Encyclopedia
Essential Oils
70 essential oil ingredients explained in plain English.
Anise Essential Oil Pimpinella Anisum Seed Oil Sweet, licorice-scented middle note. High in trans-anethole with significant estrogenic activity — not for everyday skincare use. Balsam Fir Essential Oil Abies Balsamea Needle Oil Clean, sweet-balsamic forest oil from Canadian fir needles — grounding, respiratory-supportive, and one of the gentlest conifers for skincare. Basil Essential Oil Ocimum Basilicum Oil Energizing, clarifying top-to-middle note with a fresh herbaceous-sweet aroma. Linalool chemotype preferred for skincare safety. Bay Laurel Essential Oil Laurus Nobilis Leaf Oil Fresh, herbaceous, camphoraceous oil with strong antimicrobial properties — excellent for scalp and hair formulas but IFRA-restricted due to methyl eugenol. Bergamot Essential Oil Citrus Bergamia Peel Oil Bright, citrus-floral essential oil from bergamot fruit peel. Famous as the flavour of Earl Grey tea and the top note of countless perfumes. Phototoxic unless bergaptene-free. Black Pepper Essential Oil Piper Nigrum (Pepper) Fruit Oil Warm, spicy, dry-woody oil that stimulates circulation and adds depth to muscle rubs and masculine blends. Black Spruce Essential Oil Picea Mariana Leaf Oil Fresh, forest-like conifer oil rich in bornyl acetate — valued for muscle support, respiratory blends, and its reputed cortisone-like adrenal-support properties. Blue Tansy Essential Oil Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil Deep blue, chamazulene-rich oil with potent anti-inflammatory and antihistamine properties — expensive and highly sought-after for calming reactive skin. Cajeput Essential Oil Melaleuca Cajuputi Oil Fresh, camphoraceous middle note closely related to tea tree. Excellent antimicrobial with low irritation risk, often more affordable. Camphor Essential Oil Cinnamomum Camphora (Camphor) Bark Oil Strong, penetrating, medicinal cooling oil from the white camphor fraction — the only safe grade for cosmetic use. Cardamom Essential Oil Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil Warm, spicy-sweet, slightly floral oil prized in perfumery and wellness blends for its excellent blending properties. Carrot Seed Essential Oil Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil Steam-distilled essential oil from wild carrot seeds. Premium mature-skin ingredient; very different from carrot seed fixed oil and carrot tissue oil. Cedarwood Atlas Essential Oil Cedrus Atlantica Wood Oil Warm, woody, slightly sweet essential oil from Atlas cedar wood. Hair-growth applications, base note in perfumery, insect-deterrent uses. Chamomile German Blue Essential Oil Matricaria Recutita Flower Oil Deep blue essential oil from German chamomile flowers. Intense colour from chamazulene. Premium anti-inflammatory EO for damaged, reactive, and inflamed skin. Chamomile Roman Essential Oil Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil Sweet, apple-like essential oil from Roman chamomile flowers. Premium calming EO for sensitive skin, baby products, and stress-relief aromatherapy. Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Oil Warm, spicy essential oil from Ceylon cinnamon bark. Powerful antimicrobial but high sensitisation risk; strict usage limits apply. Cistus Essential Oil Cistus Ladanifer Leaf Oil Rich, amber-woody oil with honey-like warmth — a premium anti-aging and skin-repair ingredient with excellent safety and a luxury price tag. Citronella Essential Oil Cymbopogon Nardus Oil Sharp, lemony-grassy essential oil from citronella grass. The most widely-used natural insect repellent essential oil. Clary Sage Essential Oil Salvia Sclarea Oil Sweet, herbal, slightly nutty essential oil from clary sage. Best known for traditional women's-wellness use; gentler than common sage. Clove Bud Essential Oil Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil Warm, intensely spicy essential oil from clove flower buds. Powerful antimicrobial and traditional dental analgesic; strict usage limits apply due to eugenol content. Copaiba Essential Oil Copaifera Officinalis Resin Oil Steam-distilled from oleoresin, extremely high in beta-caryophyllene (40-80%) — one of the gentlest and most anti-inflammatory essential oils available. Cypress Essential Oil Cupressus Sempervirens Oil Fresh, clean, woody middle-to-base note. Low irritation risk, excellent in deodorants and men's blends. Eucalyptus Essential Oil Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil Crisp, camphoraceous essential oil from eucalyptus leaves. Workhorse for chest rubs, foot creams, and refreshing washes; dominant chemistry is 1,8-cineole. Fennel Essential Oil Foeniculum Vulgare Oil Warm, sweet, anise-herbaceous middle note. Contains trans-anethole with estrogenic activity — significant safety restrictions apply. Fragonia Essential Oil Agonis Fragrans Oil Australian native with a uniquely balanced chemistry — roughly equal parts cineole, linalool, and alpha-terpineol. Gentle, versatile, and suitable even for children over 3. Frankincense Essential Oil Boswellia Carterii Oil Resinous, citrus-balsamic essential oil from Boswellia trees. Premium positioning for mature skin, scar care, and meditation-style products. Geranium Essential Oil Pelargonium Graveolens Oil Sweet, rosy, slightly green essential oil from Pelargonium leaves. Widely used in skincare for the gentle floral character and traditional hormone-balancing claims. Ginger Essential Oil Zingiber Officinale Root Oil Warm, spicy essential oil from ginger root. Used in muscle balms, circulation oils, and warming massage products. Helichrysum Essential Oil Helichrysum Italicum Flower Oil Premium essential oil from Helichrysum italicum flowers. Famed for scar, bruise, and skin-repair applications; one of the more expensive cosmetic EOs. Hinoki Essential Oil Chamaecyparis Obtusa Wood Oil Japanese cypress with a clean, woody, spa-like scent. Calming and antimicrobial, deeply tied to Japanese bathing culture. Ho Wood Essential Oil Cinnamomum Camphora (Ho Wood) Linalooliferum Wood Oil Soft, woody-floral oil with exceptionally high linalool content — the sustainable, gentle alternative to rosewood for face and sensitive-skin products. Juniper Berry Essential Oil Juniperus Communis Fruit Oil Crisp, woody-fresh essential oil from juniper berries. Traditional use in detox, circulation, and water-retention formulas; gin-like scent. Lavender Essential Oil Lavandula Angustifolia Oil The workhorse essential oil of skincare. Calming, well-tolerated, safe across a wide range of products. Steam-distilled from Lavandula angustifolia flowers. Lemon Myrtle Essential Oil Backhousia Citriodora Oil Australian native and the world's highest natural citral source (90-98%). Intensely lemony with powerful antimicrobial action, but requires very careful dilution due to citral sensitization risk. Lemongrass Essential Oil Cymbopogon Flexuosus Oil Sharp, lemony essential oil from lemongrass leaves. Dominated by citral; used in deodorants, refreshing washes, and insect-deterrent body sprays. Lime Essential Oil Citrus Aurantiifolia Oil Bright, sharp citrus top note available in cold-pressed (phototoxic) and distilled (non-phototoxic) versions. Critical to know which you have. Litsea Cubeba Essential Oil Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil Bright, intensely lemony essential oil high in citral — a popular soap-making staple with significant sensitization potential that demands careful dosing in leave-on products. Magnolia Essential Oil Michelia Alba Leaf Oil Soft, sweet, creamy-floral oil available in leaf and bark types. The leaf version (90% linalool) is exceptionally gentle — a sophisticated alternative to ylang-ylang without the headache risk. Mandarin Essential Oil Citrus Reticulata (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil Sweet, tangy, candy-like citrus oil — one of the gentlest in the citrus family, suitable for children's and pregnancy-safe formulations. Manuka Essential Oil Leptospermum Scoparium Oil New Zealand native with powerful antimicrobial properties. Warm, herbaceous, and earthy — NOT the same plant as tea tree, despite the frequent comparison. Marjoram Essential Oil Origanum Majorana Oil Warm, herbaceous, gently camphoraceous middle note. Calming and muscle-relaxing with an excellent safety profile. Not to be confused with oregano. Myrrh Essential Oil Commiphora Myrrha Oil Steam-distilled essential oil from Commiphora myrrha resin. Brighter and more aromatic than the resinoid; used for mature skin, scar care, and meditation aromatherapy. Neroli Essential Oil Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil Bright, sweet, fresh-floral essential oil steam-distilled from bitter orange blossoms. Premium skincare and perfumery ingredient. Niaouli Essential Oil Melaleuca Quinquenervia Leaf Oil Fresh, camphoraceous essential oil from niaouli leaves. Melaleuca cousin of tea tree; respiratory, immune-support, and gentler antimicrobial uses. Nutmeg Essential Oil Myristica Fragrans (Nutmeg) Kernel Oil Warm, sweet, spicy oil with strong analgesic properties — effective in muscle pain formulas but requires careful dosing due to myristicin content. Oregano Essential Oil Origanum Vulgare Oil Extremely potent antimicrobial dominated by carvacrol. A 'hot' oil that causes severe skin irritation undiluted — heavy dilution and short-term use only. Palmarosa Essential Oil Cymbopogon Martinii Oil Floral, rosy, gentle middle note with exceptionally high geraniol content. One of the safest and most skin-friendly essential oils available. Palo Santo Essential Oil Bursera Graveolens Wood Oil Sweet, woody oil with minty-citrusy undertones from sustainably fallen heartwood — calming, antimicrobial, and increasingly scrutinized for ethical sourcing. Patchouli Essential Oil Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil Deep, earthy, musky essential oil from patchouli leaves. Long-lasting base note in perfumery; improves dramatically with age. Peppermint Essential Oil Mentha Piperita Oil Cooling, stimulating, antimicrobial essential oil from peppermint leaf. Used in foot, scalp, lip, and oral-care products for the menthol-driven cooling effect. Petitgrain Essential Oil Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Leaf/Twig Oil Fresh, woody-floral oil from bitter orange leaves — the affordable alternative to neroli with excellent safety and versatility. Pine Essential Oil Pinus Sylvestris Oil Fresh, forest-resinous middle note from Scots pine. Good for muscle rubs and men's products, but oxidizes quickly — use within one year. Plai Essential Oil Zingiber Cassumunar Oil Thai ginger relative with powerful anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. A staple of Thai massage tradition, featuring the unique compound DMPBD. Body use only. Ravintsara Essential Oil Cinnamomum Camphora (Ravintsara) Leaf Oil Fresh, eucalyptus-like oil from Madagascar with powerful respiratory support — widely considered the safest and most effective antiviral essential oil. Rhododendron Essential Oil Rhododendron Anthopogon Flower Oil Steam-distilled essential oil from the flowers and leaves of a high-altitude Himalayan dwarf rhododendron. Pinene-rich aromatic with antioxidant and skin-calming positioning. Rosalina Essential Oil Melaleuca Ericifolia Oil Soft, floral-camphoraceous Australian oil — antimicrobial like tea tree but dramatically gentler, making it excellent for children's products and sensitive skin. Rose Otto Essential Oil Rosa Damascena Flower Oil Steam-distilled essential oil from Rosa damascena petals. Among the most expensive essential oils in the world. Premium skincare and perfumery use. Rosemary Essential Oil Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil Herbal, stimulating essential oil from rosemary leaves. Workhorse hair-growth and scalp tonic, with multiple chemotypes for different uses. Sandalwood Essential Oil Santalum Album Oil Soft, creamy, woody essential oil from sandalwood heartwood. Premium base note in perfumery; sustainability is a critical consideration. Spearmint Essential Oil Mentha Spicata Herb Oil Sweet, mild mint essential oil from spearmint leaves. Gentler than peppermint; safer for face products, children, and pregnancy. Spikenard Essential Oil Nardostachys Jatamansi Root Oil Ancient, earthy, deeply grounding oil from the Himalayas. Valued for skin regeneration and calming effects since biblical times. CITES-listed — sustainability matters. Star Anise Essential Oil Illicium Verum Oil Sweet, warm, licorice-scented oil dominated by trans-anethole — estrogenic, restricted for face use, and requiring careful dosing and safety awareness. Sweet Orange Essential Oil Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Cold-pressed or distilled essential oil from sweet orange peel. Bright citrus aromatic used widely in cosmetics; cold-pressed and folded versions behave differently regarding phototoxicity. Tea Tree Essential Oil Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil Workhorse antimicrobial essential oil from Australian native Melaleuca alternifolia. Backbone of many acne, dandruff, and antifungal formulations. Thyme Essential Oil Thymus Vulgaris Oil Powerful antimicrobial essential oil from thyme leaves. Multiple chemotypes with very different sensitisation profiles; chemotype specification is essential. Turmeric Essential Oil Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Oil Warm, earthy, spicy-woody oil with anti-inflammatory and skin-brightening properties — use conservatively due to staining potential and debated phototoxicity. Vetiver Essential Oil Vetiveria Zizanioides Root Oil Thick, deep, earthy essential oil from vetiver grass roots. Premium base note and natural fixative; one of the longest-lasting scents in perfumery. Wintergreen Essential Oil Gaultheria Procumbens Oil Almost pure methyl salicylate (>96%). Powerful topical analgesic with serious toxicity risk. Body use only, never for children, strict dilution required. Ylang Ylang Essential Oil Cananga Odorata Flower Oil Heady, sweet, exotic floral essential oil from Cananga odorata flowers. Sold in five distillation fractions (Extra, I, II, III, Complete), each with different scent profile and price. Yuzu Essential Oil Citrus Junos Peel Oil Japanese citrus with a bright, complex, tart-floral character — more nuanced than lemon or orange. Available cold-pressed (mildly phototoxic) or distilled (non-phototoxic).