Hexyl Salicylate (CAS 6259-76-3) — Green Heart Note Fragrance Ingredient

ByThe Good Scents

Hexyl Salicylate

CAS 6259-76-3

Origin
Note
IFRA
Generally safe
Data as of: Mar 2026

What Is Hexyl Salicylate?

Hexyl salicylate is a synthetic fragrance ingredient commonly found in sunscreens, aftershaves, and floral perfumes. It provides a fresh, herbal-green scent reminiscent of crushed leaves with a subtle floral undertone. This versatile molecule helps create natural-smelling floral bouquets while acting as a fixative to prolong fragrance longevity on skin.

Safety Profile

GENERALLY SAFE
Generally safeUse with awarenessProfessional use
✓ Approved for cosmetic use worldwide
⚠ Potential mild skin sensitivity at high concentrations
CAS
6259-76-3
Formula
Mixture
MW
Variable
Odor Family
Layer 1 · Enthusiast

What Does Hexyl Salicylate Smell Like?

Hexyl salicylate opens with a crisp, dewy greenness like freshly cut grass stems, quickly revealing a smooth floral heart reminiscent of magnolia petals soaked in rainwater. The dry-down develops a creamy, slightly powdery texture with whispers of unsweetened vanilla. Unlike sharper salicylates, it maintains a rounded softness throughout evaporation, behaving like a hybrid between green tea leaves and faint lily-of-the-valley.

Scent Profile

In Famous Fragrances

Fragrance associations may not reflect actual formulations.

Eau Dynamisante(Clarins, 1987)

Provides the invigorating ‘fresh-cut’ herbal backdrop that complements citrus notes, creating the fragrance’s signature energizing green aura.

Un Jardin Sur Le Nil(Hermès, 2005)

Used to craft the illusion of sun-warmed papyrus stalks, blending with mango and lotus for a watery-green tropical effect.

Layer 2

2D Molecular Structure

Hexyl salicylate

SMILES: CCCCCCOC(=O)C1=C(O)C=CC=C1

Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide

The Chemistry

Hexyl salicylate belongs to the ester class, formed via Fischer esterification between salicylic acid and hexanol. As a synthetic molecule, it doesn’t occur naturally but mimics aspects of methyl salicylate found in wintergreen. The hexyl chain increases hydrophobicity compared to shorter-chain salicylates, altering both volatility and olfactory profile. No chiral centers exist in this linear ester structure.

Physical & Chemical Properties

AppearanceColorless to pale yellow liquid
Boiling Point~300 °C (estimated)
Density~1.03 g/cm³ (estimated)

Perfumer Guide

Note Position
Middle
Volatility
Moderate (2-4 hours)
Blending
Excellent
ApplicationTypical %RangeNotes
Fine Fragrance1-5%Up to 10%Green-floral modifier
Functional Fragrance0.5-3%Up to 5%Freshness enhancer

Classic Accords

+ Lemon + Rosemary = Mediterranean Herb Garden + Jasmine + Galbanum = Dewy Floral Bouquet

Tip: Use to ‘cool down’ overly sweet florals by adding a crisp vegetative dimension.

Alternatives & Comparisons

1
Benzyl Salicylate CAS 118-58-1

More floral-powdery with less green character; better for heavy oriental bases but lacks freshness.

Layer 3

Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability

⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer

General reference only. IFRA, REACH, EU Cosmetics Regulation standards update periodically. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating. Not legal or regulatory advice.

IFRA Status

No restrictions under IFRA 51st Amendment; widely used in all fragrance categories.

RIFM Assessment

RIFM assessment confirms safe use at current industry levels with no sensitization concerns.

Sustainability

Synthesized from petrochemical feedstocks but requires minimal energy input. Not biodegradable but used at low concentrations. No known ecological toxicity at usage levels. Preferred over natural methyl salicylate due to consistent quality and reduced harvest pressure on wintergreen plants.

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References

  1. Bickers et al. (2003). A toxicologic and dermatologic assessment of salicylates. Journal of the American College of Toxicology. PMID 12708631

Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Mar 2026.

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Physicochemical Properties

DTXSID: DTXSID4038924

Physical Properties

Molecular Weight 222.284 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox
Density 1.038 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX
Boiling Point 292.94 °C📊 OPERA
Melting Point -4.15 °C🔬 EPA CTX
Flash Point 151 °C🔬 EPA CTX
Refractive Index 1.518 Dimensionless📊 OPERA
Molar Volume 208.29 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA

Partition & Solubility

LogP (Octanol-Water) 5.5 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX
LogD (pH 5.5) 4.018 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogD (pH 7.4) 3.979 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
LogKoa (Octanol-Air) 9.11 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA
Water Solubility 0 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX
Henry's Law Constant 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA

Transport Properties

Vapor Pressure 0.001 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX
Viscosity 17.076 cP📊 OPERA
Surface Tension 39.081 dyn/cm📊 OPERA
Thermal Conductivity 146.56 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA

Molecular Descriptors

Topological Polar Surface Area 46.53 Ų💻 Computed
H-Bond Donors 1 count💻 Computed
H-Bond Acceptors 3 count💻 Computed
Rotatable Bonds 6 count💻 Computed
Aromatic Rings 1 count💻 Computed
Molar Refractivity 63.072 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA
Polarizability 25.004 Å^3📊 OPERA

Data Sources:

🔬 EPA Experimental data from U.S. EPA CompTox Chemicals Dashboard & CTX APIs. 📊 OPERA Predicted using EPA's OPERA QSAR models. 💻 Computed Calculated from SMILES using RDKit.

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