Essential NosePeru Balsam
Peru balsam (Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae) is a resinous exudate rich in benzyl benzoate (~65%), benzyl cinnamate, cinnamic acid, and vanillin, which collectively confer antimicrobial and wound-healing properties historically exploited in dermatological preparations.[1] Despite this utility, sensitisation rates of 4-8% in patch-test populations place it among the most clinically significant contact allergens, and its medicinal use is now restricted in the EU.[2]
Balsam of Peru
Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae
- Also Known As
- Peru Balsam, Peruvian Balsam
- Family
- Resinous
- Perfumery Note
- Base
- Intensity
- Strong
- Extraction
- Solvent Extraction
- Plant Parts
- Crude balsam, Resin
- Origins
- El Salvador, Honduras
- Effect
- Grounding & Centering
- Aroma
- Sweet, Vanilla-like, Cinnamon
- Applications
- Aromatherapy, Perfumery, Skincare, Medicinal
- Price
- $$$$Extracted through a traditional, manual process of 'wounding' wild trees and boiling the collected resin-soaked cloths.
Peru balsam (Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae) is a resinous exudate rich in benzyl benzoate (~65%), benzyl cinnamate, cinnamic acid, and vanillin, which collectively confer antimicrobial and wound-healing properties historically exploited in dermatological preparations.[1] Despite this utility, sensitisation rates of 4-8% in patch-test populations place it among the most clinically significant contact allergens, and its medicinal use is now restricted in the EU.[2]
Tolu Balsam
Myroxylon balsamum var. balsamum
- Also Known As
- Balsam of Tolu, Balsamo de Tolu, Myroxylon toluiferum
- Family
- Resinous
- Perfumery Note
- Base
- Intensity
- Strong
- Extraction
- Solvent Extraction
- Plant Parts
- Crude balsam, Resin
- Origins
- Colombia, Venezuela
- Effect
- Grounding & Centering, Respiratory Support
- Aroma
- Sweet, Balsamic, Vanilla-Cinnamon, Warm
- Applications
- Perfumery, Aromatherapy, Flavoring, Medicinal
- Price
- $$$$Produced in smaller volumes than Peru balsam via traditional wild-tree tapping in Colombia and Venezuela, with far fewer commercial suppliers driving up cost.
Tolu balsam is the resin of the same tree species as Peru balsam (Myroxylon balsamum), but it is tapped from the balsamum variety native to Colombia and Venezuela and allowed to solidify by air-drying rather than being boiled out of resin-soaked cloths, yielding a firmer resin with a comparatively high proportion of free cinnamic acid (roughly 12-15%) alongside benzyl benzoate, benzyl cinnamate, and vanillin.[3] This chemistry gives Tolu a rounder, more vanilla-cinnamon-balsamic character than the sharper, more cinnamic-floral Peru balsam, though the two share enough constituents that clinicians treat cross-reactivity in balsam-sensitive patients as a real risk, as illustrated by a recent case of allergic contact dermatitis linked to a Tolu-balsam-containing tincture used as a postoperative dressing adhesive.[4]
References
- [1]Molecular profiling of Peru Balsam reveals active compounds — Göhringer A et al. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2020
- [2]Myroxylon pereirae resin (balsam of Peru): a critical review of the literature — de Groot AC. Contact Dermatitis, 2019
- [3]True and common balsams - Custodio DL, Veiga-Junior VF. Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia, 2012
- [4]An Unusual Cause of Allergic Contact Dermatitis in a Postoperative Patient - O'Mahony J, Goh Y, Lonergan A, Bourke J. Contact Dermatitis, 2025