Mossy, earthy, and complex, with a sweet green quality on the top, a rich herbaceous heart, and a faint tar-and-smoke edge that gives it its distinctive depth and roughness. Quinoline-like facets contribute a leathery, slightly marine quality; the base is long and tenacious at 84 hours on a smelling strip, with a dark, humus-like persistence that grounds any composition it enters. It has the quality of a material that has been part of the forest floor for a long time. Used at the right level it lends body and natural richness to virtually any fragrance type; overused it becomes the whole story.

Oakmoss Absolute works as a base note fixative, chypre and fougere structural material, and natural depth-builder.

Recommended concentration: 0.15% minimum, 2.5% average, 4.5% maximum in a finished compound. Observe current IFRA limits for the specific application category; limits vary significantly between leave-on and rinse-off applications.

Particularly effective in:

Chypre and fougere fine fragrance structures where it is indispensable
Green, forest, and fern accords
Hay and new mown grass compositions alongside flouve and coumarin
Lavender and aromatic bases needing earthy depth
Leather and animalic accords
Candles, pot pourri, and incense (rated excellent for all)
Fine fragrance, personal care, and fabric care (rated excellent across categories)

Blends well with:

Mossy and earthy: flouve (sweet vernal grass), ivy absolute
Floral: lavender, lavandin, rose, jasmine
Fruity: peach notes
Resinous: labdanum, benzoin
Chemical modifiers: methyl benzoate for a quinoline-leather facet
Green materials: galbanum, violet leaf

Note: discolouration risk in bar and liquid soap applications; avoid in cold wave and acid cleaner environments.

Material Type: Absolute
Botanical Name: Evernia prunastri (lichen)
Common Names: Oakmoss, Mousse de Chêne
Plant Part: Whole lichen
Extraction Method: Solvent extraction
Specification: IFRA Low Atranol (processed to reduce atranol and chloroatranol content)
CAS Number: 9000-50-4
FEMA Number: 2795
Origin: Central Europe (France, Morocco, Balkans)
Odour Profile: Mossy, earthy, sweet green, quinoline, grassy-marine, forest, oily, woody, faintly leathery and smoky
Appearance: Dark green-brown, very viscous liquid
Flash Point: 93.33°C
Solubility: Soluble in alcohol; may require warming to pour at lower temperatures
Key Components: Orcinyl esters including methyl orcinyl carbamate, methyl beta-orcinol carbamate, atranol and chloroatranol at reduced levels
Regulatory Status: IFRA restricted material. Processed to low-atranol specification. Observe current IFRA limits by application category. SDS and/or IFRA documentation can be supplied upon request where available.

For external use only. Do not ingest
IFRA-restricted material; observe current usage limits strictly for each application category. Low-atranol processing significantly improves compliance headroom compared to conventional oakmoss absolute, but restrictions still apply
Known skin sensitiser; dilute before skin application and patch test before use
Avoid contact with eyes
Very viscous; warm gently in a water bath to improve pourability if needed
Flammable liquid; flash point 93.33°C; keep away from heat, sparks, and open flames
Store tightly sealed in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight
Shelf life: 3-5 years when stored correctly