A BOTANICAL PROFILE

GET TO KNOW YOUR OILS

Star Anise

Illicium verum Hook.f.

Chemotype: trans-anethole dominant

licorice-likesweetspicywarmbalsamic
PLANT PART
fruit
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.

Finding the matching oil reports…

FOLLOW YOUR SENSES

Aroma & character

A closer look at this oil's scent, strength, and staying power.

licorice-likesweetspicywarmbalsamic
Aroma intensity
80 / 100
Soft & subtleBold & expressive
Note layer
mid

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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
1.75%
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

  • majorAromaWeb summarizes Tisserand and Young as contraindicating star anise in pregnancy and breastfeeding.
  • majorAromaWeb summarizes Tisserand and Young as advising avoidance with children under 5.
  • moderateAromaWeb summarizes Tisserand and Young as advising avoidance in blood-clotting or bleeding disorders.
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

6 constituents

An oil's character comes from its natural chemical composition. Explore each constituent to understand the connections.

About this composition

This profile uses Eden Botanicals' directly readable 2023 GC/COA for a steam-distilled Illicium verum fruit oil. The lot is strongly trans-anethole dominant, with estragole and linalool as the main secondary markers and low-terpene support from alpha-pinene, limonene, and anisaldehyde.

ConstituentTypical amountReported rangeChemical familySource
trans-Anethole
89.77%
89.77–89.77%phenylpropanoid
View source

Eden Botanicals Star Anise COA, lot 11

https://docs.edenbotanicals.com/COA/939_Star_Anise_COA_11.pdf (PDF page 3, trans-ANETHOL 89.77%)
Estragole
2.79%
2.79–2.79%phenylpropanoid
View source

Eden Botanicals Star Anise COA, lot 11

https://docs.edenbotanicals.com/COA/939_Star_Anise_COA_11.pdf (PDF page 3, ESTRAGOL 2.79%)
Linalool
1.03%
1.03–1.03%monoterpene alcohol
View source

Eden Botanicals Star Anise COA, lot 11

https://docs.edenbotanicals.com/COA/939_Star_Anise_COA_11.pdf (PDF page 3, LINALOOL 1.03%)
alpha-Pinene
0.88%
0.88–0.88%monoterpene hydrocarbon
View source

Eden Botanicals Star Anise COA, lot 11

https://docs.edenbotanicals.com/COA/939_Star_Anise_COA_11.pdf (PDF page 3, alpha-PINENE 0.88%)
Anisaldehyde
0.6%
0.6–0.6%aromatic aldehyde
View source

Eden Botanicals Star Anise COA, lot 11

https://docs.edenbotanicals.com/COA/939_Star_Anise_COA_11.pdf (PDF page 4, ANISALDEHYDE 0.60%)
Limonene
0.32%
0.32–0.32%monoterpene hydrocarbon
View source

Eden Botanicals Star Anise COA, lot 11

https://docs.edenbotanicals.com/COA/939_Star_Anise_COA_11.pdf (PDF page 3, LIMONENE 0.32%)

Profile source: Eden Botanicals Star Anise COA; AromaWeb Star Anise Essential Oil profile · https://docs.edenbotanicals.com/COA/939_Star_Anise_COA_11.pdf ; https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/star-anise-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 its warm, sweet, licorice-like comforting aroma
  • reported to support digestive comfort in traditional culinary-herbal use
  • used in perfumery and flavoring for its distinctive anethole-rich sweetness
  • traditionally associated with a warming, festive atmosphere in diffuser blends
  • used in massage blends for a comforting, warming effect at low dilution

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 80 is an archive normalization of AromaWeb's categorical 'Strong' aroma-strength band rather than a source-native 0-100 measurement.
  • No public source reviewed in this pass published a directly measured volatility rate or tenacity range for star anise essential oil.