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Orris oil (orris butter or Beurre d'Iris) is an essential oil derived from irises, particularly ''
Iris germanica Iris most often refers to: *Iris (anatomy), part of the eye *Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess * ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Iris (color), an ambiguous color term Iris or IRIS may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional ent ...
''. It is sometimes used as a flavoring agent and as an ingredient in perfume production. It can also have uses in body
lotions Lotion is a low-viscosity topical preparation intended for application to the skin. By contrast, Cream (pharmaceutical), creams and gels have higher viscosity, typically due to lower water content. Lotions are applied to external skin with bare ...
.


Storage and use

The rhizomes (roots) must be stored in a cool, dry location for three years to develop the scent. The fresh rhizomes are almost odorless. The distilled oil solidifies in the receiver as a wax-like and cream-colored mass known as orris concrete. It is solid because of the high content of
myristic acid Myristic acid (IUPAC name: tetradecanoic acid) is a common saturated fatty acid with the molecular formula CH3(CH2)12COOH. Its salts and esters are commonly referred to as myristates or tetradecanoates. It is named after the binomial name for nut ...
(85%), a white stearin-like substance. Orris concrete melts when it reaches around body temperature. It has a woody, fatty-oily, yet distinctly violet-like odor: sweet floral, warm & tenacious with a fruity undertone. Orris concrete is used in
perfumery Perfume (, ; french: parfum) is a mixture of fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), fixatives and solvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agreeable scent. Th ...
when the presence of
myristic acid Myristic acid (IUPAC name: tetradecanoic acid) is a common saturated fatty acid with the molecular formula CH3(CH2)12COOH. Its salts and esters are commonly referred to as myristates or tetradecanoates. It is named after the binomial name for nut ...
is not prohibitive, e.g.: in soap perfumes where the weak acid only acts as a fixative. The methyl and ethyl
ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an oxoacid (organic or inorganic) in which at least one hydroxyl group () is replaced by an alkoxy group (), as in the substitution reaction of a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. Glycerides a ...
s of myristic acid are often used for blending in violet type perfume bases. The high costs of orris oil production limit its application.


References

Essential oils * {{fashion-stub