In This Article
Labdanum, medicinal properties
You should know that labdanum has astringent and antiseptic properties. In case of bronchitis or rhinitis, it relieves the respiratory system. In case of skin disease, rosacea, wounds, acne, it brings great relief and helps healing. It is also used to regulate the nervous system. Labdanum delivers a warm and intense scent. It can also give off an amber, caramel or balsamic aroma. It is widely used in essential oil and aromatherapy. In perfumery, labdanum is often used as a base note where it brings an animal note. Cistus labdanum is found in several olfactory families, namely chypres, oriental, aromatic and hesperidia. The exceptional notes offered by labdanum evoke the Orient, the fumes of hookah,incense and also all oriental reveries.
The delicious blends of labdanum
Labdanum is very popular with the creators of perfumes, who use and abuse this particular resin. We find cistus labdanum in oriental masculine perfumes. There it is mixed with warm, rich notes like vanilla or opulent woody notes like patchouli or sandalwood. We think here of the Van Cleef & Arpels 'Bois d'iris' perfume, where we find vetiver and iris in heart notes, as well as labdanum and ambergris in base notes. The mixture of these fragrances gives a sweet, woody and amber scent. Cistus labdanum is also found in oriental perfumes for women. Here, it is associated with vanilla and floral scents, which brings warm and sensual notes to the perfume. Also present in chypre feminine fragrances,the labdanum cistus is then mixed with fragrances of patchouli and bergamot. We think then of the perfume Miss Dior by Christian Dior, where chypre fragrances cleverly blend with jasmine or rose from Grasse. This results in an extremely feminine, daring and elegant scent.
In addition to its many medicinal properties, cistus labdanum has inscribed its name in very great perfumes. The creators like to use it because, mixed with other olfactory families, it gives a different scent, but always exceptional. Labdanum is mainly present in oriental and chypre perfumes, for both men and women. With its particular history, cistus labdanum has brought a unique touch to the world of perfumes.