Thyme Essential Oil

Thyme Essential Oil

Thymus vulgaris

This thyme essential oil is extracted from the herb with botanical name Thymus vulgaris.

Thyme is native to the Mediterranean region but can also be found in Algeria, Turkey, Tunisia, the USA, and Russia.

There are also several other species of thyme which yield essential oils.

Thyme was used in ancient herbal medicine by the Greeks, Egyptians and the Romans and the Egyptians used it in embalming.

During the Middle Ages it was placed in courtrooms to fend off disease and to jousting knights to spark courage.

What does thyme essential oil smell like?

Freshly medicinal and herbal smelling.

Quite pungent.

Which part of the plant provides the oil?

The whole plant.

Where has thyme essential oil been sourced from?

This particular thyme oil originates from Spain.

How is thyme essential oil extracted?

Thyme oil is extracted by steam distillation.

This involves using steam from boiling water to extract the essential oil from the plant.

The heat from the steam causes the plant’s cell walls to open allowing the essential oil to be released.

What other oils blend well with thyme essential oil?

Thyme oil blends well with bergamot, chamomile, grapefruit, juniper berry, lavender lemon, rosemary and tea tree.

How can I benefit from thyme essential oil?

You may know the herb well but the essential oil has just as many uses.

Thyme oil has powerful antiseptic properties so can be beneficial in strengthening immunity and for combating colds and flu.

This is a very strong and potent oil, so only a small amount is needed.

It is considered to be a very effective antiseptic, used in hospitals as a disinfectant.

In addition to cleansing the area of bacterial germs, it can also do a great job of removing unpleasant odours.

Thyme oil can also work to expel mucus from the lungs.

It fortifies the immune system to help fight off infectious diseases and an excellent oil for respiratory infections, helping with circulation problems too.

It is also said to promote courage and lifts the spirits.  It can  be effective to use for dandruff and minimizing hair loss too.

Are there precautions I should know about?

Avoid during pregnancy or if you have a history of high blood pressure. Thyme is very potent, it contains a high amount of toxic phenols that can irritate mucus membranes, cause skin irritation.