Coumarin Aroma Molecule
Coumarin is one of the foundational materials of modern perfumery, famous for its role in classic fougère structures and warm powdery bases. Its scent sits between tonka bean, sweet hay, almond, vanilla warmth, and soft tobacco-like sweetness. It can make aromatic formulas feel smoother, amber bases more rounded, and powdery florals more sensual. Although beautiful and highly versatile, it must be dosed carefully because it is powerful, recognisable, and restricted in several IFRA categories.
- Main impression: Sweet tonka warmth
- Supporting facets: Almond, hay, vanilla, tobacco, powder
- Drydown character: Warm, powdery, soft, balsamic
- Used for: Fougère structure, sweetness, fixation, powdery warmth, amber depth
Please note
This material is supplied as a 10% dilution in Dipropylene Glycol, not as neat Coumarin powder. Usage levels should be calculated based on the supplied product and the final concentration of active Coumarin in your formula. It is intended for formulation work and must not be applied directly to the skin undiluted. Always test in your intended application before production.
Full safety, allergen, IFRA, and technical information is provided in the SDS, IFRA Certificate, and Allergen Declaration available in the “Related Documents” tab. Compliance and documentation of the final product remains the responsibility of the manufacturer.
Packaging note: 10g sizes are supplied in PET bottles for affordable small-quantity access. Production sizes from 50g upwards are supplied in premium aluminium bottles for improved long-term protection. Read more
Olfactive Profile
- Primary character: Sweet tonka-like warmth with a powdery aromatic base.
- Secondary nuances: Almond, vanilla, hay, tobacco, soft spice, balsamic warmth, and dry sweetness.
- Texture: Powdery, soft, warm, and rounded rather than fresh or sparkling.
- Diffusion: Moderate and smooth, with strong value in the heart and drydown.
- Tenacity: Long-lasting, especially in fougère, amber, tobacco, vanilla, and powdery structures.
- Comparison anchor: Less creamy than vanillin, less candy-like than Ethyl Maltol, and more aromatic-powdery than benzoin.
Coumarin 10 DPG Aroma Molecule smells warm, sweet, powdery, and slightly almond-like, with a natural association to tonka bean and freshly dried hay. It does not behave like a simple sugar note. Instead, it gives a formula a soft aromatic sweetness that can feel classic, sensual, and comforting. Its beauty is in the drydown, where it adds warmth, roundness, and a recognisable perfumery signature.
Formulation & Creative Uses
What It Adds to Your Formula
- Fougère structure: Supports lavender, herbs, mossy notes, and aromatic masculine accords.
- Warmth: Adds soft tonka-like sweetness to the heart and base.
- Powdery depth: Gives florals, musks, ambers, and orientals a smoother powdery finish.
- Fixation: Helps support a longer-lasting, rounded drydown.
- Gourmand nuance: Adds almond, vanilla, and sweet hay effects without becoming fully dessert-like.
- Classic character: Gives formulas a recognisable perfumery warmth and vintage elegance.
What It Does Not Do
- It does not replace vanilla: It adds tonka-like warmth, not creamy vanilla richness.
- It does not create freshness: It is warm, powdery, and sweet rather than bright or citrusy.
- It does not build a fougère alone: It needs lavender, herbs, woods, musks, or mossy materials to complete the structure.
- It is not unlimited: It is restricted by IFRA in many common applications, so dosage must be checked carefully.
Creative Uses
Coumarin 10 DPG Aroma Molecule is excellent for fougères, lavender accords, tonka bases, amber fragrances, tobacco blends, powdery florals, sweet woods, oriental compositions, and soft masculine structures. It can round lavender, warm up musks, add dry sweetness to tobacco, and give vanilla or almond accords more aromatic depth. In home fragrance, it works beautifully in warm, cozy, powdery, spicy, and tobacco-amber directions.
Creative Inspiration
Use Coumarin with Lavender Essential Oil and Dihydromyrcenol for a modern fougère structure. Pair it with Vanillin and Ethyl Maltol for a warm gourmand base with tonka sweetness. Combine it with Patchouli Essential Oil or Vetiver Essential Oil for a darker aromatic drydown. Use it with Galaxolide 50 DPG or Ethylene Brassylate to create a soft powdery musk accord.
Common Applications
- Fine fragrance: Useful in fougères, ambers, tonka accords, tobacco compositions, powdery florals, and oriental blends.
- Candles & wax melts: Suitable where the final formula allows; especially useful for tonka, amber, tobacco, vanilla, powder, and warm masculine candle profiles.
- Reed diffusers: Adds warm powdery depth and aromatic sweetness, subject to IFRA limits and base compatibility.
- Room sprays: Useful for warm, powdery, amber, tobacco, and cozy home fragrance profiles.
- Soaps & rinse-off products: Can support fougère, lavender, powdery, and warm aromatic profiles within the relevant IFRA limits.
- Cosmetic fragrance bases: Suitable for formulated cosmetic fragrances where permitted by IFRA and final product safety assessment.
Usage, Dose & Performance
- Suggested starting dose: 0.5–5% of the fragrance concentrate for early trials.
- Trace use: Adds soft warmth, powdery sweetness, and smoother drydown.
- Moderate use: Creates a clear tonka, fougère, or powdery aromatic effect.
- High use: Can become dominant, sweet, powdery, and strongly recognisable.
- Diffusion: Moderate, with smooth presence in the heart and base.
- Tenacity: Long-lasting, especially in amber, fougère, tobacco, and powdery structures.
- Blending behavior: Works well with lavender, vanillas, musks, woods, tobacco notes, spices, balsams, florals, and amber materials.
- Overdose risk: Can make a formula feel too sweet, powdery, old-fashioned, or heavy if not balanced with freshness, dryness, or contrast.
Because this material is already supplied at 10% in DPG, dosage should be understood as the supplied solution, not pure Coumarin. For example, using 5% Coumarin 10% DPG in a fragrance concentrate contributes approximately 0.5% active Coumarin and 4.5% DPG.
Pairing Suggestions
Pairs well with aroma molecules
- Dihydromyrcenol: Builds a modern fresh fougère contrast.
- Lavender-type materials: Strengthen the classic fougère direction.
- Vanillin 25 DPG: Adds creamy sweetness and warm gourmand depth.
- Ethyl Maltol: Adds caramelised sweetness for modern gourmand effects.
- Galaxolide 50 DPG: Softens the drydown with clean powdery musk.
- Iso E Super: Adds dry woody volume and modern polish.
Pairs well with essential oils
- Lavender Essential Oil: Builds the classic aromatic fougère backbone.
- Vetiver Essential Oil: Adds dry earthy depth and elegant masculine structure.
- Clary Sage Essential Oil: Enhances herbal warmth and soft tobacco-like nuance.
- Black Pepper Essential Oil: Adds dry spicy contrast and masculine energy.
- Patchouli Essential Oil: Gives darker depth and amber-oriental warmth.
- Bergamot Essential Oil: Adds lift and prevents the sweetness from feeling heavy.
Pairs well with base accords
- Tobacco Black Accord: Enhances warm tobacco, tonka, and powdery sweetness.
- Amber Accord: Adds soft balsamic warmth and oriental depth.
- White Musk Accord: Creates a clean powdery musk drydown.
- Sandal Accord: Smooths the sweetness with creamy woody warmth.
- Tea Green Accord: Adds contrast and a modern aromatic freshness.
- Leather Suede Accord: Creates a warm masculine leather-tonka direction.
Technical Data & IFRA Limits
- Commercial name: Coumarin
- Synonyms: 2H-1-Benzopyran-2-one
- INCI name: Coumarin
- IUPAC name: 2H-1-Benzopyran-2-one
- CAS number: 91-64-5
- EC number: 202-086-7
- Chemical class: Lactone
- Material form: Liquid Solution
- Diluent / solvent: Dipropylene Glycol (90%)
- Flash point: 93°C
- Solubility: Soluble in alcohol; insoluble in water
- Allergen declaration: Coumarin is listed under the expanded EU fragrance allergen requirements.
IFRA 51st Amendment Limits
- Fine fragrance: < 15%
- Body creams, oils and lotions: < 3.8%
- Soap and rinse-off products: < 5.2%
- Reed diffusers: < 5.2%
- Room sprays: < 16%
- Candles: < 100%
Since this product is supplied as a 10% dilution in DPG, the equivalent amount of supplied Coumarin 10% DPG is approximately ten times higher than neat Coumarine powder, provided no other Coumarin-containing materials are present in the formula. Final calculation remains the manufacturer’s responsibility.
Stability & Handling
Coumarin 10 DPG Aroma Molecule should be stored tightly sealed in its original container, away from heat, light, humidity, and prolonged air exposure. It is supplied as a ready-to-use liquid dilution, so no grinding, melting, or pre-dilution is normally required before formulation. Because Coumarin is naturally crystalline, slight crystal formation may occur after long storage or if the material has been kept in a cold environment. If this happens, place the closed bottle in a warm water bath for a few minutes and shake gently until the material returns to a uniform liquid. Do not use boiling water, direct heat, microwaves, or open flame.
The DPG carrier improves handling and makes Coumarin easier to weigh, dose, and blend compared with neat Coumarin powder. Discoloration potential is lower than neat Coumarin because the active material is diluted, but the Coumarin character still applies. Testing is recommended in white waxes, pale soaps, clear bases, and pastel formulations.
Safety & Testing
Coumarin is a raw fragrance material for formulation use. It is not a finished perfume and must not be applied directly to the skin undiluted.
Always review the SDS, IFRA Certificate, Cosmetics Declaration, and Technical Data Sheet before use. Test the material in the intended base before production, as performance may vary depending on dosage, solvent system, wax type, diffuser base, surfactant system, pH, processing temperature, and packaging.
Final product safety, labelling, IFRA compliance, CLP classification, allergen declaration, cosmetic assessment, and market compliance remain the responsibility of the final product manufacturer.
Explore Similar Scents
Why Choose Perfumedom
⚡ Swift Response Times
With a 97% stock uptime and our efficient order fulfillment system, your fragrance oils are delivered promptly, ensuring you meet your production timelines.
⭐ Consistent Performance
Our fragrance oils are sourced from established European manufacturers and designed for professional use, offering consistency and performance in every batch.
🛡️ Commitment to Safety
Every fragrance in our assortment is supported by up-to-date SDS, IFRA, and CLP guidance, and manufactured strictly only with REACH regulated substances.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet