Orris concrete
Orris concrete is a luxurious, powdery-sweet natural extract derived from the rhizomes of the iris flower. It is highly prized in UK beauty and fragrance for its elegant, violet-like scent and subtle fixative properties. Often used in premium skincare and perfumes, it adds a soft, sophisticated aroma while offering gentle skin-soothing qualities.
How it works in skincare
In cosmetics and skincare, orris concrete functions primarily as a natural fragrance ingredient and fixative, helping to stabilise and prolong other scent notes in formulations. Its rich, creamy floral profile lends an indulgent sensory experience to creams, serums, balms and perfumes, while its mild emollient nature can help soften the feel of products on the skin. Traditionally steam-distilled or solvent-extracted into a waxy concrete, it is used at low concentrations to deliver a refined, powdery elegance without overpowering the formula.
Key benefits
- Delivers a soft, powdery floral scent
- Acts as a natural fragrance fixative
- Imparts a luxurious, creamy texture in balms and creams
- Provides subtle skin-softening properties
- Adds sophistication to natural perfume blends
- Enhances the sensory experience of skincare
Best for
dry skin, mature skin, sensitive skin, normal skin
Where it comes from
Orris concrete is obtained from the rhizomes (underground stems) of the Iris germanica and Iris pallida plants, commonly known as orris root. The rhizomes are harvested, dried for up to three years, then processed into a waxy concrete rich in irones, the compounds responsible for its characteristic violet-like aroma.
Products with Orris concrete
Not every product on UK Lips lists a full ingredient breakdown — so there may be many more formulas that contain Orris concrete than we can show here. These are the comparisons where we’ve confirmed it in the listed ingredients.
We haven’t matched this ingredient to a product ingredients list yet — check back as more pages are enriched.