In short
Benzoin Siam resinoid is extracted from the resin of Styrax tonkinensis. It gives a sweet, vanillic, balsamic warmth.
What Benzoin Resinoid (Siam) smells like
Benzoin resinoid is sweet, vanillic and balsamic, and its character depends on the type. Siam benzoin is described as sweet, vanilla, balsamic, woody and powdery; the FAO notes that vanillin is most readily detected in Siam. Sumatra benzoin contains cinnamic acid and its esters, which Siam lacks, and is sweet, spicy, vanilla and balsamic, drier and less sweet in one perfumer's tests. A glossary describes Sumatra as darker and more cinnamic, with a chocolate-resinous undertone.
- Leading note
- Sweet vanillic balsam
- Supporting facets
- Powdery, woody, resinous, cinnamic, spicy
- Faint facets
- Chocolate
- Character
- Warm, sweet, soft, rounded
What makes Benzoin Resinoid (Siam) distinctive
Vanilla as a resin: a soft, powdery, balsamic sweetness that fixes ambers and orientals, Siam more vanillic, Sumatra more cinnamic.
How Benzoin Resinoid (Siam) is used
Used as a sweet fixative in amber, oriental, vanilla and gourmand compositions.
Typical role: fixative (slow to evaporate; helps a blend last and holds lighter notes).
How Benzoin Resinoid (Siam) differs from similar materials
- Tolu Balsam Resinoid
- Tolu is more cinnamic and caramel-dark, with a faint floral note; Siam benzoin is softer and more vanillic.
- Peru Balsam Oil
- Peru balsam is richer and more cinnamic, with an amber, slightly bitter base; benzoin is softer, powdery vanilla.
- Opoponax Oil
- Opoponax is honeyed and woody-rooty, with a faint anise; benzoin is a vanillic, powdery balsam.
Each difference compares the published descriptions of the two materials. Smell varies with grade, supplier and dilution; compare them side by side on blotters before substituting one for another.
Formulation considerations
Very viscous; often supplied in a solvent such as benzyl benzoate or DPG, so check the carrier and its percentage.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Resinoid
- Origin
- Natural
- Odour family
- Amber / Gourmand
- Note position
- Base note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Viscous liquid
- Also known as
- Benzoin Siam
- Botanical source
- Styrax tonkinensis (Pierre) Craib ex Hartwich
- CAS number
- 9000-72-0
The CAS number was checked on 19 October 2026 against a PubChem substance record that gives it for this material. A natural material is a mixture, so it has no single formula; its composition varies with origin and processing.
Safety and compliance
This page is general information, not a safety assessment or a specification. Confirm identity, composition, IFRA status and allergen content from your supplier's documents for the lot you hold.
Materials it works with
-
Vanilla Absolute
Absolute · Gourmand / Amber — vanilla, sweet, woody, smoky
-
Labdanum Absolute
Absolute · Amber / Leather — amber, balsamic, leathery, animalic
-
Tolu Balsam Resinoid
Resinoid · Amber / Gourmand — balsamic, cinnamic, vanillic, sweet
Benzoin Resinoid (Siam) is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Ambranum, Amyris Oil, Labdanum Resinoid, Opoponax Absolute, Peru Balsam Resinoid and Poplar Bud Absolute.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 51 published formulas
Benzoin Resinoid (Siam) is an ingredient in 41 perfume formulas and 10 accords in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Benzoin Resinoid (Siam)
Is Benzoin Resinoid (Siam) natural or synthetic?
Benzoin Resinoid (Siam) is natural. It is a solvent extract of a natural resin, balsam or gum.
What is the CAS number of Benzoin Resinoid (Siam)?
9000-72-0, the registry number for the resinoid as a substance rather than a single molecule. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Benzoin Resinoid (Siam)?
Benzoin Resinoid (Siam) is used in 51 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Anise Ink, Beeswax Throne and Birch Ghost. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — substance 176259307, checked 19 October 2026.
- Wikipedia — Benzoin resin — published perfumery reference.
- FAO — Gum benzoin — published literature.
- The Good Scents Company — benzoin odour category — odour database.
- Premiere Peau — Benzoin resinoid — published perfumery reference.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 20 October 2026. Evidence: several independent published descriptions, which agree. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.