Amyris Essential Oil
I love the gentle, woody aroma of Amyris Essential Oil. Its underlying vanilla note reminds me of Benzoin Absolute. Amyris Essential Oil is sometimes used in place of Sandalwood Essential Oil, but the aroma and strength of both essential oils is quite different. Amyris Essential Oil is sometimes used as a natural fixative.
Amyris Essential Oil is sometimes referred to as West Indian Sandalwood, but it is not an actual sandalwood oil.
In small dilutions, Amyris Essential Oil is said to act as an aphrodisiac. Its rich, warm woody aroma also complements masculine blends.
Botanical Name
Amyris balsamifera
Common Method of Extraction
Steam Distilled
Part Typically Used
Wood
Color
Pale Yellow
Consistency
Thick
Perfumery Note
Base
Strength of Initial Aroma
Mild
Aromatic Description
Reminiscent of benzoin, Amyris Essential Oil includes sweet, warm, vanilla notes with a woody, cedar-like character.
Amyris Essential Oil Uses
- Perfumery/Fragrancing
- Acts as a Fixative
- Coughs and Congestion
- Stress
Sources: Valerie Ann Worwood, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, 25th Anniversary Edition (Novato, CA: New World Library, 2016, 534. Julia Lawless, The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Updated Edition) (London: Harper Thorsons, 2014), 36.
Major Constituents
- Valerianol
- a-Eudesmol
- 7-epi-a-Eudesmol
- 10-epi-Gamma-Eudesmol
- Elemol
See Essential Oil Safety for a more complete list of constituents.
Source: T.A. Van Beek, R. Kelis, M.A. Posthumus, et al., Essential oil of Amyris balsamifera. (Phytochemistry 28, 1989), 1909-1911. Private Communications: Pappas 2004, Tucker 2003. Sources cited in Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 193.
Amyris Essential Oil Safety Information
Tisserand, Young and Lawless do not indicate any known hazards for Amyris Oil. [Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 194.] [Julia Lawless, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1995), 82.]
General Safety Information
Do not take any oils internally and do not apply undiluted essential oils, absolutes, CO2s or other concentrated essences onto the skin without advanced essential oil knowledge or consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. For general dilution information, read AromaWeb's Guide to Diluting Essential Oils. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Use extreme caution when using oils with children and be sure to first read the recommended dilution ratios for children. Consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner before using oils with children, the elderly, if you have medical issues or are taking medications. Before using this or any essential oil, carefully read AromaWeb's Essential Oil Safety Information page. For in-depth information on oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young.
Shelf Life
Important Information About the Profiles
The essential oil information provided on AromaWeb is intended for educational purposes only. The references to safety information, constituents and percentages is generalized information. The data is not necessary complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate. The essential oil photos are intended to represent the typical and approximate color of each essential oil. However, essential oil color can vary based on harvesting, distillation, age of the essential oil and other factors. Profiles for several absolutes are included within the directory, and are denoted as such.
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