Cinnamon Oil

Natural Ingredient Overview

• 🌎 Origin — Various (distilled in Europe, Sri Lanka, India)

• 🔎 Botanical Name — Cinnamomum zeylanicum (syn. Cinnamomum verum)

• 📂 CAS N° — 8015-91-6

• 📘 FEMA — 2291

• 🧪 Extraction Method — Steam distillation of dried inner bark (shoots of coppiced bushes)

• ⚖️ MW — Not applicable (complex mixture)

• 📝 Odor Type — Warm-Spicy / Sweet / Dry

• 📈 Odor Strength — High; long-lasting, very diffusive

• 👃🏼 Odor Profile — Sweet, warm, spicy with dry powdery-dusty undertones and slight fruity top notes

• ⚗️ Uses — Fine fragrance (oriental, woody, spicy), masking agent, flavoring, antiseptic blends

• 🧴 Appearance — Pale to dark yellow or brownish-yellow oily liquid

What is Cinnamon Bark Oil?

Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil is the steam-distilled essential oil derived from the bark of cultivated Cinnamomum zeylanicum, primarily grown in Sri Lanka, India, and Southeast Asia. Distillation typically occurs from the coppiced inner bark of young shoots, yielding an aromatic oil highly regarded for its tenacity, complexity, and warmth. Superior grades are often produced in Europe using enhanced distillation methods that recover aromatic water-soluble fractions, which are lost in standard practices.

This oil stands out for its ability to deliver olfactory intensity at extremely low dosages, a trait essential to niche and high-end perfumery where depth, diffusion, and texture are critical.

Olfactory Profile and Perfumery Applications

Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil has a multi-dimensional profile:

• Top Notes: Mild fruity-fresh lift

• Heart: Sweet, warm-spicy cinnamon core

• Drydown: Persistent dry, powdery, slightly dusty warmth

The diffusion and radiance of the oil make it especially useful in:

• Oriental and spicy perfumes, blended with olibanum, resins, clove, and amber

• Woody-floral blends, where it adds heat and lift to florals like jasmine or ylang-ylang

• Classic fougère and chypre bases, with oakmoss, patchouli, and coumarin

• Flavor-inspired fragrances, including cola and spice accords

Industrial and Flavor Uses

• Flavor applications: Widely used in baked goods, candies, toothpastes, and beverages

• Functional products: Acts as a masking agent for pharmaceutical and medicinal flavors

• Coca-Cola type formulations: Cinnamon is a signature component, blended with citrus and herbal bases

• Pharmaceuticals: Known for its natural antiseptic activity, used in tinctures and gargles

Its high masking power and sweet-spicy effect make it ideal for improving taste profiles in both food and oral hygiene formulations.

Chemistry and Composition

Key constituents of Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil:

• Cinnamaldehyde — Dominant component responsible for characteristic spicy sweetness

• Eugenol and acetoeugenol — Contribute warmth and clove-like nuances

• Cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamic acid, and methyl-n-amyl ketone — Trace elements adding diffusion and drydown depth

⚠️ Note: The content of acetoeugenol varies significantly depending on the distillation method; steam distillationreduces acetoeugenol more than water distillation, which retains more delicate aromatics. Oleoresins may offer a fuller profile.

Adulteration and Market Integrity

Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil is frequently adulterated with:

• Synthetic cinnamaldehyde

• Cinnamon leaf oil

• Clove leaf oil or eugenol

• Canella bark oil

⚠️ Authenticity is best verified through organoleptic evaluation and cost traceability. Genuine oil cost reflects 120–150× the bark's price, plus distillation overhead. Oils offered significantly below that threshold are typically cut or synthetic blends.

Regulatory and Safety Overview

• IFRA Status — Use restricted in leave-on products due to sensitization potential of cinnamaldehyde and eugenol

• EU Allergen Declaration — Required if allergens exceed threshold limits

• FEMA GRAS — Approved for flavor use under FEMA 2291

• REACH Registration — Not applicable as a single compound (natural complex mixture)

• Phototoxicity — Not classified as phototoxic

• Flash Point — ~72°C

• Storage — Store in airtight, dark containers at 5–15°C for optimal stability

Sources

• Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, S. Arctander (1961)

• Fulvio Ciccolo, Scentspiracy Research Team (2021)

• IFRA Standards Documentation

• Formulation Stability Testing Notes – Scentspiracy Studio (2024)

• Perfumery Raw Materials Handbook, Internal Training (2023)