Commiphora Myrrha Oil
Myrrh oil
Genuinely relevant for some people, or depends on dose and pH.
Also written as: Myrrh Oil · Commiphora Myrrha Resin Oil · Commiphora Molmol Oil
What it is
Myrrh oil is steam-distilled from the resin of Commiphora myrrha, a small thorny tree of the Horn of Africa and Arabian Peninsula. It is rich in sesquiterpenes such as furanoeudesma-1,3-diene and curzerene. It has a long history in incense and traditional medicine and is used in cosmetics for a warm balsamic note and occasional soothing claims.
What it does well
Traditional use for soothing and wound care
Myrrh has centuries of documented use in traditional medicine. Modern controlled evidence for topical skin benefits in cosmetics is very limited, so this should be treated as a fragrance ingredient.
Traditional use
Worth knowing
Commonly advised against in pregnancy, though the evidence is weak
Aromatherapy practice avoids myrrh in pregnancy on the basis of traditional reports of uterine stimulation. There is no good human evidence that dermal exposure at cosmetic levels poses a risk, but the precaution is widely followed.
Matters most toPeople who are pregnant and prefer to follow conventional aromatherapy precautions.
Where the EU stands
No specific restriction
Myrrh oil is not listed in Annex II and is not on the Annex III fragrance-allergen labelling list, so there is no maximum concentration and no direct labelling obligation.
