Violet Leaf Absolute
Viola odorata
Description
Violet Leaf Absolute is an intriguing absolute to work with. Aromatically, it possesses a green aroma with a slight earthy, floral character at low dilutions. As an absolute, I particularly prefer it for use in perfumery and fragrancing applications. It blends especially well with essential oils in the floral, herb and wood families.
I haven't worked much with Violet Leaf Absolute for emotional or spiritual applications, but Valerie Ann Worwood recommends it for "timidity of the spirit" and describes it as helping "to encourage security, courage, confidence, centering, gentleness, and upliftment." [Valerie Ann Worwood, Aromatherapy for the Soul (Novato, CA: New World Library, 1999, 284.]
Refer to the remainder of the profile for Violet Leaf Absolute uses, benefits and safety information.
Violet Leaf Absolute Benefits and Uses
- Rheumatic Conditions
- Fluid Retention
- Edema
- Cellulite
- Stress-induced Acne
- Prematurely Aged Skin
- Bruising
- Sore Skin
- Nervous Exhaustion
- Perfumery
Source: Valerie Ann Worwood, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, 25th Anniversary Edition (Novato, CA: New World Library, 2016, 630.
Botanical Name
Plant Family
Common Method of Extraction
Solvent Extracted
What is an Absolute?
Plant Part Typically Used
Color
Dark Green
Consistency
Thick
Perfumery Note
Middle
Strength of Initial Aroma
Middle - Base
Aromatic Description
Violet Leaf Absolute smells green, earthy and slightly floral.
Sustainability and Conservation Status
Least Concern
Source: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/203495/2766319
The scope of the IUCN assessment was limited to Europe.
Last Accessed: February 15, 2026
To learn more about the conservation status of essential oil bearing plants and how to use the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, please refer to AromaWeb's Guide to Essential Oils and Sustainability.
Major Constituents
- 9, 12-Octadecadienoic Acid
- 2,6-Nonedienal
- Hexadecanoic Acid
- 3-Pentadecenal
- 1-Hexadecene
- 1-Octadecene
- 2,6,11-Trimethyldodecane
See Essential Oil Safety for more complete list of typical constituents.
Source: B.M. Lawrence, Essential Oils 1988-1991 (Wheaton: Allured Publishing, 1995), 134. Source cited in Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 467.
Violet Leaf Absolute Safety Information
Tisserand and Young do not indicate any special precautions when using Violet Leaf Absolute. Reading Tisserand and Young's full profile is recommended. [Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 467-468.]
General Safety Information
Do not take any oils internally and do not apply undiluted essential oils, absolutes, CO2s or other concentrated essences onto the skin without advanced essential oil knowledge or consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. For general dilution information, read AromaWeb's Guide to Diluting Essential Oils. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Use extreme caution when using oils with children and be sure to first read the recommended dilution ratios for children. Consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner before using oils with children, the elderly, if you have medical issues or are taking medications. Before using this or any essential oil, carefully read AromaWeb's Essential Oil Safety Information page. For in-depth information on oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young.
Shelf Life
Important Information About the Profiles
The essential oil information provided on AromaWeb is intended for basic educational purposes only. The references to safety information, test results, constituents and percentages is generalized information. Essential oils can vary greatly in composition. The data is not necessarily complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate. The essential oil photos are intended to represent the typical and approximate color of each essential oil. However, essential oil composition and color can vary based on harvesting, distillation, age of the essential oil and other factors. Profiles for several CO2 Extracts and absolutes are included within the directory, and are denoted as such.
