GET TO KNOW YOUR OILS
Peru E.O SUPER PREMIUM
Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae
Chemotype: benzyl benzoate dominant distilled Peru balsam type
- PLANT PART
- crude balsam
- EXTRACTION
- dry vacuum distillation
- AROMA NOTE
- base
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
- 90 / 100
- Note layer
- base
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
- 0.4%
- 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 furocoumarin-based phototoxic restriction was identified in the reviewed sources for vacuum-distilled Peru balsam oil; the oil's main constraint is sensitization.
Contraindications & cautions
- majorPeru balsam extracts and distillates are restricted to a maximum of 0.4% in finished cosmetic products because of sensitization risk.
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
Hermitage identifies this material as Peru balsam essential oil produced by dry vacuum distillation of the crude balsam. Public regulatory and analytical sources agree that Peru balsam oil is overwhelmingly benzyl-benzoate rich, with cinnamic acid / benzyl cinnamate support and smaller benzoic acid, nerolidol, benzyl alcohol, and methyl cinnamate fractions.
| Constituent | Typical amount | Reported range | Chemical family | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| benzyl benzoate | 75.75% | 58.2–93.3% | aromatic ester | View sourceEMA assessment report on Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae; Plant Therapy Peru Balsam GC/MS batch PN0100 https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/draft-assessment-report-myroxylon-balsamum-l-harms-var-pereirae-royle-harms-balsamum_en.pdf page 10 lines 447-449: benzyl benzoate 58.2%; https://home-aromatherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Peru-Balsam-PN0100.pdf page 1: benzyl benzoate 93.3% |
| cinnamic acid | 7.3% | 1.1–13.5% | phenylpropanoid acid | View sourceEMA assessment report on Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae; Plant Therapy Peru Balsam GC/MS batch PN0100 https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/draft-assessment-report-myroxylon-balsamum-l-harms-var-pereirae-royle-harms-balsamum_en.pdf page 10 line 448: trans-cinnamic acid 13.5%; https://home-aromatherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Peru-Balsam-PN0100.pdf page 1: (E)-cinnamic acid 1.1% |
| benzyl cinnamate | 7.8% | 3.2–12.4% | aromatic ester | View sourceEMA assessment report on Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae; Plant Therapy Peru Balsam GC/MS batch PN0100 https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/draft-assessment-report-myroxylon-balsamum-l-harms-var-pereirae-royle-harms-balsamum_en.pdf page 10 line 448: trans+cis-benzyl cinnamate 12.4%; https://home-aromatherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Peru-Balsam-PN0100.pdf page 1: benzyl cinnamate 3.2% |
| benzoic acid | 5.05% | 2–8.1% | aromatic acid | View sourceEMA assessment report on Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae; Tinkturenpresse Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae page https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/draft-assessment-report-myroxylon-balsamum-l-harms-var-pereirae-royle-harms-balsamum_en.pdf page 10 line 449: benzoic acid 8.1%; https://tinkturenpresse.de/doku.php?id=myroxylon_balsamum_var._pereirae lines 45-46: benzoic acid 2.0% in Peru balsam oil |
| nerolidol | 3.3% | 2.4–4.2% | sesquiterpene alcohol | View sourceEMA assessment report on Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae; Tinkturenpresse Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae page https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/draft-assessment-report-myroxylon-balsamum-l-harms-var-pereirae-royle-harms-balsamum_en.pdf page 10 line 449: trans-nerolidol 4.2%; https://tinkturenpresse.de/doku.php?id=myroxylon_balsamum_var._pereirae line 45: nerolidol 2.4% |
| benzyl alcohol | 1.4% | 1.2–1.6% | aromatic alcohol | View sourceEMA assessment report on Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae; Tinkturenpresse Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae page https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/draft-assessment-report-myroxylon-balsamum-l-harms-var-pereirae-royle-harms-balsamum_en.pdf page 10 line 449: benzyl alcohol 1.2%; https://tinkturenpresse.de/doku.php?id=myroxylon_balsamum_var._pereirae line 45: benzyl alcohol 1.6% |
| trans-methyl cinnamate | 0.7% | 0.7–0.7% | phenylpropanoid ester | View sourceEMA assessment report on Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/draft-assessment-report-myroxylon-balsamum-l-harms-var-pereirae-royle-harms-balsamum_en.pdf page 10 line 449: trans-methyl cinnamate 0.7% |
Profile source: Hermitage Peru E.O SUPER PREMIUM product page; EMA assessment report on Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae; SCCP Opinion on Peru balsam extracts and distillates · https://hermitageoils.com/product/peru-balsam-essential-oil/ ; https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/draft-assessment-report-myroxylon-balsamum-l-harms-var-pereirae-royle-harms-balsamum_en.pdf ; https://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_sccp/docs/sccp_o_055.pdf
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 perfumery as a warm, sweet, vanilla-balsamic base note and fixative
- reported to support a sense of comfort and warmth in fine fragrance blends
- traditionally associated with historic use in balms and skin-care preparations
- used in flavoring for its sweet, cinnamon-vanilla character in small amounts
- valued in premium distilled form for a cleaner, refined balsamic profile with reduced allergenic residue versus crude balsam
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.
- Odor intensity 90 is an archive normalization of Hermitage's 'very rich' and 'mind blowing' tenacity language plus Arctander's strong fixative description rather than a directly published 0-100 measurement.
- Missing public source type for a publish-grade tenacity value: a directly readable technical sheet with measured blotter persistence for this vacuum-distilled Peru balsam oil.