Coriander essential oil: a spicy scent for your home

Coriander divides food lovers: some adore its fresh leaves, others cannot stand them. Its seeds, however, win everyone over with their warm, slightly lemony aroma. That spicy side is what you find in coriander essential oil – an original scent for anyone who fancies a change from lavender and citrus.

What is coriander?

Coriander, Coriandrum sativum, is an annual plant of the carrot family (Apiaceae), like parsley, fennel and cumin. Grown since antiquity around the Mediterranean and in the Near East, it then spread to every continent: its leaves flavour Asian and Latin American cooking, while its small round seeds feature in countless spice blends, from curry to marinades.

According to the product sheet, our coriander essential oil offers a "spicy, aromatic scent". That is exactly what our druggist highlights: a warm note for diffusion or diluted blends. If you would like to know how essential oils are classified and what that means for their use, our sheet on essential oil families provides useful pointers.

How to use it

In a diffuser

• Start with 2 to 3 drops: the scent is assertive, so it is better to add more later than to overdo it.
• Diffuse for about 15 minutes, then let the room rest and air it.
• For a cosy atmosphere, pair it with sweet orange; for a fresher note, with lemon.

In a diluted blend

• For a scented massage oil, allow about 2 drops per 10 ml of neutral vegetable oil.
• Do a patch test in the crook of your elbow and wait 24 hours before going further.
• Apply to the shoulders, neck or back, never near the eyes.

What about cooking?

Although the plant is a kitchen favourite, the essential oil is not meant for flavouring food: keep the leaves and seeds for cooking, and the bottle for the atmosphere of your home.

Precautions

Good habits. Never use coriander essential oil neat on the skin and never swallow it. Avoid contact with the eyes and mucous membranes. Ask for advice before any use during pregnancy or breastfeeding, for children, or if you are on medication. Keep the bottle tightly closed, away from light and out of the reach of children.

Our products

• Coriander essential oil – spicy, aromatic scent; see the documentation tab on the product page.

Fancy trying it?

Coriander is an oil with character, perfect for adding an unexpected spicy touch to your diffusion blends. To find out which oils to combine it with or which dilution to choose, drop in at Droguerie Perusset in Yverdon-les-Bains: we will be glad to advise you.