Our Dynamone Extract has an exceptionally smooth, deep amber-balsamic aroma highlighted by mineral and metallic notes and a resinous, animalic and leathery backnote. This is an exciting offering for natural perfumers created through a proprietary solvent extraction process at our production facility in southern France. The resulting specialty extract brings through the most sensual and refined elements of the Cistus plant and its aromatic resin, Labdanum, with incredible smoothness and a silky, shimmering quality. Formulators will enjoy the ease of use of this mobile liquid to help create leather bases and amber compositions and to add metallic notes to their creations.

Various extracts of Cistus ladaniferus, a beautiful flowering shrub native to the Mediterranean region, have been used extensively in perfumery since antiquity for their excellent fixative value and to impart a rich, suave sweetness, amber-like quality, and natural animalic undertone. The legendary perfume ingredient Labdanum Absolute is obtained by solvent extraction of the oleoresin – the gum exudation of the resinous leaves and twigs. Perfumer Alec Lawless opined that "If you pick only one balsamic fixative, this has got to be it."[1] It appears "among the main constituents of 33% of all modern quality perfumes and 20% of all quality fragrances for men"[2] and is an essential component in chypre blends.[3]

Labdanum oleoresin is a world away from steam distilled Cistus essential oil. Cistus, also known as Rock Rose, is a true essential oil distilled directly from the leaves rather than from the crude Labdanum gum. This powerful fixative has a deep, warm, sweet balsamic, almost boozy/diffusive aroma with leather and animalic/musky nuances reminiscent of true Labdanum; as with Labdanum, Cistus is also considered a substitute for Ambergris (from sperm whales) and, in combination with Ambrette, a substitute for true Musk (from musk deer).[4]

To produce Dynamone Extract, the fresh and highly resinous Cistus stems and leaves are solvent extracted to create a thick Cistus concrète. The concrète undergoes a further fractioning extraction to produce Dynamone Extract. All Cistus extractions – the essential oil, Labdanum Absolute, and Dynamone Extract – result in intense, powerful aromas that are typically used in very low percentages. Dynamone has the added benefit of an ultra refined, smooth aroma along with the ease of blending of a soluble and mobile liquid.