In short
Galaxolide (HHCB) is a polycyclic musk from IFF and one of the most used musks in the world, especially in laundry and personal-care fragrance. It gives a clean, sweet, floral musk.
What Galaxolide smells like
Galaxolide (HHCB) is a polycyclic musk usually described as the sweeter, cleaner one beside Tonalide; supplier glossaries contrast Tonalide's drier, more powdery, amber-woody character with Galaxolide's sweetness, and another finds Celestolide less aggressive than Galaxolide. Its 'clean' impression is the laundry-like musk of washing products. Few direct descriptions of Galaxolide alone were found.
- Leading note
- Clean sweet musk
- Supporting facets
- Floral, powdery
- Character
- Clean, soft, diffusive, tenacious
What makes Galaxolide distinctive
The clean-laundry musk: sweet and floral, the musk most people know from washing powder.
How Galaxolide is used
Used very widely in functional products, laundry care and fine fragrance as a clean, sweet musk base.
Typical role: backbone (used in large proportions as a structural material of an accord); fixative (slow to evaporate; helps a blend last and holds lighter notes).
How Galaxolide differs from similar materials
- Tonalide
- Tonalide is drier and more powdery, with a light amber-woody base and less sweetness; Galaxolide is the sweeter, cleaner musk. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Celestolide
- A glossary finds Celestolide less aggressive than Galaxolide, clean and sweet with a slight fruity-floral note. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Habanolide
- Habanolide, a macrocycle, adds a hot-iron metallic facet to a clean white musk; Galaxolide is sweeter and more floral.
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
Pure Galaxolide is extremely viscous, so it is usually sold diluted, commonly at 50% in a solvent such as isopropyl myristate or benzyl benzoate — record the dilution, because it changes every calculation. Its environmental persistence is under regulatory scrutiny in some markets.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Synthetic
- Odour family
- Musky / Floral
- Note position
- Base note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Viscous liquid
- Also known as
- HHCB
- CAS number
- 1222-05-5
- Molecular formula
- C18H26O
- Molecular weight
- 258.4 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- 4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethyl-1,3,4,7-tetrahydrocyclopenta[g]isochromene
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 91497, 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. It has a harmonised EU classification (Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, Annex VI): H400 very toxic to aquatic life; H410 very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. Companies notifying the ECHA C&L Inventory classify it (2,093 reports): H410 very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects (100% of reports); H400 very toxic to aquatic life (97.9% of reports). 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
-
Hedione
Aroma chemical · Floral / Citrus — jasmine, transparent, citrus, airy
-
Iso E Super
Aroma chemical · Woody / Amber — woody, velvety, amber, cedar
-
Ethylene Brassylate
Aroma chemical · Musky / Powdery — musky, powdery, sweet, soft
-
Exaltolide
Aroma chemical · Musky / Powdery — musky, soft, powdery, animalic
-
Cashmeran
Aroma chemical · Woody / Musky — musky, woody, spicy, velvety
-
Celestolide
Aroma chemical · Musky / Powdery — musky, sweet, powdery, clean
Galaxolide is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Applelide, Cyclohexyl Salicylate, Musk Ketone, Traseolide, Velvione and Zenolide.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 67 published formulas
Galaxolide is an ingredient in 39 perfume formulas and 28 accords in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Galaxolide
Is Galaxolide natural or synthetic?
Galaxolide is synthetic — it is made by chemical synthesis.
What is the CAS number of Galaxolide?
1222-05-5. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Galaxolide?
Galaxolide is used in 67 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Açaí Accord, Amber Accord and Anise Ink. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 91497, checked 19 October 2026.
- PubChem — GHS classification (the ECHA C&L Inventory notifications and any harmonised EU entry), read 26 October 2026.
- Premiere Peau — Tonalide (comparing Galaxolide) — published perfumery reference.
- Premiere Peau — Celestolide (comparing Galaxolide) — published perfumery reference.
- Scentspiracy — What is Tonalide? — distributor's description.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 21 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.