Sage

In perfumery, sage mainly designates common sage, Salvia officinalis, a Mediterranean plant not to be confused with clary sage. Its essential oil, distilled from the leaves and flowering tops, combines thujone, camphor and cineole: an aromatic, fresh and camphoraceous note, present in many masculine perfumes and in marine accords.

Two sages not to be confused

Common sage (Salvia officinalis) and clary sage (Salvia sclarea) are two distinct species. The first, the subject of this note, is an aromatic plant of the Mediterranean basin, widespread in the maquis; the second has its own page, Clary sage.

An oil from the Balkans

The essential oil is obtained by steam distillation of the leaves and flowering tops. The Balkans supply most of the production, and Dalmatian sage, from Croatia, serves as the benchmark. Thujone, camphor and 1,8-cineole dominate its composition and give it its fresh, camphoraceous, almost medicinal character.

Thujone is neurotoxic. Since the decree of August 3, 2007, common sage essential oil has been one of the fifteen oils in France whose sale to the public is reserved for pharmacists; this monopoly does not cover cosmetic products, perfumes included.

Sage in perfumes

It appears in aromatic masculines from every era: Aramis in 1966 places it in the heart, L’Eau d’Issey pour Homme in 1994 in the top, Stronger With You by Armani in 2017 in the heart. In 2014, Christine Nagel paired it with sea salt, ambrette seeds, grapefruit and red algae in Wood Sage & Sea Salt, launched by Jo Malone London in September of that year.