L-Carvone

L-Carvone is a highly recognisable aroma chemical with a fresh, sweet-green spearmint character.

Cool and aromatic without the severe sharpness of some mint materials, it brings definition, clarity and an immediately uplifting quality to perfume and flavour-inspired fragrance concepts.

Its rounded mint profile can be used as a dominant signature or as a carefully controlled accent to brighten citrus, herbal, green and aromatic compositions.

Odour profile

L-Carvone is distinctly spearmint-like, combining cool herbal freshness with a softly sweet green undertone.

The effect is crisp and recognisable while remaining smoother and more rounded than an aggressively mentholated note.

This balance allows it to create freshness without necessarily making the complete composition feel medicinal or excessively cold.

Using L-Carvone in perfumery

L-Carvone is an essential building material for spearmint accords and can also enhance herbal, aromatic, citrus and green fragrances.

It provides immediate lift and can bring clarity to formulas containing dense woods, musks or sweet materials.

Within fresh compositions, it pairs naturally with lime, lemon and other citrus notes.

It can also introduce contrast to fruit accords, chocolate-inspired gourmands, tea concepts and contemporary botanical fragrances.

Used at restrained levels, its mint character can contribute a subtle cooling effect and sharpen the definition of surrounding green or aromatic materials.

Creative pairings

Consider L-Carvone alongside spearmint and peppermint materials, lime, lemon, bergamot, basil, lavender, green leaves, tea effects, chocolate accords, cedarwood and clean musks.

Its distinctive freshness makes it especially useful where a composition requires a precise, polished mint signature.

Product specification.

CAS No: 6485-40-1
Odour Description (decreasing): Spearmint, Minty, Fresh, Herbal, Cooling, Sweet, Green
Odour Strength: Very strong
Usage: A defining spearmint material for mint, oral-care, herbal, aromatic, fougère, tea, citrus and cooling fresh compositions. At low levels it can introduce crisp green lift; at higher controlled levels it creates an unmistakable sweet spearmint identity.
Typical Use Percentage: 0.01–0.5% of the fragrance concentrate, subject to the applicable finished-product IFRA limit
Substantivity: 24 Hour(s) at 100%
Solvent: None
Flash Point: 92 °C
Physical Form: Liquid
Synonyms: (R)-(-)-Carvone; (-)-Carvone; Levo-Carvone; (R)-Carvone; L’Carvone; (5R)-2-Methyl-5-(prop-1-en-2-yl)cyclohex-2-en-1-one
Name: l-1-methyl–4-isopropenyl-6-cyclohexen-2-one
Molecular Formula: C₁₀H₁₄O
IFRA: Refer to latest IFRA guidelines and product-specific IFRA certificate for safe use levels.

Signal word: Warning

Hazard statements:

• H317 May cause an allergic skin reaction.

Precautionary statements:

• P261 Avoid breathing vapour or dust.
• P272 Contaminated work clothing should not be allowed out of the workplace.
• P280 Wear protective gloves/eye protection/face protection.
• P302+P352 IF ON SKIN: Wash with plenty of soap and water.
• P333+P313 If skin irritation or rash occurs: Get medical advice/attention.
• P363 Wash contaminated clothing before reuse.
• P501 Dispose of contents/container to: approved disposal site.

Important: For professional formulation use. Review the Safety Data Sheet before handling, storage or use.