Terpeneless Bay Leaf Oil

#### Bay Leaf Oil, terpeneless. **Terpeneless Bay Leaf Oil **is produced from "crude" (or "natural") **Bay Leaf Oil **by removal of the terpenes, usually only the low-boiling monoterpenes: myrcene, dipentene, pinene and limonene. Low-boiling oxygenated components, e.g. cineole and citral, may be lost in a careless vacuum distillation. The deterpenation is often carried out by this simple "topping-off" of the monoterpenes. Deterpenation is rarely, if ever, carried out on a commercial scale in the countries of origin of the **Bay Leaf Oil.** **Bay**** ****Leaf**** ****Oil**** **contains approximately 60% of the so-called oxygenated (i.e. non-terpenic or non-hydrocarbon-) components. The loss by total deterpenation would then be around 40% of the oil. By the "topping-off" process, the sesquiterpenes are left in the oil. **Terpeneless**** ****Bay**** ****Leaf**** ****Oil**** **is a pale straw- colored to brownish-orange colored oil, depending on the method of deterpenation. "Topped-off" oils are obviously darker than the natural oil from which they were produced. Very pale colored oils may have been steam distilled after deterpenation, or they may be alcohol-washings of the natural oil (so-called "absolutes"). The latter type of oil will be terpeneless *and *sesquiterpeneless. **Terpeneless**** ****Bay**** ****Leaf**** ****Oil**** **has an intensely sweet, deep and mellow odor of a spicy-balsamic type. The lemon-like topnote is still perceptible, but the freshness is less pronounced compared to the natural oil. Furthermore, the terpeneless oil is more easily soluble in diluted alcohol. This is an obvious advantage since the oil is used in preparations with low alcohol percentage (hair- lotions, after-shave lotions, etc.). The **Terpeneless**** ****Bay**** ****Leaf**** ****Oil**** **blends excellently with lavandin or lavender oil (e.g. in the classic "Rondeletia" type) and with petitgrain, citrus oils, rosemary, geraniol, citronellol, cinnamic alcohol, amylsalicylate, ylang-ylang, etc. in a wide variety of perfumes and perfume bases. Although the components of this oil are well known and readily available from other sources, there is really no suitable substitute for a good Terpeneless Bay Leaf Oil.