GET TO KNOW YOUR OILS
Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum verum, bark)
Cinnamomum verum
Chemotype: (E)-cinnamaldehyde chemotype
- PLANT PART
- bark
- EXTRACTION
- steam distillation
- AROMA NOTE
- mid-base
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.
Meet the main constituents, then select one to see what makes it interesting.
FOLLOW YOUR SENSES
Aroma & character
A closer look at this oil's scent, strength, and staying power.
- Aroma intensity
- 85 / 100
- Note layer
- mid-base
- Approximate tenacity
- 24–72 hours
If you like this scent, explore
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
- 0.07%
- Phototoxicity
- Not flagged in this profile
- Oxidation risk
- medium
A cited maximum is a limit, not a suggested dilution. Missing restrictions do not establish safety.
Not phototoxic. Public Tisserand-backed safety summaries consistently identify cinnamon bark oil as a severe sensitization risk rather than a furocoumarin phototoxic oil.
Contraindications & cautions
- majorHigh skin-sensitization and irritation risk from cinnamaldehyde-rich bark oil.
- moderatePublic safety summaries reviewed in this pass advise avoiding cinnamon bark oil during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
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
An oil's character comes from its natural chemical composition. Explore each constituent to understand the connections.
About this composition
Publicly accessible cinnamon bark sources consistently describe a cinnamaldehyde-dominant true-cinnamon bark oil with smaller amounts of linalool, beta-caryophyllene, 1,8-cineole, eugenol, and cinnamyl acetate. The quantitative profile below is anchored to the openly readable PMC review that reports one bark-oil sample at 71.5% cinnamaldehyde and also summarizes broader bark-oil literature ranges.
| Constituent | Typical amount | Reported range | Chemical family | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (E)-cinnamaldehyde (trans-cinnamaldehyde) | 71.5% | 66.3–97.7% | phenylpropanoid | View sourcePMC cinnamon review https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7210559/ (review text and table summary: bark oil cinnamaldehyde 71.50%; literature range 66.3-97.7%) |
| linalool | 7% | 7–7% | monoterpene alcohol | View sourcePMC cinnamon review https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7210559/ (review table summary: linalool 7.00%) |
| beta-caryophyllene | 6.4% | 6.4–6.4% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourcePMC cinnamon review https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7210559/ (review table summary: beta-caryophyllene 6.40%) |
| 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol) | 5.4% | 5.4–5.4% | oxide | View sourcePMC cinnamon review https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7210559/ (review table summary: 1,8-cineole 5.40%) |
| eugenol | 4.6% | 4.6–10% | phenol | View sourcePMC cinnamon review https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7210559/ (review table summary: eugenol 4.60%; bark-oil discussion notes roughly 5-10%) |
| cinnamyl acetate | 0.5% | 0.5–0.5% | phenylpropanoid ester | View sourcePMC cinnamon review https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7210559/ (review table summary: acetic acid cinnamyl ester 0.5%) |
Profile source: PMC cinnamon review; AromaWeb cinnamon bark safety profile; Tisserand Institute cinnamon survey post · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7210559/ ; https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/cinnamon-essential-oil.php ; https://tisserandinstitute.org/new-survey-reveals-dangers-of-not-diluting-essential-oils/
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 a warming, stimulating atmosphere
- reported to support feelings of comfort and coziness when diffused in low dilution
- used in perfumery and flavor work for its spicy, warm sweetness
- traditionally associated with festive, invigorating seasonal blends
- historically included in warming massage oil folklore for muscle comfort, used at very low dilution due to skin sensitivity
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.
- The oil-level dermal maximum is publicly exposed only through secondary Tisserand-backed summaries rather than a directly readable primary monograph page from Essential Oil Safety 2e.
- The numeric odor-intensity value remains an archive normalization from public strong-aroma descriptions, not a published laboratory 0-100 measurement.