GET TO KNOW YOUR OILS
Palo Santo
Bursera graveolens
Chemotype: limonene-rich wood oil
- PLANT PART
- wood
- 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
- 3.4%
- 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.
Contraindications & cautions
- moderateAromaWeb summarizes Tisserand and Young as noting hepatotoxicity risk for palo santo oil.
- minorAromaWeb summarizes Tisserand and Young as recommending avoidance of oxidized oil.
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 profile is based on a directly read Essential Validation Services GC/MS report for palo santo wood oil from Bursera graveolens. The report shows a limonene-led composition with notable alpha-terpineol and beta-bisabolene. AromaWeb was used for note, odor-strength, plant-part confirmation, and the public dermal maximum.
| Constituent | Typical amount | Reported range | Chemical family | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limonene | 48.62% | 48.62–48.62% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceGCMS Essential Oil Palo Santo LOT PS-PIU-2020-011545 https://www.praannaturals.com/downloads/gcms/GCMS_Essential_Oil_Palo_Santo_LOT_PS-PIU-2020-011545.pdf (Limonene 48.62%) |
| alpha-Terpineol | 11.17% | 11.17–11.17% | monoterpene alcohol | View sourceGCMS Essential Oil Palo Santo LOT PS-PIU-2020-011545 https://www.praannaturals.com/downloads/gcms/GCMS_Essential_Oil_Palo_Santo_LOT_PS-PIU-2020-011545.pdf (alpha-Terpineol 11.17%) |
| beta-Bisabolene | 6.87% | 6.87–6.87% | sesquiterpene | View sourceGCMS Essential Oil Palo Santo LOT PS-PIU-2020-011545 https://www.praannaturals.com/downloads/gcms/GCMS_Essential_Oil_Palo_Santo_LOT_PS-PIU-2020-011545.pdf (beta-Bisabolene 6.87%) |
| p-Cymene | 3.09% | 3.09–3.09% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceGCMS Essential Oil Palo Santo LOT PS-PIU-2020-011545 https://www.praannaturals.com/downloads/gcms/GCMS_Essential_Oil_Palo_Santo_LOT_PS-PIU-2020-011545.pdf (para-Cymene 3.09%) |
| Carvone | 2.42% | 2.42–2.42% | monoterpene ketone | View sourceGCMS Essential Oil Palo Santo LOT PS-PIU-2020-011545 https://www.praannaturals.com/downloads/gcms/GCMS_Essential_Oil_Palo_Santo_LOT_PS-PIU-2020-011545.pdf (Carvone 2.42%) |
| Menthofuran | 1.38% | 1.38–1.38% | monoterpene ether | View sourceGCMS Essential Oil Palo Santo LOT PS-PIU-2020-011545 https://www.praannaturals.com/downloads/gcms/GCMS_Essential_Oil_Palo_Santo_LOT_PS-PIU-2020-011545.pdf (Menthofuran 1.38%) |
| 1,8-Cineole | 0.07% | 0.07–0.07% | monoterpene oxide | View sourceGCMS Essential Oil Palo Santo LOT PS-PIU-2020-011545 https://www.praannaturals.com/downloads/gcms/GCMS_Essential_Oil_Palo_Santo_LOT_PS-PIU-2020-011545.pdf (1,8-Cineole 0.07%) |
Profile source: GCMS Essential Oil Palo Santo LOT PS-PIU-2020-011545; Palo Santo Essential Oil: Benefits, Uses & Insights · https://www.praannaturals.com/downloads/gcms/GCMS_Essential_Oil_Palo_Santo_LOT_PS-PIU-2020-011545.pdf ; https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/palo-santo-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 grounding, meditative calm
- reported to support relaxation and mental clarity during ritual or meditation use
- used in perfumery for its sweet, citrusy-woody, resinous base note
- traditionally associated with easing occasional stress and tension
- used in diffuser blends for a warm, uplifting, sacred-wood aroma
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.
- No public source located in this pass gave directly measured volatility-rate or tenacity-hour values.
- The numeric odor intensity is a normalization of AromaWeb's categorical 'Medium' aroma strength into the archive's 0-100 scale.