In short
Juniper berry oil is distilled from the berries of Juniperus communis. It gives the fresh, peppery, gin-like conifer note.
What Juniper Berry Oil smells like
Juniper berry oil is fresh, sparkling and extremely terpenic, yet warm, rich-balsamic, woody-sweet and pine-needle-like, in a Scentspiracy entry. A glossary describes a crisp, gin-like freshness with a woody-peppery bite and a slight balsamic undertone, crediting the pepper to myrcene, and finds it less resinous than pine oil. It is used for fresh-balsamic notes and as a modifier for pine needle oils.
- Leading note
- Fresh gin-like berry
- Clear facets
- Terpenic, pine needle
- Supporting facets
- Peppery, balsamic
- Faint facets
- Berry-sweet
- Character
- Fresh, sparkling, crisp
What makes Juniper Berry Oil distinctive
The smell of gin: a sparkling, terpenic berry with a peppery bite.
How Juniper Berry Oil is used
Used for fresh-balsamic notes, as a modifier for pine needle oils, and in colognes and fougères.
Typical role: lift (adds diffusion and radiance, especially at the top); modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How Juniper Berry Oil differs from similar materials
- Cypress Oil
- Cypress is drier and smokier, with an ambery drydown; juniper is fresher and gin-like.
- Scots Pine Needle Oil
- A glossary finds juniper less resinous than pine oil; Scots pine is the sharper, more turpentine-like conifer. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Myrcene
- Myrcene is credited with juniper's peppery warmth; alone it is fresh, citrusy and balsamic. (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.
Formulation considerations
Monoterpene-rich; store cold to slow oxidation.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Essential oil
- Origin
- Natural
- Odour family
- Aromatic / Woody
- Note position
- Top note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Botanical source
- Juniperus communis L.
- CAS number
- 8012-91-7
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
-
Black Pepper Oil
Essential oil · Spicy / Woody — peppery, spicy, woody, fresh
-
Cypress Oil
Essential oil · Woody / Aromatic — coniferous, resinous, woody, fresh
-
Lime Oil (Expressed)
Essential oil · Citrus / Green — citrus, green, zesty, aromatic
Juniper Berry Oil is also suggested as a partner on the pages for alpha-Pinene, beta-Pinene, Dwarf Pine Oil, Isobornyl Acetate, Rosemary Oil and Scots Pine Needle Oil.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 15 published formulas
Juniper Berry Oil is an ingredient in 14 perfume formulas and 1 accord in the Formula & Accord Library.
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Juniper Berry Oil
Is Juniper Berry Oil natural or synthetic?
Juniper Berry 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 Juniper Berry Oil?
8012-91-7, 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 Juniper Berry Oil?
Juniper Berry Oil is used in 15 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Bitter Bridle, Bitter Ferry and Black Pepper Sail. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — substance 480407793, checked 19 October 2026.
- Scentspiracy — Juniper berries oil — distributor's description.
- Premiere Peau — Juniper berry oil — published perfumery reference.
- Eden Botanicals — Juniper berry — 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.