Vetiver CO2 extract

Damp earthy root, dry wood, roasted nut. Grassy with a light grapefruit touch. Less smoky than the oil, closer to the fresh root.

Vetiver has no dedicated standard in the 51st Amendment of the IFRA Standards. Acetylated vetiver oil, an acetylated derivative of the oil, is restricted by IFRA (2020); the CO2 extract is not that derivative.

Chrysopogon zizanioides is not named in the EU fragrance allergen list.

CO2 extraction leaves no organic solvent residue. Store dark, sealed and cool; the product is very thick and may need gentle warming before weighing.

Chrysopogon zizanioides is a large clumping grass with deep fibrous roots, native to India. In Vietnam it is called cỏ hương bài or vetiver grass and is planted against erosion. The roots are the aromatic part. They are dug about a year and a half after planting, washed and dried.

Haiti is the largest current source of vetiver oil, followed by Java (Indonesia), India and Réunion. Each region gives its own profile: Haiti clean and fresh, Java smokier and earthier.

Vetiver oil is distilled for a very long time, often many hours up to tens of hours, because its aromatics are heavy. This gives a light smoky tone. CO2 extraction works at lower temperature, keeps an odour closer to the dried root and retains acids such as zizanoic acid, so the product is thicker than the oil.

Vetiver's scent comes from a complex mixture of sesquiterpenes. Khusimol is a common sesquiterpene alcohol. α-Vetivone and β-vetivone are regarded as key odorants. Nootkatone occurs in traces.

In perfumery, vetiver CO2 is an earthy woody base for chypres, woody accords and fougères. It links well with patchouli, sandalwood, oakmoss and citrus. The library already has a vetiver oil page; this page records the CO2 extract.