Helichrysum essential oil, or more often, Immortelle absolute, has been prized in the perfume industry for ages. Its most common use is as as a fixative, providing the base/middle note to a perfume that needs rounding-out, providing “life and natural-ness.”

The scent of Immortelle absolute is incredibly complex. The fragrance begins in the top note as a warm, spicy, tobacco-like honey and changes during the dry-out to a more delicate, fruity floral aroma. It has been said that perfume blenders must have considerable experience and skill when using helichrysum in their mixtures because the fragrance can be so tenacious and ever-changing. The fragrance of helichrysum has been described at once as being warm, herbal, woody, sweet, earthy, green, floral, honey or caramel-like, rich, and buttery.

Typical perfume blends that utilize rich helichrysum include amber, boronia, chamomile, chypre, citrus oils, clary sage, clove bud, coumarin, flouve, labdanum, lavender, lavendin, lily, mimosa, muguet, oak moss, and rose.