Kephalis

What Is Kephalis?

Kephalis is a synthetic aroma ingredient from the Swiss fragrance house Givaudan. The company presents it as a very versatile and rich material, listed in its catalogue of fragrance molecules under the woody family.

Scent Profile

Givaudan classifies Kephalis as woody, with ambery and tobacco facets and a rich overall character. Rather than fading early, it is used as a long-lasting heart and base note, so its presence carries through the later stages of a composition.

Use in Perfumery

According to Givaudan, Kephalis blends well with floral notes such as jasmine, rose, violet and lavender. It also suits sophisticated ambery, woody-aldehydic and tobacco compositions, as well as masculine creations. One published example is FLORÆ, whose official description pairs Kephalis with rose, iris, neroli, sandalwood, ambrettolide and musk. In that pairing, Kephalis sits beside rose, one of the florals Givaudan names, and beside sandalwood, which shares its woody family.