# Cinnamon Bark essential oil > 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. Canonical page: https://essential-oils.club/oils/single/cinnamon-bark Type: Single oil ## At a glance - **Botanical name:** Cinnamomum zeylanicum - **Plant part:** Inner bark - **Extraction:** Steam-distilled - **Aroma:** Warm, spicy, sweet - **Origin:** Sri Lanka - **Blends with:** Clove, and other warm spice oils ## Composition (GC-MS research aggregate) Based on 39 GC-MS samples from 21 peer-reviewed papers (2021–2026); Strong evidence base. 76 compounds reported in total. Typical share of the oil (median, with interquartile range): | Compound | Class | Median % | IQR % | Max % | Papers | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | cinnamaldehyde | Phenylpropanoid / aromatic | 66.82 | 43.55–75.69 | 97.5 | 15 | | linalool | Oxygenated monoterpene | 4.53 | 2.01–5.5 | 36.28 | 13 | | eugenol | Phenylpropanoid / aromatic | 4 | 3.29–4.28 | 19.14 | 14 | | cinnamyl acetate | Phenylpropanoid / aromatic | 4.66 | 2.2–6.37 | 14.94 | 10 | | β-caryophyllene | Sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | 3.52 | 2.95–4.91 | 5.8 | 13 | | 1,8-cineole | Oxygenated monoterpene | 3.47 | 1.79–4.4 | 23.48 | 11 | | α-pinene | Monoterpene hydrocarbon | 1.5 | 0.84–1.8 | 2.7 | 13 | | p-cymene | Monoterpene hydrocarbon | 1.19 | 0.51–2.02 | 3.8 | 14 | | α-copaene | Sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | 0.71 | 0.22–1.72 | 2.3 | 10 | | benzyl benzoate | Phenylpropanoid / aromatic | 0.68 | 0.38–1.19 | 44.11 | 10 | | camphene | Monoterpene hydrocarbon | 0.39 | 0.2–0.76 | 1.25 | 12 | | α-humulene | Sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | 0.34 | 0.24–0.5 | 1.95 | 13 | Chemotypes seen in the samples: cinnamaldehyde (46% of samples), linalool (21% of samples), (e)-cinnamaldehyde a (5% of samples), benzyl benzoate (5% of samples), caryophyllene oxide (5% of samples), (e)-cinnamaldehyde-c9h8o (5% of samples). ## Key constituents - **Cinnamaldehyde** (65-80%) — The dominant compound; gives cinnamon bark its warm, spicy-sweet heat - **Eugenol** (5-10%) — Also found in clove; adds a warm, slightly medicinal spice note - **Linalool** — A trace floral-woody compound that softens the sharpness of the cinnamaldehyde ## How to use it - **In the diffuser:** 2–3 drops is plenty — it's strong and can quickly overpower a blend. - **On skin:** A hot oil — dilute to 1% or less in a carrier oil and patch-test first. ## Safety - Cinnamon bark is a hot oil — dilute heavily (1% or less) in a carrier oil, patch-test, and keep off children's skin. - Maximum dermal use: Very low — cinnamaldehyde is among the most sensitising constituents; use well under 0.1% on skin, if at all. - 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. ## What the research says - 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 (https://doi.org/10.26538/tjnpr/v8i4.9) ## Evidence - 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 (https://doi.org/10.26538/tjnpr/v8i4.9) ## 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. ### 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. ## Sources (GC-MS studies) - Oliveira RC, Alves MF, Luz JMQ, Blank AF, Nizio DAC, Nogueira PCL, Silva SM, Castoldi R. Organo-Mineral Fertilizer Improves <i>Ocimum basilicum</i> Yield and Essential Oil. _Plants (Basel, Switzerland)_, 2025. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC11990405 - 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. 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_, 2022. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC9593251 - Scheau C, Pop CR, Rotar AM, Socaci S, Mălinaș A, Zăhan M, Coldea ȘD, Pop VC, Fit NI, Chirilă F, Criveanu HR, Oltean I. 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)_, 2024. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC11281253 - Xavier JKAM, Baia TGC, Alegria OVC, Figueiredo PLB, Carneiro AR, Moreira ECO, Maia JGS, Setzer WN, da Silva JKR. Essential Oil Chemotypes and Genetic Variability of Cinnamomum verum Leaf Samples Commercialized and Cultivated in the Amazon. _Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)_, 2022. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC9655072 - Feltes G, Ballen SC, Steffens J, Paroul N, Steffens C. Differentiating True and False Cinnamon: Exploring Multiple Approaches for Discrimination. _Micromachines_, 2023. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC10609063 - Wu K, Zhang T, Chai X, Duan X, He D, Yu H, Liu X, Tao Z. Encapsulation Efficiency and Functional Stability of Cinnamon Essential Oil in Modified β-cyclodextrins: In Vitro and In Silico Evidence. _Foods (Basel, Switzerland)_, 2022. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC9818807 - Magdy N, Ezzat DT, Dawood MEA, Moustafa MMA, Ghany KAE. Thyme and cinnamon essential oils inhibit multidrug resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae and alter virulence transcripts. _Scientific reports_, 2026. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC12963545 - Gębarowska E, Budek K, Gębarowska M, Kmieć A, Szumny A. Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil as a Natural Plant Protection Agent: Chemical Profile, Antimicrobial Activity, and Defence Induction. _Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)_, 2026. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13028868 - Nedea MI, Velicu SȘ, Marinaş IC, Buleandră M, Letiția Arsene A, Velescu BȘ, Chifiriuc MC, Gheorghe-Barbu I. <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_, 2026. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13369618 - Jilani S, Besbes M, Ferjeni M, Lotfi SA, Al-Shammery K, Ban Z, AlTamimi HRM, Farouk A, Selma WB. 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_, 2026. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13408142 - Živković M, Stanisavljević I, Gajović N, Pavlović S, Simović Marković B, Jovanović IP, Cupara S, Tadić V, Žugić A, Milenković MT, Barjaktarević A. 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_, 2025. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC12250438 - Karadağ AE, Biltekin SN, Ghani U, Demirci B, Demirci F. Enzyme-Based Antiviral Potential of Cinnamomum verum J. Presl. Essential Oil and Its Major Component (E)-Cinnamaldehyde. _ACS omega_, 2024. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC10975636 - Barbarossa A, Rosato A, Carrieri A, Fumarola L, Tardugno R, Corbo F, Fracchiolla G, Carocci A. Exploring the Antibiofilm Effect of Sertraline in Synergy with Cinnamomum verum Essential Oil to Counteract Candida Species. _Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)_, 2024. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC11435152 - 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. 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_, 2023. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC10023207 - 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. 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_, 2023. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC10101117 - Iwiński H, Różański H, Pachura N, Wojciechowska A, Gębarowski T, Szumny A. In Vitro Evaluation of Antiprotozoal Properties, Cytotoxicity Effect and Anticancer Activity of New Essential-Oil Based Phytoncide Mixtures. _Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)_, 2023. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC9921295 - 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. Anti-Mold Effectiveness of a Green Emulsion Based on Citrus aurantium Hydrolate and Cinnamomum zeylanicum Essential Oil for the Modern Paintings Restoration. _Microorganisms_, 2022. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC8880513 - Liu Y, Wang R, Zhao L, Huo S, Liu S, Zhang H, Tani A, Lv H. The Antifungal Activity of Cinnamon-Litsea Combined Essential Oil against Dominant Fungal Strains of Moldy Peanut Kernels. _Foods (Basel, Switzerland)_, 2022. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC9180872 - Saeedi M, Iraji A, Vahedi-Mazdabadi Y, Alizadeh A, Edraki N, Firuzi O, Eftekhari M, Akbarzadeh T. Cinnamomum verum J. Presl. Bark essential oil: in vitro investigation of anti-cholinesterase, anti-BACE1, and neuroprotective activity. _BMC complementary medicine and therapies_, 2022. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC9675096 - Barbarossa A, Sblano S, Rosato A, Carrieri A, Corbo F, Clodoveo ML, Fracchiolla G, Carocci A. Synergistic Action of Cinnamomum verum Essential Oil with Sertraline. _Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)_, 2022. https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC9686778 - …and 1 more on the canonical page. _Educational reference only — not medical advice. Essential oils are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease._