What Is Elintaal?
Elintaal is a man-made aroma molecule created by Givaudan, one of the largest fragrance houses in the world. It sits in the floral family and was designed to give a fresh realistic muguet or lily of the valley nuance to perfumes and fragranced goods.
While Givaudan owns the trade name other suppliers sometimes offer the same molecule under a generic name thanks to the open CAS number. When sourced from a reputable distributor the chemical profile and odour are identical and can be used interchangeably in a formula.
The material is produced through straightforward chemical steps that link together carbon based building blocks followed by purification with everyday solvents. This streamlined route keeps the environmental footprint modest compared with more complex aroma chemicals.
At room temperature Elintaal is a clear mobile liquid with no visible colour. It pours easily and blends with both oils and most alcohol systems which makes weighing and mixing trouble-free for small labs and large factories alike.
Perfumers reach for Elintaal quite often because it offers strong lift at lower use levels than older muguet materials. From fine fragrance to soaps shampoos and candles it delivers a clean floral accent that survives many processing conditions.
When stored in a tightly closed amber glass or lined metal drum away from heat and light it keeps its quality for around two to three years. After that the scent slowly dulls but the material does not turn rancid overnight.
In terms of cost it sits in the middle ground. It is not as cheap as classic aroma chemicals like linalool yet far more affordable than niche natural extracts. This balance has helped it spread quickly through both mass market and prestige products.
Elintaal’s Scent Description
Elintaal belongs to the floral family, more precisely the muguet style that recalls freshly opened lily of the valley in a spring garden.
On a blotter the first impression is bright and watery green, similar to crushed leafy stems and morning dew. Within seconds a soft white floral heart unfolds, smooth and slightly soapy, avoiding the sharp metallic edge some muguet materials carry. A faint herbal shade lingers underneath and keeps the bouquet from feeling overly sweet.
Perfumers break a fragrance into top middle and base notes. The top is what you smell in the opening minutes, the middle forms the character for the next few hours and the base is what clings to skin at the very end. Elintaal sits firmly in the middle note zone. It rises quickly after application but then stays present long enough to bridge the sparkling top notes and the warmer drydown.
Projection is moderate: it creates a pleasant aura without shouting across a room. On paper it lasts several hours before fading to a gentle green whisper. In a full formula it boosts diffusion early on yet does not weigh down the overall build making it easy to balance with citrus, fruity or woody partners.
How & Where To Use Elintaal
Perfumers usually reach for Elintaal when they need a clean muguet effect that feels brighter than hydroxycitronellal yet less soapy than Lilial replacements. It slips easily into modern floral bouquets, green tea accords or watery spring themes where its leafy petal tone lifts the heart without adding weight. Because the molecule stays transparent it can also freshen fruity florals, giving crispness around apple, pear or melon notes.
The recommended usage range from the supplier sits at 1 % to 4 % of the total concentrate. Traces of 0.1 % already give a subtle dewiness while pushing it past 2 % turns the material into a starring lily-of-the-valley statement. Above 4 % Elintaal can flatten a composition, adding an oily herbal echo that reads muddy rather than fresh, so moderation is key.
Functional products welcome the ingredient because it survives alkaline and acidic environments. It blooms well in soap noodles, holds up in bleach cleaners and keeps its brightness in high-pH powder detergent. In shampoo it couples nicely with citral or hedione, extending the shower-fresh aura after towel-dry. One weaker area is fine fragrance drydown; after six hours the note thins out leaving little trace on skin, so pairing it with longer-lasting muguet boosters like cyclosal or Helional helps maintain continuity.
At the bench most perfumers prepare a 10 % dilution in ethanol or dipropylene glycol. The material mixes quickly but a gentle warm-water bath shortens the dissolve time if working in a cool lab. Elintaal behaves well with commonly used solvents and fixatives, though it can plasticise some pipette bulbs over months, so glass droppers are preferred for long-term storage.
Safely Using Elintaal
Good studio habits matter. Always dilute Elintaal before evaluation to avoid nose fatigue and possible mucous membrane irritation. Never sniff straight from the bottle; instead fan a scent strip in open air and take short whiffs. Work near an extraction hood or open window so vapour does not build up. Gloves and safety glasses prevent accidental skin or eye contact.
Elintaal is readily biodegradable yet it is classified as harmful to aquatic life at high concentrations. Direct skin exposure can trigger irritation in sensitive individuals so wear nitrile gloves during weighing and cleanup. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding consult a medical professional before extensive work with any aroma chemical.
Brief handling of low-strength dilutions is generally regarded as safe but extended or high concentration exposure can cause headaches, dizziness or dermatitis. Keep containers tightly sealed, label all dilutions and clean spills promptly with absorbent material followed by soap and water.
Always consult the latest Safety Data Sheet from your supplier because classifications and recommended limits can change. In fragrance formulations adhere to current IFRA standards for maximum use levels to protect both workers and end users.
How To Store & Dispose of Elintaal
Keep Elintaal in a tightly sealed glass bottle stored in a cool dark cupboard away from direct sunlight or heat. A fridge set between 5 °C and 10 °C offers extra protection if you have the space but is not essential for short term use. Whatever the temperature, aim to keep the bottle as full as possible so the air gap is small and oxidation stays slow.
Choose screw caps lined with a polycone insert because they form a better seal than rubber bulbs or dropper tops. For working dilutions use small amber bottles with the same cap style and label each one clearly with the chemical name, strength, date and hazard symbols. Avoid plastic squeeze bottles since Elintaal can soften some polymers over time.
Store dilutions upright in a secondary tray to catch any leaks and separate them from acids, strong bases or fragranced materials that could cross-contaminate. Keep measuring pipettes and blotter strips in a different drawer so no stray drops land on them by mistake.
When you need to dispose of old stock first check local regulations. The molecule is readily biodegradable yet classified as harmful to aquatic life at high levels, so never pour concentrated liquid straight into a drain. Small lab remnants can be mixed with plenty of warm soapy water then flushed while the tap runs. Larger volumes should be absorbed onto kitty litter or another inert carrier and sent to a licensed chemical waste handler. Rinse empty bottles three times with alcohol or detergent solution before recycling the glass.
Summary
Elintaal is a Givaudan floral ingredient that delivers a fresh green lily-of-the-valley note with a gentle herbal twist. It sits in the heart of a fragrance, brightens bouquets and performs well in soaps, shampoos, detergents and fine perfume blends at about 1 % to 4 % of the concentrate.
Perfumers like it for its balance of brightness, cost and stability across a wide pH range though its moderate longevity means it often needs support from longer-lasting muguet boosters. The material remains mid priced and widely available so it rarely causes supply headaches.
Commercial houses can order drums or pails directly from Givaudan or authorised distributors. Hobbyists and small labs will find smaller packs through specialty fragrance suppliers and generic aroma chemical resellers. Handle it with the usual lab care, store it cool and sealed and Elintaal will reward you with a crisp spring-white sparkle whenever you need a clean floral lift.