fast FACTS
ORIGIN
Asia
EXTRACTION
CO2 or Distillation
MAY HELP WITH
Aches and pains
Circulation
Fatigue
Immunity
Infections
The scent of cinnamon sticks may conjure up comforting images of stirring coffee or baking holiday pies, but you will want the oil in your collection for its therapeutic properties. Cinnamon essential oil can energize the mind, stimulate appetite, help circulation, relieve aches, and reduce infection.
Cinnamon oil is distilled from either the inner bark or the leaf of the cinnamon tree. The plant is native to Sri Lanka, which has been producing and exporting cinnamon products for use in food and medicine since 2000 BC.
The scent of cinnamon bark oil may lift your mood and infuse you with energy.
Cinnamon bark oil is a deep reddish brown with the pleasing traditional cinnamon scent expected (thanks to its main component, cinnamaldehyde). Leaf oil is yellow or yellowish brown in color and has a sharper cinnamon fragrance with a pronounced note of clove (due to the eugenol content).
With its warm enticing aroma, cinnamon oil may help you:
• Perk up. The scent of cinnamon bark oil may lift your mood and infuse you with energy.
• Relieve aches and pains. Diluted cinnamon oil may stimulate circulation to bring relief to achy joints and sore muscles.
• Protect your skin. Antibacterial and antifungal properties make cinnamon oil a beneficial choice in your first-aid kit.
• Get rid of pests. Cinnamon is known to eliminate digestive parasites. This use requires the assistance of a natural health practitioner.
Bark or Leaf?
You’ll find two kinds of cinnamon oil on the market. The cinnamon bark oil has the more familiar, warmer cinnamon aroma, while the cinnamon leaf oil has a sharper aroma with a hint of clove. Both have similar properties and should be used with care, as they are equally irritating to the skin, eyes, and lungs.
It’s important to heavily dilute cinnamon oils if using for infections of the skin or massaging aches and pains. Add cinnamon oil to:
• Massage oils. Combine cinnamon oil at less than 1 percent (1 or 2 drops per tablespoon) with massage oil, and apply the mixture to aching joints.
• Diffusers or inhalers. Diffusing cinnamon bark oil will lift the mood and create a pleasant, fragrant environment.
• Balms and salves. Add 1 or 2 drops of antiseptic cinnamon oil to a tablespoon of wound salve to help speed up healing. Test for irritation before using.
Adding antiseptic cinnamon leaf oil to wound salves may help speed up healing.
Fight That Infection
Both cinnamon oils are excellent protectors during cold and flu season. Running them in a diffuser or using in a room spray creates a homey warmth to the environment while eliminating viruses and bacteria.
Some blending combinations for cinnamon oil include: bergamot, black pepper, cardamom, chamomile, clove, frankincense, grapefruit, lemon, lemongrass, marjoram, orange, sandalwood, vanilla, and ylang-ylang.
Keep these tips in mind when using cinnamon oil:
• Do not use when pregnant.
• Don’t overdo it. A little goes a long way when diffusing cinnamon oil.
• Use caution with the skin. There is potential for a severe skin reaction and irritation, especially with cinnamon bark oil. Complete a patch test if you are concerned about sensitivity.