In short
Nympheal is a modern synthetic aldehyde developed for muguet accords. It gives a fresh, watery lily-of-the-valley note.
What Nympheal smells like
Nympheal (Givaudan) is a powerful, diffusive floral muguet. Givaudan describes a diffusive floral cyclamen-muguet note with green, watery and linden-blossom facets — a fresh and opulent muguet that adds volume and diffusion — and presents it as biodegradable. A distributor reports that it is around twenty times more powerful than Lilial, so it is not a one-for-one replacement.
- Leading note
- Opulent muguet
- Clear facets
- Linden blossom
- Supporting facets
- Cyclamen, watery
- Faint facets
- Green
- Character
- Opulent, diffusive, powerful, fresh
What makes Nympheal distinctive
Volume. It is a muguet that fills a room — opulent and very powerful — with a linden accent, where the older muguet materials are delicate.
How Nympheal is used
Used in white florals and muguet accords for volume and diffusion; its power means it is dosed far lower than the materials it replaces.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How Nympheal differs from similar materials
- Hydroxycitronellal
- Both share linden; hydroxycitronellal is softer and sweeter, Nympheal far more powerful and opulent.
- Dupical
- Dupical is a transparent aldehydic enhancer; Nympheal is fuller and more opulent, with linden and cyclamen.
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
A relatively recent material; check availability and documentation with suppliers.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Synthetic
- Odour family
- Floral / Aquatic
- Note position
- Heart note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- CAS number
- 1637294-12-2
- Molecular formula
- C14H20O
- Molecular weight
- 204.31 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- 3-[2-methyl-4-(2-methylpropyl)phenyl]propanal
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 17877030, 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 (413 reports): H315 causes skin irritation (100% of reports); H317 may cause an allergic skin reaction (100% of reports); H411 toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects (100% of reports); H332 harmful if inhaled (96.6% of reports). A skin sensitiser classification concerns handling the neat material and the dose in a finished product; the IFRA Standards, where they apply, set the limits. 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
-
Florol
Aroma chemical · Floral / Green — muguet, fresh, floral, clean
-
Hydroxycitronellal
Aroma chemical · Floral / Green — muguet, floral, soft, sweet
-
Mayol
Aroma chemical · Floral / Green — muguet, fresh, clean, floral
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 10 published formulas
Nympheal is an ingredient in 9 perfume formulas and 1 accord in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Nympheal
Is Nympheal natural or synthetic?
Nympheal is synthetic — it is made by chemical synthesis.
What is the CAS number of Nympheal?
1637294-12-2. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Nympheal?
Nympheal is used in 10 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Asphalt Peony, Bell Glass and Bright Wolf. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 17877030, checked 19 October 2026.
- PubChem — GHS classification (the ECHA C&L Inventory notifications and any harmonised EU entry), read 26 October 2026.
- Givaudan — Nympheal — manufacturer's description.
- SpecialChem — Givaudan presents muguet ingredient (Nympheal) — published literature.
- Fraterworks — Nympheal — distributor's description.
- 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.