Essential oil of Cassia, 1 L

Cassia Essential Oil, 1 L

Cassia, or Chinese cinnamon, is Cinnamomum cassia, a tree of the laurel family grown mainly in southern China and Vietnam. Its essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves, twigs and bark. The product card lists the INCI name Cassia Blume essentia Oil, China as the country of production and a 1 L container.

Composition and odour

Cinnamaldehyde is the main constituent, usually 70 to 90 % of the oil, accompanied by coumarin, o-methoxycinnamaldehyde and cinnamyl acetate. The odour is warm, sweet, spicy and pungent, unmistakably cinnamon.

Restrictions to respect

Cinnamaldehyde is a strong skin sensitiser. The IFRA Standards limit it in finished products, and coumarin is among the EU fragrance allergens that must be declared on labels. In skin care, cassia is therefore used at very low levels, and more often in products with minimal skin contact.

Applications

Home fragrance

Candles, reed diffusers and sachets, where cassia brings a warm, festive cinnamon accord.

Perfumery

Spicy, oriental and gourmand compositions within IFRA limits.

Candles

Cassia holds up well in container candles; check burn behaviour and colour on a test pour.

Usage guidance

For skin products, calculate the level from the IFRA certificate of the lot, which usually allows only a few hundredths of a percent. Diffusers and candles allow much higher levels than cosmetics. The oil should never be applied neat and is kept out of lip and facial products.

Technical notes

Cinnamaldehyde can darken and react with amines, so pale products may discolour. Good partners include orange, clove, vanilla, ginger and frankincense.

Product data

Cassia oil comes from Cinnamomum cassia and is listed under the INCI name Cassia Blume essentia Oil. It is produced in China and supplied in a 1 L container. Since the oil is never used neat, carrier oils for diluting it can be found among the wholesale liquid oils.

Example: spiced soy candle, 300 g

To pour a 300 g candle, blend 12 g of sweet orange essential oil and 6 g of cassia essential oil into 282 g of melted soy container wax. You will also need one pre-tabbed cotton wick sized for the jar.

Fix the wick to the bottom of the jar. Melt the wax, let it cool to the fragrance addition temperature recommended by the wax maker, add the oils and stir slowly for two minutes. Pour, centre the wick and let the candle set for 48 hours before a test burn. Total fragrance load is 6 %.

Storage and related categories

Keep sealed, cool and in the dark. Other spice oils are in wholesale essential oils and the main essential oils catalogue.

FAQ

What is cassia?

It is Cinnamomum cassia, also called Chinese cinnamon, a laurel family tree cultivated mostly in southern China and Vietnam.

Can cassia oil be used in candles?

Yes, cassia holds up well in container candles, and the example uses a total fragrance load of 6 %.

Which oils pair well with cassia?

Orange, clove, vanilla, ginger and frankincense.