Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a herbaceous essential oil with a hot, medicinal aroma and a heart note. Steam distillation from leaf, it is a versatile blending oil that pairs well with Tea Tree, Lemon (Cold Pressed), Rosemary (Camphor ct.). For topical use, keep dilution at or below 1.1%.
Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a herbaceous essential oil, steam-distilled from the leaf, produced in Turkey and Greece. Its aroma is hot, medicinal, sitting as a heart note in a blend. It's commonly paired with Tea Tree, Lemon (Cold Pressed), Rosemary (Cineole), Lavender. Keep topical use at or below 1.1%. It is noted for phenol, skin sensitizing, dermal irritant, hepatotoxic. Always patch-test first.
Aroma & character
Aroma
Traditional aromatherapy associations
Traditional associations only — not medical claims or evidence of efficacy.
Properties
| Perfumery note | Heart |
| Aroma family | Herbaceous |
| Chemical family | Phenol |
| Material type | Essential oil |
| Extraction | Steam distillation |
| Plant part | leaf |
| Origin | Turkey, Greece, Spain |
| Blending factor | 1 |
| Volatility index | 3 |
| Tenacity (hours) | 12.0 |
| CAS number | 8007-11-2 |
Safety & dilution
| Max topical dilution | 1.1% |
| Max facial dilution | 0.5% |
| Pregnancy | Not recommended |
| Nursing | Not recommended |
| Children | Not recommended for young children |
| Cats | Not recommended |
| Dogs | Not recommended |
Safety flags
Evidence: Traditional — EODB: 15 GC-MS analyses (Origanum vulgare).
For education only — not medical or veterinary advice. Essential oils are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition. Always patch-test and consult a qualified professional before use during pregnancy, on children, with pets, or with a health condition.
Scale amounts to any container with the dilution calculator.
Blends well with
Used in these blends
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- Sunlit Spark Reset →
- Ease Glow →
- Sunlit Shield Circuit →
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- Fortify Spark →
- Fortify Reset →
- Fortify Garden →
- Spiced Citrus Cocoon →
- Clean Lullaby →
- Velvet Spice Reset →
- Wild Clean Garden →
- Ease Workshop →
- Evergreen Loosen Focus →
- Crisp Lullaby →
- Calm Reset →
- Runner Sanctuary →
- Wander Aura →
Frequently asked questions
What does Oregano smell like?
Oregano has a hot, medicinal aroma, classed as a herbaceous oil with a heart note.
What is the safe dilution for Oregano?
For topical use, keep Oregano at or below 1.1%, and 0.5% on facial skin. Always patch-test before wider use.
Is Oregano safe to use during pregnancy?
Oregano carries a pregnancy caution in our dataset and is not recommended during pregnancy. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before any use.
Is Oregano safe to use around children?
Oregano is not recommended for young children. Consult a professional before use.
Is Oregano safe around pets?
For cats — avoid; not considered safe; dogs — avoid; not considered safe. Diffuse only in ventilated spaces and consult a veterinarian.
What does Oregano blend well with?
Oregano pairs well with Tea Tree, Lemon (Cold Pressed), Rosemary (Camphor ct.), Lavender, Thyme (Linalool).