Hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane is prepared by heating linear, branched, or cross-linked organopolysiloxanes containing at least 50 mol percent of dimethylsiloxane units to at least 350.degree. C. in the absence of substances which attack the siloxane group during heating and simultaneously distilling off the cyclic dimethylpolysiloxanes thus formed.The hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane thus prepared is an excellent carrier for fragrant materials, especially where the carrier is present in admixture with other carrier substances such as tetramethylcyclobutanedione.