Parsley Seed Essential Oil: a Green Scent with Strict Rules

In short: Parsley seed oil smells green, warm and spicy. In a diffuser 1 drop in a blend is enough. It contains apiole and myristicin, so it is unsuitable in pregnancy and while breastfeeding, on the skin 1.1 % at most and never in the bath.

In aromatherapy, parsley oil is more of a spice for advanced users than an everyday oil. In a small amount it gives a blend a green, "garden" depth that no other oil can replace. In a larger amount it drowns everything else.

The oil is not distilled from the leaves that you sprinkle on potatoes, but from the seeds. And it is in the seeds that the substances accumulate because of which BIO parsley oil has stricter rules than most herbal oils. Here we summarise them so that you can use it with peace of mind.

Seeds Are Not Leaves: What Parsley Oil Contains

The main constituents of the seed oil belong to the group of phenylpropanoids: apiole, myristicin, allyltetramethoxybenzene and elemicin. They are complemented by terpenes such as α- and β-pinene and limonene. The ratio differs by variety and origin; some batches have more apiole, others more myristicin.

Apiole is a substance that folk medicine abused in the past to induce abortion, often with serious consequences. A review study on the reproductive toxicity of essential oils from 2021 lists it among the constituents for which use in pregnancy is questionable. That is why for parsley oil the general "caution in pregnancy" does not apply, but a clear no.

We write about growing parsley and its use in the kitchen in the articles parsley in the garden and dill and parsley, the most used Czech herbs. Fresh leaves and root are not covered by the rules for an essential oil.

Dosage in Numbers

Tisserand and Young recommend a maximum of 1.1 % on the skin. Parsley oil does not belong in the bath even mixed into a carrier oil or salt: according to AromaWeb it more often irritates and sensitises in a bath. Details on dilution and the choice of carrier oil are in the article essential oils for the skin.

Why such small numbers? One drop of essential oil is roughly 0.05 ml. Two drops in 10 ml of carrier oil therefore correspond to about 1 %, six drops in 30 ml too. More drops of parsley do not fit within a reasonable limit, which is why in blends for the skin you should use it only as a supplement, not as the main oil. If you want a more pronounced scent, add citrus or lavender, not another drop of parsley. And always try the blend first on a small patch of skin on the forearm.

What Parsley Pairs With and Three Diffuser Blends

Parsley is a middle note with a pronounced personality. It works best with citrus, which brightens it, and with woods, which ground it. In a blend it should always be in the minority.

• Summer garden (diffuser, 100 ml): 1 drop of parsley, 3 drops of lemon, 1 drop of rosemary.
• Autumn early evening (oil burner): 1 drop of parsley, 2 drops of Himalayan cedar, 1 drop of bergamot.
• Herb meadow (diffuser, 100 ml): 1 drop of parsley, 2 drops of lavender, 1 drop of clary sage.

How many drops by room size is described in the article how many drops for a diffuser and oil burner.

Risks Stated in the Specialist Literature

For parsley seed oil Tisserand and Young give several warnings at once:

• possible drug interactions,
• risk of liver and kidney damage (hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity),
• potential abortifacient effect, hence contraindication in pregnancy and while breastfeeding,
• low risk of skin irritation if the 1.1 % limit is kept.

For the household this gives simple rules: never swallow the oil, do not add it to food or to "home drops", on the skin only at low dilution and for a short time. The general principles of safe use are summarised in the article safe use of essential oils.

Who Should Leave Out Parsley Oil

• Pregnant and breastfeeding women entirely, even in a diffuser.
• Children: not at all under 6, for older ones only as 1 drop in a blend in a diffuser, never on the skin. More in the article essential oils and children.
• People with kidney or liver disease and people who take medicines regularly.
• Cats and dogs: do not run a diffuser in a room the animal cannot leave. See essential oils and pets.

How to Recognise a Good Parsley Oil

On the label look for Petroselinum crispum or P. sativum and the part of the plant. Seed oil (seed) is more common than herb or leaf oil and has a different composition. The colour is usually pale yellow to amber. Store it closed in a cool, dark place and use it within 2 years of opening. Keep the bottle out of the reach of children; an oil with apiole definitely does not belong in the hands of a toddler.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is parsley oil suitable in pregnancy?

No. It contains apiole and myristicin and Tisserand and Young contraindicate it in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Leave it out even in a diffuser.

Can I put parsley oil in the bath?

No. In the bath it gets onto a large area of skin and the risk of irritation is higher, even if you mix the oil beforehand into a carrier oil or salt.

How does parsley essential oil smell?

Green, herbal and warmly spicy, with a slightly woody aftertaste. It resembles crushed seeds rather than fresh leaves.

Can I use parsley oil on the skin or hair?

On the body at dilution up to 1 %, that is 2 drops per 10 ml of carrier oil. For the face and scalp, better choose an oil with fewer restrictions, such as lavender.

Can parsley oil be added to food?

No. An essential oil is a concentrate intended for aromatherapy, it is not taken internally. Fresh or dried parsley belongs in the kitchen.

Recommended Products

• BIO Parsley, essential oil 10 ml – seed oil, a green spicy accent for blends.
• BIO Lemon, essential oil 10 ml – brightens parsley in a summer blend.
• BIO Himalayan cedar, essential oil 10 ml – a woody base for the autumn variant.
• BIO Bergamot, essential oil 10 ml – for an oil burner, on the skin only out of the sun.
• Ceramic oil burner, white, 12.5 × 10.5 cm – for one drop of parsley in a blend.

Sources

• AromaWeb: Parsley Seed Essential Oil, composition and safety according to Tisserand & Young – aromaweb.com
• Maternal Reproductive Toxicity of Some Essential Oils and Their Constituents, Int J Mol Sci 2021 – PubMed
• Tisserand R., Young R.: Essential Oil Safety, 2nd edition, Churchill Livingstone 2014.

Updated: 27 September 2026