Character
The Story of Javanol
A Givaudan-created synthetic sandalwood molecule that revolutionized perfumery in 1996. Javanol delivers the creamy warmth of natural sandalwood with eight times the olfactory power, creating depth in everything from fine fragrances to functional products.
Heritage
By the 1990s, overharvesting had pushed Indian sandalwood to the brink of extinction, making natural sandalwood oil prohibitively expensive. Givaudan responded in 1996 with Javanol, a laboratory-designed molecule that captured the creamy, woody character perfumers craved. Unlike earlier synthetic sandalwoods, Javanol combined unprecedented olfactory power with remarkable stability. It quickly became the backbone of modern sandalwood fragrances, appearing in Truth for Men by Calvin Klein and Chic for Men by Carolina Herrera. Today, Javanol enables perfumers to achieve sandalwood richness without environmental compromise, proving that sustainability and sensory excellence can coexist.
At a Glance
1
Feature this note
Switzerland
Primary source region
Ingredient Details
Synthetic
N/A (lab-synthesized from alpha-pinene)
Did You Know
"Smelling Javanol in pure form can temporarily desensitize your smell receptors within seconds, rendering perfumers unable to detect it for several hours."