GET TO KNOW YOUR OILS
Clove Bud (Syzygium aromaticum)
Syzygium aromaticum
Chemotype: eugenol chemotype (phenylpropanoid-dominant)
- PLANT PART
- dried flower buds
- 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
- 80 / 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
- 0.5%
- 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.
Not phototoxic. Tisserand & Young dermal maximum 0.5% due to eugenol (~80-88%). Moderate skin/mucous-membrane sensitizer.
Contraindications & cautions
- moderateEugenol may inhibit platelet aggregation; caution with anticoagulants, major surgery, bleeding disorders.
- moderateMucous-membrane and skin irritant; embryotoxic in animal models — avoid in pregnancy and young children at higher doses.
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
Eugenol is the defining major constituent. Ranges reflect extraction method/origin from a review of clove EO studies. Steam vs hydrodistillation strongly shifts the eugenol : β-caryophyllene balance (longer steam distillation lowers eugenol and raises caryophyllene). Eugenyl acetate is the characteristic second phenolic ester.
| Constituent | Typical amount | Reported range | Chemical family | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eugenol | 80% | 48.8–88.8% | Phenols | View sourcePMC8588428 review (48.82-88.8% by method; typ. ~80% bud oil) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8588428/ |
| Eugenyl acetate (acetyl eugenol) | 15% | 8–33.7% | Phenylpropanoids | View sourcePMC8588428 review ('10-40%'); corroborating studies 8.6-33.7% https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8588428/ |
| β-Caryophyllene | 8% | 0.9–36.9% | Sesquiterpenes | View sourcePMC8588428 review (0.91-36.94% by extraction method) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8588428/ |
| α-Humulene (α-caryophyllene) | 1.5% | 0.1–4.4% | Sesquiterpenes | View sourcePMC8588428 review (0.13-4.41%) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8588428/ |
Profile source: The Good Scents Company clove bud oil india GC analysis; Alma et al. clove bud composition; AromaWeb clove bud safety summary · https://www.thegoodscentscompany.com/gca/gc1025621.html ; https://bioresources.cnr.ncsu.edu/BioRes_02/BioRes_02_2_265_269_Alma_ENK_CloveOil_Turkish.pdf ; https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/clove-bud-essential-oil.php
What we're still learning · 2 data gaps
Good decisions start with knowing what is — and isn't — in the evidence.
- No published phototoxic dermal maximum was found for clove bud oil because the cited safety references treat it as a non-phototoxic oil.
- No real cited leave-on dermal caps were found for eugenyl acetate, beta-caryophyllene, or alpha-humulene in the reviewed sources, so those constituent limits remain null.