Botanical Name: Thuya Occidentalis

Origin: Canada

For the perfumer I can understand why it finds use, as the smell whilst rather camphor-like and exceptionally potent, is very fresh, clean, green and herbal. I feel this oil would provide a service to the natural perfumer who is working with Artemisia, Lavendula and Salvia species.

Also known as Thuja’ Oil I have picked up on the following, this oil contains 54.7% alpha thujone combined and 13.6% Fenchone. With thujone it is indeed a proven skin irritant in some people and in high enough dose capable of poisoning. Fenchone is also naturally found in fennel, it has a somewhat sweet and slightly floral tint in pure form, but information I have to hand suggests that fenchone has been proven to cause epileptic type convulsions when administered in very large doses.

I think for most people, me included, smelling this oil neat will result in you feeling very high, disorientated and not capable of much other than wanting to lay down and sleep – this is exactly how I feel after inhaling it for five minutes straight, my head is spinning and it makes me feel nauseous and my balance is out of kilter. You also may hallucinate.

I was very aware this may happen prior to use but I just needed to be certain for purpose of my write up, I anticipate these effects will last up to 1 hour before completely wearing off.