Cistus

Cistus ladaniferus

Chemotype: alpha-pinene / viridiflorol type

freshbalsamicwoodyherbaceousslightly spicyfloral

PLANT PART: flowers and leaves
EXTRACTION: steam distilled
AROMA NOTE: base

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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.

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FOLLOW YOUR SENSES

Aroma & character

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

freshbalsamicwoodyherbaceousslightly spicyfloral

Aroma intensity: 50 / 100

Soft & subtleBold & expressive

Note layer: base

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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: 19.5%
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.

No furocoumarin-related phototoxic restriction was identified in the public sources reviewed for Cistus ladaniferus essential oil.

Contraindications & cautions

minorAvoid oxidized oil; the public safety summary states sensitization is possible if the oil has oxidized.

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

8 constituents

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

About this composition

Cistus ladanifer essential oil is compositionally variable by origin, season, storage, and plant age. This record uses a directly readable steam-distilled Spanish oil dataset where alpha-pinene is clearly dominant, with viridiflorol, bornyl acetate, ledol, limonene, and camphene as recurring markers. The public IFRA certificate for organic Cistus ladaniferus supplies a leave-on use ceiling for category 5B applications and supports a non-phototoxic profile.

Constituent	Typical amount	Reported range	Chemical family	Source
alpha-Pinene	49.65%	46.67–49.65%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Influence of the Storage of Cistus ladanifer L. Bales from Mechanised Harvesting on the Essential Oil Yield and Qualitative Composition https://documenta.ciemat.es/bitstreams/5c88c086-7f39-4d82-bd64-f0492ac959da/download (alpha-pinene 49.65%, 47.42%, 46.67% across storage windows)
Viridiflorol	10.03%	10.03–12.5%	oxygenated sesquiterpene	View source Influence of the Storage of Cistus ladanifer L. Bales from Mechanised Harvesting on the Essential Oil Yield and Qualitative Composition https://documenta.ciemat.es/bitstreams/5c88c086-7f39-4d82-bd64-f0492ac959da/download (viridiflorol 10.03%, 11.98%, 12.50%)
Bornyl acetate	2.71%	2.32–2.71%	monoterpene ester	View source Influence of the Storage of Cistus ladanifer L. Bales from Mechanised Harvesting on the Essential Oil Yield and Qualitative Composition https://documenta.ciemat.es/bitstreams/5c88c086-7f39-4d82-bd64-f0492ac959da/download (bornyl acetate 2.71%, 2.32%, 2.48%)
Ledol	2.85%	2.85–3.51%	oxygenated sesquiterpene	View source Influence of the Storage of Cistus ladanifer L. Bales from Mechanised Harvesting on the Essential Oil Yield and Qualitative Composition https://documenta.ciemat.es/bitstreams/5c88c086-7f39-4d82-bd64-f0492ac959da/download (ledol 2.85%, 3.41%, 3.51%)
Camphene	2.6%	2.49–2.6%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Influence of the Storage of Cistus ladanifer L. Bales from Mechanised Harvesting on the Essential Oil Yield and Qualitative Composition https://documenta.ciemat.es/bitstreams/5c88c086-7f39-4d82-bd64-f0492ac959da/download (camphene 2.60%, 2.49%, 2.56%)
Limonene	2.08%	1.52–2.08%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Influence of the Storage of Cistus ladanifer L. Bales from Mechanised Harvesting on the Essential Oil Yield and Qualitative Composition https://documenta.ciemat.es/bitstreams/5c88c086-7f39-4d82-bd64-f0492ac959da/download (limonene 2.08%, 1.81%, 1.52%)
p-Cymene	1.47%	1.26–1.47%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Influence of the Storage of Cistus ladanifer L. Bales from Mechanised Harvesting on the Essential Oil Yield and Qualitative Composition https://documenta.ciemat.es/bitstreams/5c88c086-7f39-4d82-bd64-f0492ac959da/download (p-cymene 1.47%, 1.26%, 1.33%)
trans-Pinocarveol	1.56%	0.99–1.59%	oxygenated monoterpene	View source Influence of the Storage of Cistus ladanifer L. Bales from Mechanised Harvesting on the Essential Oil Yield and Qualitative Composition https://documenta.ciemat.es/bitstreams/5c88c086-7f39-4d82-bd64-f0492ac959da/download (trans-pinocarveol 1.56%, 1.59%, 0.99%)

Profile source: Cistus Essential Oil: Benefits, Uses & Insights; Influence of the Storage of Cistus ladanifer L. Bales from Mechanised Harvesting on the Essential Oil Yield and Qualitative Composition; IFRA 51 Conformity Certificate Organic Cistus Essential Oil · https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/cistus-essential-oil.php (steam distilled; flowers and leaves; base note; medium aroma; oxidation caution); https://documenta.ciemat.es/bitstreams/5c88c086-7f39-4d82-bd64-f0492ac959da/download ; https://www.nhrorganicoils.com/uploads/20260105123617e_Cistus_IFRA_51.pdf (IFRA Category 5B 19.5%)

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 grounding, meditative, and calming blends
reported to support emotional steadiness during times of stress
used in perfumery as an ambery, leathery-sweet base note and fixative
traditionally associated with skin-soothing rituals in folk skincare
used in blends intended to ease occasional tension and support restful breathing

Explore related intentionsSleep & Rest ↗Relaxation & Calming ↗Stress Relief ↗

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.

Odor intensity 50 is a normalization of AromaWeb's categorical 'Medium' aroma strength into the archive's 0-100 numeric scale.
No public source verified in this pass gave measured volatility rate or tenacity hours for cistus essential oil.