What Is Dimethyl Myrcetone?
Dimethyl Myrcetone is a synthetic aroma chemical created to give perfumers a clean yet characterful woody note. Symrise introduced it to the market, though other suppliers now offer comparable versions under generic names. The material sits within the ketone chemical class and is partly made from upcycled feedstocks, making more than half of its carbon content renewable.
The liquid appears clear to very light yellow at room temperature and stays fluid even in a cool studio. Production involves several controlled reaction steps that start with terpene‐derived molecules, followed by selective oxidation to reach the final ketone stage. The process gives a product of at least 90 percent purity, which is high enough for use in fine fragrance without extra purification.
Perfumers reach for Dimethyl Myrcetone in both prestige and everyday formulas, so it is considered a workhorse rather than a rare specialty. When stored in a well-sealed container away from strong light and heat, it retains its quality for roughly two to three years before the scent profile starts to dull. Pricing generally falls in the mid range which lets brands use it generously when they need a clear cedar lift.
Dimethyl Myrcetone’s Scent Description
This material slots into the woody family. Off a blotter it opens with a brisk impression of freshly cut cedar planks wrapped in a faint smoky phenolic veil. Within a few minutes a subtle pencil-shaving dryness comes forward, joined by a quiet herbal sparkle that hints at its link to myrcene. As the hours pass the smoke eases off, leaving a smooth dry wood tone that feels clean and slightly mineral.
In perfumery we talk about top, middle and base notes to describe how ingredients appear over time. Given its high boiling point Dimethyl Myrcetone behaves as a low-volatility middle-to-base note. It is noticeable after the brighter top notes fade and then anchors the heart of the scent for many hours.
Projection is moderate; it radiates a comfortable aura without overwhelming nearby noses. Longevity is impressive, with the woody signature still present on a blotter after a full day and often lingering into the next. This staying power makes it a reliable choice when a formula needs its woody core to last through wear or wash cycles.
How & Where To Use Dimethyl Myrcetone
Perfumers turn to Dimethyl Myrcetone when a clean cedar backbone is needed without adding weight or sweetness. In a classic woody accord it sits alongside iso-E-like materials for volume and smaller touches of guaiac or cashmeran for nuance, giving a fresh yet sturdy core. It also supports green notes, tobacco effects and dry ambers, acting as a bridge between resinous bases and airy top notes.
You will likely choose it over straight cedarwood oil when you need consistency batch to batch, less colour, or a lower allergen load. Compared with cedramber or cedryl acetate, Dimethyl Myrcetone is drier, less creamy and less tenacious, so it avoids the “sandal twist” those molecules bring and keeps the profile firmly cedar-focused.
At trace levels (0.01-0.1%) it brightens herbal, citrus and tea accords with a quiet pencil-shaving accent. Between 0.2-2% it becomes a clear middle-note pillar that anchors masculine fougères, woody musks and modern florals. Home and personal-care formulas can push usage much higher; Symrise lists up to 40% in functional bases where the molecule survives harsh processing and boosts odour after rinse-off.
Concentration changes its character. Low doses feel airy and slightly green, medium doses read as polished cedar, while high levels can turn sharply phenolic and medicinal. Overuse may flatten the top notes and introduce an unwanted smoky edge that consumers sometimes read as “cleaner fluid.” Always run a quick smelling strip test at the intended level before committing.
The material dissolves readily in ethanol, dipropylene glycol or most fragrance oils, so no heating is needed. Prepare a 10% weight-by-weight dilution for day-to-day work; this offers easy pipetting accuracy and safer evaluation. Because the molecule is non-polar and has a high log P, it may partition into plasticware, so store reference solutions in glass where possible.
Safely Information
Working with Dimethyl Myrcetone calls for the usual care applied to all concentrated aroma chemicals.
Dilute before evaluation: prepare a 10% or weaker solution prior to smelling to reduce vapor shock and accidental skin contact.
Avoid direct sniffing: never place the bottle under your nose; evaluate on a smelling strip held at a short distance.
Ventilation: blend and test in a well-ventilated space or under a fume hood to minimise inhalation of concentrated vapours.
Personal protective gear: wear disposable nitrile gloves and safety glasses to keep the liquid away from skin and eyes.
Health considerations: prolonged or high-level exposure can irritate skin or trigger sensitisation, and anyone pregnant or breastfeeding should consult a healthcare professional before handling.
Always review the most recent Safety Data Sheet supplied by your vendor and keep an eye on updates, then cross-check your formula against the current IFRA limits for woody ketones and finished product categories. Staying informed and disciplined keeps both the creative process and the end user safe.
How To Store & Dispose of Dimethyl Myrcetone
Dimethyl Myrcetone keeps its clean cedar profile best when it sits in a cool dark spot away from direct sunlight and hot radiators. A fridge dedicated to fragrance ingredients can stretch shelf life by slowing oxidation, though room temperature storage is acceptable as long as the space stays below 25 °C and humidity is low.
Use bottles with tight polycone caps for both neat material and dilutions. These caps grip the neck of the bottle and block air entry far better than glass droppers, which often leak or let oxygen creep in between uses. If you must decant for daily work choose small glass vials, fill them nearly to the top to cut down on headspace then seal them firmly.
Keep containers upright in a sturdy tray so accidental knocks do not lead to spills. Label every bottle with the full ingredient name, the dilution strength, the date it was made and the main hazard symbols from the Safety Data Sheet. Clear labels prevent mix-ups and save time when you reach for the material months later.
When the liquid nears its use-by date or you decide to discard a batch treat it as hazardous organic waste. Do not pour it down the sink since its high log P value shows a strong tendency to stick to fats and bio-accumulate. Small hobby amounts can be absorbed into cat litter or sand, packed in a sealed bag and taken to your local household chemical drop-off. Studios that handle larger volumes should collect spent material in a dedicated waste drum and hand it to a licensed disposal firm for solvent incineration.
Summary
Dimethyl Myrcetone is a woody ketone from Symrise that delivers a crisp cedar smell with a faint smoky edge. It behaves as a long-lasting middle-to-base note, giving formulas a clean dry wood core that stands up in fine fragrance, soaps, detergents and candles alike.
Perfumers value it for its reliability, mid-range cost and ability to bridge airy top notes with deeper resins without tipping the blend toward sweetness. Stability is solid for two to three years, especially when stored cool and tightly sealed, though heavy air exposure can nudge it toward a harsher phenolic tone.
You can order commercial quantities straight from Symrise or through global distributors that stock their full aroma chemical line. Smaller packs for hobby or test work are often available from specialist resellers and from suppliers who offer generic equivalents under the CAS number. However you source it, keep an eye on purity specs and always run a strip test at your planned dose before scaling up.