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The origin of the styrax
The styrax is a tree growing mainly in warm regions of the globe and belonging to the Styracaceae family. Although it has an elegant head carriage, the styrax remains very little known in France. It includes various species, some of which are more used in pharmacies while others are very popular in perfumery. Nevertheless, in general, the styrax remains, although it is very elegant, a relatively little known tree in France. The tree from which styrax comes is also called aliboufier. The two most famous types of styrax in perfumery are those from Asia Minor (mainly Turkey) and South America (particularly Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico). These two products are not obtained in the same way. The styrax ofAsia Minor is extracted by a pathological secretion of sapwood produced as a result of hammering the bark of the liquidambar orientalis tree from which it emanates. The American styrax, on the other hand, arises from an exudation of the liquidambar stiracflua tree. Although somewhat different, these products have many similarities. They reveal to us a resin of a beautiful yellow color and can just as much be used in perfumery as burn as incense. Overall, the styrax has pretty green foliage and takes on magnificent red and orange hues in autumn. Its flowering, as for it, arrives at the end of spring.an exudation of the stiracflua liquidambar tree. Although somewhat different, these products have many similarities. They reveal to us a resin of a beautiful yellow color and can just as much be used in perfumery as burn as incense. Overall, the styrax has pretty green foliage and takes on magnificent red and orange hues in autumn. Its flowering, as for it, arrives at the end of spring.an exudation of the stiracflua liquidambar tree. Although somewhat different, these products have many similarities. They reveal to us a resin of a beautiful yellow color and can just as much be used in perfumery as burn as incense. Overall, the styrax has pretty green foliage and takes on magnificent red and orange hues in autumn. Its flowering, as for it, arrives at the end of spring.Its flowering, as for it, arrives at the end of spring.Its flowering, as for it, arrives at the end of spring.
Styrax in the form of perfume
Once the styrax resins are obtained, the latter are purified with volatile solvents or by vacuum distillation. Most of the time, styrax resin is mostly used as a fixative. It is mainly introduced in feminine perfumes and was particularly used in the 1920s, integrating perfumes such as Shalimar by Guerlain or, later, Opium by Yves Saint-Laurent. Its scent is leathery, warm, animal and spicy at the same time. Styrax only increases the sensuality of perfumes that contain it while considerably strengthening their tenacity. It is most often associated with chypre and oriental scents.
What's more, styrax also has other medicinal properties. In China, it is used for coughs, epilepsy, and skin problems. In the American West, on the other hand, it is known as a remedy for diarrhea and dysentery.
