Composition
100% essential oil of Thymus zygis. Origin: France.
The plant and the oil
Thymus zygis is one of the most important thyme species of the western Mediterranean, together with garden thyme, Thymus vulgaris.[4] Thyme oil is distilled from either of the two species.[1] The composition of the oil varies widely: a study of 21 populations of Thymus zygis distinguished seven main chemotypes, types named after their main component. The international standard for thyme oil of the thymol type, from both species, requires 35 to 55% thymol.[4]
Scent
What it smells like. Red thyme oil, the natural distillate of the trade, smells rich and powerful, sweet and warm-herbaceous, somewhat spicy and distinctly aromatic.[3]
Where it sits in a blend. In perfumery it is an interesting top note material, and traces of it lend body and sweet freshness to lavender, fougère and citrus colognes and to spicy aftershaves.[3]
How to use
Scent a room. The scent is strong; thyme oil is also used to flavour food, in mouthwashes, gargles and toothpastes, and in cough syrups and lozenges together with peppermint and eucalyptus.[3] The oil is intended to invigorate, warm and lift the mood.[2]
Make a massage oil, well diluted. Thyme oil of the thymol type irritates the skin, so it must always be diluted before it is applied to the skin.[5] Mix it into a carrier oil such as jojoba oil. 1% means 1 ml of thyme oil in 100 ml of blend.
For people aged 15 and over, the recommended share of essential oil in a blend is up to 2% for general wellbeing, but not every day. During an illness, at most 5% is acceptable, and only for a short time.[6]
| Share of thyme oil | Thyme oil in 10 ml of blend | Carrier oil in 10 ml of blend |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5% | 0.05 ml | 9.95 ml |
| 1% | 0.1 ml | 9.9 ml |
| 2% | 0.2 ml | 9.8 ml |
Before the first use, try a little of the blend on a small patch of undamaged skin. If the skin reacts, stop and apply a little vegetable oil or cream.[5]
Not in the bath. Thyme oil of the thymol type should not be used in the bath at all.[5]
Precautions
- do not swallow it or put it on the skin undiluted;[7]
- keep it away from the eyes;[5]
- keep the bottle out of the reach of children.[5]
- Thyme oil of the thymol type irritates the skin and the mucous membranes, the moist linings of the body.[5]
- Thymol is a phenol,[3] and oils rich in phenols may cause skin reactions and should always be diluted before they are applied to the skin.[5]
- People with asthma should try the scent carefully at first: fragrances, natural ones included, can make the condition worse.[8]
- In pregnancy, use it on the skin only well diluted, at 1 to 2%.[9]
- Premature babies get no essential oils on the skin, and babies up to 3 months old get at most 0.1%.[6]
- Older children, too, need much weaker blends than adults.[6]
- The oil burns easily: keep it away from candles and flames.[5]
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 United States Pharmacopeia, Food Chemicals Codex, Thyme Oil, 2008: Description.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Vivasan, product packaging of Thyme (E 116).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Steffen Arctander, Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, Elizabeth, NJ, 1960: Thyme Oil.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Karim Etri et al., Exploring Chemical Variability in the Essential Oils of the Thymus Genus. Plants 2024, 13(10), 1375, doi 10.3390/plants13101375.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA), Safety. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA), Guidelines to IFPA Members Treating Babies and Children. Revised August 2021.
- ↑ International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA), Statement on Internal and Undiluted Use of Essential Oils. November 2019.
- ↑ Robert Tisserand, Proof of Safety: Challenges Facing Essential Oil Therapy. AIA Conference 2007.
- ↑ International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA), Pregnancy and Lactation Guidelines. Revised August 2021.