Do you know that the beautiful scent of jasmine flowers comes from the same substance used in many head lice treatments? Yes, quite shocking, right? The molecule present in both of them is “benzyl alcohol.” Benzyl alcohol is a versatile compound that does wonders with its magic. Apart from scent, its applications are many and that’s what makes it impressive. Benzyl alcohol comes in low quantities as a local anesthetic, a mild preservative with high utility, and also an industrial solvent. Let’s start with its applications, safety considerations, and environmental impacts.