Patchouli Essential Oil

Patchouli essential oil (AKA Pogostemon cablin leaf oil) is a volatile ingredient derived from the leaves of the Pogostemon cablin mint plant. It’s often used as a base (as in bottom note) perfuming agent in several industries, including skin care, as it imparts a unique woody, musky and earthy scent.

The compounds that help produce patchouli’s unique scent include patchoulol, alpha-patchoulene, limonene and small amounts of eugenol. Eugenol and limonene are both known skin-sensitizers that can cause reactions, including redness, itching and dryness. When these two chemicals are formulated in cosmetics sold in the EU, they must be called out individually on the product’s label and cannot be simply referred to or grouped in as “fragrance.”

Like many other plant-derived essential oils, patchouli essential oil also contains antioxidants that can have a positive impact on skin. However, there are other natural, antioxidant-rich skin care ingredients that can benefit skin without the risk of irritation.

As a raw material, patchouli essential oil is a brown-to-dark-brown liquid.