GET TO KNOW YOUR OILS
Perilla Shiso Leaf
Perilla frutescens
Chemotype: perillaldehyde type
- PLANT PART
- leaf
- EXTRACTION
- steam distillation
- AROMA NOTE
- top-mid
LEARN AS YOU COMPARE
What’s inside this oil?
Constituents are the natural chemicals that give an oil its character. See the main ones, learn what they do, and explore differences between batches.
Meet the main constituents, then select one to see what makes it interesting.
FOLLOW YOUR SENSES
Aroma & character
A closer look at this oil's scent, strength, and staying power.
- Aroma intensity
- 70 / 100
- Note layer
- top-mid
If you like this scent, explore
A LITTLE CARE GOES A LONG WAY
Using it thoughtfully
Read the full safety context before bringing this oil into your routine.
- Cited dermal maximum · leave-on
- 0.1382%
- Phototoxicity
- Not flagged in this profile
- Oxidation risk
- medium
A cited maximum is a limit, not a suggested dilution. Missing restrictions do not establish safety.
No phototoxic furocoumarin restriction was identified in the reviewed public sources for steam-distilled shiso leaf oil.
Contraindications & cautions
- moderatePublic secondary safety guidance for perilla states that there is not enough reliable information about safety during pregnancy or breast-feeding, and recommends avoiding use in these populations out of caution.
- minorTisserand and Young's Essential Oil Safety classifies perilla (shiso) leaf oil as a low-risk skin sensitizer; the supplier safety sheet accordingly recommends dilution before skin application and a patch test, especially for sensitive skin, consistent with this record's own low leave-on maximum for the perillaldehyde-rich profile.
Explore measured chemistry from supplier batches
A supplier report describes a particular sample. Open this workspace to investigate measured constituents and their original documents.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCENT
Inside the oil
An oil's character comes from its natural chemical composition. Explore each constituent to understand the connections.
About this composition
This record is anchored to Takasago's published GC-FID table for Hokkaido green perilla essential oil (Aochirimenjiso), which gives directly readable area percentages for the main flavor components of Japanese shiso oil. Safety and leave-on maximum use are anchored to a live Robertet IFRA 51 compliance certificate for SHISO EO.
| Constituent | Typical amount | Reported range | Chemical family | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perillaldehyde | 51.047% | 51.047–51.047% | monoterpene aldehyde | View sourceTakasago International Corporation - Main flavor components of Green Perilla Essential Oil https://www.takasago.com/en/flavors/competence/savory/perilla.html (Table 1, Hokkaido Green Perilla Essential Oil, perillaldehyde 51.047 area% GC-FID) |
| Limonene | 15.704% | 15.704–15.704% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceTakasago International Corporation - Main flavor components of Green Perilla Essential Oil https://www.takasago.com/en/flavors/competence/savory/perilla.html (Table 1, Hokkaido Green Perilla Essential Oil, limonene 15.704 area% GC-FID) |
| (3Z,6E)-alpha-Farnesene | 9.712% | 9.712–9.712% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceTakasago International Corporation - Main flavor components of Green Perilla Essential Oil https://www.takasago.com/en/flavors/competence/savory/perilla.html (Table 1, Hokkaido Green Perilla Essential Oil, (3Z,6E)-alpha-farnesene 9.712 area% GC-FID) |
| beta-Caryophyllene | 8.694% | 8.694–8.694% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceTakasago International Corporation - Main flavor components of Green Perilla Essential Oil https://www.takasago.com/en/flavors/competence/savory/perilla.html (Table 1, Hokkaido Green Perilla Essential Oil, beta-caryophyllene 8.694 area% GC-FID) |
| cis-Shisool | 4.513% | 4.513–4.513% | oxygenated monoterpene | View sourceTakasago International Corporation - Main flavor components of Green Perilla Essential Oil https://www.takasago.com/en/flavors/competence/savory/perilla.html (Table 1, Hokkaido Green Perilla Essential Oil, cis-shisool 4.513 area% GC-FID) |
| Linalool | 1.346% | 1.346–1.346% | monoterpene alcohol | View sourceTakasago International Corporation - Main flavor components of Green Perilla Essential Oil https://www.takasago.com/en/flavors/competence/savory/perilla.html (Table 1, Hokkaido Green Perilla Essential Oil, linalool 1.346 area% GC-FID) |
Profile source: Takasago International Corporation - Main flavor components of Green Perilla Essential Oil; Robertet Raw Material IFRA Certificate (Detailed) SHISO EO; JapanAroma Shiso - Perilla frutescens · https://www.takasago.com/en/flavors/competence/savory/perilla.html ; https://perfumersupplyhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/00322520-SHISO_IFRA-51.pdf ; https://japanaroma.com/materials/shiso/
A TRADITION OF BOTANICAL CURIOSITY
Traditional & reported uses
These uses reflect the profile's reported traditions and literature. They are not established treatment recommendations.
- traditionally used in East Asian herbal and culinary traditions for a fresh, green, slightly citrus-like aroma
- reported to support respiratory comfort in traditional Japanese and Chinese herbal use
- used in flavoring and perfumery for its distinctive green, cinnamon-like shiso note
- traditionally associated with folk wellness rituals involving aromatic culinary herbs
- used in blends intended to evoke a fresh, herbaceous, slightly spicy character
For aromatherapy and wellness use only — not medical advice. Effect statements are traditional/reported associations, not treatment claims. The Synergy Rating scores blend craft, harmony and safety, not medical efficacy. Read the safety framework.
What we're still learning · 2 data gaps
Good decisions start with knowing what is — and isn't — in the evidence.
- CAS for cis-shisool was not confidently verified from a directly readable public primary source in this pass.
- Odor intensity 70 is an archive normalization from supplier language describing shiso as a strong accent material that remains clear without becoming overpowering, rather than a published native 0-100 instrument reading.