Oil of guaiac facts for kids

Oil of guaiac is a special kind of fragrance used to make things smell nice, like soap and perfumes. Even though its name sounds like it comes from the Guaiacum tree, it actually comes from a different tree called the palo santo tree (Bulnesia sarmientoi). This tree is found in South America.

How Oil of Guaiac is Made

Oil of guaiac is made using a process called steam distillation. Imagine boiling water and letting the steam pass through wood chips and sawdust from the palo santo tree. The steam picks up the fragrant oils from the wood. Then, the steam is cooled down, turning back into water and leaving the oil behind. This oil is sometimes wrongly called guaiac wood concrete.

What it Looks and Smells Like

Oil of guaiac is a thick, yellowish-green substance. It's usually solid at room temperature, but it melts easily when it gets a bit warm, around 40–50 °C (104–122 °F). Once it melts, it can stay liquid for a long time, even after it cools down.

This oil has a lovely, soft smell, a lot like hybrid tea roses or violets. Because it smells so similar to roses, it has sometimes been mixed into rose oil to make it seem like there's more of it. This is called an adulterant.

What's Inside and How it's Used

Oil of guaiac is made up of several natural chemicals, including guaiol, bulnesol, and others. When it's used on skin, it's considered very safe. It doesn't usually cause irritation, allergies, or make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. This makes it a good ingredient for many skin-friendly products.