Pollenal Ii: The Complete Guide To This Aroma Chemical

Curious about this ingredient? In this article we're explaining everything you need to know.
Updated on: August 15, 2025
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We verify all information on this page using publicly available standards from The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) and documentation provided directly by ingredient manufacturers. Our analysis is based on technical data from these sources to ensure accuracy and reliability.

What Is Pollenal Ii?

Pollenal Ii is a modern aroma molecule developed for perfumery in the late 1990s, first appearing in commercial formulas around 1998. It is produced through a multistep laboratory process that starts with basic petrochemical feedstocks, which are refined and combined under controlled conditions to create a highly pure final material. Although its scent profile feels very lifelike, the ingredient itself is fully synthetic, allowing perfumers to capture a nuance of nature without relying on natural harvests.

At room temperature Pollenal Ii presents as a clear mobile liquid, free of visible color or sediment. This clarity helps compounders measure and blend the material accurately, an advantage over some natural extracts that can be cloudy or resinous. The ingredient enjoys steady demand in both fine fragrance and functional products, so most supply houses keep it in stock. Thanks to efficient production methods it sits in the mid-priced bracket rather than the luxury tier, making it accessible for everyday formulations as well as prestige projects.

One reason for its popularity is stability. Pollenal Ii handles heat, light and pH shifts better than many delicate naturals, so it performs reliably in everything from alcohol-based sprays to surfactant-rich shampoos. It also boasts a favorable flash point that simplifies shipping and storage. These practical qualities, combined with its distinctive scent character, explain why perfumers reach for it regularly when they need a bright naturalistic accent.

What Does Pollenal Ii Smell Like?

Perfumers group Pollenal Ii into the green family, a space shared by notes that evoke fresh leaves, stems and sap. Off a blotter the material opens with a vibrant burst that feels like snapping a young branch in spring. Within seconds a soft pollen nuance comes forward, suggesting the powdery yet airy feel of blooming catkins. Underneath sits a subtle fruit trace reminiscent of crisp apple skin and barely ripe pear, adding lift without turning sweet.

In the traditional pyramid of top, middle and base notes Pollenal Ii lives mainly in the top-to-heart transition. It starts bright and quickly establishes itself, then lingers for a respectable stretch before giving way to deeper accords. This makes it ideal for adding an immediate natural freshness that remains noticeable well into the wearing experience.

Projection is moderate to strong depending on dosage, easily diffusing through a room in the first hour of wear. Longevity on skin clocks in at four to six hours, longer in fabric or candle wax. The material retains its clarity over time rather than mutating, so the green impression stays clean until it finally subsides.

How & Where To Use Pollenal Ii

Pollenal Ii is the kind of material that makes a perfumer’s day easier. It pours smoothly, blends without fuss and behaves predictably in most bases so you are unlikely to wrestle with it during compounding.

The ingredient shines as a green top‐to‐heart accent. A few drops add the impression of snapped stems or fresh pollen to a citrus cologne, a lily of the valley accord or even a sporty aquatic. Perfumers reach for it when they need quick lift and a realistic outdoors vibe but want to avoid the bitterness that can come from galbanum or the harsh bite of hexenal. It also plays well with melon, pear and soft musks, rounding out fruity florals and modern clean scents.

Typical usage ranges from trace amounts up to about 5 percent of the concentrate. At 0.1 percent it serves as a barely perceptible “naturalizer” that makes a formula feel less synthetic. Between 1 and 2 percent the green effect becomes obvious while the gentle fruity facet peeks through. Push it close to the 5 percent ceiling and it takes center stage, delivering a bold leafy statement that can overshadow delicate notes, so balance it with florals or soft woods if you go that high.

Pollenal Ii is friendly to both alcoholic fine fragrances and functional products like shampoos, soaps and fabric softeners. It retains its clarity in surfactant systems and survives most candle wax pours without discoloration or scent drift. The only space where it underperforms is heavy oriental bases rich in resins or dark woods where its crisp freshness can feel misplaced.

No elaborate prep is needed. Most labs keep it prediluted at 10 percent in ethanol or dipropylene glycol for ease of weighing and more accurate dosing. If you store the neat material, give the bottle a gentle roll before pipetting as temperature changes can cause slight stratification.

Safely Information

Even user‐friendly materials like Pollenal Ii call for sensible precautions during handling.

  • Always dilute before evaluation: prepare a 10 percent or weaker solution so the raw aroma does not overwhelm your nose
  • Avoid direct smelling from the bottle: wave a scented blotter near your nose instead of placing the opening under it
  • Ensure good ventilation: work under a fume hood or open window to prevent buildup of vapors in your workspace
  • Wear basic personal protective equipment: nitrile gloves and safety glasses protect skin and eyes from accidental splashes
  • Health considerations: some individuals may experience skin irritation or allergic reactions. Consult a doctor before use if pregnant or breastfeeding. Short low‐level exposure is generally safe but prolonged or high doses can be harmful

For complete peace of mind consult the latest safety data sheet issued by your supplier and review it regularly as revisions appear. Follow any IFRA guidelines that apply to your product category to ensure your final formula stays within accepted exposure limits.

Storage And Disposal

When kept in the original sealed container Pollenal Ii stays fit for use for roughly three to five years. Past that point its scent can thin out or pick up off notes so check it before adding to new batches.

Refrigeration is helpful but not required. A shelf in a cool dark cupboard away from radiators and direct sun usually does the job. Steady temperatures slow oxidation and prevent the liquid from yellowing.

Choose bottles with polycone caps for both neat stock and any dilutions. These liners press against the neck and create a tight seal. Avoid glass dropper bottles because the rubber bulb lets air creep in and can sweat plasticizers into the concentrate.

Try to keep bottles as full as practical. Less headspace means less oxygen sitting on top of the liquid which keeps the aroma fresher and reduces the chance of polymer buildup on the inside walls.

Label every container clearly with the name Pollenal Ii, the date you opened it and basic hazard symbols so anyone in the lab can identify it at a glance. Good labeling prevents mix-ups that waste time and material.

For disposal never pour large amounts down the drain. Collect unwanted or oxidized residue in a marked waste jar then send it to a local chemical collection center or licensed disposal service. Small blotters or wipes can go in regular trash once fully dry because the remaining amount is minimal. The molecule is only partially biodegradable so controlled disposal keeps it out of waterways.

Summary

Pollenal Ii is a lab made green aroma chemical with a crisp leafy snap touched by soft pollen and a faint fruity twist. It slips easily into citrus colognes, breezy florals and fresh functional products giving them an instant outdoors lift.

The material is fun to play with because it pours cleanly, blends without surprise reactions and stays bright in everything from alcohol sprays to shampoo. Its moderate price and solid stability have made it a regular on perfumers’ benches worldwide.

Keep an eye on dosage because its vivid greenness can crowd quieter notes, store it carefully to ward off oxidation and you will get years of reliable service from this versatile little powerhouse.

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