Propolis resinoid

Warm resin, honey, wax, light cinnamon, faintly medicinal and smoky. Balsamic and moderately sweet, with a poplar-bud note.

Propolis resinoid has no dedicated standard in the IFRA 51 index.

Propolis is a widely recorded skin sensitiser in dermatology; caffeate esters such as 3-methyl-2-butenyl caffeate are the main allergens. People already allergic to propolis or Peru balsam should take note. Store dark, sealed and cool.

Propolis is a mixture of resins that honeybees collect from buds and plant wounds, blended with wax and enzymes, used to seal gaps and coat the hive. In temperate regions the main resin source is poplar buds. In the tropics bees use other plants; Brazilian green propolis comes from Baccharis dracunculifolia.

Because resin sources differ, propolis composition varies by region. Poplar-type propolis is rich in flavonoids such as pinocembrin and chrysin, along with cinnamic acid, caffeic acid and their esters.

The resinoid is made by macerating raw propolis in ethanol, filtering off wax and debris, and concentrating. The product is dark, thick and slow to evaporate.

In perfumery propolis resinoid gives a resinous honey note in amber, tobacco, woody and leather accords. It pairs with beeswax, labdanum, benzoin and poplar bud. Dosage is low because of sensitisation risk.

Propolis is also sold as a food supplement and cosmetic ingredient. Those uses are outside the scope of this page.

Propolis resinoid is usually a red-brown to near-black paste and may haze in ethanol from residual wax. Chilling and filtering clears the solution. Quality varies widely with propolis source, so each lot should be smelled. Poplar-type propolis gives a warm resinous honey note; tropical sources can smell green, herbal or of quite different resins. It is also used in scented candles.