Bay Leaf

Laurus nobilis L.

Chemotype: 1,8-cineole / linalool / alpha-terpinyl-acetate type

freshsweet-spicyaromaticcamphoraceousclove-like

PLANT PART: leaves
EXTRACTION: steam distillation
AROMA NOTE: top-mid

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LEARN AS YOU COMPARE

What’s inside this oil?

Constituents are the natural chemicals that give an oil its character. See the main ones, learn what they do, and explore differences between batches.

I’m interested in

Meet the main constituents, then select one to see what makes it interesting.

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FOLLOW YOUR SENSES

Aroma & character

A closer look at this oil's scent, strength, and staying power.

freshsweet-spicyaromaticcamphoraceousclove-like

Aroma intensity: 80 / 100

Soft & subtleBold & expressive

Note layer: top-mid

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A LITTLE CARE GOES A LONG WAY

Using it thoughtfully

Read the full safety context before bringing this oil into your routine.

Cited dermal maximum · leave-on: 0.5%
Phototoxicity: Not flagged in this profile
Oxidation risk: Unknown

A cited maximum is a limit, not a suggested dilution. Missing restrictions do not establish safety.

No phototoxic restriction was identified for steam-distilled Laurus nobilis leaf oil in the consulted sources.

Contraindications & cautions

moderateThe public safety profile recommends dilution and cites Tisserand and Young for a 0.5% dermal maximum.

Read the complete safety guide

Explore measured chemistry from supplier batches

A supplier report describes a particular sample. Open this workspace to investigate measured constituents and their original documents.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCENT

Inside the oil

11 constituents

An oil's character comes from its natural chemical composition. Explore each constituent to understand the connections.

About this composition

This profile is anchored to the 2024 Montenegro bay-leaf oil paper, which reports a 1,8-cineole-dominant Laurus nobilis leaf oil with linalool and alpha-terpinyl acetate as the main supporting oxygenated monoterpenes. The public safety and aroma fields are upgraded from a directly read Eden Botanicals laurel leaf profile that cites Tisserand and Young for dermal guidance and describes the odor as strong and camphoraceous-spicy.

Constituent	Typical amount	Reported range	Chemical family	Source
1,8-Cineole (eucalyptol)	39.4%	39.4–39.4%	oxide	View source Chemical Profiling of Essential Oils from Main Culinary Plants-Bay (Laurus nobilis L.) and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) from Montenegro https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/12/1249 (lines 214-219: 1,8-cineole 39.4% in bay leaf essential oil)
Linalool	13.9%	13.9–13.9%	monoterpene alcohol	View source Chemical Profiling of Essential Oils from Main Culinary Plants-Bay (Laurus nobilis L.) and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) from Montenegro https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/12/1249 (line 214: linalool 13.9%)
alpha-Terpinyl acetate	11.2%	11.2–11.2%	ester	View source Chemical Profiling of Essential Oils from Main Culinary Plants-Bay (Laurus nobilis L.) and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) from Montenegro https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/12/1249 (line 214: alpha-terpinyl acetate 11.2%)
Sabinene	6.7%	6.7–6.7%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Chemical Profiling of Essential Oils from Main Culinary Plants-Bay (Laurus nobilis L.) and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) from Montenegro https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/12/1249 (line 214: sabinene 6.7%)
Methyl eugenol	5.7%	5.7–5.7%	phenylpropanoid	View source Chemical Profiling of Essential Oils from Main Culinary Plants-Bay (Laurus nobilis L.) and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) from Montenegro https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/12/1249 (lines 214 and 219: methyl eugenol 5.7%)
beta-Pinene	3.2%	3.2–3.2%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Chemical Profiling of Essential Oils from Main Culinary Plants-Bay (Laurus nobilis L.) and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) from Montenegro https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/12/1249 (line 214: beta-pinene 3.2%)
alpha-Pinene	5.8%	—	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Laurus nobilis leaf EO GC-MS review + S.Italy/Cilento single-sample profile, Molecules (PMC6152719); a-pinene 3.6-7.4%, eugenol 2.0-4.1%, terpinen-4-ol 1.3-2.3%, a-terpineol/g-terpinene from Cilento table
alpha-Terpineol	3.3%	—	monoterpene alcohol	View source Laurus nobilis leaf EO GC-MS review + S.Italy/Cilento single-sample profile, Molecules (PMC6152719); a-pinene 3.6-7.4%, eugenol 2.0-4.1%, terpinen-4-ol 1.3-2.3%, a-terpineol/g-terpinene from Cilento table
Eugenol	2.5%	—	phenylpropanoid	View source Laurus nobilis leaf EO GC-MS review + S.Italy/Cilento single-sample profile, Molecules (PMC6152719); a-pinene 3.6-7.4%, eugenol 2.0-4.1%, terpinen-4-ol 1.3-2.3%, a-terpineol/g-terpinene from Cilento table
Terpinen-4-ol	1.8%	—	monoterpene alcohol	View source Laurus nobilis leaf EO GC-MS review + S.Italy/Cilento single-sample profile, Molecules (PMC6152719); a-pinene 3.6-7.4%, eugenol 2.0-4.1%, terpinen-4-ol 1.3-2.3%, a-terpineol/g-terpinene from Cilento table
gamma-Terpinene	1%	—	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Laurus nobilis leaf EO GC-MS review + S.Italy/Cilento single-sample profile, Molecules (PMC6152719); a-pinene 3.6-7.4%, eugenol 2.0-4.1%, terpinen-4-ol 1.3-2.3%, a-terpineol/g-terpinene from Cilento table

Profile source: Chemical Profiling of Essential Oils from Main Culinary Plants-Bay (Laurus nobilis L.) and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) from Montenegro; Laurel Leaf - Organic EO · https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/12/1249 ; https://www.edenbotanicals.com/laurel-leaf-organic.html

A TRADITION OF BOTANICAL CURIOSITY

Traditional & reported uses

These uses reflect the profile's reported traditions and literature. They are not established treatment recommendations.

traditionally used in aromatherapy for respiratory comfort and easing occasional congestion
reported use in massage blends for warming, muscular comfort
used in perfumery for a spicy, medicinal-herbal note
traditionally associated with mental clarity and alertness when diffused
reported use in hair-care traditions for scalp-freshening aromatic blends

Explore related intentionsFocus & Concentration ↗

For aromatherapy and wellness use only — not medical advice. Effect statements are traditional/reported associations, not treatment claims. The Synergy Rating scores blend craft, harmony and safety, not medical efficacy. Read the safety framework.

What we're still learning · 2 data gaps

Good decisions start with knowing what is — and isn't — in the evidence.

Volatility rate, tenacity window, and oxidation risk were not verified from the consulted public sources.
Odor intensity 80 is a normalization of Eden Botanicals' qualitative 'strong' aroma wording rather than a native 0-100 measurement.