Harvesting the Right Fragrance: Lavender Oil
October 16, 2020
With the harvesting season in full swing, we take a look at one of the most commonly used fragrance ingredients — Lavender Oil. Harvesting season for this crop takes place late summer through early fall. Reaping is conducted in the morning, as this allows the essential oil to be more fragrant. The essential oil is obtained from the flower spikes of the plant through steam distillation, and is available in the following two forms.
Lavender Flower Oil
Color: Pale yellow
Primary Notes: Hints of amber with a fresh, sweet, floral odor and woody undertone
Pairings: This oil pairs nicely with floral and citrus oils
Cedarwood
Clove
Clary Sage
Pine
Geranium
Labadanum
Oakmoss
Vetiver
Patchouli
Main Constituents:
Linalyl acetate
Linalool
Lavandulol
Lavandulyl
Acetate
Terpineol
Lavender Spike Oil
Color: Almost colorless to pale yellow-green
Primary Notes: Characteristically a rough odor, similar to cineole and camphor
Blends: This oil blends well with spice oils, especially clove
Rosemary
Sage
Lavandin
Eucalyptus
Rosewood
Lavender
Petitgrain
Pine
Cedarwood
Patchouli
Spice Oils
Main Constituents:
Cineole
Camphor
Linalool
Linalyl acetate
Our partner farm network shows the planted Lavender from 2020 is less than the 2019 season. Currently there is a minimum of 50 MT produced, however until reaping is complete the total amount remains undetermined. At this time, the harvest and price are expected to remain stable.
The largest industry for Lavender Oil is aromatherapy; with increasing consumer demand for natural and organic ingredients in personal care products, Lavender Oil can be found as a fragrance ingredient in several key categories. The chart below highlights the top six personal care categories for product launches containing lavender as a fragrance (Innova Market Insights):
Understanding harvesting trends can help create a fluid supply chain and ensure smooth production. To stay current on harvesting trends for essential oils, get in touch with us today!
