Our perfumes containing Oak Moss

Oakmoss, scientifically known as Evernia prunastri, is a lichen species that grows with cyanobacteria or algae living with other multiple species in a mutualistic manner. These aren’t typically plants but may have flat leaf-like structures and powder-like appearance. As the name suggests, oakmoss grows typically on the bark of the oak tree but is also found in pine and fir.

Oak mosses aren’t true plants, thus, unusual sources of fragrance materials. It has a rich, earthy, smooth, woody, resinous, warmly sweet, honey-like evolving scent with a hay-type note.

Though oak moss fragrance is completely unique with no natural analogs, it’s quite similar to musk perfumes. Most perfumers believe that it is because musk deer feeds on these types of mosses. 

The story of oakmoss as a natural perfume spans centuries. In ancient Egypt, oakmoss was imported from Greece along with other ingredients such as myrrh and pine resin.

In Europe, oakmoss was a very popular natural perfume in the 16th century. In England at the time of Queen Elizabeth, it was used along with rose petals and iris roots to produce a powder for scenting the wigs that were very fashionable at the time.