GET TO KNOW YOUR OILS
Red Myrtle Myrtenyl Acetate Type
Myrtus communis L.
Chemotype: myrtenyl acetate
- PLANT PART
- leaves and twigs
- EXTRACTION
- steam distillation
- AROMA NOTE
- top
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
- 65 / 100
- Note layer
- top
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
- 0.107%
- 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 phototoxic furocoumarin restriction was identified in the cited red myrtle sources.
Contraindications & cautions
- moderateDespite being named for its myrtenyl-acetate content, this red-myrtle profile still carries substantial 1,8-cineole (~31.5% typical, higher than the cineole-type file in this same directory). Reputable clinical-aromatherapy guidance (citing Tisserand & Young, Essential Oil Safety 2nd ed.) advises against applying 1,8-cineole-rich oils to or near the face/nostrils of infants and young children due to risk of reflex glottal spasm from the cooling respiratory effect, and recommends caution with low dilutions for children under 5 (avoid entirely under 3; diffuse only or apply to back/soles heavily diluted for ages 3-6).
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
This record uses a directly read NHR GC batch profile for Moroccan red myrtle. The oil is a cineole-alpha-pinene-myrtenyl acetate type, consistent with published red myrtle descriptions that place 1,8-cineole, alpha-pinene, and myrtenyl acetate among the defining major components.
| Constituent | Typical amount | Reported range | Chemical family | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,8-Cineole | 31.5% | 31.5–31.5% | oxide monoterpene | View sourceNHR Organic Oils Certificate of Analysis & Gas Chromatography: Organic Red Myrtle ct. myrtenyl acetate, batch 240125-9 https://www.nhrorganicoils.com/uploads/certs/Myrtle%20Red%20CofA%20GC%20240125-9.pdf (p.2, Eucalyptol 31.50%) |
| alpha-Pinene | 23.68% | 23.68–23.68% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceNHR Organic Oils Certificate of Analysis & Gas Chromatography: Organic Red Myrtle ct. myrtenyl acetate, batch 240125-9 https://www.nhrorganicoils.com/uploads/certs/Myrtle%20Red%20CofA%20GC%20240125-9.pdf (p.2, Alpha-Pinene 23.68%) |
| Myrtenyl acetate | 15.27% | 15.27–15.27% | monoterpene ester | View sourceNHR Organic Oils Certificate of Analysis & Gas Chromatography: Organic Red Myrtle ct. myrtenyl acetate, batch 240125-9 https://www.nhrorganicoils.com/uploads/certs/Myrtle%20Red%20CofA%20GC%20240125-9.pdf (p.2, Acetate de Myrtenyle 15.27%) |
| Limonene | 11.07% | 11.07–11.07% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceNHR Organic Oils Certificate of Analysis & Gas Chromatography: Organic Red Myrtle ct. myrtenyl acetate, batch 240125-9 https://www.nhrorganicoils.com/uploads/certs/Myrtle%20Red%20CofA%20GC%20240125-9.pdf (p.2, Limonene 11.07%) |
| alpha-Terpineol | 3.2% | 3.2–3.2% | monoterpene alcohol | View sourceNHR Organic Oils Certificate of Analysis & Gas Chromatography: Organic Red Myrtle ct. myrtenyl acetate, batch 240125-9 https://www.nhrorganicoils.com/uploads/certs/Myrtle%20Red%20CofA%20GC%20240125-9.pdf (p.2, Alpha-Terpineol 3.20%) |
| Linalool | 2.9% | 2.9–2.9% | monoterpene alcohol | View sourceNHR Organic Oils Certificate of Analysis & Gas Chromatography: Organic Red Myrtle ct. myrtenyl acetate, batch 240125-9 https://www.nhrorganicoils.com/uploads/certs/Myrtle%20Red%20CofA%20GC%20240125-9.pdf (p.2, Linalol 2.90%) |
| Geranyl acetate | 2% | 2–2% | monoterpene ester | View sourceNHR Organic Oils Certificate of Analysis & Gas Chromatography: Organic Red Myrtle ct. myrtenyl acetate, batch 240125-9 https://www.nhrorganicoils.com/uploads/certs/Myrtle%20Red%20CofA%20GC%20240125-9.pdf (p.2, Acetate de Geranyle 2.00%) |
| Methyl eugenol | 0.93% | 0.93–0.93% | phenylpropanoid | View sourceNHR Organic Oils Certificate of Analysis & Gas Chromatography: Organic Red Myrtle ct. myrtenyl acetate, batch 240125-9 https://www.nhrorganicoils.com/uploads/certs/Myrtle%20Red%20CofA%20GC%20240125-9.pdf (p.2, Methyl-Eugenol 0.93%) |
Profile source: NHR Organic Oils Red Myrtle GC profile; NHR Red Myrtle IFRA 51 certificate; NHR catalog entry for Organic Red Myrtle; AromaWeb Myrtle profile · https://www.nhrorganicoils.com/uploads/certs/Myrtle%20Red%20CofA%20GC%20240125-9.pdf (Morocco batch profile); https://www.nhrorganicoils.com/uploads/20241112114857e_Myrtle_Red_IFRA_51.pdf (maximum finished-product levels; Category 5A 0.107%); https://www.nhrorganicoils.com/products.php?category_id=787 (Organic Red Myrtle ct. myrtenyl acetate Essential Oil; extraction: steam distillation; aroma: sweet, herbal camphor aroma); https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/myrtle-essential-oil.php (major constituents of red myrtle essential oil; dermal discussion for myrtle 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 calming, balancing effects
- reported to support relaxation, sharing the gentler reputation of other myrtle chemotypes
- used in perfumery for a soft, fruity-herbaceous facet distinct from cineole-rich myrtle
- traditionally associated with soothing, comforting blends
- used in niche perfumery for its unusual, less common myrtle 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 · 1 data gaps
Good decisions start with knowing what is — and isn't — in the evidence.
- No public source located in this pass gave a directly measured 0-100 volatility rate or tenacity range.