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Cinnamomum verum (Ceylon) · Cinnamomum cassia (Cassia)
A warm, sweet, spicy bark note divided into two species: Ceylon cinnamon (delicate, citrusy) and cassia (bold, fiery). Cinnamaldehyde is the signature molecule, but eugenol and coumarin add crucial depth.
Top: warm, sweet-spicy, sharp, immediately recognizable. Heart: rich, balsamic-spicy warmth with a powdery-sweet quality. Base: warm, dry-sweet, woody. Bark oil is sweeter and more intensely cinnamic; leaf oil is warmer and more clove-like.
Scent Evolution
Immediately
Immediately
Hot, sweet, fiery spice, immediate warmth that radiates from the skin
After a few hours
After a few hours
The fire calms. A warm, balsamic, slightly powdery sweetness, cosy rather than aggressive
After a few days
After a few days
A dry, warm, faintly spicy trace on fabric, persistent and comforting
The Full Story
Cinnamon in perfumery draws on one of the most ancient and storied spices in human history. Two species dominate: Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), producing a delicate, complex, slightly citrusy bark oil, and cassia (Cinnamomum cassia), yielding a stronger, more straightforward, cinnamaldehyde-rich oil. Both have their place in fragrance, but their aromatic characters are quite different.
Ceylon cinnamon bark oil is the more refined of the two, containing a balanced blend of cinnamaldehyde (warm, spicy), eugenol (clove-like), linalool (fresh, floral), and beta-caryophyllene (woody, peppery). This complexity makes it more nuanced in fine perfumery, it reads as warm spice with floral and woody undertones rather than simply hot and sweet. Cinnamon leaf oil, by contrast, is eugenol-dominant and reads more like clove than cinnamon.
The spice's history is extraordinary. Ancient Egyptians used cinnamon in their embalming preparations alongside myrrh and cassia. Arab traders deliberately obscured the spice's true origin for centuries, telling fantastical stories, Herodotus recorded claims that cinnamon sticks were collected from the nests of giant birds, to maintain their monopoly. The Portuguese discovery of the sea route to Ceylon's cinnamon forests in 1505 fundamentally altered global trade patterns.
In perfumery, cinnamon requires careful handling. Cinnamaldehyde is a known skin sensitiser, and IFRA (the International Fragrance Association) places strict limits on its concentration in skin-contact products. Perfumers must balance the desire for cinnamon's warm, inviting character against these safety constraints, often using cinnamon at lower doses than they might wish and supplementing with safer synthetic alternatives.
Despite these limitations, cinnamon remains essential in several fragrance families. It is a defining element of spicy-oriental compositions, a warming accent in gourmand blends, and a sophisticated counterpoint in floral-spicy hearts. When combined with rose, it creates a classic Middle Eastern accord of great beauty. With vanilla and benzoin, it produces rich, comforting gourmand bases. And with frankincense and myrrh, it evokes ancient temple incense with remarkable fidelity.
Ancient Romans burned cinnamon at funerals as a sign of wealth. Emperor Nero burned an entire year's supply of Rome's cinnamon at his wife Poppaea's funeral in 65 AD, a gesture so extravagant it was recorded by multiple historians.
Cinnamomum verum (Ceylon) · Cinnamomum cassia (Cassia)
Extraction
Steam distillation of bark or leaves. CO2 extraction for fullest profile.
IFRA Status
Restricted. Cinnamon bark oil limited to 0.01% in leave-on products due to cinnamaldehyde sensitization. Cinnamon leaf oil (eugenol-type) has higher limits.
Heart-to-base spice note. Adds sweet warmth and sensuality to orientals, gourmands, and spicy florals. Often used in trace amounts for subliminal warmth.
