Clove Oil FAQ: Your Top Questions Answered

Pick up a bottle of clove oil and the same handful of questions tends to follow: what is it, which type, how strong, can I use it here. Here are ten of them, answered the way we would at the counter.

Clove Essential Oil

Our own Clove Essential Oil, in sizes from 0.5 oz to bulk.

From $10.99

Shop Now →

What is clove oil made from?

It is steam-distilled from parts of Syzygium aromaticum, an evergreen tree native to the Maluku Islands of eastern Indonesia (Kamatou et al., 2012, Molecules). We sell two clove oils: bud oil, from the dried flower buds, and leaf oil, from the leaves. Both are sold undiluted. We do not sell stem oil.

How do bud and leaf differ?

Mostly in character. Our bud oil is warm, rich and sweetly spicy, with a baking-spice depth. The leaf oil is bolder, smokier and drier. They are distilled separately and never blended into each other. If you are choosing between them, our bud versus leaf comparison helps, and it is worth smelling both before you scale up any recipe.

What does it smell like?

Like cloves, naturally. PubChem records the odor of eugenol as "odor of cloves" and, in another reference, "warm, spicy, floral" (PubChem, Eugenol). Both our oils are middle-to-base notes. Our scent profile article goes deeper.

How much eugenol is in it?

Quite a lot. Across the literature, clove oils vary widely, and the GC-MS report we publish for our bud oil lists eugenol at 73.57% by area. That number belongs to that report. Our eugenol article explains what the compound does for the aroma.

Can I put it on my skin?

Only diluted, and with a patch test first. We recommend 0.5% to 2% in a carrier oil, and because the Tisserand Institute lists 0.5% as the recommended maximum for clove bud oil (Tisserand Institute, Eugenol), we would start low. Anyone with fragrance allergies, a skin condition or a pregnancy should ask a physician or pharmacist first. See our skin article.

Can I swallow it or use it for toothache?

No. We sell it for aroma and external cosmetic use, never internal use, and we make no dental claims. For tooth pain, see a dentist. Our ingestion article explains more.

Is it safe around children and pets?

Keep it away from eyes, children and pets, and keep the bottle capped and out of reach. For diffusing around animals or infants, ask a veterinarian or pediatrician first.

How long does it keep?

Store it tightly closed in a cool, dark place away from heat and sunlight. Our product pages give typical unopened shelf life of 3 to 5 years for the bud oil and 4 to 5 years for the leaf oil. For larger containers, decant only what you need into a smaller airtight bottle and keep the big one sealed. See our storage guide.

Which one should I start with?

If you are new to clove, the bud oil is the easier introduction. It is warm, rich and sweetly spicy, a very forgiving place to begin. If you make soap, candles or cleaning blends, the leaf oil is the one many makers lean toward, with its bolder, drier, smokier character. Both come in a half-ounce size, which is a sensible way to find out which one you like before committing to more.

What does it blend with?

The bud oil gets along with orange, cinnamon, cedarwood, frankincense and vanilla. The leaf oil pairs with sweet orange, cinnamon leaf, cedarwood, patchouli, black pepper and vanilla. We take the first steps in our blends article, and our diffuser guide covers how little you need to start.

Why is it sold undiluted?

Because that gives you the most flexibility. Undiluted oil is what soap makers, candle makers and blenders usually want, and you can dilute it to suit your own project. It also means the bottle is concentrated and needs careful handling, so keep it capped and away from children.

Do you sell the carrier oil too?

No. We sell the two clove oils and nothing else, so a carrier oil for diluting comes from a supplier of your choice. A plain, fresh one is all you need.

What paperwork do you have?

For the bud oil, we publish a Certificate of Analysis for one batch, listing density, refractive index and optical rotation, plus a qualitative GC-MS report. If you need documents for the specific lot you receive, ask us in writing through the contact page.

Is it organic?

We do not describe our oils as organic. If you are weighing what certification means for a scented oil, we lay it out in our organic versus conventional piece.

Have a question that is not here? Send it through the contact page and we will happily take a look.