What is mugwort essential oil, and what do we sell?

Mugwort essential oil is the aromatic oil distilled from the leafy parts of a mugwort plant, a member of the large Artemisia genus, which one review puts at more than 400 species (Sharifi-Rad et al., 2022). We sell one product, a steam-distilled mugwort oil sold neat, in ten sizes from 0.5 oz to 400 lbs, with no blends and no other oils. Our home page describes the steps as harvest, sorting, steam distillation, testing and bottling; the how it is made article goes through them.

What does mugwort oil smell like?

Our shop page describes the aroma as "green, bitter, and camphoraceous, with sage-like, herbaceous facets and a curious sweet undertone", and lists it as a middle note. That is our wording of a smell, not a measurement, and published analyses of mugwort oils differ widely (next question), so another seller's oil can smell different. If you are building a perfume or candle, buy the smallest size first and smell it before committing to a larger one.

What is in mugwort oil?

It depends on the plant and the run, and published figures show it. A leaf oil of one mugwort species from Qichun, China, had alpha-thujone at 7.989% and beta-thujone at 1.916% (Guan et al., 2019). A cultivated Brazilian oil of the other common species led with caryophyllene at 37.45% and listed no thujone (Malik et al., 2019). A third oil led with cineole at 13.76% and did not mention thujone (Li et al., 2023). The certificate of analysis we publish for one batch gives a relative density of 0.895 and a refractive index of 1.4750, and no constituent list, so none of these tables can be laid over our oil. The composition article has the full comparison.

Is mugwort oil the same as wormwood oil?

No. Both are Artemisia oils and both can contain thujone, which the European Medicines Agency notes is found in cedar leaf, sage, tansy, wormwood, thyme and rosemary (EMA/HMPC/732886/2010 Rev. 1, 2012), but the published wormwood oils in our comparison ranged from about 1.4% trans-thujone to roughly 41% combined thujones, and mugwort oils range just as widely. Do not swap one for the other in a formula. The two-Artemisias comparison sets the numbers side by side.

Can mugwort oil go on skin?

Our shop says: dilute to 0.5% to 2% in a carrier oil and patch test first, and our Standards page says dilutions should be very low indeed. We do not call any of that safe, and the fragrance industry's own limit is tighter than it looks. IFRA restricts thujone, with a maximum of 0.095% thujone in body creams, oils and lotions (Category 5A) (IFRA 51st Amendment, Thujone Standard). Because we publish no thujone figure for our oil, you cannot yet check a dilution against that cap. As arithmetic: at a 0.5% oil load the oil would have to be at most 19% thujone to sit under 0.095%, and at 2% at most 4.75%. Other categories are stricter or looser; see the composition article. Our home page calls it an oil for fragrance craft rather than body care, and we agree: we would use it in craft, not on skin.

Who should not use mugwort oil?

Our shop says to keep it away from eyes, children and pets and to avoid use during pregnancy, and our Standards page adds nursing and anyone with a history of seizures. The EMA notes there are no preclinical or clinical studies allowing a reliable assessment for sensitive groups such as pregnant women and children, so use of thujone-containing herbal medicinal products in those groups should be minimised (EMA/HMPC/732886/2010 Rev. 1, 2012). The Tisserand Institute advises anyone pregnant to seek the advice of a doctor or suitable practitioner before using essential oils (Tisserand Institute, Safety Guidelines). People with mugwort pollen allergy should read our allergy article first, and pet owners our pets article.

Can I swallow mugwort oil?

No. We never recommend swallowing any essential oil, and our shop says mugwort oil is not for internal use. The EMA statement records severe intoxications in humans after consumption of essential oil rich in thujone, with convulsions and unconsciousness among the effects of overdose (EMA/HMPC/732886/2010 Rev. 1, 2012). If someone has swallowed it, call a doctor or your local poison centre. A physician is the person to ask about any oral use of Artemisia, not a seller.

Does mugwort oil help with sleep or dreams?

We make no such claim and the shop makes none. A 2024 narrative review of substances proposed to induce lucid dreams repeats that mugwort is a herb "used for intensifying dreams", offers a hypothesis about how it might act, and cites no trial of mugwort; the only plant study it describes for dream effects is an experimental one on Calea zacatechichi extracts, which it summarises without a sample size (Oldoni et al., Brain Sci, 2024). The review also says more research is needed to find a reliable way to induce lucid dreams pharmacologically. Folklore ties mugwort to dream pillows, and that is history; see our dream pillow article and folk source history. If sleep is a problem, a physician is the right first call.

How long does mugwort oil last, and how should it be stored?

Our shop copy says typically 2 to 3 years, kept tightly capped in a cool, dark place away from heat and light, and our bulk page suggests decanting working amounts into a smaller airtight bottle. Those are the shop's statements about its own oil; we cite no stability study for mugwort oil, so treat the range as a guide and trust your nose over the date. Writing the date you opened the bottle on the label makes your own record.

Mugwort Essential Oil FAQ: Smell, Safety and Storage

People ask us the same handful of things about mugwort oil, and they are good questions, because it is not the most familiar oil on the shelf. Here are straight answers, with sources where a claim needs one.

Mugwort Essential Oil

Our own Mugwort Essential Oil, in sizes from 0.5 oz to bulk.

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What is mugwort essential oil?

It is the aromatic oil steamed out of the leafy parts of a mugwort plant. Mugwort belongs to the huge Artemisia genus, which a 2022 review counts at more than 400 species (Sharifi-Rad et al.). We sell one mugwort oil, steam-distilled and sold neat with nothing added, in sizes from 0.5 oz up to bulk. No blends, no other oils. Our article on how it is made walks through the process.

What does it smell like?

Green, bitter and camphoraceous, with sage-like, herbaceous facets and a curious sweet undertone. If you like the smell of crushed leaves on a damp path, you are in the right neighbourhood. We list it as a middle note, and it pairs well with cedarwood, clary sage, juniper, frankincense and cypress. Our scent profile goes deeper.

One small amber bottle tightly closed with a black screw cap standing on a high wooden shelf beside a sprig of mugwort

Is one mugwort oil the same as another?

Not at all, and this is the thing we most like to get across. Published analyses show enormous variation. A leaf oil of Artemisia argyi from Qichun, China, carried roughly 10% thujones (Guan et al., 2019), a cultivated Artemisia vulgaris oil from Brazil was led by caryophyllene at 37% with no thujone listed (Malik et al., 2019), and another argyi oil was led by cineole (Li et al.). Species, growing conditions and extraction method all leave their mark. The Certificate of Analysis we publish for one batch lists density and refractive index, and if you need a constituent report, write to us through the contact page before ordering. Our composition article compares the published analyses.

Is it the same as wormwood oil?

No. Both are Artemisias and both can carry thujone, a compound the European Medicines Agency notes is found in cedar leaf, sage, tansy, wormwood, thyme and rosemary (Public statement on the use of herbal medicinal products containing thujone). Their profiles differ and they should not be swapped in a formula. See mugwort vs wormwood.

Can I put it on my skin?

We sell it as an oil for fragrance craft rather than body care. For anyone who does use it on skin, our guidance is a dilution of 0.5% to 2% in a carrier oil with a patch test first, and we would start at the low end. The industry's thujone limit is a useful yardstick: IFRA caps thujone at 0.095% in body oils and lotions (IFRA, 51st Amendment Standards compilation, Thujone Standard). As arithmetic, a 0.5% oil load stays under that cap only if the oil is at most 19% thujone, and a 2% load only if it is at most 4.75%. That is why we point curious makers to candles, incense and potpourri first.

Who should avoid it?

Please skip it during pregnancy or nursing, and keep it away from children, pets and eyes. The EMA notes that no studies exist that would let anyone assess thujone exposure in pregnant women and children, so it advises minimising their use of thujone-containing products. The Tisserand Institute likewise advises anyone pregnant to speak to a doctor or suitable practitioner before using essential oils (Safety Guidelines - Tisserand Institute). If you are allergic to mugwort pollen, read our allergy article first, and for animals there is mugwort oil and pets.

In a small, clean, bright analytical laboratory with smooth white walls

Can I swallow it?

No, and we never recommend swallowing any essential oil. The EMA record includes severe human poisonings after consumption of thujone-rich essential oil. If someone has swallowed any, call a doctor or your local poison centre straight away.

Does it help with sleep or dreams?

We do not claim that. Mugwort's dream reputation is folklore, and a 2024 review of lucid-dream substances mentions it as a traditional dream-intensifying herb without citing a mugwort trial (Oldoni et al., 2024). The dream pillow is a lovely bit of history, which we enjoy in our dream pillow article. For sleep trouble, a physician is the right first call.

How should I smell it for the first time?

Slowly, and not straight from the bottle. Open the cap in a ventilated room, hold it a few inches from your nose and take one gentle breath. Better still, put a drop on a strip of plain paper and wave it about. The first impression is green and sharp, and given a minute you may notice the sweeter undertone arrive. Put the cap back right away and rest your nose before trying anything else.

What is a good first project?

Something small and forgiving, where one drop makes a difference. A pinch of dried herb and a drop or two in a potpourri jar, a few drops in a candle trial, or a perfume accent of "a drop or two" are the uses we list. Weigh your amounts if you can, write them down, and change one thing at a time. Wax, jars, resins and the rest come from a craft or candle-supply shop, since we sell the oil only.

Blending companions on a pale table: a small block of reddish cedarwood, a little tied bundle of dry vetiver roots

How long does it keep?

Typically 2 to 3 years, kept tightly capped somewhere cool and dark. If you are working from a large bottle, decant what you need into a smaller airtight one. More tips in how to store mugwort oil.

Anything we missed? Write to us on the contact page and we will answer in writing. Wholesale questions, such as sample bottles, belong on the wholesale page.

Whatever you decide to make, start small, write things down and let your nose lead the way.