Birch Oil

Birch Oil is an aromatic oil obtained from birch trees, and the name covers two very different products. Sweet birch oil is steam distilled from the bark of Betula lenta and is almost pure methyl salicylate, with a strong wintergreen scent. Birch tar oil is made by dry distillation of birch wood and bark and has a smoky, leathery scent. Both are used in specialised fragrance, cosmetic and industrial applications.

Arizone International supplies Birch Oil in the grade required by fragrance houses, cosmetic manufacturers, leather and soap industries, and aroma chemical users.

Sweet Birch Oil

Sweet birch (Betula lenta), also called black birch or cherry birch, grows in the eastern United States. When its bark is soaked in warm water, an enzyme releases methyl salicylate, which is then distilled. The oil smells almost exactly like wintergreen oil, and the two have been used interchangeably for a long time. It was once widely used to flavour root beer and chewing gum, although synthetic methyl salicylate has now largely replaced it.

Birch Tar Oil

Birch tar oil is produced by heating birch wood and bark without air, a process called destructive distillation. The crude tar is then refined. It has a strong, smoky, tarry scent and is the traditional note behind "Russian leather". Birch tar was historically used to tan and waterproof leather in Russia, and it remains important in leather-type perfumes. It has also been used in some specialist scalp-care shampoos and soaps.

Main Components

• Sweet Birch OilMethyl salicylate, usually above 95%.
• Birch Tar OilPhenols such as guaiacol and cresols, which give the smoky, leathery character.

Applications

• Leather and smoky accords in fine perfumery (birch tar)
• Specialist soaps and scalp-care products (birch tar)
• Massage and warming balm formulations (sweet birch, at controlled levels)
• Oral-care and flavour uses where permitted (sweet birch)
• Leather treatment and industrial uses

Important Safety Note

Sweet birch oil is almost pure methyl salicylate and is toxic if swallowed, even in small amounts. It is especially dangerous for children and has caused serious poisoning. It must never be taken internally, must be kept out of reach of children, and should not be used by people who are allergic to aspirin, who take blood-thinning medicines, or who are pregnant. On skin, it must be well diluted.

Birch tar oil must be refined to reduce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and its use in cosmetics is restricted by IFRA standards and EU regulations, which set limits on these compounds. Only rectified grades should be used in fragrance and cosmetics.

Quality Parameters

• Grade: sweet birch or birch tar (rectified)
• Methyl salicylate content for sweet birch
• PAH content for birch tar where required
• Specific gravity and refractive index
• Aroma and colour evaluation

Packaging and Storage

Supplied in aluminium bottles, HDPE containers or drums with child-resistant closures where required. Store tightly closed in a cool, dark place.

Why Choose Arizone International?

We are an India-based supplier and exporter of essential oils and perfumery materials, located in Daman near Gujarat. We supply Birch Oil with COA, MSDS, GC reports and full export documentation, and we help buyers choose the correct grade.

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