Vetiver

Chrysopogon zizanioides

Base note Earthy Smoky & leather Essential oil

Deep, earthy and rooty with a smoky, dry-woody character and a green, slightly nutty edge. Very tenacious; it can smell like damp soil at first.

Made from: Steam-distilled, slowly, from the dried roots of vetiver grass.
Strength: ●●●●○
Cost: Pricey
Moods: Grounding Calming Focusing
Seasons: Autumn, Winter, Summer
Rooms: Bedroom, Office, Living room

Blend with it

No special cautions at normal use.

How it behaves

CandlesGood

Thick and syrupy — warm the bottle and pre-mix with your other oils. It won't give much throw on its own but anchors citrus and florals beautifully.

Wax meltsGood

Reed diffuserGood

A superb fixative; pre-dilute so it doesn't clog reeds.

Room & linen sprayWorkable

Electric (water) diffuserWorkable

Very viscous; dilute or blend with thinner oils before use.

Cold-process soapGood

Excellent anchor for fading top notes; the dark oil may slightly tint pale soap.

Melt-and-pour soapGreat

Laundry & cleaningGood

Pairs well with

Don't have it? Try Patchouli, Atlas Cedarwood.

In these blends

Forest Bathing

A slow walk under firs after rain, bark and needles underfoot.

Fir Needle · Atlas Cedarwood · Bergamot · Cypress · Grapefruit · Vetiver

Top 26% Middle 47% Base 26%

GroundingRefreshingAutumnWinter

Teak & Tide

A wooden sailboat deck, salt on the rails and grapefruit in the cooler.

Cypress · Teakwood · Sea Salt · Lavender · Grapefruit · Vetiver

Top 31% Middle 44% Base 25%

RefreshingGroundingSummerAutumn

A little lore

Haiti is one of the world's largest producers of vetiver oil, and the deep-rooted grass is widely planted to hold soil against erosion.