Camphor

What Camphor smells like

Camphor's odour is so distinctive that it gave its name to an adjective, 'camphoraceous', as a journal review notes. Its smell is described as fragrant, aromatic, pungent or penetrating, like mothballs; one source calls it a cross between mothballs and vapour rub, with herbaceous, musty, earthy and woodsy notes. One educational source contrasts its musty, penetrating, slightly minty note with eucalyptol's fresher camphor-like one.

Leading note

Camphoraceous

Clear facets

Medicinal

Supporting facets

Musty, earthy

Faint facets

Minty

Character

Penetrating, sharp, cool

• camphoraceous
• medicinal
• cooling

What makes Camphor distinctive

The reference camphoraceous note: penetrating and musty, the smell the word was named after.

How Camphor is used

Used in small amounts in herbal, medicinal and conifer notes, and in functional and pharmaceutical products.

Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).

How Camphor differs from similar materials

Eucalyptol*

Eucalyptol is the fresher, more aromatic camphor-like note; camphor is mustier and more penetrating. (compared directly by a cited source)

White Camphor Oil*

White camphor oil is the light fraction of the crude oil, cineole-rich and fresher; camphor itself is the musty, penetrating solid. (compared directly by a cited source)

Borneol*

A glossary finds borneol drier and more angular than camphor, with a faint earthiness. (compared directly by a cited source)

Fenchone

Fenchone is described as basically sweet, warm and earthy; camphor is mustier and more penetrating.

An asterisk marks a difference that a cited source states directly. The others compare the published descriptions of each material. Smell varies with grade, supplier and dilution; compare them side by side on blotters before substituting one for another.

Formulation considerations

A crystalline solid; dissolve before use.

Identity and classification

Type

Aroma chemical

Origin

Occurs in nature

Odour family

Aromatic / Woody

Note position

Top note

Physical form at room temperature

Solid

CAS number

76-22-2

Molecular formula

C10H16O

Molecular weight

152.23 g/mol

IUPAC name

1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one

The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 2537, whose own record lists this CAS number; checked 19 October 2026.

Safety and compliance

Hazard classification of the neat substance, as PubChem summarises it, read 26 October 2026. Companies notifying the ECHA C&L Inventory classify it (1,988 reports): H228 flammable solid (97.6% of reports); H332 harmful if inhaled (93.6% of reports); H371 may cause damage to organs (73.3% of reports); H373 may causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure (19.6% of reports); H302 harmful if swallowed (15.3% of reports); H315 causes skin irritation (10.1% of reports). 2 of the reports find it does not meet the hazard criteria. Unless it is harmonised, this is the notifiers' own classification, not a binding one.

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

• Eucalyptol

  Aroma chemical · Aromatic / Green — camphoraceous, cool, medicinal

• Rosemary Oil

  Essential oil · Aromatic / Woody — herbal, camphoraceous, fresh, woody

• Lavandin Oil (Grosso)

  Essential oil · Aromatic / Floral — lavender, camphoraceous, herbal, fresh

Camphor is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Borneol, Camphene, Cedar Leaf Oil, Spike Lavender Oil, Spirodecane and White Camphor Oil.

Used in formulas and accords

Used in 2 published formulas

Camphor is an ingredient in 2 perfume formulas in the Formula & Accord Library.

Community formulas

• Hindi Maliki Qadeem

  Community Formula

RUŌOD House Originals

Original compositions by RUŌOD House.

• Pine Tar Sauna

  RUŌOD House Original

Further reading

• Aromatic Notes in Perfumery: Lavender, Sage, Rosemary and Mint

  The aromatic family for formulators: lavender, lavandin and spike, clary sage, rosemary, mint and basil — chemistry, chemotypes and EU allergen status.

Questions about Camphor

Sources

• PubChem — compound 2537, checked 19 October 2026.
• PubChem — GHS classification (the ECHA C&L Inventory notifications and any harmonised EU entry), read 26 October 2026.
• PMC — review of camphor (Molecules) — published literature.
• Encyclopedia.com — Camphor — published perfumery reference.
• Premiere Peau — Eucalyptol (comparing camphor) — published perfumery reference.
• Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 21 October 2026. Evidence: several independent published descriptions, which agree. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.