In short
l-Menthol is the cooling molecule of mint oils. It gives a fresh, minty note and a physical cooling sensation.
What l-Menthol smells like
Menthol is felt as much as smelled: a study of flavoured products describes l-menthol as giving a strong trigeminal cooling sensation with only a slight mint note. The Good Scents Company lists the racemic form as cooling, mentholic and minty, and a mixed form as peppermint, cool and woody. It is the main constituent of peppermint and cornmint oils.
- Leading note
- Cooling
- Supporting facets
- Slight mint
- Faint facets
- Woody
- Character
- Cold, clean, sharp
What makes l-Menthol distinctive
Coolness rather than smell: menthol's effect is a cold sensation, with a mint note only in the background.
How l-Menthol is used
Used for cooling effects in oral care, flavours, functional and fresh masculine products.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How l-Menthol differs from similar materials
- Peppermint Oil
- Peppermint oil is largely menthol, with menthone and others giving a sweet herbaceous mint beneath the cold. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Isopulegol
- Isopulegol is minty and cooling with a bitter-sweet, herbaceous side; menthol is the cleaner, stronger cold.
- Menthone
- Menthone carries more of the minty smell, with a woody-dry undertone and less cooling; menthol is mainly the cold sensation.
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. The cooling effect on skin is noticeable even at low levels.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Occurs in nature
- Odour family
- Aromatic / Green
- Note position
- Top note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Solid
- Also known as
- Menthol
- CAS number
- 2216-51-5
- Molecular formula
- C10H20O
- Molecular weight
- 156.26 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- (1R,2S,5R)-5-methyl-2-propan-2-ylcyclohexan-1-ol
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 16666, 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 (2,060 reports): H315 causes skin irritation (97.6% of reports); H319 causes serious eye irritation (31.9% of reports). 7 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
-
Peppermint Oil
Essential oil · Aromatic / Green — minty, cooling, fresh, herbal
-
Eucalyptol
Aroma chemical · Aromatic / Green — camphoraceous, cool, medicinal
-
Camphor
Aroma chemical · Aromatic / Woody — camphoraceous, medicinal, cooling
-
Isopulegol
Aroma chemical · Aromatic / Green — minty, cooling, herbal, woody
l-Menthol is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Cornmint Oil, Isomenthone, l-Carvone and Menthone.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 5 published formulas
l-Menthol is an ingredient in 2 perfume formulas and 3 accords in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about l-Menthol
Is l-Menthol natural or synthetic?
The molecule occurs in nature. Commercial l-Menthol may be made by synthesis or obtained from natural sources, so check the supplier's specification if the distinction matters to you.
What is the CAS number of l-Menthol?
2216-51-5. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use l-Menthol?
l-Menthol is used in 5 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Aperol Spritz Accord, Cola Accord and Frost Herb Accord. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 16666, checked 19 October 2026.
- PubChem — GHS classification (the ECHA C&L Inventory notifications and any harmonised EU entry), read 26 October 2026.
- Tobacco Prevention & Cessation — supplementary data (menthol sensory description) — published literature.
- The Good Scents Company — mentholic odour category — odour database.
- 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.