In short
Velvione (5-cyclohexadecen-1-one) is a macrocyclic musk ketone with a powdery, velvety musk character.
What Velvione smells like
Velvione (Givaudan) is a powerful, powdery macrocyclic musk with some nitro-musk aspects, musky, powdery and animalic, highly substantive, stable and biodegradable, in Givaudan's description. Sellers vary: one describes warm cashmere — powdery-soft with a woody undertone; another a powdery musk with animalic, civet-like aspects.
- Leading note
- Powdery musk
- Supporting facets
- Animalic, velvety
- Faint facets
- Woody
- Character
- Powerful, velvety, substantive
What makes Velvione distinctive
A velvety, powdery macrocycle with a nitro-musk echo and a hint of civet.
How Velvione is used
Used as a powdery musk base in fine and functional fragrance.
Typical role: fixative (slow to evaporate; helps a blend last and holds lighter notes).
How Velvione differs from similar materials
- Cosmone
- Cosmone is warmer, with ambergris; Velvione is more powdery, with animalic, civet-like aspects.
- Civetone
- Civetone is the civet animal note itself; Velvione is a powdery musk with civet-like aspects.
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
Stable in most bases.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Synthetic
- Odour family
- Musky / Powdery
- Note position
- Base note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- CAS number
- 37609-25-9
- Molecular formula
- C16H28O
- Molecular weight
- 236.39 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- cyclohexadec-5-en-1-one
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 162268, 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 report it as not meeting the GHS hazard criteria (1,546 of 1,624 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
-
Exaltolide
Aroma chemical · Musky / Powdery — musky, soft, powdery, animalic
-
Galaxolide
Aroma chemical · Musky / Floral — musky, clean, sweet, floral
-
Orris Butter (Orris Concrete)
Concrete · Powdery / Woody — powdery, iris, woody, buttery
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 27 published formulas
Velvione is an ingredient in 25 perfume formulas and 2 accords in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Velvione
Is Velvione natural or synthetic?
Velvione is synthetic — it is made by chemical synthesis.
What is the CAS number of Velvione?
37609-25-9. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Velvione?
Velvione is used in 27 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Agar Lantern, Ambrette Halo and Anise Ink. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 162268, checked 19 October 2026.
- PubChem — GHS classification (the ECHA C&L Inventory notifications and any harmonised EU entry), read 26 October 2026.
- Givaudan — Velvione — manufacturer's description.
- The Good Scents Company — Velvione — odour database.
- Premiere Peau — Velvione — published perfumery reference.
- 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.