Thyme is a popular herb known botanically as Thymus vulgaris that is widely used to flavor food. Thyme Essential Oil is extracted from the fresh flowers and leaves of the plant through steam distillation and holds beneficial health properties and has many uses that go beyond the dinner table.
Thyme has a long history reaching back to the ancient Egyptians, who used it to prepare their dead for the afterlife. Greeks and Romans utilized its fragrance to freshen the air in their homes.
Middle age folks even used thyme under their pillows at night to promote good dreams. Today, we can use it in a host of ways around the house to promote a healthy lifestyle.
Thyme Essential Oil Health Benefits
There are several chemotypes of Thyme Essential Oil. Thyme Linalool, for example, is known for its gentle nature and can be used safely on the skin. It’s a great oil to utilize in the winter to fight off the effects of the season. It acts as a powerful cleanser due to its purifying effect on the skin. It can help fight blemishes and keep your skin looking moisturized, healthy, and young.
Thyme Thymol Essential Oil is often used for immune support because it contains components, such as gamma-Terpinene and p-Cymene, that are known to support the immune system. It also contains stimulating components that can help boost the circulatory system and reduce discomfort.
Not only does Thyme Thymol have physical health-promoting benefits, it can also support healthy emotional wellbeing. It has an energizing effect that can uplift your mood and brighten your outlook, promoting mental clarity and feelings of peace. It also has emotional cleaning abilities and some call it the “oil of releasing and forgiveness,” helping people to unblock and release stuck emotions. Its ability to provide stimulation to the body can boost energy and relieve feelings of tiredness. This makes it a popular oil in aromatherapy for its ability to promote feelings of calmness and peace in an energizing way.
How to Use Thyme Essential Oil
- Aromatic
Place a few drops of Thyme Thymol Essential Oil into your diffuser to keep the air in your home pure and to promote feelings of energy throughout the day. Try diffusing some in your backyard to help repel insects.
- Topical
Thyme Linalool Essential Oil is incredibly healthy and cleansing for the skin. It makes a wonderful addition to your favorite skin cleansers and moisturizers. It is also good for the hair and scalp, acting as a stimulant that can promote healthy scalp functions like hair growth. Just easily add 5 drops to an ounce of your favorite shampoo and use as you regularly would.
Final Thoughts
Thyme oil has been used for generations to make families healthier. It’s incredibly versatile, so give it a try and find the uses that work best for your lifestyle. It blends well with many other essential oils, including Grapefruit Pink, Lemon, Bergamot, Lavender, Pine Scots, and Rosemary 1,8-Cineole. Try adding it to your favorite blends or new combinations for different results.
While Thyme oil is safe for most healthy adults to use, it is a “hot” oil and can be irritating to some people with sensitivities when used undiluted. Be sure to test a small amount before using, and always dilute when applying directly to the skin. Enjoy finding new ways to utilize this ancient herb.
Thanks so much for this explanation. I have thyme linalool, but didn’t know you had thymol also. Trying to see which one is best diffused for sinus issues as I read last night that thyme oil could help sinus infections.
Looking at the differences, I think I would use Linalool more, but is it also good for immune support or is Thymol better for that?
Thank you for always having helpful information!
They’re both great for immune support!
Thank you for this article! I just received this in my last order and am excited to try it!
Wow, thank you so much! This is so helpful, I now know which one to get!
I’ve never tried thyme EO before but it’s going on my list after reading this article, thanks
Thank-you for this blog. I found it very helpful. I have been expanding my oil knowledge and Thyme is a current study.
I have never used thyme, but now it it is on my list. I can always use peace and calming due to my anxiety and freshness in the house is definitely a bonus
Love this blog and how it explains the difference between the two chemotypes. Its a good blog to share too on why thyme linalool is kid safe and why thyme thymol isnt. the two chemotypes! Saving this one in my files.
I thought I had also read somewhere that Thyme oil can be use to prevent snoring when used on the bottom of the feet before bed? I believe my mom has used it for that purpose with success…
It’s possible. 🙂 With things like snoring, it’s more personal than anything. Different people have had luck with different things. 🙂
I wasn’t really thinking about this oil before…but now I want it!
Thank you for the great information. This is one oil that I do not have in my collection but will be adding today. Think I was a little put off by the “hot” oil thing and wasn’t sure what to do with it. Now I do and I will be ordering today. Thanks again!
I saw that neither of the thyme oils were on the pregnancy and nursing safe list, is there a specific reason why, or is it a lack of information issue?
Please send us an email to [email protected] and we can give you more information! 🙂
We love cooking with thyme…… did not know it was used as an oil, too. How cool!
Thanks for the tips! I may have to try.
Hope you do, Jennifer!
This would be great mixed with lemon in my home office to keep the positive, upbeat vibes going!
I was literally just looking at both thyme linalool and thyme thymol and wondered “what’s the difference??” Now I know! Thanks PT for explaining in this blog. Makes way more sense when choosing which one to use topically vs diffusing 😉
Thank you for the uses of thymes EO. I learnt alot from the blog.
Wow, thanks for this blog! I love cooking with thyme but haven’t ventured into using the essential oil. Definitely on my list now for something new to try.
That’s great, Lee! Since you’re already accustomed to the aroma of thyme from cooking, I bet you’ll have a lot of fun making essential oil blends with it, too. 🙂
I don’t own thyme yet but now I’m interested.
Does thyme raise blood pressure?
Send us an email to [email protected] and we can give you some more information. 🙂
Thyme oil is on my wish list. After reading this post about all the great benefits, especially for the skin, hair, and scalp, I might have to get it sooner than later!
Thanks for this blog. I do have thyme but I really don’t have recipes for this oil.
I recently got a bottle of PT Thyme Linalool and have been wondering what to do with it. Thank you for all the great ideas! I’m looking forward to using it for cold and flu season!!!
This post makes me want to get Thyme oil and diffuse it off to plant therapy store next week to smell it
I found this very interesting as I wasn’t sure why Thyme could be utilized for. It is nice to know it has an immune booster in it because we know kids need every ounce of an immune booster that they can get. I didn’t realize that it could be used as an insect repellant. I like that it can be paired with several other oils.
Thanks for the informative article. Until I read the article, I was not familiar with Thyme oil and its benefits.