Open a bottle of cinnamon essential oil in a closed room and you understand at once why perfumers always speak of it as a material to use sparingly.
The reason lies in its composition. The main component of oil distilled from cinnamon bark is cinnamaldehyde, a substance with a very clear smell that can irritate skin if used without dilution. Oil distilled from cinnamon leaf has a different main component, leaning towards eugenol, and gives a note closer to clove.
From what, and by what method
- Raw material: bark, small branches or leaves. These three sources give three different oils that do not substitute for one another.
- The familiar method: steam distillation, in which steam carries the volatile components out of the material and is then cooled to condense.
- The result: a very small quantity of oil relative to the weight of raw material, and that is the reason for its price.
- Storage: a dark bottle, tightly closed, somewhere cool and away from light.
Why it has to be diluted
Essential oil is a concentrate, not a ready-made solution for use on the body. With oils rich in cinnamaldehyde such as cinnamon bark oil, applying it directly to skin can cause irritation, and this is noted in the instructions of many manufacturers. We are not giving dilution ratios or directions for use on skin here, because that should come from the instructions of the specific product or from someone qualified.
At ZUNGZA, if cinnamon oil appears in a formula it is always in a small amount and within a blend built on woody notes. This is how we work, not a recommended formula for making things at home.
What it does inside a fragrance
The cinnamon note brings warmth and a little heat to the opening and the heart of a scent. It also keeps a dry woody base from feeling empty and gives it depth. The drawback is that it takes over very easily: slightly overdone and the whole formula becomes the smell of baking, and the other notes can no longer be heard.
A few questions you often send us
Can cinnamon oil be used to scent a room
Many people use it in a diffuser in small amounts. If there are young children, people with respiratory conditions or pets in the house, read the product instructions and consult someone qualified first, because these groups need more caution.
Do bark oil and leaf oil differ much
Clearly different. Bark oil leans towards the familiar sweet heat of cinnamon; leaf oil leans towards a clove-like warmth. The prices of the two are usually different as well.
Why is my bottle of cinnamon oil darkening
Essential oil oxidises over time on contact with air and light, and darkening colour is a familiar sign. By then the smell has changed too, so if it is going into a product, do not use a bottle that has been open a long time.