GET TO KNOW YOUR OILS
Rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis L.
Chemotype: camphor / 1,8-cineole type
- PLANT PART
- leaves and flowering tops
- 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
- 65 / 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
- Unknown
- 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 furocoumarin-related phototoxic ceiling identified for generic rosemary oil. Dermal guidance is chemotype-dependent in secondary Tisserand-derived summaries, so no single unsuffixed maximum is asserted here.
Contraindications & cautions
- majorAvoid during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
- moderateAsk a health care practitioner before use if you have epilepsy.
- moderateKeep out of reach of children and avoid use near the face of infants and children.
- moderateThose with high blood pressure should avoid this 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
Reference monograph data for Rosmarinus officinalis leaf oil show a cineole-camphor-alpha-pinene dominant profile with supporting monoterpenes and esters reported as ranges in compiled constituent tables. AromaWeb describes rosemary as a middle-note oil with a medium-strong initial aroma and a fresh, herbaceous, sweet, slightly medicinal profile.
| Constituent | Typical amount | Reported range | Chemical family | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,8-Cineole | 35% | 15–55% | oxide monoterpene | View sourceCIR Report Data Sheet: Safety Assessment of Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)-Derived Ingredients https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/rosmar062014FR.pdf (Table 4, p.21, leaf volatile oil) |
| Camphor | 15% | 5–25% | ketone monoterpene | View sourceCIR Report Data Sheet: Safety Assessment of Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)-Derived Ingredients https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/rosmar062014FR.pdf (Table 4, p.21, leaf volatile oil) |
| alpha-Pinene | 17.5% | 9–26% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCIR Report Data Sheet: Safety Assessment of Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)-Derived Ingredients https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/rosmar062014FR.pdf (Table 4, p.21, leaf volatile oil) |
| Camphene | 7.25% | 2.5–12% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCIR Report Data Sheet: Safety Assessment of Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)-Derived Ingredients https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/rosmar062014FR.pdf (Table 4, p.21, leaf volatile oil) |
| beta-Pinene | 5.5% | 2–9% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCIR Report Data Sheet: Safety Assessment of Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)-Derived Ingredients https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/rosmar062014FR.pdf (Table 4, p.21, leaf volatile oil) |
| Borneol | 3.75% | 1.5–6% | monoterpene alcohol | View sourceCIR Report Data Sheet: Safety Assessment of Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)-Derived Ingredients https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/rosmar062014FR.pdf (Table 4, p.21, leaf volatile oil) |
| Limonene | 3.25% | 1.5–5% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCIR Report Data Sheet: Safety Assessment of Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)-Derived Ingredients https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/rosmar062014FR.pdf (Table 4, p.21, leaf volatile oil) |
| Bornyl acetate | 3% | 1–5% | monoterpene ester | View sourceCIR Report Data Sheet: Safety Assessment of Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)-Derived Ingredients https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/rosmar062014FR.pdf (Table 4, p.21, leaf volatile oil) |
Profile source: Rosemary Essential Oil profile; Safety Assessment of Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)-Derived Ingredients; All About Rosemary Oil · https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/rosemary-essential-oil.php ; https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/rosmar062014FR.pdf ; https://www.newdirectionsaromatics.com/blog/all-about-rosemary-oil
What we're still learning · 2 data gaps
Good decisions start with knowing what is — and isn't — in the evidence.
- No single unsuffixed leave-on dermal maximum is asserted because rosemary safety guidance is chemotype-specific (for example camphor and verbenone chemotypes carry different caps).
- No directly cited volatility-rate or tenacity-hour value was found in this pass, so those fields remain null.