Ingredients · Sweet · dry-down

Phenylacetic acid

Say itfen-il-uh-SEE-tik acid

Sweet honey and beeswax; urinous and animalic when strong.

What it is

A molecule made in a lab.

Where it comes from

natural in honey and some flowers

When you smell it

Dry-down: hours later.

What perfumers do with it

The core honey note; adds animalic warmth to florals, tobacco and honey accords.

Worth knowing

Many countries control its sale because it can be used to make amphetamine.

Also called

Benzeneacetic acid; PAA