One of the most powerful oils in the range. Very concentrated, so it needs serious dilution — this is not an oil you simply drop onto skin. It turns up in seasonal household routines and in surface cleaning.
Where it comes from
Plant part used: leaf. Extraction method: steam distillation. Typical origin: Türkiye.
Steam distillation means that hot steam passing through the plant carries the volatile compounds with it. The steam is cooled, and the water and the oil separate on their own — the oil floats on top.
What it smells like
Aroma notes: strong, spicy, warm, penetrating.
If you are meeting it for the first time, do not sniff straight into the bottle. Hold it a few centimetres from your nose and waft the aroma towards you — that way the stronger oils will not hit you, and you will pick up the finer notes too.
How people use it
- Heavily diluted in carrier oil on the soles of the feet.
- One drop in the cleaning water for kitchen surfaces.
- In the diffuser in very small amounts, with citrus.
Recipes
The ratios are worked out, and one drop is roughly five hundredths of a millilitre. Where a companion oil is listed, feel free to swap it for whatever you have at home — the drop counts stay the same.
Chest balm
What you get: 30 ml, enough for a whole season.
- Melt 25 g of shea butter and 5 g of beeswax over a water bath.
- Take it off the heat and let it cool to lukewarm.
- Stir in 12 drops of Oregano and 6 drops of Eucalyptus — that is about two per cent.
- Pour into a jar and let it set. Apply to the chest and back in the evening.
It works without beeswax too, it will just be softer: in that case use forty grams of coconut oil as the base.
Surface spray
What you get: 300 ml.
- Put 60 ml of vinegar into a 500 ml spray bottle.
- Add 20 drops of Oregano and swirl to combine.
- Top up with 250 ml of water.
- Shake before use, and wipe down the kitchen counter or the bathroom with it.
Do not use it on natural stone — marble or limestone — as vinegar etches it. There, use water and the oil only.
Spiced diffusing for cool evenings
What you get: one evening.
- Fill the diffuser up to the line.
- Add 3 drops of Oregano and 2 drops of Eucalyptus.
- Run it for half an hour, then take a break.
Spice oils are more concentrated than citrus: fewer drops give you the same strength of aroma.
What to pair it with
These suit the same situations, so they sit well together in a blend:
- Eucalyptus — shared topic: Seasonal home habits
- Cinnamon Bark — shared topic: Seasonal home habits
- Thyme — shared topic: Seasonal home habits
Safety and storage
A very strong, skin-irritating oil. Always dilute it thoroughly, and avoid it in children, during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
In dark glass, somewhere cool, tightly closed. Heat, light and air all age it: citrus oils keep for roughly one to two years, woods and resins for years. It does not need to go in the fridge, but the bathroom windowsill is the worst place for it.
Questions
How much should I use?
For adults, daily whole-body use usually works out at around two per cent: that is roughly twelve drops in thirty millilitres of carrier oil. For sensitive skin and for children, considerably less. The dilution helper on the home page works out the number of drops for your bottle.
What should I dilute it with?
Fractionated coconut oil is the easiest, because it stays liquid, has no scent of its own and does not go rancid. Sweet almond, jojoba and grapeseed oil are good choices too. Essential oil does not mix with water, so for a bath always disperse it in something fatty or in salt first.
What should I watch out for with this oil?
A very strong, skin-irritating oil. Always dilute it thoroughly, and avoid it in children, during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
How long does it keep?
In dark glass, somewhere cool, tightly closed. Heat, light and air all age it: citrus oils keep for roughly one to two years, woods and resins for years. It does not need to go in the fridge, but the bathroom windowsill is the worst place for it.
Official product information
The section below comes from dōTERRA’s own product information page. It is the manufacturer’s wording — the summary above is ours.
Primary benefits
- A versatile flavouring component widely used across the world in savoury dishes, commonly used as a dry herb.
- Incredibly pungent fragrance and flavour when used in cooking, allowing the user to make a little go a long way in each dish.
The manufacturer’s description
For hundreds of years, Oregano has been known as one of the most potent and beneficial essential oils. Oregano can be found in cookbooks and cabinets around the world, as its versatile flavour complements a variety of cuisines. The essential oil is extracted from the fragrant leaves of the plant. A primary chemical component of Oregano is carvacrol, a phenol, which makes it one of the most multifaceted and powerful essential oils in the world. In case of skin contact, Oregano should be diluted with a carrier oil.
Uses
- Replace one tablespoon of dry oregano with one drop of Oregano oil in Italian dishes.
- Put one drop in place of dried oregano in spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, or on a roast. COOKING WITH OREGANO Essential oils are very potent compared to dry seasonings, spices, or other flavouring agents, so even the tiniest amount can add a serious blast of flavour to your dish. When using Oregano in cooking, it is best to use the toothpick method – dip the tip of a clean toothpick into the essential oil bottle and stir the toothpick into your ingredients. After you’ve stirred the toothpick around in the dish, do a taste test to see if additional oil should be added.
Directions for use
For food flavouring.
