Oil of guaiac is a fragrance used in soap. It comes from the palo santo tree (Bulnesia sarmientoi).

Oil of guaiac is produced through steam distillation of a mixture of wood and sawdust from palo santo. It is sometimes incorrectly called guaiac wood concrete. It is a yellow to greenish yellow semi-solid mass which melts around 40-50º C. Once melted, it can be cooled back to room temperature yet remain liquid for a long time. Oil of guaiac has a soft roselike odour, similar to the odour of tea-roses or violets. Because of this similarity, it has sometimes been used as an adulterant for rose oil.

Oil of guaiac is primarily composed of 42-72% guaiol, bulnesol, d-bulnesene, b-bulnesene, a-guaiene, guaioxide and b-patchoulene. It is considered non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non phototoxic to human skin.

Oil of guaiac was also a pre-Renaissance remedy to syphilis.

See also

• guaiacum

References

• D.L.J. Opdyke, 1974, Food Cosmet. Toxicol., 12 (Suppl.), 905

Botany