Minty essential oil
Ravintsara
Cinnamomum camphora
Ravintsara essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves of Cinnamomum camphora and comes mainly from Madagascar. It smells fresh, earthy and eucalyptus-like, with woody and subtle peppery notes, and is a top note. People choose it for seasonal comfort, fresh air and calm, often pairing it with eucalyptus, cedarwood, peppermint, lemon or sweet orange. It is rich in 1,8-cineole, which can cause breathing problems in young children, so keep it away from children's faces and use it only from age 10. No skin maximum is published, and normal dilution still applies. Check the label for origin, as oil of the same species from China may contain safrole and methyleugenol.
Safety at a glance
- Pregnancy Use with caution
- Children From age 10
- Dogs Use with caution
- Cats Use with caution
- Sunlight Not phototoxic
- On skin No published maximum
Reference
| Botanical name | Cinnamomum camphora |
|---|---|
| Plant family | Lauraceae |
| Plant part | Leaves |
| Extraction | steam distillation |
| Main origins | Madagascar |
| Aroma family | Minty |
| Note | Top note |
| Aroma | Fresh and eucalyptus-like, with woody and peppery notes |
| Main constituents | 1,8-cineole, sabinene, alpha-terpineol, alpha-pinene and beta-pinene |
| Common uses | seasonal comfort, fresh air and calm |
| Suggested maximum on skin | No published maximum |
| Phototoxic | No |
| Shelf life once opened | 2 to 3 years |
| Pregnancy | Use with caution |
| Children | From age 10 |
| Dogs | Use with caution |
| Cats | Use with caution |
| Safety notes | Ravintsara from Madagascar is rich in 1,8-cineole, which can cause breathing problems in young children; Tisserand and Young advise against using it near the faces of babies and children, and we use age 10, as for eucalyptus. Oil of the same species from China may contain safrole and methyleugenol, so check the origin. It is not on the IFPA pregnancy list. Pet poison lines do not name it, but its main compound is that of eucalyptus oil, which they flag, so treat it with caution around pets. |
Blends well with
Sources
- Ravintsara Essential Oil, AromaWeb. Accessed October 26, 2026
- Essential oil shelf life (Robert Tisserand's guideline), AromaWeb. Accessed October 26, 2026