White Thyme Essential Oil, 10 ml

White thyme essential oil is a fragrance ingredient with a distinctive herbal, spicy scent for cosmetics, soaps, candles and aromatherapy blends. It is obtained by steam distillation of the flowers and leaves of common thyme from European cultivation. The manufacturer classes it among oils with a stimulating and cleansing character, so it is particularly suitable for products intended to feel fresh and invigorating.

In a formulation it serves as a fragrance ingredient. It dissolves in oils, does not mix with water and is added only to the finished or cooling mixture. The usage rate is determined by the IFRA limits for the specific product category.

Effects according to the manufacturer

These properties come from the manufacturer’s marketing materials. They are cosmetic characteristics of a fragrance ingredient, not therapeutic claims, and how they show in the finished product depends on the usage rate and the rest of the recipe.

• Antimicrobial effect – the manufacturer states that the oil helps keep the skin clean and supports its balanced appearance; this effect is used mainly in cleansing and rinse-off products.
• Cleansing – according to the manufacturer, it supports the removal of impurities and excess sebum from the skin and hair, so it is added to cleansing gels, shampoos and scalp products.
• Cooling and refreshing feel – both the scent and the way it behaves on the skin feel fresh, which the manufacturer recommends using in products meant to soothe irritated or heated skin.
• Stimulating character – the herbal, spicy scent is perceived as invigorating. The manufacturer associates it with a feeling of freshness and energy, which suits shower gels or hair tonics.
• Anti-inflammatory action – the manufacturer cites its ability to calm reddened skin. In cosmetics, regard it as support for a balanced complexion.

Use in a formulation

The oil is added during the cooling phase of an emulsion or as a later addition to a finished base. With emulsions, wait until the mixture has cooled enough that the volatile components do not escape, and then stir the oil into the already stabilised cream. In anhydrous products such as body oils or balms, it is mixed directly into the oil phase.

In water-based systems (toners, sprays, hair tonics) it does not dissolve by itself. It needs a solubiliser, for example Polysorbate 20 or PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil. Check the ratio of solubiliser to oil on a small sample until you achieve a clear mixture.

Suitable for products such as

• Rinse-off products – facial cleansing gels, shower gels, shampoos and liquid soaps, where the cleansing and refreshing character of the scent comes into its own.
• Hair care – scalp products, hair oils, serums and gels; the scent gives the recipe herbal depth.
• Body care – body oils and lotions and foot care products.
• Soaps and candles – as a fragrance ingredient; we recommend testing how it behaves in your specific soap base or wax on a small batch.
• Diffusers and aromatherapy – on its own or in blends with other essential oils.

Good to know

According to the specification, the colour of the oil ranges from colourless through yellow to reddish and varies by batch. At a higher usage rate it may tint light emulsions and clear gels, so we recommend a colour test with white creams.

Like every essential oil, it is volatile. To preserve the scent in the finished product, add it at the very end and close the container immediately after dispensing. If you combine it with other essential oils, first mix the blend separately and only then stir it into the base. This makes it easier to keep the total percentage of the fragrance ingredient within the IFRA limit.

The product is Vegan certified, has not been tested on animals and contains no materials of animal origin, no palm oil and no GMO ingredients.

Frequently asked questions