Hedione

Hedione by Firmenich is a synthetic fragrance compound widely used in perfumery, recently recognised for its pheromone like responses.

Hedione is a widely used fragrance ingredient in the perfume industry. Its popularity stems from its ability to provide a fresh and airy scent.

This compound, also known as methyl dihydrojasmonate, has a soft, fresh, and slightly floral scent reminiscent of jasmine, but with a more delicate and transparent character.

Hedione is often used in perfumes to enhance the longevity and diffusion of the fragrance.

Its versatility allows it to blend well with various other ingredients, making it a staple in many perfume formulations.

With its pleasant scent and performance benefits, Hedione continues to be a sought-after choice for perfumers worldwide.

Hedione enhances and lifts floral notes in a composition, making them feel more natural and radiant.

Characteristics of Hedione:

• Scent Profile: Floral, airy, and slightly citrusy, with a jasmine-like quality.
• Effect: Acts as a modifier and enhancer, adding diffusion and luminosity.
• Volatility: Medium, with a long-lasting and subtle presence.
• Usage in Perfumery: Commonly found in floral, citrus, and fresh compositions, it is known for its ability to add naturalness and radiance to perfumes.

Notable Perfumes with Hedione:

• Eau Sauvage (Dior, 1966) – One of the first perfumes to showcase hedione.
• CK One (Calvin Klein, 1994) – A fresh, unisex fragrance.
• Acqua di Gio (Giorgio Armani, 1996) – A luminous aquatic fragrance.

Hedione along with ISO E Super has to be one of the most widely used aroma chemicals in all of modern day perfumery.

Hedione is also known to subtly stimulate the human pheromone receptors, which may contribute to its appeal in perfumery.

The assumption that hedione is attractive was all but confirmed by a 2015 paper published in the journal NeuroImage by cell physiologists from Bochum and Dresden in Germany.

Chemists found that it activates the putative pheromone receptor VN1R1, located in the olfactory epithelium and one of five still left in humans out of hundreds that occur in other mammals.

It’s the first time that a scent has been known to activate the pheromone receptor in humans.

The scientists then analysed brain activity to find out if the scent could have an impact on the brain, comparing the results with the control scent phenylethyl alcohol, a traditional floral fragrance; it activated brain areas in the limbic system, a part of the brain associated with emotions, memory and motivation, more strongly than the control.

But even more significantly, hedione activated a specific area of the hypothalamus in women, which in turn ignites the endocrine system, promoting a response to sexual cues.

Master perfumer Arcadi Boix Camps wrote of hedione ‘the compound that without a doubt has most influenced modern perfumery and has allowed the great artists to develop their ideas with inspiration… it has become famous because it gives to compositions a delicate, fresh, smooth, radiant, warm, elegant character that blends well with all kinds of perfumes from floral-citrics to woody, chypre and oriental.’ Today, it’s fame is cemented in science as well as art, a true icon of both worlds.

For those not familiar with Hedione, the raw material would appear to have a fairly quiet odour by itself. It is a middle note molecule, almost undetectable from the bottle and best appreciated after appropriate dilution or when incorporated into a blend.

Product specification.

CAS No: 24851-98-7
Odour description (decreasing): Fresh, Clean, Sweet, Floral, Jasmine.  Diffusive & Fixative
Odour Strength: Medium (recommend smelling in a 10% solution or less)
Solvent: None
Usage: Up to 50%
Synonyms: Methyl Dihydrojasmonate, Hedione Firmenich
IFRA:

Not Hazardous According To EC 1272/2008