Vetiver - Double Distilled EO
Details
- Botanical Name: Vetiveria zizanioides [synonym of Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty]
- Origin: Haiti
- Process: Steam Distillation and Molecular Distillation
- Plant Part: Roots
- Cultivation: Conventional
- Use: Natural Perfumery / Incense. Always dilute.
- Note: Base Note, Excellent Fixative
- Aroma Families: Earthy, Woody
- Aroma: Exceptionally smooth, deep, earthy, refined aroma with a very mild green top note; smoother than our other Vetiver oils and without any smoky or harsh notes, yet has the typical tenacious character and an appealing sweet wood quality.
- Contraindications: None known.
Certificate of Analysis (COA)Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Overview
Double Distilled Vetiver Essential Oil
Vetiver – Double Distilled has an exceptionally smooth, deep, earthy, refined aroma with a very mild green top note; it is smoother and mellower than our other Vetiver oils and without any smoky or harsh notes, yet has the typical tenacious character and an appealing sweet wood quality – simply beautiful! Double distillation entails subjecting Vetiver roots to two extraction processes, the first via traditional steam distillation. In the second extraction, the roots are subjected to molecular distillation. Along with a bit of pigment, high boiling fractions of Vetiver are removed, increasing vetiverol content. Molecular distillation also produces a lighter colored oil and a refined, super smooth Vetiver aroma without any rough edges.1 Nonetheless, rectified or incomplete oils like our Vetiver – Double Distilled are not preferred choices for aromatherapy applications, but are ideal fragrance materials for natural perfumers.
More than just a simple grass, its chemical complexity is why Vetiver is often thought of as a perfume in itself. It is an outstanding base note with excellent fixative qualities. Vetiveria zizanioides is composed of more than 100 mostly sesquiterpene constituents; three in particular – khusimol, α-vetivone and β-vetivone – are thought of as the 'fingerprint' of the oil and are responsible, in large part, for the characteristic odor and properties of Vetiver.
Also known as vetivert, khus, or khus khus, Vetiver has a long history of use and is very well known as the Oil of Tranquility.2 It is obtained from the roots of a tropical grass originally from India and Sri Lanka, but the roots are also now cultivated in many tropical countries for household purposes and as an effective strategy to prevent soil erosion. From time immemorial, one of the oldest aromatic uses of Vetiver roots is to weave them into mats which, when dampened with water and hung in windows like curtains, cool and scent the air with a pleasant aroma.3
Vetiver essential oil varies dramatically in aroma depending on where it is grown (terrain, climate, cultivation) and how it is distilled. Guenther stresses that the distillation of heavy, sesquiterpene-rich oils like Vetiver must continue for hours despite the apparent lack of increase in volume, "otherwise valuable, high-boiling constituents will be lacking in the oil."4 Dense and syrupy, Vetiver essential oils, much like Patchouli and Sandalwood oils, undergo chemical transformation and improve with age, making them very good base notes and fixatives in natural perfume and incense formulations.5,6
PLEASE NOTE: Vetiver – Double Distilled is not the recommended choice for aromatherapy applications; instead, please see the high-quality Vetiver essential oil-samples that we offer (you can uncheck the ones you don't want to receive).
For information regarding the use of Vetiver in natural perfumery, please see:
- Artisan Perfumery or Being Led by the Nose, Alec Lawless, 2009, p. 81.
- Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, Steffen Arctander, 1960, pp. 649-52.
- Essence and Alchemy – A Book of Perfume, Mandy Aftel, 2001, pp. 77, 92-3.
- "Vetiver Series: 2. The Fascinating Material," Elena Vosnaki in The Perfume Shrine, August 2008, http://perfumeshrine.blogspot.com/2008/08/vetiver-series-2the-fascinating.html
Aromatic Profile: Exceptionally smooth, deep, earthy, refined aroma with a very mild green top note; smoother than our other Vetiver oils and without any smoky or harsh notes, yet has the typical tenacious character and an appealing sweet wood quality.
Appearance: Pale golden yellow, 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: Natural Perfumery, Incense.
Blending Suggestions: Dilute and add drop by drop to your blends until the desired effect is achieved.
Blends Well With: Amyris, Bergamot, Black Pepper, Boronia, Cardamom, Cassie, Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Clary Sage, Clove, Cocoa, Coffee, Coriander, Eucalyptus (Lemon), Frankincense, Galbanum, Geranium, Ginger, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lavandin, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Litsea Cubeba, Mandarin, Oakmoss, Opopanax, Orange (Sweet), Orris, Patchouli, Peppermint, Petitgrain, Rose, Sandalwood, Spikenard, Tangerine, Tobacco, Violet Leaf, Ylang Ylang, Yuzu. "Vetiver oil is used extensively in perfumery not only as a fixative, but also as an odor contributor in bases such as fougère, chypre, modern woody-aldehydic or ambre[sic]-aldehydic bases...moss and wood notes, opopanax bases, rose bases, etc."7
Safety Considerations: None known.8 Dilute before using. A patch test should be performed before use for those with sensitive skin.
1 Industry communication.
2 Davis, Patricia. Aromatherapy: An A-Z, 1988, p. 330.
3 Guenther, Ernest. The Essential Oils, Vol. IV, 1950, p. 156.
4 ______________. The Essential Oils, Vol. I, 1947, p. 153.
5 Arctander, Steffen. Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, 1960, p. 651.
6 Hughes (MSc), Kerry. The Incense Bible: Plant Scents that Transcend World Culture, Medicine, and Spirituality, 2007, pp. 137-8.
7 Arctander, Steffen. Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, 1960, pp. 651-2.
8 Tisserand, Robert and Rodney Young. Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed., 2014, pp. 466-7.
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.
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Customer Reviews for Vetiver - Double Distilled EO
- Truly smooth Review by Debbie
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Rating As I inhaled this Vetiver I find myself being happy. Happy that the smoky note is not present. It is super smooth, earthy and classic Verviers without the harshness and a drop on my skin is projecting VERY well. Remind me of Bal d-Afrique. Will keep this in my arsenal(Posted on 12/5/2022)
- Truly smooth Review by Debbie
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Rating As I inhaled this Vetiver I find myself being happy. Happy that the smoky note is not present. It is super smooth, earthy and classic Verviers without the harshness and a drop on my skin is projecting VERY well. Remind me of Bal d-Afrique. Will keep this in my arsenal(Posted on 12/5/2022)
- FAINT COMPARED to any VETIVER Review by Allie
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Rating The smell is very faint compared to vetiver where the smokey notes are strong & it's more 1 dimensional compared to any vetiver. I had to put on a perfume strip before I got an accurate scent profile because it's very faint compared to other vetiver. My favorite vetiver ever!(Posted on 4/6/2021)
- Less smokey & cleaner Review by Brad
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Rating I like it best for making blends without the overpowering smokey scent but still have the base note. It's obviously not going to smell the same batch after batch, but this is personally my(Posted on 11/5/2020)
favorite Vetiver as far as scent. But for therapeutic purposes, I prefer the Organic Haitian Vetiver.
- Very heavy potent scent Review by SinCityFragranceCompany
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Rating This by itself smells a LOT like Tuscan Leather by Tom Ford. Still figuring out how to best utilize it but so far goes well with wild lavender.(Posted on 4/9/2019)
- actually.... Review by David
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Rating if you really study this oil carefully, there is no smoky note whatsoever.(Posted on 6/12/2018)
It is a clean vetiver like most Haitian vetiver, with a dark green root, wet earth,suede glove and cashmere sweater elegance. Blended with gardenia it is instantly a perfume of the highest order. Smoky vetiver is the Indonesian variety which is a totally different profile.
- Green suede. Review by CR
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Rating This Double Distilled Vetiver is suave, suede-like, and extremely fresh — it presents a long-lasting, vivid, green rooty-wood profile. Exceptionally tenacious and harmonious with almost everything with which it's paired. Stunner.(Posted on 12/11/2017)
- evaluation Review by Miika
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Rating To my nose Double Distilled Vetiver is dry scent with little bit smoky notes....smoke note is not very POWERFUll but it is there. i like that Vetiver has that moist forest floor note.... that isn't in Double Distilled Vetiver. this oil has also little bit spicy notes...almost undetectable.(Posted on 8/22/2015)
it blends well with Rose, Sandalwood, Patchouli and some others.... it gives citrus oils nice character when used minute amounts.
- Very tame, almost flat, but smoky if you need that accord Review by Scott
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Rating This is my least favorite of the Vetiver cultivars I've smelled. If you're looking for a safe, almost one-dimensional Vetiver than this is the one for you. It lacks the multi-sided bouquet that the others have but it does have one thing in its favor: it's quite smoky. If you need that smoke smell without all the bells and whistles, get this one. I haven't tried blending it yet but when I need it for the smoke accord for things like Agarwood, Patchouli, Nagarmotha, Fir Balsam, etc, then this is the one I'll go for. The other Vetivers feel like late summer but this one feels like winter. I bet it would be good with Vanilla and even a hint of Peppermint and Nutmeg for a Christmas fireplace blend.(Posted on 5/9/2015)
- lovely Review by TALAL
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Rating I love it so much....thanks eden(Posted on 6/8/2014)
- Night and day. Review by Brockton
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Rating A lovely, tame, smooth vetiver. Well suited for modern accords. Very different from the bitter oil I've been using. Reminds me of tumeric.(Posted on 6/27/2013)
- Smooth and Clear Review by Ascent
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Rating What a beauty this oil is, a perfumer's dream come true. Now I can't wait to try the patchouli double distilled. Sometimes you don't need the rough edges that force you to keep blending and taming them down. Very nice.(Posted on 3/2/2013)
