Character
The Story of Shisolia®
Aldehydic, green, and herbal—Shisolia® translates the essence of Perilla frutescens into a captive molecular form. This Givaudan captive captures the aromatic soul of East Asian shiso leaves for perfumery.
Heritage
Perilla frutescens has grown across East Asia for millennia, appearing prominently in Korean, Japanese, and Chinese culinary and medicinal traditions. Ancient texts describe the herb as both a flavoring agent and a preservative, with aromatic leaves woven into dietary practices long before perfumery existed as a discipline. Traditional medicine practitioners valued perilla for its purported digestive and anti-inflammatory properties. The plant remained primarily culinary until perfumers began exploring its aromatic potential in the twentieth century. Steam distillation of fresh leaves revealed perillaldehyde as the signature compound, inspiring fragrance chemists to develop synthetic alternatives that capture this character consistently. Givaudan's Shisolia® emerged as part of this effort, bringing East Asian botanical heritage into modern perfumery's molecular vocabulary.
At a Glance
Switzerland (Givaudan development)
Primary source region
Ingredient Details
Synthetic captive
Lab-synthesized molecule (mimics fresh leaves)
Did You Know
"Shisolia® recreates perillaldehyde—the dominant aroma compound in shiso oil—at consistent concentrations of 40-55% for predictable perfumery use."