Amyris Bark Oil

Produced by steam distillation from Amyris balsamifera bark.  Often sold as West Indian Sandalwood, which implies some interchangeability with products of Santalum species which is somewhat spurious.  It is however very useful to give a natural, complexing effect in combination with the various sandalwood synthetics as well as being a very beautiful and interesting oil in its own right.  The material has excellent fixative properties.

At Pell Wall we’ve chosen to stock the bark oil; rather than the more commonly listed wood oil, or, even more commonly, an unspecified oil of doubtful provenance; because our evaluations led us to conclude the bark oil was more sandalwood-like in character and altogether a superior product.

Arctander tells us that “Amyris oil finds extensive application as a mild blender in numerous types of perfume, particularly in soap perfumes. It blends well with ionones, methylionones, lavandin oil, coumarin, oakmoss products, terpeneol, citronella oils, sassafras or ocotea oils, amylsalicylate etc.” 

Amyris Oil has a closed cup flashpoint of 93 Centigrade, meaning it isn’t classified as flammable within the meaning of transport regulations. It is also not hazardous according to EC 1272/2008.

The boiling point is 291 centigrade, specific gravity is between 0.95 and 0.98, and it contains none of the 26 allergens required to be declared on cosmetics labels by EU regulations.