Hexyl Salicylate Aroma Chemical
CAS# 6259-76-3

Hexyl Salicylate, also known as n-Hexyl Salicylate, is a nature-identical and synthetic material that plays an important role in the fragrance industry. Although it occurs in small amounts in certain natural flowers and berries, it is primarily produced commercially through the esterification of salicylic acid with hexanol. The history of Hexyl Salicylate dates back to the early to mid-20th century, when it was developed as an improved version of Amyl Salicylate to provide a softer and less harsh floral note. In its physical form, it is a clear, colorless liquid, characterized by a floral profile blended with green and herbal facets.

Description

Its scent gives off a gentle softness reminiscent of orchid, intertwined with fresh green nuances and a slight warmth of balsamic resin. Functioning from the middle note to the base note, as a fixative, blender, and modifier, this material has a rather low odor impact but very strong substantivity, lasting from 100 to 200 hours on a blotter. In fragrance compositions, Hexyl Salicylate helps build orchid, carnation, and fougère notes, while also softening sharper ingredients and tying the overall fragrance together. Perfumers often combine it with other salicylate derivatives, ionones, rose, jasmine, oakmoss, and lavender. Because it is an easy-to-handle liquid, it is commonly used either neat or diluted in DPG.

Applications

In terms of applications, this material is widely used in fine fragrance, scented candles, leave-on cosmetics, rinse-off products, and soaps. Thanks to its high stability, it is heavily used in shampoos, shower gels, and fabric softeners. However, Hexyl Salicylate is controlled by IFRA for maximum use levels due to its potential for skin sensitization, with recommended usage in perfumes often ranging from 1% to 5%. Users should note that it may cause skin allergy, is toxic to aquatic life, and may require mandatory labeling in Europe if used above the regulated threshold, although it is not phototoxic. Proper storage requires keeping the container tightly closed, in a cool, dry place, away from direct light. Many hair care products, fabric softeners, and perfumes in floral or fougère styles make use of this ingredient. Finally, the value of this material was affirmed in Perfume and Flavor Chemicals, where Steffen Arctander described Hexyl Salicylate as having a herbaceous-floral scent with mild sweetness and very persistent tenacity. He noted that it displays more floral nuances and is less harsh than Amyl Salicylate, while emphasizing its role as an excellent blender and floral effect material in perfume compositions.