SANTOLINA (LAVENDER COTTON)

Santolina, also called lavender cotton, is an aromatic herbal note with a spicy edge. Think of fragrant foliage rather than a soft lavender bouquet or the clean impression of cotton fabric. In perfume, its herbaceous character can make a floral composition feel greener or introduce contrast to sweetness, with the prominence of the note depending on the blend.

The name here refers to Santolina chamaecyparissus, a Mediterranean shrub with silvery aromatic leaves and yellow button-like flowerheads. It belongs to the daisy family, rather than the lavender genus. Natural essential oil is available: suppliers describe steam distillation of flowering tops, and leaf oils are also documented. The plant part and material matter; the note alone does not identify the extract used in a finished fragrance.