Perfume Ingredients Guide

Curious about what goes into clean, safe perfume? This guide breaks down the most common fragrance ingredients—from American-grown botanicals like clary sage and Texas cedarwood to modern, skin-safe aroma molecules like Iso E Super and Ambroxan. Learn what each ingredient smells like, where it’s sourced, and how it contributes to your favorite Cypress Cove fragrances.

🌿 INGREDIENT ENTRIES American Clary Sage

American Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)

Type: Natural essential oil
Scent Profile: Soft herbal • lightly floral • musky green

What it brings to a fragrance:
Clary sage adds a calming, slightly sweet herbal note with a soft musky undertone. It helps smooth transitions between notes and gives a fragrance a relaxed, natural feel.

Found in:
Piney Woods • Small Town Girl • Waterfall Trail

Sourced from: USA (North Carolina & Pacific Northwest)
EWG Rating: 1–2 (Low hazard)

Texas Cedarwood (Juniperus ashei)

Type: Natural essential oil
Scent Profile: Dry wood • warm • slightly smoky

What it brings to a fragrance:
Cedarwood adds depth and structure, anchoring lighter notes while creating a warm, grounding base that lingers on the skin.

Found in:
A Fireside Afternoon • Piney Woods • A Day in the Vineyard

Sourced from: Texas Hill Country, USA
EWG Rating: 1 (Low hazard)

Bergamot (Citrus bergamia – FCF)

Type: Natural essential oil (furanocoumarin-free)
Scent Profile: Bright citrus • lightly floral • fresh

What it brings to a fragrance:
Bergamot creates a clean, uplifting opening. It adds brightness without sharpness, making it one of the most loved top notes in perfumery.

Found in:
A Day at the Lake • A Day at the Coast • Waterfall Trail

Sourced from: Italy (Calabria)
EWG Rating: 2 (Low hazard, FCF version used for safety)

Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi)

Type: Natural essential oil
Scent Profile: Crisp citrus • slightly bitter • juicy

What it brings to a fragrance:
Grapefruit adds a sparkling freshness that feels like sunlight. It enhances bright, clean, and aquatic compositions.

Found in:
A Day at the Lake • A Day in the Vineyard

Sourced from: USA (Florida & Texas)
EWG Rating: 2–3 (Used within safe IFRA limits)

Iso E Super

Type: Safe synthetic aroma molecule
Scent Profile: Soft woody • velvety • skin-like

What it brings to a fragrance:
Iso E Super creates a smooth, diffusive woodiness that enhances longevity and gives a subtle “your skin but better” effect.

Found in:
A Fireside Afternoon • Waterfall Trail • Small Town Girl • A Day in the Vineyard

Sourced from: Lab-created
Safety: Widely used and considered safe under IFRA standards

Iso E Super

Type: Safe synthetic aroma molecule
Scent Profile: Soft woody • velvety • skin-like

What it brings to a fragrance:
Iso E Super creates a smooth, diffusive woodiness that enhances longevity and gives a subtle “your skin but better” effect.

Found in:
A Fireside Afternoon • Waterfall Trail • Small Town Girl • A Day in the Vineyard

Sourced from: Lab-created
Safety: Widely used and considered safe under IFRA standards

Ethyl Maltol

Type: Safe synthetic
Scent Profile: Sweet • caramelized sugar • warm

What it brings to a fragrance:
Ethyl maltol adds a soft sweetness that creates a comforting, nostalgic warmth.

Found in:
A Fireside Afternoon

Sourced from: Lab-created
Safety: Considered safe at controlled levels

Cashmeran

Type: Safe synthetic aroma molecule
Scent Profile: Musky • woody • soft spicy

What it brings to a fragrance:
Cashmeran gives a fragrance a cozy, enveloping warmth with a soft, textured feel.

Found in:
A Fireside Afternoon • An Evening at the Resort

Sourced from: Lab-created
Safety: Widely used and considered safe within IFRA guidelines

Palo Santo

Type: Natural essential oil / extract
Scent Profile: Creamy wood • resinous • soft citrus

What it brings to a fragrance:
Palo santo adds a smooth, calming woodiness with a slightly sweet, resinous character.

Found in:
A Fireside Afternoon

Sourced from: South America (ethically harvested)
Safety: Generally regarded as safe when properly diluted

🇺🇸 Texas Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides)

Type: Natural essential oil
Scent Profile: Earthy • smoky • dry grass

What it brings to a fragrance:
Vetiver adds depth and grounding. It creates an earthy backbone that gives a fragrance a calm, rooted feeling.

Found in:
Piney Woods • Waterfall Trail

Sourced from: Texas, USA 🇺🇸
EWG Rating: 1–2 (Low hazard)

🇺🇸 Hill Country Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Type: Natural essential oil
Scent Profile: Soft floral • herbal • clean

What it brings to a fragrance:
Lavender adds a fresh, calming floral note that feels clean and familiar. It softens blends and enhances relaxation.

Found in:
Small Town Girl • Lavender Festival

Sourced from: Blanco, Texas, USA 🇺🇸
EWG Rating: 1–2 (Low hazard)

Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)

Type: Natural essential oil
Scent Profile: Bright • juicy • cheerful

What it brings to a fragrance:
Sweet orange adds warmth and happiness to a blend, creating a sunny, inviting opening.

Found in:
A Morning in the Orange Grove

Sourced from: USA & Brazil
EWG Rating: 1–2 (Low hazard)

Neroli (Citrus aurantium var. amara)

Type: Natural essential oil
Scent Profile: Fresh floral • citrus blossom • airy

What it brings to a fragrance:
Neroli adds elegance and lift, bringing a soft floral brightness that feels refined and timeless.

Found in:
A Morning in the Orange Grove

Sourced from: Tunisia & Morocco
EWG Rating: 1–2 (Low hazard)

Petitgrain (Citrus aurantium leaf oil)

Type: Natural essential oil
Scent Profile: Green • citrus leaf • slightly woody

What it brings to a fragrance:
Petitgrain adds a crisp green freshness that bridges citrus and wood notes beautifully.

Found in:
Waterfall Trail • A Day at the Coast

Sourced from: Paraguay & USA (small-scale)
EWG Rating: 1–2 (Low hazard)

Green Cognac Accord

Type: Fragrance accord (natural + safe synthetics)
Scent Profile: Fruity • fermented • slightly boozy

What it brings to a fragrance:
Adds a rich, wine-like character that evokes vineyard air and crushed grapes.

Found in:
A Day in the Vineyard

Sourced from: Blended accord
Safety: Built with IFRA-compliant materials

Ethylene Brassylate

Type: Safe synthetic musk
Scent Profile: Sweet musk • soft • powdery

What it brings to a fragrance:
Adds a gentle, lingering softness that enhances the overall smoothness of a scent.

Found in:
A Day in the Vineyard

Sourced from: Lab-created
Safety: Widely regarded as safe

Calone

Type: Safe synthetic
Scent Profile: Marine • watery • fresh air

What it brings to a fragrance:
Calone creates that unmistakable “ocean breeze” effect—clean, airy, and refreshing.

Found in:
A Day at the Lake • A Day at the Coast

Sourced from: Lab-created
Safety: Safe when used within IFRA guidelines

Veramoss

Type: Safe synthetic (oakmoss alternative)
Scent Profile: Mossy • green • earthy

What it brings to a fragrance:
Adds a classic forest floor depth without the allergen concerns of traditional oakmoss.

Found in:
Piney Woods • Waterfall Trail

Sourced from: Lab-created
Safety: Designed to meet modern safety standards

Benzoin Resinoid

Type: Natural resin extract
Scent Profile: Warm • vanilla-like • balsamic

What it brings to a fragrance:
Benzoin adds warmth and sweetness, helping create cozy, comforting base notes.

Found in:
A Fireside Afternoon

Sourced from: Southeast Asia
EWG Rating: 1–2 (Low hazard)

Vanillin

Type: Safe synthetic (nature-identical)
Scent Profile: Creamy vanilla • sweet • warm

What it brings to a fragrance:
Vanillin delivers a soft, comforting sweetness that enhances warmth and nostalgia.

Found in:
A Fireside Afternoon

Sourced from: Lab-created
Safety: Widely used and considered safe

Cyclotene

Type: Safe synthetic
Scent Profile: Maple • caramel • toasted sugar

What it brings to a fragrance:
Adds a warm, roasted sweetness that enhances gourmand and cozy scents.

Found in:
A Fireside Afternoon

Sourced from: Lab-created
Safety: Considered safe at fragrance-use levels

Dihydrocoumarin

Type: Safe synthetic
Scent Profile: Sweet hay • tonka-like • warm

What it brings to a fragrance:
Adds a soft, dried hay sweetness that creates a nostalgic, sun-warmed feeling.

Found in:
A Fireside Afternoon

Sourced from: Lab-created
Safety: Widely used and considered safe

Organic Sugar Cane Alcohol

Type: Natural alcohol base
Scent Profile: Neutral • clean

What it brings to a fragrance:
Serves as a clean carrier that allows the fragrance to project smoothly without harshness.

Found in:
All Cypress Cove Eau de Toilette fragrances

Sourced from: Organic sugar cane (USA & Brazil)
Safety: Preferred alternative to denatured alcohols with added solvents