Product Name

Coumarin

CAS No.: 91-64-5

🟢 Difficulty: Beginner

⏳ Lasting: High

🌸 Note: Base

Description

Coumarin is one of the most iconic aroma chemicals in perfumery, celebrated for its warm, sweet and comforting character. It offers the unmistakable scent of freshly cut hay blended with creamy tonka bean, soft vanilla, almond and subtle tobacco nuances. Its rich yet elegant profile makes it an essential ingredient in both classic and contemporary fragrance creation.

In perfumery, Coumarin is primarily used to add warmth, sweetness and lasting depth to the base of a fragrance. It is a cornerstone of fougère compositions, where it balances aromatic lavender with woody and mossy notes. It also plays a significant role in gourmand, amber and oriental fragrances by enhancing vanilla, tonka and balsamic accords. Even in floral perfumes, small amounts of Coumarin can smooth rough edges and create a more rounded, luxurious finish.

Its excellent substantivity and versatile character make it one of the most valuable building blocks for creating elegant, long-lasting fragrance compositions.

Odor Profile

• Sweet

• Tonka bean

• Vanilla-like

• Fresh hay

• Almond

• Warm

• Tobacco nuance

• Powdery balsamic

Recommended Formulation Level (Educational guideline only)

• Trace: 0.05–0.2%

• General use: 0.2–3%

• High-impact accords: 3–10%

These are formulation guidelines for perfumers and are not IFRA limits.

Works Well With

• Tonka Bean Absolute

• Vanillin

• Ethyl Vanillin

• Heliotropin

• Lavender Oil

• Oakmoss materials

• Patchouli Oil

• Benzoin

• Labdanum

• Sandalwood materials

• Vetiver

• Musk materials

Common Applications

• Fine Fragrance

• Attars

• Candles

• Soap

• Body Care

• Home Fragrance

• Gourmand Accords

• Fougère Accords

• Amber Accords

Perfumers' Tip

Coumarin is exceptionally effective at giving fragrances a soft, velvety warmth. Use it sparingly in fresh compositions to add elegance, or pair it with lavender, oakmoss and woods to build a timeless fougère structure with impressive longevity.