Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol (PEA)

Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol (PEA) is a highly valuable synthetic compound widely used in perfumery.

It was initially discovered in roses and is found naturally in the scent of various flowers and organisms, such as Vitis rotundifolia and Lonicera japonica.

Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol (PEA) is classified as a primary alcohol and belongs to the benzenes group, with a phenyl group substitution at position 2 of ethanol.

It serves multiple roles, including being a fragrance, a metabolite in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus, and a plant growth retardant.

Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol has diverse applications as an antimicrobial, antiseptic, and disinfectant, and is utilised as an aromatic essence and preservative in the fields of pharmaceutics and perfumery.

It’s excellent stability and low cost are factors strongly in favour of this popular material. However, when paired up with 5% Rose Crystals, Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol will smell not only much more rosy, but it will last much longer, become softer and more rounded.

Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol (PEA) is almost never ‘out of place’ in any composition, be it floral, balsamic, oriental, mossy, herbaceous or modem aldehydic.

Unlike many other perfume ingredients, PEA has a slight solubility in water, especially when heated. This poses a challenge during the distillation process of natural rose otto, as a significant portion of PEA is lost in the water rather than being captured in the oil. To overcome this, perfumers often incorporate additional PEA into rose otto, usually four times the amount of otto used.

PEA offers a gentle, refreshing floral-rose aroma that can effortlessly complement and enhance the fragrance of other flowers when combined with different materials.

Alternatively, we provide PEA in a pre-formulated solution of 5% Rose Crystals which can be found here, a convenient option for those who prefer a simplified purchasing process. According to Arctander, acquiring PEA in this form offers unique advantages, quoted as follows:

“This material enters perfume compositions at the rate of 5-10-20% or sometimes much more. Its low cost, versatility and general acceptability on odor, its excellent stability are factors speaking strongly in favor of this otherwise relatively weak odorant. However, its odor is clearly demonstrated in an experiment with an apparently weak crystalline fixative/odorant, such as Trichloro methyl phenyl carbinyl acetate (Rose Crystals) Trirosol, Rosetone, etc.)). With 5% of the crystalline material, Phenylethylalcohol will smell not only much more rosy, it will last much longer, and its “rough” topnotes are pleasantly subdued, it has “three dimensions” instead of two.

But it is in the “everyday” perfumery that the subject alcohol is most appreciated. It is almost never “out of place” in a composition, be it floral, balsamic, Oriental, mossy, herbaceous or “modern-aldehydic”. It is an inevitable companion to the “rose alcohols”, Citronellol, Geraniol, Nerol, Dimethyloctanol, etc. and it may receive fixation from Guaiacwood oil, Nitromusks, Coumarin and Heliotropine, Rosetone, Resinoids, etc. It blends excellently with the Linalool family, and with all the newer “Lily”-alcohols, “Muguet”-alcohols, etc. as well as in Lime and Spice blends.

The title alcohol finds some use in flavor compositions, mainly in imitation Butter, Strawberry, Raspberry (very common ingredient), Caramel, Honey, Melon, and in various fruit complexes, etc.”