Cinnamon (leaf) essential oil

 

Character: Cinnamon leaf oil, which we sell, has a warm, spicy musky smell and the oil's color varies from yellow for the leaf oil and red-brown for the bark oil, which is not usually used in aromatherapy. The viscosity is medium to watery.

 

Cinnamon essential oil is extracted from Cinnamomum zeylanicum (also known as C. verum and Laurus cinnamomum) of the Lauraceae family. It is also referred to as Ceylon, Madagascar, Seychelles or true cinnamon.

This spicy essential oil has great value in aromatherapy and it fights exhaustion and a feeling of depression and weakness. It has powerful anti-rheumatic properties, is useful in the digestive system, while fighting colds and flu as well.

 

A native to Indonesia, but cultivated in Sri Lanka and India, the tree is rust-colored and can grow up to 15 meters (45feet), but is kept down to 6 feet for commercial reasons.

It has shiny, leathery green leaves and small, white flowers, with oval shaped purple berries. The bark is pale brown and papery, with thick quills that roll inside one another, and is gathered every 2 years.

The Greek word 'Kinnamon' means 'tube' or 'pipe'. Cinnamon oil was used as a temple incense, while the Egyptians used it for foot massage, as well as a remedy for excessive bile. It was also used as an ingredient for mulled wines, love potions and as a sedative during birth. It was an important trade commodity between India, China and Egypt.

 

The leaves and twigs or inner dried bark are subjected to steam distillation. The leaves yield 1.6 - 1.8 % and the bark 0.5 - 1.00 % oil.

The essential oil that we sell is extracted from the leaves, as it yields a more delicate oil.

Applications

Cinnamon oil's benefit lies in its toning and calming effect on the respiratory tract, the nervous system, and in the easing of colds and influenza, as well as period pains.

It also calms the digestive system and helps with rheumatism and arthritis. Although traditionally used for clearing warts, it is not recommended to be used in skin care products.

·         Burners and vaporizers

·         Blended oil or in the bath

·         In a cream or lotion

 

It blends well with benzoin, cloves, coriander, cardamom, frankincense, ginger, grapefruit, lavender, rosemary and thyme.