In short
Carrot seed oil is distilled from the seeds of wild carrot, Daucus carota. Its main constituent, carotol, gives an earthy, woody odour with an orris-like softness.
What Carrot Seed Oil smells like
Carrot seed oil is earthy and dry-woody, with a powdery, root-like character. Arctander's description, as cited by a supplier, is powdery, roots, earthy, woody and fresh, with a little camphor, green, spicy, seed and fruity apricot. Carotol is its main odour contributor. Perfumers use it to reinforce violet, iris and mimosa accords, and one supplier says that with cedarwood it mimics the powdery, suede-like character of orris butter.
- Leading note
- Earthy root
- Clear facets
- Powdery, orris-like
- Supporting facets
- Dry woody
- Faint facets
- Camphoraceous, apricot
- Character
- Dry, earthy, powdery, warm
What makes Carrot Seed Oil distinctive
A poor man's orris: earthy, rooty and powdery, with a seed-like dryness that no flower oil has.
How Carrot Seed Oil is used
Used to support violet, iris and mimosa accords in floral, chypre and woody perfumes, and as an orris effect with cedarwood.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How Carrot Seed Oil differs from similar materials
- Orris Butter (Orris Concrete)
- A supplier says carrot seed with cedarwood can mimic orris butter's powdery suede; orris is more violet and buttery, carrot seed earthier and more seedy. (compared directly by a cited source)
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.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Essential oil
- Origin
- Natural
- Odour family
- Woody / Powdery
- Note position
- Heart to base note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Botanical source
- Daucus carota
- CAS number
- 8015-88-1
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
Supplier safety data sheets for carrot seed oil differ. Candles and Supplies' sheet gives only H226 (flammable) and H412 (aquatic), while the component classification on MakingCosmetics' sheet for a blend containing it lists H304 (aspiration hazard) and H317 (skin sensitiser). Use your own supplier's sheet for the neat oil.
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
-
Orris Butter (Orris Concrete)
Concrete · Powdery / Woody — powdery, iris, woody, buttery
-
Vetiver Oil
Essential oil · Woody / Green — earthy, smoky, woody, rooty
-
Cedrol
Natural isolate · Woody / Musky — woody, cedar, faint, dry
-
alpha-Ionone
Aroma chemical · Powdery / Fruity — violet, powdery, fruity, sweet
Carrot Seed Oil is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Celery Seed Oil and Parsley Seed Oil.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 7 published formulas
Carrot Seed Oil is an ingredient in 6 perfume formulas and 1 accord in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Carrot Seed Oil
Is Carrot Seed Oil natural or synthetic?
Carrot Seed Oil is natural. It is a volatile oil obtained from plant material by steam distillation or, for citrus peels, by cold expression.
What is the CAS number of Carrot Seed Oil?
8015-88-1, the registry number for the essential oil as a substance rather than a single molecule. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Carrot Seed Oil?
Carrot Seed Oil is used in 7 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including 1882 Naturals, Ambrette Halo and Iris Weather. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — substance 135335235, checked 19 October 2026.
- Candles and Supplies — Carrot seed essential oil safety data sheet — safety information, read 26 October 2026.
- MakingCosmetics — Carrot oil safety data sheet (component classification) — safety information, read 26 October 2026.
- Scentspiracy — Carrot seeds oil (quoting Arctander) — distributor's description.
- Premiere Peau — Carrot seed oil — published perfumery reference.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 20 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.