Steam-distilled from the leaves and flowering tops of Thymus vulgaris, thymol chemotype. Warm, sharp and bracingly herbaceous — the smell of thyme turned up until it has an edge.
Chemotype matters more here than almost anywhere
Common thyme produces several completely different oils depending on where it grows. Altitude, soil and climate determine which compound dominates, and the resulting oils are not interchangeable:
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ct. thymol — this one. Rich in the phenol thymol. The strongest and the harshest.
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ct. linalool — gentle, safe at ordinary dilutions, the one to use around a family.
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ct. thujanol, ct. geraniol — milder again, and quite different in character.
If a recipe simply says "thyme oil" without a chemotype, it is not a reliable recipe. Assume it does not mean this one.
Please read before using it on skin
Phenols are caustic. Thymol is a phenol, and phenol-rich oils burn skin and mucous membranes at concentrations that would be unremarkable for lavender. This is the single most important practical fact about this bottle.
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Keep dermal use at or below about one per cent — roughly 6 drops in 30 ml of carrier oil. Lower if in doubt. Never neat.
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Never in a bath. Oil does not dissolve in water; it floats and arrives on skin undiluted, and phenol oils in bathwater cause real burns, particularly to genital and mucous tissue.
- Never on the face, in the nose, or anywhere near eyes or mucous membranes.
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Patch test at your intended dilution and wait 24 hours.
- Not on broken, irritated or sensitive skin.
Do not use it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, and do not use it on children. Thymol may also add to the effect of anticoagulant medicines — if you take warfarin, a DOAC or antiplatelets, avoid it or ask a professional first.
What an essential oil may and may not claim
Thymol thyme is commonly sold as "a powerful natural purifier and support for the immune system" and as a "winter-wellness" ingredient. That wording does not appear here.
"Supports the immune system" is a health claim, and no health claim is authorised in the EU for any essential oil. It is also a phrase with no defined meaning — an immune system that could be boosted on demand would be an autoimmune disease. Thymol does have genuine, well-studied antimicrobial activity in a laboratory dish, which is a real and interesting fact about the molecule and tells you nothing about what happens when you diffuse it in a sitting room.
What it is genuinely good for
Scent and household use. It is a superb, bracing note in a winter blend, and it is excellent in homemade cleaning preparations where its sharpness suits the job. Use it in ones and twos of drops — it will dominate anything you put it with.
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Diffusion: one drop is usually enough. Ventilated room, short sessions. Not around children, pregnant women or pets — cats and birds in particular.
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Household: a few drops in a vinegar-and-water surface spray. Keep it off unsealed wood and painted surfaces.
Safety — the essentials
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Never swallow essential oils without the direct supervision of a qualified health professional. Phenol oils are hepatotoxic in quantity.
- Keep out of reach of children, in the original bottle with the child-resistant cap.
- In eyes: flush with plain vegetable oil, not water, and seek advice.
- Accident or swallowing: in Portugal call CIAV on 800 250 250 — free, 24 hours. In an emergency, 112.
Storage: cool, dark, tightly closed, upright.
Propos'Nature
Propos'Nature
Propos'Nature
