Thyme

Thyme essential oil (Thymus vulgaris ct. thymol) is characterised by thymol (40-55%) and p-cymene as co-dominant constituents; thymol disrupts bacterial cell membranes and inhibits biofilm formation, conferring potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antifungal activity.^[1] Multiple chemotypes of T. vulgaris exist — thymol, carvacrol, linalool, geraniol — each with distinct composition and bioactivity profiles, while the thymol chemotype is also used as an expectorant and topical antiseptic.^[2]

Thyme ct. Geraniol

Thymus vulgaris ct. geraniol

Also Known As: Geraniol Thyme, Sweet Thyme
Family: Herbal
Perfumery Note: Middle
Intensity: Medium
Extraction: Steam Distillation
Plant Parts: Flowering tops
Origins: France, Spain
Effect: Balancing, Calming & Relaxing, Antimicrobial
Aroma: Floral, Sweet, Rosy, Herbal
Applications: Aromatherapy, Medicinal, Skincare, Massage
Price: $$$$A rare chemotype occurring naturally in isolated microclimates; extremely limited production area and small-batch harvests make it the most expensive thyme chemotype by a wide margin

Thymus vulgaris ct. geraniol is a chemotype of common thyme in which the acyclic monoterpene alcohol geraniol constitutes the dominant volatile fraction (approximately 26% of the essential oil), in contrast to the phenolic thymol or linalool that define other chemotypes.^[3] Oils of this type, cultivated in southern France, exhibit potent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive organisms while retaining activity against Gram-negative strains, comparable to the other major chemotypes.^[3] The geraniol-dominant fraction has also been shown to suppress LPS-induced IL-6 and TNFa secretion in BV-2 microglia via modulation of NF-κB and C/EBPβ signalling pathways.^[4]

Blend

Thyme ct. Linalool

Thymus vulgaris ct. linalool

Also Known As: Linalool Thyme, Sweet Thyme, Mild Thyme
Family: Herbal
Perfumery Note: Middle
Intensity: Medium
Extraction: Steam Distillation
Plant Parts: Flowering tops
Origins: France, Spain
Effect: Balancing, Calming & Relaxing
Aroma: Floral, Sweet, Mild, Herbaceous
Applications: Aromatherapy, Medicinal, Skincare, Massage
Price: $$$$Requires specific altitude and growing conditions found mainly in Spanish mountain regions; lower production volumes than thymol chemotype result in a moderate price premium

Thymus vulgaris ct. linalool is characterised by linalool—a non-cyclic monoterpene alcohol—as its principal constituent, reaching concentrations of approximately 72-76% in southern French cultivars, with linalyl acetate as a significant secondary component.^[3] Unlike the thymol and carvacrol chemotypes, the absence of cytotoxic phenolic compounds renders this chemotype the least irritating of the T. vulgaris group, making it suitable for applications where dermal or mucosal tolerance is required.^[3] The linalool fraction demonstrates measurable anti-inflammatory activity in neuroglial models, reducing IL-6 and TNFa secretion in LPS-stimulated BV-2 microglia through NF-κB pathway suppression.^[4]

Blend

Thyme ct. Thymol

Thymus vulgaris ct. thymol

Also Known As: Red Thyme, Thymol Thyme, Common Thyme
Family: Herbal
Perfumery Note: Middle
Intensity: Strong
Extraction: Steam Distillation
Plant Parts: Flowering tops
Origins: Spain, France, Morocco
Effect: Antimicrobial, Respiratory & Cleansing, Stimulating
Aroma: Medicinal, Warm, Spicy, Herbaceous, Sharp
Applications: Aromatherapy, Medicinal, Culinary, Cleaning
Price: $$$$The most widely grown commercial thyme chemotype, produced at large scale in Spain and Morocco; high yield and abundant cultivation make it the cheapest thyme oil on the market

Thymus vulgaris ct. thymol is the predominant commercial chemotype of common thyme, characterised by high concentrations of thymol (typically 41-48%) alongside y-terpinene and p-cymene as biosynthetic precursors.^[3] Thymol, a phenolic monoterpenoid, disrupts bacterial membrane integrity and is documented to exert strong activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, with this chemotype consistently recording the lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations among T. vulgaris chemotypes.^[5] Its high phenolic content also confers substantial antifungal activity, demonstrated against Candida species and dermatophytes in controlled in vitro studies.^[5]

Blend

Wild Thyme

Thymus serpyllum

Also Known As: Creeping Thyme, Breckland Thyme, Mother of Thyme
Family: Herbal
Perfumery Note: Middle
Intensity: Medium
Extraction: Steam Distillation
Plant Parts: Flowering tops
Origins: Northern Europe, Scotland, Scandinavia
Effect: Antimicrobial, Clearing, Respiratory & Cleansing
Aroma: Herbal, Sweet, Slightly Floral, Mild
Applications: Aromatherapy, Medicinal, Culinary, Cleaning
Price: $$$$Hand-harvested from uncultivated Mediterranean hillsides in small seasonal batches; the manual wild-collection process and variable yields push costs above commercially farmed thyme

Thymus serpyllum (Breckland or wild thyme) is a low-growing perennial of the Lamiaceae family native to northern and central Europe, chemically distinct from T. vulgaris with an essential oil profile dominated by thymol, carvacrol, o-cymene, and geraniol in proportions that vary substantially by geographic origin and growth stage.^[6] The essential oil exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, with documented bactericidal effects against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella enteritidis, and antifungal activity in vapor phase against Penicillium crustosum.^[6] Antioxidant and cytotoxic activities have also been reported, attributed to the combined phenolic and terpenoid fraction rather than any single constituent.^[7]

Blend

Essential Nose

Thyme

Thyme ct. Geraniol

Thyme ct. Linalool

Thyme ct. Thymol

Wild Thyme

References