ORRIS ABSOLUTE OIL

Orris plants [Family: Iridaceae] are native to Southern Europe, and became naturalized in Iran and northern India. In the Fragrance and Flavor industry, the Orris extracts are processed from the roots, also called rhizomes, of the three European Iris species: Iris germanica, Iris florentina, and Iris pallida, collectively known as Orris Roots. Rhizomes maturation drive the development of Irones, which characterize the powdery notes of Orris. The higher the content of irones is, the more powerful will be the powdery notes.

When fresh, the root of the plant (called 'Orris') has an earthy smell, but after two years of drying, the smell of violet appears and the longer we wait, the stronger it will become. Distillation of the roots yields an essential oil that becomes solid at room temperature. This is called Orris Butter or Orris Concrete. The Orris Absolute is obtained by an additional purifying process to get a pure concentrated Irone.

REPORTED BENEFITS AND USES

Powdery, floral, green-woody and reminiscent of violet flower, Orris Absolute can be used in perfumery to build violet notes in perfumes as well as in flavours, especially in red fruit notes such as raspberry. Orris is also anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiseptic; useful for treating, relieving, and healing wounds and irritated skin conditions. It is highly recommended for use in many cosmetic and skin care products like body lotions, creams, shampoos and conditioners.

MYTHOLOGY

The root of the word Iris is derived from a Greek word which means rainbow and messenger. The Greek goddess Iris is said to have appeared in the form of a rainbow delivering divine messages from the gods to the mortals. The French people prefer to call it fleur-de-lys, which long ago became stylised and adopted as an emblem of the French monarchy.