Cinnamon Bark vs Cinnamon Leaf Oil — Same Tree, Two Completely Different Oils
Cinnamomum verum (Ceylon cinnamon) and Cinnamomum cassia produce two commercial essential oils — from the bark and from the leaf. They share the same plant origin but the chemistry is completely different. The bark oil is cinnamaldehyde-rich; the leaf oil is eugenol-rich. Procurement-grade reference:
Cinnamon Bark Oil
- Cinnamaldehyde marker (55–80%)
- Sharp, warm cinnamon-spice character
- Higher dermal sensitisation potential
- Primary use: food flavour, premium F&F spicy bases, oral-care
- FEMA 2289 (cassia) / 2291 (Ceylon)
- Premium pricing per kg
Cinnamon Leaf Oil
- Eugenol marker (70–88%)
- Clove-spicy, warm character
- Lower per-kg cost; classical workhorse
- Primary use: F&F spicy bases, soap, candle, OTC pharma
- FEMA 2292
- Mid-tier pricing per kg
Spec comparison
| Parameter | Cinnamon Bark Oil | Cinnamon Leaf Oil |
|---|---|---|
| Plant part | Bark / inner stem | Leaf |
| Botanical | Cinnamomum cassia / verum | Cinnamomum verum |
| Key marker | Cinnamaldehyde 55–80% | Eugenol 70–88% |
| FEMA | 2289 / 2291 | 2292 |
| Specific gravity | 1.052–1.070 | 1.030–1.052 |
| Refractive index | 1.5680–1.5910 | 1.5290–1.5400 |
| Aroma profile | Sharp cinnamon-spice | Clove-spicy, warm |
| Dermal sensitisation | Higher (cinnamaldehyde) | Lower (eugenol) |
| Primary industry | Premium food flavour, F&F | F&F, soap, candle, OTC |
| Pricing band | Premium | Mid-tier |
When to choose what
Cinnamon Bark for
Premium food flavour (confectionery, beverage, chai), oral-care (toothpaste, gum), niche F&F spicy bases.
Cinnamon Leaf for
Soap fragrance, candle pour, mass-market F&F warm-spicy bases, cost-efficient eugenol source (vs ex-clove).
IFRA caution on Bark
Cinnamaldehyde is allergen-restricted in cosmetics. IFRA 50th amendment caps usage. Demand allergen-23 declaration on cosmetic-bound shipments.
Don’t substitute
Bark and leaf are completely different chemistry. Substitution leaks through to the finished product and customer feedback.
What ships consistently for both grades
Both ship with full QC architecture from our Delhi-NCR plant:
- GC-MS chromatogram per lot (cinnamaldehyde or eugenol % reported)
- NABL retain-sample testing
- FEMA + FCC food-grade documentation
- IFRA conformance + allergen-23 declaration (mandatory on bark for cosmetic use)
- 1 kg sample → 25 kg drum → 180 kg → FCL ladder
- Sample programme: paid, credit-back against bulk order in 60 days
- Indian + Indonesian origin (declared on COA)
Buyer FAQ
Which is more expensive per kg?
Cinnamon bark — typically 2–4x the per-kg cost of cinnamon leaf, driven by yield economics (bark harvest requires tree-girdling; leaves are renewable).
Can I use cinnamon leaf oil in food flavour?
Yes — FEMA 2292 covers food use. But the eugenol-dominant profile is “clove-spice”, not “cinnamon-bark-spice”. Buyer expectations matter.
Cassia vs Ceylon cinnamon — which do you supply?
Both. Cassia bark is cinnamaldehyde-richer (and higher in coumarin — a regulatory consideration in EU finished products). Ceylon (true cinnamon) has lower coumarin. Confirm origin at PI stage.
IFRA restriction on cinnamaldehyde?
Yes — IFRA caps cinnamaldehyde usage in finished cosmetic products. Demand the % cinnamaldehyde declaration on every cosmetic-bound cinnamon bark consignment.
Minimum order?
1 kg sample → 5 kg pilot → 25 kg HDPE drum → 180 kg → FCL on either grade.
Cinnamon bulk quote in 4 hours
One RFQ — quote(s) back the same working day. 1 kg sample plan with full credit-back.