Description
Turmeric essential oil is steam distilled from the rhizomes (roots) of Curcuma longa, a tropical plant in the ginger family native to South Asia and widely cultivated across tropical Asia. Turmeric has been used as a spice, food colouring, and traditional medicine in Indian and Southeast Asian cultures for over four thousand years, and is famous for its distinctive golden-yellow colour and its active compound curcumin.
Turmeric essential oil has a warm, spicy, woody, and slightly earthy aroma with distinctive herbal and peppery notes. It is distinct from the culinary turmeric powder in that the essential oil does not contain curcumin, which is a non-volatile compound that does not carry over into the steam distillate. The main aromatic constituents of turmeric essential oil include ar-turmerone, alpha-turmerone, and beta-turmerone, which give it its characteristic spicy-earthy quality.
In aromatherapy, turmeric essential oil is used in warming and anti-inflammatory massage blends. It is a niche but valued oil in natural perfumery where it contributes distinctive spice and earthy depth to oriental and exotic fragrance compositions. It blends well with ginger, black pepper, clove, frankincense, sandalwood, and citrus oils. In massage preparations, diluted turmeric oil is used for its warming properties on joints and muscles.
Turmeric essential oil may cause skin sensitisation in some individuals and can stain fabrics and surfaces. Always dilute before skin application. This 10ml bottle is suitable for use in diffusers, oil burners, and diluted massage and skin preparations. Not for internal use.
