[Versione italiana dell’articolo – Il profumo del calore – la Cannella]

Cinnamon, one of my favourite spices…and I think loved by many. This spice is present in our kitchens; in aromatherapy it is distilled as a particularly intense and strong essential oil.

Cinnamon is widely used in the Middle East and the Orient, with its two most widely used varieties coming from Sri Lanka and China. Two of the blends that contain it and are widely used are:

garam masala (a warming blend) which in addition to cinnamon includes cardamom, cloves, black pepper, cumin, fennel seeds, coriander and fenugreek;

and ras el hanout, the ‘best of the grocer’ in Morocco, which can include up to thirty spices, including garam masala and also rosebuds and lavender.

In aromatherapy we have three essential oils available, which are:

Cinnamon bark (Cinnamonum zeylanicum)

Cinnamon leaves (Cinnamonum zeylanicum)

Cinnamon bark (Cinnamonum cassia);

and of these, the most recommended is the second, cinnamon leaves, because they tend to be less aggressive. This essence has warming, anti-infective, immune-stimulating properties and should be used with care, but its invigorating power is one of my favourites.

If by chance we want to use cinnamon bark essence, we can do so by being careful with the dosage, because it is strongly dermocaustic (although its scent is excellent, and can be appreciated even in high dilutions). Cinnamon cassia essence is just as aggressive, but its scent can be appreciated by using it in high dilutions to create an ambient olfactory synergy.

In emotional aromatherapy, cinnamon can help us find warmth when we feel that the world is getting particularly tough around us, preserving our inner wellbeing which is essential for filtering out difficulties and obstacles. It also invigorates, strengthens, and can be a wonderful element in Christmas scents such as:

1 drop of essential oil Cinnamon leaves

5 drops of Sweet Orange essential oil

2 drops of Vanilla essential oil (oleoresin)

1 drop of Benzoin essential oil

to give warmth, care and energy at this time when our inner well-being needs to be protected and we can nourish others with our good energy.