Rich, sweet, and softly resinous, benzoin has been treasured for centuries as one of perfumery’s most comforting ingredients. At ESAS, we love it for its ambery warmth, vanilla-like nuance, and ability to deepen a fragrance with quiet sophistication.
What Is Benzoin?
Benzoin comes from Styrax benzoin, a resinous tree native to Southeast Asia. Our extract is sourced from Sumatra using traditional, skilled methods. Farmers carefully incise the bark, allowing the tree to “weep” fragrant resin, which hardens into amber-colored “tears.” With small yields and labor-intensive harvesting, natural benzoin remains rare and precious.
Aroma Profile & Use
Benzoin is adored for its luxurious scent profile: rich, intensely sweet, warm, powdery, balsamic, and vanilla-like, with a subtle spicy or cinnamon-like undertone. It’s often described as “sweet but not sugary” and “rich but not heavy” - a balance that perfumers prize.
Belonging to the ambery and balsamic aroma families, benzoin adds depth, warmth, and longevity to fragrance compositions.
Appearance & Characteristics
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Extraction: Solvent
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Plant Part: Resin
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Note: Base
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Color: Brown-red to orange, transparent
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Aroma Family: Ambery, balsamic
Benzoin at ESAS
We use benzoin for its comforting depth, subtle sweetness, and ability to turn a beautiful scent into something unforgettable.