Earthy essential oil
Patchouli
Pogostemon cablin
Patchouli oil is distilled from the dried, lightly fermented leaves of Pogostemon cablin, a bushy plant in the mint family grown mostly in Indonesia. The smell is deep, earthy and sweet, and unlike most oils it softens and rounds out as it ages. A little goes a long way: it is one of the most tenacious base notes, often chosen for grounding blends and to anchor citrus and florals. People tend to love it or avoid it, so start with a single drop. Safety references note it may affect blood clotting, so anyone on blood-thinning medicine should ask a pharmacist first.
Safety at a glance
- Pregnancy Use with caution
- Children From age 2
- Dogs Generally well tolerated
- Cats Use with caution
- Sunlight Not phototoxic
- On skin No published maximum
Reference
| Botanical name | Pogostemon cablin |
|---|---|
| Plant family | Lamiaceae |
| Plant part | Dried leaves |
| Extraction | steam distillation |
| Main origins | Indonesia and India |
| Aroma family | Earthy |
| Note | Base note |
| Aroma | Deep, damp earth with a sweet, woody warmth |
| Main constituents | patchoulol, alpha-bulnesene, alpha-guaiene, seychellene and alpha-patchoulene |
| Common uses | grounding, perfume, calm and skin |
| Suggested maximum on skin | No published maximum |
| Phototoxic | No |
| Shelf life once opened | 4 to 6 years |
| Pregnancy | Use with caution |
| Children | From age 2 |
| Dogs | Generally well tolerated |
| Cats | Use with caution |
| Safety notes | No skin limit is commonly set. Tisserand and Young note it may inhibit blood clotting, so check with a pharmacist if you take blood-thinning medicine; it is not on the IFPA pregnancy list, so pregnancy stays at caution. |