GET TO KNOW YOUR OILS
Hops Flower
Humulus lupulus
- PLANT PART
- female flowers known as cones or strobiles
- EXTRACTION
- steam distillation
- AROMA NOTE
- mid
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
- 50 / 100
- Note layer
- mid
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
- 20.66%
- 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 furocoumarin-related phototoxic restriction was identified for steam-distilled hops oil.
Contraindications & cautions
- moderateHops contains 8-prenylnaringenin, a potent phytoestrogen that mimics 17beta-estradiol; the Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel flagged estrogenic-effect concerns for hops-derived cosmetic ingredients, so use should be avoided or limited during pregnancy, while nursing, and in hormone-sensitive conditions (e.g. estrogen-receptor-positive cancers) pending oil-specific dose data.
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
Hops oil is markedly cultivar-dependent. This record keeps the directly readable terpenic ranges from a commercial-hop differentiation study and uses their midpoint as pct_typical. Public profile material and the study align on beta-myrcene, alpha-humulene, and beta-caryophyllene as the dominant recurring markers. To close out the compositional table, the record adds gamma-cadinene, delta-cadinene, and alpha-muurolene at the single-sample point percentages reported in Malizia et al. 1999 (Journal of Essential Oil Research 11:13-15), a directly steam-distilled hop cone GC/MS study cited by AromaWeb and by Tisserand and Young's Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed. A directly readable current IFRA 51 statement was located in this pass; among skin-contact leave-on categories, the most conservative listed ceiling is 20.66% for category 2.
| Constituent | Typical amount | Reported range | Chemical family | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| beta-Myrcene | 23.76% | 2.22–45.3% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceDifferentiation of aromatic, bittering and dual-purpose commercial hops from their terpenic profiles Results summary, beta-myrcene 2.22-45.30%, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996920307936 |
| alpha-Humulene | 43.92% | 20.2–67.64% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceDifferentiation of aromatic, bittering and dual-purpose commercial hops from their terpenic profiles Results summary, alpha-humulene 20.20-67.64%, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996920307936 |
| beta-Caryophyllene | 17.3% | 9.97–24.62% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceDifferentiation of aromatic, bittering and dual-purpose commercial hops from their terpenic profiles Results summary, beta-caryophyllene 9.97-24.62%, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996920307936 |
| gamma-Cadinene | 5.5% | 5.5–5.5% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceEssential Oil of Hop Cones (Humulus lupulus L.) R.A. Malizia, J.S. Molli, D.A. Cardell, et al., Journal of Essential Oil Research 11, 1999, 13-15 (GC/GC-MS major constituents of steam-distilled hop cone oil: gamma-cadinene 5.5%), as listed at https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/hops-essential-oil.php (Major Constituents section, citing the same study, also cited in Tisserand and Young, Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed., 2014, pp. 305-306) |
| delta-Cadinene | 4.1% | 4.1–4.1% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceEssential Oil of Hop Cones (Humulus lupulus L.) R.A. Malizia, J.S. Molli, D.A. Cardell, et al., Journal of Essential Oil Research 11, 1999, 13-15 (GC/GC-MS major constituents of steam-distilled hop cone oil: delta-cadinene 4.1%), as listed at https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/hops-essential-oil.php (Major Constituents section, citing the same study, also cited in Tisserand and Young, Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed., 2014, pp. 305-306) |
| alpha-Muurolene | 3% | 3–3% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceEssential Oil of Hop Cones (Humulus lupulus L.) R.A. Malizia, J.S. Molli, D.A. Cardell, et al., Journal of Essential Oil Research 11, 1999, 13-15 (GC/GC-MS major constituents of steam-distilled hop cone oil: alpha-muurolene 3.0%), as listed at https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/hops-essential-oil.php (Major Constituents section, citing the same study, also cited in Tisserand and Young, Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed., 2014, pp. 305-306) |
Profile source: Differentiation of aromatic, bittering and dual-purpose commercial hops from their terpenic profiles; Essential Oil of Hop Cones (Humulus lupulus L.) (Malizia et al. 1999); Humle eterisk olja IFRA Statement IFRA 51; Hops Essential Oil: Benefits, Uses & Insights · https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996920307936 ; R.A. Malizia, J.S. Molli, D.A. Cardell, et al., Journal of Essential Oil Research 11, 1999, 13-15, as listed at https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/hops-essential-oil.php (Major Constituents section) ; https://naturkosmos.se/dokument/1137%20-%20Humle%20IFRA-3.pdf (IFRA 51 statement, category 2 = 20.66%, category 5A = 96.66%, category 5D = 26%) ; https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/hops-essential-oil.php lines 48-49, 77-108
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 aromatheromatherapy sleep blends, echoing the folk use of hops-filled pillows for restful sleep
- reported to support easing of occasional nervous tension and restlessness
- used in relaxation and evening diffuser blends for a calming, sedative-style reputation
- traditionally associated with easing occasional digestive discomfort in folk aromatherapy
- used in perfumery for its earthy, herbaceous, slightly resinous facet
- used in massage blends for a soothing, grounding sensory profile
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 an archive normalization of AromaWeb's qualitative 'Medium' strength-of-initial-aroma category, not a native published 0-100 measurement.
- No directly measured public volatility-rate or tenacity-hour data were verified in this pass.