you are finding success! Definitely try the one year merceration, and try the blend fixed oil. I think the scent come out better too. Also, MCT and Jojoba are the most stable fixed oils and bezoin has preservative qualities. This maceration will last longer thank you think. I have never had an issue, but I do take exteemly good care of my materials. I come from an aromatherapy background, started making oil perfumes....I will tell you, for me, fine fragrance (ethanol based) is much more interesting.

 

[Solua Botanica]

Glad you are finding success! Definitely try the one year merceration, and try the blend fixed oil. I think the scent come out better too. Also, MCT and Jojoba are the most stable fixed oils and bezoin has preservative qualities. This maceration will last longer thank you think. I have never had an issue, but I do take exteemly good care of my materials. I come from an aromatherapy background, started making oil perfumes....I will tell you, for me, fine fragrance (ethanol based) is much more interesting.

Thanks for sharing...will definitely give it a try. Maybe I've been missing out on great things !

 

[Atricristatus]

I am totally new to making my own perfumes. My supplies are nowhere near as refined and expensive as the ones you are talking about here. I am only interested in making a personal fragrance collection, not a business. I am astounded that I have a huge, nice dark Amber bottle of MCT oil sitting in my cabinet that I had been using in smoothie recipes. Silly me. I had no idea that MCT oil could be used to make perfumes, but I knew it by the name "fractionated coconut oil". I love jojoba oil and use it as a moisturizer every day for myself and my children because it's so nourishing. I made my first perfume using sweet almond oil and vodka, not perfumer's alcohol. Some of the perfume oils I was adding were already diluted, probably with olive oil. It separated, no surprise there I guess. It did turn out nicely as I'm trying to make my own rendition of some of my favorite perfumes.
I just find the science of perfumery very intriguing and I respect the process, yet I know my method falls short because I can't spend a lot on materials. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

 

[Septime]

Checking Tisserand & Young for GCMS data:
Both Siam and Sumatra benzoin oleoresins are mostly benzyl benzoate and benzyl alcohol with a trace of ethyl cinnamate. The main difference is that Siam benzoin is about 20% benzoic acid while Sumatra is only 0.1%. Sumatra additionally has about 1.5% each cinnamyl cinnamate and cinnamic acid.