The Many Uses of Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil

With November right around the corner, and December nearing at an all-too-rapid pace, the sights, sounds, and smells of the holiday season will soon be all around us. One of the distinctive smells of the season is cinnamon. Whether its candles, baked goods, or drinks, cinnamon is an ever-present aroma. But did you know that cinnamon, particularly, cinnamon leaves, are used as an essential oil and have a multitude of household uses and health benefits? Commonly associated with cinnamon bark oil, as they come from the same tree, cinnamon leaf oil is actually less of a skin irritant than cinnamon bark oil and is most often used in aromatherapy as well as the flavorful scents in candles, potpourri, and other uses. While cinnamon is most often used during the holiday season, one of its most popular uses for cinnamon leaf oil is actually in the dead of summer. The oil is an excellent mosquito repellent as well as a deterrent for black ants, and even roaches and flies. Simply fill a spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide, distilled water, or tap water and mix in two teaspoons of pure cinnamon leaf oil and shake. Spray this on any area that tends to attract insects and within minutes you’ll see a decrease—if not a total disappearance—of the pesky critters. That same disinfectant spray is useful in the kitchen, too, as cinnamon oil is a natural antibacterial. Spray the solution on any surface for a safe, chemical-free clean. In addition to eradicating bacteria, cinnamon leaf oil is also known to wipe out bathroom and kitchen odors. Cinnamon leaf oil is also a great solution for a number of health issues. If you have a tendency to have bad breath, add a drop of the oil to a glass of water and swish around in your mouth. You’ll soon have great smelling breath and you’ve helped rid your mouth of bad (and smelly) bacteria. Those prone to athlete’s foot tend to depend on chemicals to cure their ailment. However, feet soaked in a bucket of warm water and a few drops of cinnamon leaf oil (no more than a 1% ratio) find their fungal infections decreased or completely gone. While cinnamon leaf oil is a great solution when it’s diluted, please keep in mind that it can cause skin irritation and should always be used carefully and preferably with rubber gloves. If the concentrated oil does make skin contact, rinse the affected area immediately and thoroughly with a gentle soap and warm water. Cinnamon leaf oil should not be ingested, especially in the concentrated form. Cinnamon leaf oil offers great remedies for the most common household and health issues.  Try these in your home today!