fragrance component
Ethylene Brassylate
A synthetic macrocyclic musk used as a fragrance fixative. Different safety profile from nitro-musks and polycyclic musks — one of the cleaner fragrance fixative alternatives used in transparent or reformulated fragrance compositions.
Benefits
- Clean musk — sweet, musky, white fragrance character
- Fixative — anchors volatile top notes
- Biodegradable relative to nitro-musks
- Preferred alternative to restricted musks (nitro-musks, HHCB in some applications)
- Low sensitisation potential versus older synthetic musks
Example uses
- Skin-scented serums
- Body lotions with fragrance
- Fine fragrance compositions
- Haircare fragrance bases
- Eau de toilette base notes
Mechanism of action
Functions as fragrance via direct olfactory receptor interaction from its macrocyclic lactone structure, which binds musk olfactory receptors preferentially. Fixative function via low vapour pressure anchoring more volatile top-note compounds in the composition.
Clinical evidence · Moderate
RIFM safety assessments completed. Sensitisation potential characterised as low. Aquatic toxicity profile more favourable than legacy musks.
Effective concentration range
q.s.
Formulation notes
Oil-soluble fragrance component. Stable in cosmetic matrices. Not subject to same IFRA restrictions as nitro-musks or some polycyclic musks.
Watchouts
Synthetic origin — flagged in strict natural fragrance frameworks. Some bioaccumulation concerns raised in aquatic environment literature (lower than polycyclic musks but not absent). EU is reviewing macrocyclic musks as a class.
Stacks with
Controversies & overclaims
Macrocyclic musks as a class are under EU review for aquatic persistence. Ethylene brassylate has a better profile than legacy musks but is not free from environmental concern. Brands using it as a clean fragrance fix without acknowledging any residual aquatic persistence question are not fully transparent.
Market positioning
Sold as a clean-musk alternative in reformulated fragrance. The relative safety improvement versus nitro-musks is real; absolute environmental neutrality is not established.
Comedogenicity
0 / 5
Sensitisation risk
Low
INCI & aliases
Ethylene Brassylate
1,4-dioxacycloheptadecane-5,17-dione · ethylene brassylate macrocyclic musk
Clean beauty perception
Better received in clean-beauty fragrance reformulation than polycyclic or nitro-musks. Positioned as a safer synthetic musk alternative within the reformulated fragrance discourse.
Related ingredients
Graph relationships
Timeline