Cervolide®
Cervolide®
Lazy Sundays, linen sheets and sun kissed mornings.
Feel-good musk magic. Gentle, lasting, unmistakable.
Rare macrocyclic musk: elegant warmth, lasting aura.
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Synonyms: Musk 781, Hibiscolide, Musk Decanolide
CERVOLIDE® is a rare macrocyclic musk known for its radiant softness and deeply soothing character. A molecule of exceptional pedigree, it blends the airy, fruity grace of Ambrettolide with the sleek, metallic warmth of Habanolide—delivering a musky signature that is both elegantly skin-like and subtly enveloping. CERVOLIDE® reveals itself not as a brute force base note, but as a gentle anchor: quiet, complex, and tenacious.
Its musky presence doesn’t just linger—it soothes, offering you a rare chance to design not just for olfactory impact, but also emotional atmosphere.
Perfumery Usage
CERVOLIDE® excels in fine fragrance, personal care, and functional formulations, where it imparts a natural, second-skin effect. It has remarkable synergy with ambers, florals, and woods, and enhances blooming materials such as orange flower, jasmine, or rose by extending their drydown without altering their core identity. Use it to round sharpness, amplify warmth, or infuse a composition with creamy diffusion and elegant longevity. In white musk accords, it provides a quiet sophistication that cheaper musks often lack.
Performance
CERVOLIDE® is highly stable in soaps, shampoos, and emulsions, with excellent retention on skin and fabric. Despite its fixative strength, it maintains a clean, biodegradable profile—a modern musk aligned with green chemistry values. Its ultra-low vapor pressure allows it to act as a fragrance extender with minimal environmental footprint.
Background
CERVOLIDE® was first described in the late 20th century and quickly gained cult status among perfumers for its unique musk tone—softer than Muscone, richer than Galaxolide, and more complex than Exaltolide. It featured in iconic formulas like The Body Shop’s White Musk and Guerlain’s Derby (both formulas can be found below), where its subtle fruity-woody nuance added sensual warmth. Today, CERVOLIDE® remains a quietly powerful tool for perfumers seeking depth, longevity, and modern musk elegance.
Note: the name 12-oxahexadecanolide, while common, is actually incorrect as it undercounts the ring size. The correct form is 13-oxaheptadecan-2-olide.
Odour Impact Scale
Scale Interpretation
Cervolide® presents a delicate scent when evaluated directly (2/10 strength), yet offers a surprisingly moderate presence in blends (6/10 impact).
Average Use: 3% in a perfume compound
Odour Family:
Musky
Appearance: Colourless liquid
Longevity: Lasts > 400 hours on a smelling strip
Odour Profile: Sweet, clean musk with fruity-woody nuances; extremely tenacious.
Uses: Fixative in fine fragrances and functional products; adds long-lasting musky warmth and smooths harsh notes.
Alternative Names: 12-Oxahexadecanolide
INCI Name: HIBISCOLIDE
IUPAC Name: 13-oxaheptadecan-2-olide
Fraterworks® is strictly a reseller of this product and is neither an agent nor official distributor for Givaudan.
General Information
General Information
Like most suppliers and makers of quality raw materials for fragrances, we do not filter many of our products. This ensures that no odiferous matter is lost prior to use but can result in the appearance of small particles or slight clouding.
All alcoholic fragrances should be macerated for up to a month and then chilled in a moderate freezer overnight before being filtered fine. This will remove all cloudiness or detritus and is the industry norm.
IFRA Standards
IFRA Standards
Permitted amounts in finished product:
IFRA 51: 100%
IFRA 49: 100%
These are derived from calculated concentrations which do not replace chromatographic quantification on individual lots. Disclaimer...
For Trade Use Only
For Trade Use Only
Our products are intended as building blocks in the perfume creation process; they are not to be applied to the skin undiluted.
These raw materials are for use by the perfumery trade only.
Demonstration Formulas
Explore real-world examples showcasing the versatility and applications of our premium products. See the complete index.
Body Shop White Musk (1981) — A Musk Scent
Derby 1985 — A Masculine Chypre Fragrance
* Disclaimer
General Disclaimer
(a) Vegan labelling: Where the word “vegan” is used in relation to our products, that indicates that we have not added any animal products to products marked vegan. We do not verify whether any third-party supplier has used animal additives prior to supplying a product to us. We provide products marked vegan “as is” and make no representation as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of that claim.
(b) Natural labelling: Where the word “natural” is used in relation to our products, that indicates that we have not added any synthetic additives to products marked natural. We do not verify whether any third-party supplier has used synthetic additives prior to supplying a product to us. We provide products marked natural “as is” and make no representation as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of that claim.
(c) Documentation: We provide the information contained in each document you obtain from us (including but not limited to SDS, IFRA certificate, COA, TDS, EU Allergens, and any other regulatory document) “as is” and make no representation as to its accuracy, completeness, or reliability. We provide no warranties or guarantees in relation to a document you obtain from us. You purchase and use a document or documents at your own risk. Any implied conditions or warranties are excluded and, to the extent that they cannot be excluded, any liability we have to you or any other person or entity in respect of a document you obtain from us is limited to NZD0.01 (one cent). You indemnify us against any loss we suffer or incur as a direct or indirect result of your use of a document you obtain from us.
(d) Demonstration formulas: Demonstration formulas are provided as a guide only. We provide no warranties or guarantees in relation to the formula. You access and use the formula at your own risk. Any implied conditions or warranties are excluded and, to the extent that they cannot be excluded, any liability we have to you or any other person or entity in respect of the formula is limited to NZD0.01 (one cent). You indemnify us against any loss we suffer or incur as a direct or indirect result of your use of a formula.
Note: Wherever you are in the perfumersworld, whether you're a fragrance artisan, hobbyist, perfumer's apprentice or professional looking to buy bulkaroma chemicals, we have what you need — from essential oils and absolutes, to bases, perfume chemicals (synthetics), bottles and more. We also offer compounding (contract blend), fragrance formulation, and an artisan lab visit for a guided smelling experience. Please note that we are not selling perfumes and that our materials are for use by perfume creation. We ship all around the world and have customer service that is second to none. We also stock educational kits and sample kits.
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Regulations
DisclaimerAll of our products are compliant with EU 1223/2009 and the NZCPGS. None of our bases contain prohibited materials and regulatory compliance is possible depending on usage.
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IFRA Conformity
All of our bases can be used in products requiring conformity with the latest IFRA standards. Fraterworks is an official member of IFRA and the FFAANZ.
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Nitro Musks
Some of our products may contain small amounts of EU and IFRA compliant musk ketone. We never use musk xylene, musk ambrette or any other prohibited materials.