Sweet Marjoram

Origanum majorana L.

Chemotype: terpinen-4-ol / sabinene hydrate type

fresh-medicinalsweetherbaceouswarmspicy

PLANT PART: flowers
EXTRACTION: steam distillation
AROMA NOTE: 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.

fresh-medicinalsweetherbaceouswarmspicy

Aroma intensity: 50 / 100

Soft & subtleBold & expressive

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: 6%
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 phototoxic restriction was identified for sweet marjoram essential oil in the sources reviewed for this pass.

Contraindications & cautions

minorAromaWeb states that Tisserand and Young do not indicate any special precautions for sweet marjoram essential oil.

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

This record uses the directly cited Food Chemistry abstract for the dominant Reunion Island sweet marjoram profile and supplier/specification pages for organoleptic and use-context details. The cited profile is terpinen-4-ol dominant with sabinene hydrate, p-cymene, and gamma-terpinene as the other principal public markers. Closure was extended in this pass using the same-species (Origanum majorana L.) Albania GC-MS profile already verified in the marjoram.json record (Chemical Composition, Olfactory Evaluation and Antioxidant Effects of the Essential oil of Origanum Majorana L. from Albania, sagepub 10.1177/1934578X0800300704), adding trans-sabinene hydrate, alpha-terpinene, alpha-terpineol, and terpinolene as the largest non-overlapping publicly reported constituents.

Constituent	Typical amount	Reported range	Chemical family	Source
terpinen-4-ol	38.4%	38.4–38.4%	monoterpene alcohol	View source Chemical composition of the essential oil of marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) from Reunion Island https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814698000181 (abstract: terpinen-4-ol 38.4%)
cis-sabinene hydrate	15%	15–15%	monoterpene alcohol	View source Chemical composition of the essential oil of marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) from Reunion Island https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814698000181 (abstract: cis-sabinene hydrate 15.0%)
p-cymene	7%	7–7%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Chemical composition of the essential oil of marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) from Reunion Island https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814698000181 (abstract: p-cymene 7.0%)
gamma-terpinene	6.9%	6.9–6.9%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Chemical composition of the essential oil of marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) from Reunion Island https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814698000181 (abstract: gamma-terpinene 6.9%)
trans-sabinene hydrate	15.53%	15.53–15.53%	monoterpene alcohol	View source Chemical Composition, Olfactory Evaluation and Antioxidant Effects of the Essential oil of Origanum Majorana L. from Albania https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1934578X0800300704 (Table 1 / lines showing trans-Sabinene hydrate 15.53%)
alpha-terpinene	8.9%	8.9–8.9%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Chemical Composition, Olfactory Evaluation and Antioxidant Effects of the Essential oil of Origanum Majorana L. from Albania https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1934578X0800300704 (abstract and Table 1, alpha-terpinene 8.9%)
alpha-terpineol	3.26%	3.26–3.26%	monoterpene alcohol	View source Chemical Composition, Olfactory Evaluation and Antioxidant Effects of the Essential oil of Origanum Majorana L. from Albania https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1934578X0800300704 (Table 1 / lines showing alpha-Terpineol 3.26%)
terpinolene	3.2%	3.2–3.2%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Chemical Composition, Olfactory Evaluation and Antioxidant Effects of the Essential oil of Origanum Majorana L. from Albania https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1934578X0800300704 (Table 1 / lines showing Terpinolene 3.20%)

Profile source: Chemical composition of the essential oil of marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) from Reunion Island; marjoram sweet essential oil product page; Marjoram Essential Oil profile · https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814698000181 ; https://thebathestore.com/products/marjoram-sweet-essential-oil ; https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/marjoram-essential-oil.php

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 calming, warming, and comforting effects
reported to support restful sleep and ease occasional tension
used in massage blends for muscle comfort after activity
traditionally associated with easing occasional stress and promoting relaxation
used in perfumery for a warm, herbaceous, slightly camphoraceous note

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 · 3 data gaps

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

max_dermal_pct 6 is taken from a public maximum-dilution table rather than a primary monograph or directly transcribed Tisserand and Young page.
Odor intensity 50 is a normalization of publicly stated medium aroma strength rather than a native published 0-100 measurement.
No public source reviewed in this pass provided verified tenacity-hour or volatility-rate values.