In short
Magnolia flower oil is steam-distilled from the white flowers of Michelia alba, mostly in China. It is creamy and waxy, with citrus-lemony brightness and fruity-green undertones.
What Magnolia Flower Oil smells like
Fraterworks, which sells LMR's oil distilled in China from Michelia alba, describes a complex, multifaceted floral aroma with a delicate creamy-waxy character, distinctive citrus-lemony brightness and subtle fruity-green undertones, and lists floral, fruity, green, lavender and balsamic. ISO 17382 sets the standard for the China-type oil of Michelia × alba flowers.
- Leading note
- Creamy white floral
- Clear facets
- Lemony
- Supporting facets
- Fruity, green
- Faint facets
- Balsamic
- Character
- Creamy, bright
What makes Magnolia Flower Oil distinctive
A white flower with a lemon in it: creamy petals lifted by citrus brightness.
How Magnolia Flower Oil is used
Used for a fresh white-floral magnolia note in floral, fruity-floral and tea accords.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How Magnolia Flower Oil differs from similar materials
- Champaca Absolute
- Champaca absolute is extracted from the orange flowers of Magnolia champaca and is rich and heady; magnolia flower oil is distilled from the white Michelia alba flower, creamy and lemon-bright.
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
Suppliers and PubChem give different CAS numbers for it (8006-76-6 and 92457-18-6), so none is given here. ISO 17382 covers the China type. Not the leaf oil of the same tree.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Essential oil
- Origin
- Natural
- Odour family
- Floral / Fruity
- Note position
- Heart note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- White champaca flower oil, Michelia alba flower oil
- Botanical source
- Michelia × alba DC. (Magnolia × alba)
No CAS number is shown: suppliers use different identifiers for this material, and none could be confirmed as its own.
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
-
Champaca Absolute
Absolute · Floral / Fruity — floral, fruity, tea, apricot
-
Linalool
Aroma chemical · Floral / Citrus — floral, fresh, woody, citrus
-
Ylang Ylang Oil
Essential oil · Floral / Spicy — floral, creamy, sweet, banana
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 4 published formulas
Magnolia Flower Oil is an ingredient in 3 perfume formulas and 1 accord in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Magnolia Flower Oil
Is Magnolia Flower Oil natural or synthetic?
Magnolia Flower Oil is natural. It is a volatile oil obtained from plant material by steam distillation or, for citrus peels, by cold expression.
Which published formulas use Magnolia Flower Oil?
Magnolia Flower Oil is used in 4 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Agar Lantern, Champaca Tea Room and Green Apple Accord. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- Fraterworks — Magnolia Flower Oil — distributor's description.
- ISO 17382 — Oil of magnolia flower, China type (Michelia × alba DC) — published perfumery reference.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 25 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.