What Is Matsunol?
Matsunol is an aroma ingredient developed by the innovation teams at dsm-firmenich and officially introduced to the market in 2022. It was designed to give perfumers a dependable sandalwood building block that is kinder to the planet than traditional natural extracts.
The molecule is produced through a multi-step chemical synthesis that starts with turpentine, itself recovered from paper-industry softwood by-products. Alpha and beta pinene are isolated, then transformed through green-chemistry processes into the final odorant. More than half of its carbon atoms come from renewable resources and the finished material is readily biodegradable, so it slots neatly into modern sustainability targets.
At room temperature Matsunol appears as a clear to slightly yellow liquid of medium viscosity. It pours easily, mixes well with common perfume solvents, and stays stable in both concentrated oils and finished consumer products.
Because it balances performance, versatility and cost effectiveness, Matsunol has become a staple for many fragrance houses. It is available in industrial volumes, making it practical for fine fragrance work as well as soaps, shampoos, detergents and candles. Compared with precious natural sandalwood oil it is considered inexpensive, yet its quality allows it to stand shoulder to shoulder with more premium synthetics.
What Does Matsunol Smell Like?
Perfumers place Matsunol squarely in the woody family. Off a blotter it delivers a full-bodied sandalwood impression that feels smooth, creamy and gently sweet. There is a rounded milky facet that softens the woodiness, plus a faint balsamic warmth that helps it meld with florals, musks or ambers without stealing the spotlight. The note avoids any harsh sawdust or burnt edges, giving compositions a polished, almost velvety depth.
To understand where Matsunol sits in a perfume timeline it helps to recall the idea of top, middle and base notes. Top notes flash off in the first minutes, middle notes unfold over a few hours, and base notes linger the longest. Matsunol is firmly a base note. It rises slowly, anchors the drydown and supports lighter materials above it.
Projection is moderate: the scent radiates a gentle aura rather than a loud cloud, making it ideal for both skin scents and home care tasks where subtlety is key. Longevity is excellent; on a standard smelling strip the sandalwood tone remains detectable for around two days, ensuring finished perfumes keep their woody glow well after application.
How & Where To Use Matsunol
Matsunol is a pleasure to handle. It pours without fuss, blends quickly into alcohol or dipropylene glycol and stays obedient in compounding beakers. No clumping, no stubborn crystals, just a smooth liquid that makes life easy.
Perfumers reach for it when they want a reliable sandalwood backbone. Drop it into a classic sandalwood accord alongside lactones, musks or milky notes to fatten the mid and base. In modern woods-amber styles it bridges cedar, iso e type materials and ambergris replacers, rounding sharp corners and adding a calm creamy glow. Floral bouquets also benefit: a touch of Matsunol under rose, ylang or jasmine gives plush depth without dragging the whole perfume into heavy territory.
Use levels typically sit anywhere from a whisper at 0.1 percent in bright colognes up to 5 percent in richer orientals or woody ambers. At traces it simply softens edges and lengthens the drydown. Around 1-2 percent the sandalwood character becomes clearly audible yet still polite. Push toward the upper end and the note turns fuller, almost buttery, though you may start masking delicate top notes, so balance is key.
Matsunol works brilliantly in fine fragrance, soaps, shampoos, shower gels, fabric softeners and candles. It survives alkaline soap bases, heat during candle pouring and the surfactants in detergents, keeping its character intact. The only setting where it can disappoint is a very bright citrus splash where any creamy wood could feel out of place. In such cases consider a lighter cedar or iso-super type instead.
Prep is minimal. If you need higher accuracy for small-scale trials pre-dilute to 10 percent in ethanol or DPG. Store the stock at room temperature so viscosity stays manageable. A quick swirl before pipetting is enough to ensure homogeneity.
Safety Information
Matsunol is considered low hazard but, like all fragrance materials, it calls for sensible handling.
- Always dilute before smelling: create a 10 percent or lower solution to judge the odor
- Avoid direct sniffing: never smell straight from the bottle, use a blotter instead
- Ventilation: work in a well-ventilated space to prevent buildup of vapors
- Personal protection: wear gloves and safety glasses to keep liquid away from skin and eyes
- Health considerations: some aroma chemicals can irritate skin or trigger allergies, brief low-level exposure is generally safe but prolonged or high-level exposure may be harmful, consult a doctor before use if pregnant or breastfeeding
For complete peace of mind always review the most recent Material Safety Data Sheet supplied by your vendor and follow any updates. Observe the current IFRA guidelines for maximum use levels in each product category to ensure consumer safety.
Storage And Disposal
When kept in ideal conditions Matsunol stays within specification for roughly three years, sometimes longer. Cool temperatures slow down oxidation so a dedicated fragrance fridge is handy, though not required. A shelf in a dry, dark cupboard away from radiators or windows usually keeps the material happy.
Seal matters as much as temperature. Use bottles fitted with polycone caps for concentrates or dilutions because the cone inside forms a tight barrier that dropper tops cannot match. Tight seals limit air exchange, helping the liquid keep its creamy sandalwood profile.
Try to store Matsunol in containers that are as full as practical. Less headspace means less oxygen and fewer chances for off notes to creep in. If you decant for lab work top up the working bottle with inert gas or transfer the remainder into a smaller vial rather than leave it half empty.
Label every container clearly with the name Matsunol, its concentration, date of bottling and any safety icons. A quick glance should tell anyone in the lab what is inside and how to treat it.
Matsunol is readily biodegradable so small leftover test blends can often be flushed with plenty of water if local regulations allow. For larger volumes, absorb on an inert medium like sand or vermiculite and hand over to a licensed chemical waste contractor. Never pour bulk fragrance oil straight into the drain and never burn it in open air.
Summary
Matsunol is a renewable sourced sandalwood note that gives formulas a smooth woody backbone without breaking the bank. It smells creamy, softly sweet and pleasantly warm, sitting in the base to extend wear time across fine fragrance, soaps, shampoos, candles and more.
Because it is liquid, stable and easy to blend it fits into countless accords from classic florals to modern woody ambers. Cost sits below natural sandalwood oil yet performance is high, making it a go to for both creative trials and large scale launches.
Keep an eye on proper storage to preserve its richness and remember that heavy usage can mask delicate top notes, otherwise Matsunol is simply fun to work with and a reliable player in today’s palette.