Mothball carries a distinctly sharp, almost medicinal pungency—imagine walking into a vintage wardrobe after decades of storage. It smells acrid and slightly chemical, reminiscent of camphor or naphthalene, with an underlying mineral coolness. There's a peculiar brightness to it, almost crystalline, like inhaling camphorated vapour mixed with something faintly antiseptic. It's simultaneously clean and oppressive, conjuring memories of old linen closets and grandmother's cedar chests.
The mothball accord is primarily synthetic, engineered rather than harvested. Historically derived from naphthalene (a coal tar byproduct) or paradichlorobenzene, modern fragrance chemistry has shifted towards safer alternatives like camphor and isoborneol—both naturally occurring terpenes. Camphor originates from the camphor laurel tree native to East Asia; isoborneol is a borneol derivative. These ingredients were first synthesised commercially in the 19th century, revolutionising textile preservation and subsequently, niche perfumery.
Mothball functions as a daring, provocative top note or accent rather than a base. Perfumers deploy it sparingly to evoke nostalgia, vintage aesthetics, or deliberate dissonance. It creates an immediate, arresting presence—offering memento mori qualities in compositions exploring time, memory, or deliberate retro-kitsch. It's rarely used straightforwardly; rather, it's a conceptual statement.