What you need to know about cist culture labdanum
The plant, also called Cistus ladaniferus, grows along the Mediterranean coast, because it needs a dry soil and sun to flourish. During the months of April to June, it is decorated with white flowers, but which do not release any smell. It is not to these flowers that interests perfume, but to the fragrant resin that the plant secretes. Several resin harvesting techniques have been used over decades. Today, to harvest the material in order to transform it into absolute to integrate it with the fragrances, the branches are cut with the sickle. The ciste labdanum, a material historically used in the perfume industry
About 3000 years ago, perfumery began to exploit Cistus ladaniferus. Indeed, during the summer period, this plant secretes a kind of gum rather viscous, so as not to dehydrate, and this one was already used during Antiquity to produce incense. Moreover, with the time and the evolution of the techniques, the ciste labdanum has been declined in different components such as the gum or resinoid labdanum, the concrete, the absolute or the essential oil of cistus.

The ciste labdanum, an adored plant of perfumers
The labdanum is appreciated for its grass, wood, resin and balsamic chords. These are mixed with amber and animal scents, which is what distinguishes this component from other plant materials. His notes are very powerful and warm. Its effluvia, generally used in background notes, combine well with chypre or amber compositions.