Frequently Asked Questions: Terpineol

Exactly what IS terpineol? Where does it come from? What is it made of?

MSDS (material safety data sheet) for Alpha-terpineol:

Description : In lilac and lily of the valley type fragrances. Also in apple blossom, fougere and specialty perfumes. In addition to concentrates and luxury fragrances, alpha-Terpineol is used extensively in fragrances for bath preparations, soaps, detergents, polishes and other household products. Flavor - Used in moderate amounts in berry flavors, and in lemon, lime, nutmeg, orange, peach and various spice and floral types.

Synonyms : alpha-terpineol; 1-para-menthen-8-ol
Odor Description : Fresh Sweet Lilac Floral Citrus Lime
Appearence : Colorless Viscous Liquid To Solid
Mol./Wt. : 154.2516
Formula : C10 H18 O
Nafta H. # : 2906.14.0000
Cas. # : 98-55-5
Einecs # : 202-680-6
Rtecs # : WZ6700000
Fema # : 3045
G.C. : 97.70% Total
Actual Specific Gravity : 0.93390 @ 25.00 °C. 7.771 Pounds Per Gallon
Specific Gravity : 0.93000 - 0.93600 @ 25.00 °C. 7.739 - 7.788 Pounds Per Gallon

Actual Refractive Index : 1.48450 @ 20.00 °C.
Refractive Index : 1.47400 - 1.48600 @ 20.00 °C.
Melting Point : 40.00 - 41.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm
Boiling Point : 214.00 - 218.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm
Boiling Point : 136.00 - 137.00 °C. @ 50.00 mm
Assay: 96.00 - 100.00 %
Blends With : Acetophenone; Amyris; Anisyl Alcohol; Benzyl Acetate; Benzylidene Acetone; Bergamot
Soluble in : Paraffin Oil; Water Very Slightly; Alcohol; Kerosene
Insoluble in : Water
Perfumery Uses : Appleblossom; Apricot; Bath Preperations; Bergamot; Bois De Rose Rosewood; Broom Genet Genista
Natural Occurrence : Bergamot; Bois De Rose; Cajuput; Cardamom; Cinnamon; Cinnamon Leaf; Cubeb; Cypress
Material Safety Data Sheet.

That is probably more and less than you wanted to know. What is useful in terms of its use with henna is that it can be mixed in your henna powder to make your stains darker. If you are familiar with the "terps" then you know there is a family of terps that take their name from the fact that they each contain a percentage of terpineol alcohol and that it is the terpineol alcohol that they contain that is the active agent that pushes the henna stain. Rather than using a terp like cajeput, tea tree, ravensara, eucalyptus, etc., that contain some terpineol in their chemical make up, terpineol is the pure alcohol. As there is a process to extract oils from herbs and plants that we call essential oils. There is a process to extract and synthesize the plant and oils to obtain the pure terpineol alcohol. It is as hard and as easy to explain what terpineol alcohol is as it is to explain what an essential oil is.

If you have certain herbs or plants like rosemary or eucalyptus (two of many I could have mentioned)... and then process to extract the oil, we get an essential oil. This essential oil has a chemical formula or make up. If you write out the chemical forumla for that chemical chain, one of the things in that chemical formula will be terpineol alcohol. Now, further synthesize the essential oil and you can separate out the pure terpineol alcohol. That is our TERPINEOL .

The short of it is that terpineol is a natural alcohol. It works for henna artists as an addition to their henna paste to help push stains darker. It is in the natural chemical makeup of many of the other essential oils that are used to make stains darker and are called terps. Predating "terps" it was used in premix henna pastes in tubes manufactured in the Middle East..typically Pakistan .

Are Terpineol and Turpentine the same thing?

No, they are actually quite different and can not be used interchangeably.

Both Terpineol and Turpentine are terpenes.

Terpenes: Any of a series of isomeric, unsaturated hydrocarbons of the general formula C10H16, found in resins, essential oils, etc. They are used in perfumes, medicines, etc. Terpenes are any of the various derivatives of the terpene hydrocarbons.

Turpentine : derived from oleoresins obtained from the pine tree and is used to clean brushes and thin paint and in varnishes. Also, in medicine (spirit of turpentine)...it was an old remedy when mixed with sugar for "female problems." But even then, that would be two totally different turpentines. And not to be confused with terpineol.

Terpineol : The primary use for Terpineol (Alpha-Terpineol) C10H18(OH) is in the perfumery industry. There are three that I know about. It is "any of 3 isomeric alcohols with a lilac odor, found in certain volatile oils (essential oils) and used in perfumes." That is Websters definition for it.

Terpineol has been around for a long time without a lot of use in our everyday lives except as it exists as part of our perfumes and cosmetics. Outside of henna artists' use of it in their henna paste, most people (unless they are perfumers or make cosmetics) would not have much use for it. It is something we westerners have been living with for a long time without awareness.

However, since Terpineol was used in henna pastes from the Middle East way before anyone here had a clue about the role of terpenes in darkening and evening out the stains, it is obviously something better known in other parts of the world. Particularly in France and other places due to the perfumery industry there.

An easier way to understand Terpineol: If you have certain herbs or plants like rosemary or eucalyptus (2 of many I could have mentioned)...and then process to extract the oil we know as essential oil. This essential oil has a chemical formula or make up. If you write out the chemical forumla for that chemical chain, one of the things in that chemical formula will be terpineol alcohol. Now, further synthesize the essential oil and you can separate out the pure terpineol alcohol. That is our TERPINEOL .

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