Camphor Essential Oil: White Only, in Small Amounts and Never for Children

In short: Buy camphor essential oil only as the white fraction (Cinnamomum camphora, rectified). It smells clean and penetrating, 1–2 drops are enough in a diffuser. On the skin adults only and locally up to 1 %. Never for children, people with epilepsy, in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. If swallowed, camphor is poisonous.

Most people know camphor from grandmother's ointments and camphor spirit. Essential oil from the camphor tree, however, is a different thing from crystalline camphor, and there are big differences between individual oils. Some fractions are not used in aromatherapy at all, and even the safe one, the white, has clear limits.

Here you will find how to recognise the right oil, how much of it to use in a diffuser and on the skin and, above all, who should not use it. With camphor this is more important than with most other oils.

White, Brown, Yellow: Why the Fraction Matters

After distillation, crude camphor oil is divided into fractions. According to AromaWeb, which cites the specialist literature, these are white, brown, yellow and blue. The difference is fundamental:

Our BIO camphor oil is the white rectified fraction. When you buy camphor oil elsewhere, the label must explicitly say "white camphor". Plain "camphor oil" without further specification is not enough.

Scent and Combinations

White camphor smells sharp, cooling and clean; thanks to its high 1,8-cineole content it is reminiscent of eucalyptus. In a blend it is dominant, so use it in the minority. It pairs with:

• lavender, which softens it,
• lemon and grapefruit for a fresh "cleaning" scent,
• rosemary and peppermint for a herbal, invigorating blend (adults only),
• Himalayan cedar, when you want a warmer, woody base.

How Many Drops and Where

Diffuser and Oil Burner

Into an ultrasonic diffuser with 100 ml of water put 1–2 drops of camphor, into an oil burner 1 drop. Run it for 30–60 minutes at most and ventilate. Camphor does not belong in a children's room or in a room where a child sleeps. You will find the general table of drops in the article how many drops for a diffuser and oil burner.

On the Skin: Adults Only and Locally

For a massage of a tired back or calves after sport, a 1 % dilution is enough, that is 2 drops per 10 ml of carrier oil or 6 drops per 30 ml. Do not apply camphor to large areas of the body, the face or injured skin. Tisserand and Young point out that old and oxidised camphor oil should not be used, because it irritates the skin more.

Camphor does not belong in the bath: hot steam from a blend with 1,8-cineole unpleasantly irritates the eyes and airways.

Recipes

• Clean air after cleaning (diffuser, 100 ml): 1 drop of camphor, 3 drops of lemon, 1 drop of lavender.
• Study (oil burner): 1 drop of camphor, 1 drop of rosemary, 2 drops of grapefruit.
• Massage oil after sport (30 ml, adults): 30 ml of jojoba oil, 3 drops of camphor, 3 drops of lavender. 1 % in total, only on the back and legs.

Camphor is also traditionally used to scent wardrobes and shoe cabinets. A drop on a piece of unglazed ceramic or wood is enough, not directly on textiles, and always out of the reach of children.

Who Should Not Use Camphor

With camphor these are not minor details. Camphor is among the substances that quickly cause seizures when swallowed. A review paper on poisonings in children states that even small doses of camphor can cause serious poisoning, symptoms begin within 5–15 minutes and seizures are a frequent complication. A case report from 2025 describes a one-year-old boy who ended up in intensive care after swallowing camphor tablets.

• Children: not at all, not even in a diffuser. Camphor contains 1,8-cineole, which according to the rules in the article essential oils and children is never used near the face of children. Do not give camphor to older children either, neither on the skin nor in a diffuser in their room.
• Epilepsy: do not use camphor. For epilepsy the Tisserand Institute recommends consulting a doctor before any use of essential oils; for camphor, with its convulsant potential, we answer with a straight no.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: unsuitable, as the product page also states.
• Asthmatics: the sharp scent may trigger a cough, start with one drop or leave camphor out.
• Cats and dogs: do not run a diffuser with camphor in a room with a cat. Oils with 1,8-cineole and pinenes are risky for cats, details are in the article essential oils and pets.

If swallowed accidentally, do not induce vomiting and call the Toxicological Information Centre (224 919 293 or 224 915 402) or straight away 155. Keep the bottle closed, with the dropper, and higher than a child can reach.

Camphor in Tradition and What of It Applies Today

Camphor is traditionally used in ointments and liniments "for circulation" and in inhalation products. These products have a precisely given dosage and are not the same as pure oil from a drugstore. Our oil is intended for aromatherapy and external use at the stated dilution, not for internal use or for treatment. For a winter scent for easier breathing, the blends described in the article essential oils for a runny and blocked nose are more suitable, and age limits apply there too.

Storage and Quality

Buy an oil with the Latin name Cinnamomum camphora, a white fraction designation and the country of origin. Store in a dark bottle, cool and tightly closed. The monoterpenes in camphor oil oxidise, so use it within 1–2 years of opening. Do not use an oil that has thickened or smells "sour" on the skin any more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is camphor oil poisonous?

If swallowed, yes, especially for children: camphor causes seizures even in small doses. In a diffuser and at low dilution on the skin of adults, white camphor is safe if the rules are followed. Always store the bottle out of the reach of children.

What is the difference between white and brown camphor oil?

White camphor is a rectified fraction with a predominance of 1,8-cineole and only a small camphor content. Brown and yellow camphor contain toxic safrole and are not used in aromatherapy.

Can I put camphor in a diffuser if I have a small child at home?

No. Do not run camphor oil for children even in a diffuser. For small children 1 drop of lavender or chamomile (from 3 months) is more suitable.

How many drops of camphor in a massage oil?

For adults at most 2 drops per 10 ml of carrier oil (1 %), only on a smaller area such as the back or calves. Not on the face or on large areas of the body.

Does camphor help against moths?

Camphor is traditionally used to scent wardrobes and its sharp scent is unpleasant to insects. It is not reliable protection, and put the oil on ceramic or wood out of the reach of children, not directly on clothes.

Recommended Products

• BIO Camphor, essential oil 10 ml – a white rectified fraction from China, a clean cooling scent for a diffuser.
• BIO Lavender, essential oil 10 ml – softens the sharpness of camphor in a diffuser and in a massage blend.
• BIO Lemon, essential oil 10 ml – with camphor makes a fresh scent after cleaning.
• BIO Jojoba 10 ml – a stable carrier oil for a 1 % massage blend.
• Ceramic oil burner, white, 12.5 × 10.5 cm – for one drop of camphor in a blend.

Sources

• AromaWeb: White Camphor Essential Oil, fractions and safety according to Tisserand & Young – aromaweb.com
• Tisserand R., Young R.: Essential Oil Safety, 2nd edition, Churchill Livingstone 2014, Camphor profile (p. 228).
• Kerosene, Camphor, and Naphthalene Poisoning in Children, Indian J Crit Care Med 2019 – PubMed
• Case report of camphor toxicity in a one-year-old male patient, BMC Pediatrics 2025 – PubMed
• Tisserand Institute: Safety Guidelines – tisserandinstitute.org

Updated: 27 September 2026