Patchouli, Light EO


Details

  • Botanical Name: Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth.
  • Origin: Indonesia
  • Process: Steam Distilled Essential Oil
  • Plant Part: Leaves
  • Cultivation: Conventional
  • Use: Aromatherapy / Natural Perfumery / Incense. Always dilute.
  • Note: Base Note, Outstanding Fixative
  • Aroma Families: Earthy, Woody, Musky
  • Aroma: Rich, earthy, sweet-herbaceous, but with a lighter and clearer aroma than our Dark Patchouli. Known as one of the finest fixatives with outstanding tenacity.
  • Contraindications: Various cautions; please see Safety Considerations below.



Product Name SKU Price Qty
  1. Patchouli, Light Sample (1 ml) 775-3
    $2.00
  2. Patchouli, Light 15 ml (1/2 oz) * 775-016
    $8.75
  3. Patchouli, Light 30 ml (1 oz) 775-030
    $14.00
  4. Patchouli, Light 2 oz 775-9
    $23.50
  5. Patchouli, Light 4 oz 775-10
    $41.00
  6. Patchouli, Light 8 oz 775-11
    $69.00
  7. Patchouli, Light 16 oz 775-12
    $120.25
  8. Patchouli, Light 1 kg 775-25
    $238.50
  9. For larger sizes or quantities please contact us for pricing and availability.         
* Size includes orifice (drop) reducer

Overview

Patchouli, Light Essential Oil

Our Patchouli – Light essential oil is similar in aroma to our Dark Patchouli oil, but for those who find Dark Patchouli a bit too intense, the clearer, lighter character and more ‘free-spirited’ version of this Patchouli is a welcome alternative. Traditional distillation of many plants in less developed regions is often done in units made with reactive metals such as iron; contact between the metal and the plant material prompts metallic ions to be released into the essential oil, causing it to retain a darker color.1 While Patchouli essential oil is often specifically distilled using metal stills to ensure the warm, dark color in the final product, the perfume industry considers this type of Patchouli undesirable because it has a disastrous effect on the stability of perfumes, causing discoloration of the end product2; instead the oil is treated to remove the iron coloring and is thereafter referred to as iron-free. For those who prefer it, our Patchouli – Light is distilled using non-reactive, stainless steel vessels and is free of iron coloration.

Patchouli is a misunderstood oil that has received an undeserved reputation in recent decades. Author Lizzie Ostrom comments in Perfume: A Century of Scents, "Patchouli oil was the perfume that pretended it wasn’t. Unlike those ‘stuffy’ Diors and Guerlains that were made from a long list of ingredients, this was a natural product, which meant untampered by humans (allegedly) and therefore authentic – straight from the Earth."3 She adds that Patchouli and other supposedly au naturel scents were a signature of the hippie generation of the 1960s. The Patchouli oils of the day, most of questionable origin and quality, were used to mask the odor of cannabis and to deliver an earthy, rebellious and sexy appeal. Lingering cultural associations still color the reaction of many to this richly-storied and complex oil.

An authentic and truly fine Patchouli oil has a rich and deeply mysterious fragrance that may not be appreciated by many who claim that they "do not like" its scent. Frankly, it is best to approach the aroma of Patchouli in diluted form, on a scent strip, or combined with other essential oils (especially florals), rather than at full strength or directly from the bottle. Keep in mind that when first distilled, Patchouli has a pungency that can be quite pronounced, however a good quality Patchouli oil mellows with age and, when properly stored for a prolonged period, deepens, becomes rich and alluring, developing long-lasting sultry effects – "that full, rich, and almost fruity note for which the best grades of patchouli oil are renowned and so highly esteemed by expert perfumers."Among its many benefits, Patchouli has a particular affinity for the skin, helping improve the appearance of tone, aging, fine lines and wrinkles, and dry skin and scalp.5

Not sure which Patchouli to choose? Please see our Patchouli Samples (you can uncheck the ones you don’t want to receive). For a complete list of our Patchouli offerings, click here.

For information regarding the attributes of Patchouli essential oil, please see:

  • L’Aromathérapie Exactement, Pierre Franchomme and Dr. Daniel Pénoël, 1990, p. 391.
  • Essential Oils – A Handbook for Aromatherapy Practice, 2nd ed., Jennifer Peace Rhind, 2012, pp. 171-2, 290.
  • Aromatherapeutic Blending – Essential Oils in Synergy, Jennifer Peace Rhind, 2016, pp. 90, 102, 115, 130, 156, 181, 237-8.
  • The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy, 3rd ed., Vol. I, Salvatore Battaglia, 2018, pp. 464-469.

For information regarding the use of Patchouli in natural perfumery, please see:


Aromatic Profile: Rich, earthy, sweet-herbaceous, but with a lighter and clearer aroma than our Dark Patchouli. Known as one of the finest fixatives with outstanding tenacity.


Appearance: Medium amber-colored, transparent, somewhat viscous mobile liquid.


Storage Suggestions: This oil will actually improve with age, that is, the aroma will become deeper, rounder and more refined over time when properly stored at a constant temperature below 65-70F degrees.


Use: Aromatherapy / Natural Perfumery / Incense.


Blending Suggestions: Dilute and add drop by drop to your blends until the desired effect is achieved.


Blends Well With: Amber Oil - Fossilized, Amyris, Bergamot, Black Pepper, Cardamom, Cassie, Cedarwood, Champaca, Cinnamon, Clary Sage, Clove, Cocoa, Frankincense, Geranium, Ginger, Jasmine, Labdanum, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Mandarin, Mimosa, Myrrh, Neroli, Oakmoss, Opopanax, Orange, Orris, Palmarosa, Rose, Sandalwood, Spikenard, Tangerine, Tonka Bean, Vetiver, Ylang Ylang. "A great fixative used in small doses in any blend or as a fundamental note in Ambers and heavy florals. Absolutely one of the most useful of all essential oils in perfumery. Goes with everything, including people who don’t like it."6


Safety Considerations: Drug interaction, may inhibit blood clotting; avoid use in the case of anticoagulant medication, major surgery, peptic ulcer, hemophilia, other bleeding disorders.6 Dilute before using. A patch test should be performed before use for those with sensitive skin.


1 Guenther, Ernest. The Essential Oils, Vol. I, 1948, p. 310.

2 Rhind, Jennifer Peace. Fragrance and Wellbeing, 2014, p. 288.

3 Ostrom, Lizzie. Perfume: A Century of Scents, 2016, p. 230.

4 Guenther, Ernest. The Essential Oils, Vol. III, 1949, p. 563.

5 Shutes, Jade and Christina Weaver. Aromatherapy for Bodyworkers, 2008, p. 320.

6 Lawless, Alec. Artisan Perfumery or Being Led by the Nose, 2009, p. 84.

7 Tisserand, Robert and Rodney Young. Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed., 2014, p. 382.


The FDA has not evaluated the statements on this website. No claims are made by Eden Botanicals as to the medicinal value of any products from Eden Botanicals. The information presented here is for educating our customers about the traditional uses of essential oils and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. You are responsible for understanding the safe application of these products. If you have any questions, please call or email us for further information.

Patchouli, Courtesy of Jeanne Rose

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  • Patchouli, Courtesy of Jeanne Rose

Customer Reviews for Patchouli, Light EO

Patchouli Light Review by
Rating
5
I've been looking for a good patchouli and finally - this is IT! Why didn't I know this sooner? Taking the cap and putting the bottle up to my nose, I finally was pleased-very pleased. Very balsamic green to me. I tried the Double Distilled Patchouli, but when taking a whiff, my shoulders got tight and I become slightly displeased. Just never been a fan even though I've tried. The patchouli light smells better than patchouli acetate and isolates. I will get combat size bottle next time.
(Posted on 11/6/2022)
Patchouli Love Review by
Rating
5
Let me preface my review by saying that I am a sucker for patchouli... so I'm pretty picky. This oil is gorgeous. To me, it's that true earthy scent of patchouli-super sexy, forest, damp trees, moss, dark dankness that just smells amazing. I have used patchouli light in both blends with other oils (rose, lavender, grapefruit, bergamot, tangerine) and alone with a carrier oil, and it really grounds each fragrance so well. Super-gorgeous scent, will purchase again.
(Posted on 2/22/2021)
a "green" patchouli... Review by
Rating
5
Over the past year, I've made some nice colognes with Patchouli, Light. To my nose, it's the greenest patchouli. Sniffing it from the bottle, my first impression is "mint". In a blend or composition, it evokes the feeling of a forest with evergreens, or perhaps the woods as you're kayaking on a little river of cedar water in New Jersey in the direction of the Pine Barrens. Patchouli is a member of the mint family and an evergreen, and this specific patchouli smells like both. To me, its masculine. It's also more intense than the other patchouli offerings from Eden. It has a high key head note, sweetly herbal and minty. I've used a combo of French Lavender, Helichrysum, Clary Sage, Juniper Berry, Sweet Basil and Rosemary to simulate, accentuate, or just "go with" Patchouli Light's top note in my blends. For aromatherapy purposes, this may be the best patchouli because it is so invigorating. Perfumers like it because there is no iron, which can cause certain reactions with other extracts or materials, and it doesn't discolor the cologne or end product.
(Posted on 9/2/2018)
Heavenly spice! Review by
Rating
5
This is sublime! I'm a huge fan of Eden's Patchouli Dark, but this is altogether softer... more spicy and Earth shakingly sexy. I plan to pair this with my new Jasmine Absolute, add the vanilla I tinctured. I can't get over how sexy this is all on it's own.
(Posted on 4/4/2018)
New batch review Review by
Rating
4
I previously reviewed the Patchouli Light based on a batch I'd ordered last year. When I ordered more (about a month ago), it was markedly different from the one I received last year. This one seems to be sweeter, more balsamic than earthy. It is still quite beautiful, but I was really in love w/ the last batch.
(Posted on 11/17/2014)
Patchouli like Chinese medicine Review by
Rating
5
The smell of Patchouli has bitter and rich aroma, just like Chinese medicine. I will recommend Patchouli mixed with Cedarwood, Clary Sage or Sandalwood, it's good for healing nervous disorders, helping with sores and acne also.
(Posted on 9/17/2014)
NICE! Similar to the Dark Patchouli Review by
Rating
5
Sweet, rich, and earthy, this Patchouli is phenomenal. I own every Patchouli oil offered by Eden, and this and the Dark Patchouli are my favorites. I do not detect a huge difference between the Dark and the Light, other than the color. The dark is slightly richer, a tinge spicier. They both remain on the perfume blotter for about the same amount of time: VERY LONG LASTING.

(Posted on 9/2/2014)
Yummy!! Review by
Rating
5
LOVE this patchouli!! Each one I have tried from Eden was great, all so similar, yet so different! Even patchouli haters may like this one!
(Posted on 9/2/2014)
Excellent Review by
Rating
5
This patchouli has a warm, rich and earthy aroma. I also pick up a fresh fruity undertone, but this might just be me. I used it as a perfume by blending it with other oils in a carrier oil. I could definitely pick out the patchouli in the fragrance and found it to be incredibly deep and grounding. To my surprise, the smell was also very long lasting on my skin. I would definitely order again for use in my blends.
(Posted on 9/1/2014)
memories Review by
Rating
5
Patchouli brings back memories of my youth and the 70's. I have always loved the fragrance of Patchouli. A sense of freedom comes over me.
(Posted on 8/30/2014)