Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
A warm, spicy single oil steam-distilled from cinnamon tree bark, a hot oil best known for its role in Thieves and its Vitality culinary twin.
How to use it
2–3 drops is plenty — it's strong and can quickly overpower a blend.
A hot oil — dilute to 1% or less in a carrier oil and patch-test first.
Safety in detail
- Max dermal use
- Very low — cinnamaldehyde is among the most sensitising constituents; use well under 0.1% on skin, if at all
- Phototoxic
- No
- Cinnamon bark is one of the harshest oils on skin — cinnamaldehyde and eugenol are strong irritants and sensitisers. Never apply neat; many practitioners avoid leave-on skin use entirely.
- A mucous-membrane irritant — keep away from eyes, nose, and mouth; diffuse sparingly and in a ventilated room.
- Not phototoxic. Keep well out of reach of children.
Sources: Adeyemi et al. (2024), Tropical Journal of Natural Product Research
Composition & chemistry
Aggregated from 39 GC-MS samples across 21 peer-reviewed open-access studies (2021–2026). Figures are the distribution across those samples — median with interquartile range — not a single reading.
- Phenylpropanoid / aromatic 81%
- Oxygenated monoterpene 6.6%
- Sesquiterpene hydrocarbon 6.3%
- Monoterpene hydrocarbon 3.8%
- Unclassified 1.9%
- Oxygenated sesquiterpene 0.3%
- Aliphatic / small aromatic 0.1%
| Constituent | Median | Typical range | Max | Detected in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cinnamaldehyde ↗ C9H8O | 66.8% | 43.5–75.7% | 97.5% | |
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| cinnamyl acetate ↗ C11H12O2 | 4.7% | 2.2–6.4% | 14.9% | |
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| linalool ↗ C10H18O | 4.5% | 2.0–5.5% | 36.3% | |
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| eugenol ↗ C10H12O2 | 4.0% | 3.3–4.3% | 19.1% | |
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| β-caryophyllene ↗ C15H24 | 3.5% | 3.0–4.9% | 5.8% | |
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| 1,8-cineole ↗ C10H18O | 3.5% | 1.8–4.4% | 23.5% | |
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| α-pinene ↗ C10H16 | 1.5% | 0.8–1.8% | 2.7% | |
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| p-cymene ↗ C10H14 | 1.2% | 0.5–2.0% | 3.8% | |
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| α-copaene ↗ C15H24 | 0.7% | 0.2–1.7% | 2.3% | |
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| benzyl benzoate ↗ C14H12O2 | 0.7% | 0.4–1.2% | 44.1% | |
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| camphene ↗ C10H16 | 0.4% | 0.2–0.8% | 1.3% | |
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| α-humulene ↗ C15H24 | 0.3% | 0.2–0.5% | 1.9% | |
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+ 64 more compounds reported across the dataset.
21 peer-reviewed sources behind these figures
- Oliveira RC, Alves MF, Luz JMQ, Blank AF, Nizio DAC, Nogueira PCL, Silva SM, Castoldi R. (2025). Organo-Mineral Fertilizer Improves <i>Ocimum basilicum</i> Yield and Essential Oil. Plants (Basel, Switzerland).
- EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP), Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Fašmon Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, López Puente S, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechová A, Petkova M, Ramos F, Ramos F, Sanz Y, Villa RE, Woutersen R, Brantom P, Chesson A, Schlatter J, Schrenk D, Westendorf J, Manini P, Pizzo F, Dusemund B. (2022). Safety and efficacy of feed additives consisting of essential oils from the bark and the leaves of Cinnamomum verum J. Presl (cinnamon bark oil and cinnamon leaf oil) for use in all animal species (FEFANA asbl). EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority.
- Scheau C, Pop CR, Rotar AM, Socaci S, Mălinaș A, Zăhan M, Coldea ȘD, Pop VC, Fit NI, Chirilă F, Criveanu HR, Oltean I. (2024). The Influence of Physical Fields (Magnetic and Electric) and LASER Exposure on the Composition and Bioactivity of Cinnamon Bark, Patchouli, and Geranium Essential Oils. Plants (Basel, Switzerland).
- Xavier JKAM, Baia TGC, Alegria OVC, Figueiredo PLB, Carneiro AR, Moreira ECO, Maia JGS, Setzer WN, da Silva JKR. (2022). Essential Oil Chemotypes and Genetic Variability of Cinnamomum verum Leaf Samples Commercialized and Cultivated in the Amazon. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland).
- Feltes G, Ballen SC, Steffens J, Paroul N, Steffens C. (2023). Differentiating True and False Cinnamon: Exploring Multiple Approaches for Discrimination. Micromachines.
- Wu K, Zhang T, Chai X, Duan X, He D, Yu H, Liu X, Tao Z. (2022). Encapsulation Efficiency and Functional Stability of Cinnamon Essential Oil in Modified β-cyclodextrins: In Vitro and In Silico Evidence. Foods (Basel, Switzerland).
- Magdy N, Ezzat DT, Dawood MEA, Moustafa MMA, Ghany KAE. (2026). Thyme and cinnamon essential oils inhibit multidrug resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae and alter virulence transcripts. Scientific reports.
- Gębarowska E, Budek K, Gębarowska M, Kmieć A, Szumny A. (2026). Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil as a Natural Plant Protection Agent: Chemical Profile, Antimicrobial Activity, and Defence Induction. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland).
- Nedea MI, Velicu SȘ, Marinaş IC, Buleandră M, Letiția Arsene A, Velescu BȘ, Chifiriuc MC, Gheorghe-Barbu I. (2026). <i>In vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> antifungal effects of fluconazole in combination with <i>Cinnamomum verum</i> essential oil against <i>Candida</i> spp. Frontiers in pharmacology.
- Jilani S, Besbes M, Ferjeni M, Lotfi SA, Al-Shammery K, Ban Z, AlTamimi HRM, Farouk A, Selma WB. (2026). An integrative in silico and in vitro synergy of Cinnamomum verum essential oil and cinnamaldehyde with imipenem against extensively drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Scientific reports.
- Živković M, Stanisavljević I, Gajović N, Pavlović S, Simović Marković B, Jovanović IP, Cupara S, Tadić V, Žugić A, Milenković MT, Barjaktarević A. (2025). Comprehensive Phytochemical Analysis and Evaluation of Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic, and Immunomodulatory Activities of Commercial Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum L.). International journal of molecular sciences.
- Karadağ AE, Biltekin SN, Ghani U, Demirci B, Demirci F. (2024). Enzyme-Based Antiviral Potential of Cinnamomum verum J. Presl. Essential Oil and Its Major Component (E)-Cinnamaldehyde. ACS omega.
- Barbarossa A, Rosato A, Carrieri A, Fumarola L, Tardugno R, Corbo F, Fracchiolla G, Carocci A. (2024). Exploring the Antibiofilm Effect of Sertraline in Synergy with Cinnamomum verum Essential Oil to Counteract Candida Species. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland).
- Refaey MS, A A Fayed M, Kutkat O, Moatasim Y, Sameh Tolba N, Anis A, Elshorbagy AM, Nassar K, A M Abouzid K, A M M Elshaier Y, El-Badawy MF. (2023). Bio-guided chemical characterization and nano-formulation studies of selected edible volatile oils with potentials antibacterial and anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities. Arabian journal of chemistry.
- Di Vito M, Garzoli S, Rosato R, Mariotti M, Gervasoni J, Santucci L, Ovidi E, Cacaci M, Lombarini G, Torelli R, Urbani A, Sanguinetti M, Bugli F. (2023). A New Potential Resource in the Fight against <i>Candida auris</i>: the <i>Cinnamomum zeylanicum</i> Essential Oil in Synergy with Antifungal Drug. Microbiology spectrum.
- Iwiński H, Różański H, Pachura N, Wojciechowska A, Gębarowski T, Szumny A. (2023). In Vitro Evaluation of Antiprotozoal Properties, Cytotoxicity Effect and Anticancer Activity of New Essential-Oil Based Phytoncide Mixtures. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland).
- Di Vito M, Vergari L, Mariotti M, Proto MR, Barbanti L, Garzoli S, Sanguinetti M, Sabatini L, Peduzzi A, Bellardi MG, Mattarelli P, Bugli F, De Luca D. (2022). Anti-Mold Effectiveness of a Green Emulsion Based on Citrus aurantium Hydrolate and Cinnamomum zeylanicum Essential Oil for the Modern Paintings Restoration. Microorganisms.
- Liu Y, Wang R, Zhao L, Huo S, Liu S, Zhang H, Tani A, Lv H. (2022). The Antifungal Activity of Cinnamon-Litsea Combined Essential Oil against Dominant Fungal Strains of Moldy Peanut Kernels. Foods (Basel, Switzerland).
- Saeedi M, Iraji A, Vahedi-Mazdabadi Y, Alizadeh A, Edraki N, Firuzi O, Eftekhari M, Akbarzadeh T. (2022). Cinnamomum verum J. Presl. Bark essential oil: in vitro investigation of anti-cholinesterase, anti-BACE1, and neuroprotective activity. BMC complementary medicine and therapies.
- Barbarossa A, Sblano S, Rosato A, Carrieri A, Corbo F, Clodoveo ML, Fracchiolla G, Carocci A. (2022). Synergistic Action of Cinnamomum verum Essential Oil with Sertraline. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland).
- Aungtikun J, Soonwera M. (2021). Improved adulticidal activity against Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) from synergy between Cinnamomum spp. essential oils. Scientific reports.
Every figure above traces to a named table in one of these open-access papers. How this was built →
- (E)-Cinnamaldehyde — the dominant aldehyde behind cinnamon's warm scent and its studied antimicrobial activity — and its strong skin-sensitising potential Adeyemi et al. (2024), Tropical Journal of Natural Product Research
It appears in ancient Egyptian embalming recipes and the Bible's sacred anointing-oil formula.
What the research says
An honest read of the published research — what has actually been studied, at what stage. Not medical advice or a promise of results.
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Cinnamon bark oil and cinnamaldehyde have been studied for antimicrobial and antioxidant activity in the laboratory. These are in-vitro findings, not clinical evidence of health benefits.
Adeyemi et al. (2024), Tropical Journal of Natural Product Research
Evidence & sources
Peer-reviewed research on Cinnamon Bark's chemistry and safety. These describe composition and documented effects — not health or treatment claims.
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Cinnamon bark oil is defined by (E)-cinnamaldehyde, usually well over half the oil, with eugenol as a notable secondary constituent.
Adeyemi et al. (2024), Tropical Journal of Natural Product Research
Frequently asked questions
Can I put cinnamon bark oil on my skin?
It's one of the riskiest oils for skin. Cinnamaldehyde and eugenol are strong sensitisers and irritants, so it should never be used neat and many practitioners avoid leave-on use altogether. If you do use it, dilute to a tiny fraction of a percent and patch-test. Adeyemi et al. (2024), Tropical Journal of Natural Product Research
What's the difference between cinnamon bark and cinnamon leaf oil?
Bark oil is cinnamaldehyde-dominant with a sweet, hot-spice aroma; leaf oil is eugenol-dominant and smells more clove-like. Bark is the harsher of the two on skin.
How should I diffuse cinnamon bark oil?
Use just a drop or two in a well-ventilated room. It's a mucous-membrane irritant, so a little goes a long way — pair it with citrus or a milder spice to soften it.
Gallery
The Tree and Its History
Cinnamon Bark comes from Cinnamomum zeylanicum (true cinnamon, also called Cinnamomum verum), native to Sri Lanka and southern India. Cinnamon has been traded as a luxury spice for millennia — it appears in ancient Egyptian embalming recipes and in the Hebrew Bible’s formula for sacred anointing oil, and control of the cinnamon trade was, for centuries, a closely guarded secret and a major driver of maritime exploration between Europe and Asia.
Extraction and Aroma
The oil is steam-distilled from the inner bark, which is stripped from young shoots, dried, and curled into quills before processing. The result is an intensely warm, spicy aroma dominated by cinnamaldehyde, with eugenol contributing a secondary medicinal-spice note — the same compound found in clove. It’s one of the five oils in Young Living’s Thieves blend and a signature note in seasonal, cleansing-themed diffuser mixes.
In the Diffuser
2–3 drops is plenty — cinnamon bark is strong and can quickly overpower a blend or irritate sensitive airways if overdone, especially in a small or poorly ventilated room.
On Skin
This is a genuinely hot oil; even diluted, it can cause noticeable warmth or redness on contact. Keep topical use to 1% or less in a carrier oil, always patch-test on a small area first, and avoid use on children’s skin altogether, where the risk of a reaction is higher.
Culinary Note
Cinnamon Bark Vitality is the food-grade counterpart of this same oil, labeled specifically for internal use in recipes per the bottle’s directions — the standard bottle above is intended for aromatic and topical use only.
Found in these blends
Cinnamon Bark is one of the oils inside 10 Young Living blends.