Pink Pepper Essential Oil

What is Pink Pepper Essential Oil?

Pink pepper essential oil is extracted through steam distillation from the peppercorn of the pink peppercorn tree. Pink pepper oil is pale yellow to clear in colour and has a fresh, sweet and spicy aroma.

Pink pepper essential oil (Schinus molle) is often confused with black pepper essential oil (Piper nigrum). However, these oils are steam distilled from different plants.

Origin & History

Pink pepper is native to South America and its botanical name is Schinus molle. It is extracted from the pink peppercorn tree, Baies Rose Plant and the Peruvian Pepper tree. The essential oil is steam distilled from the pink peppercorn fruit.

The pink pepper tree was considered a sacred tree by the ancient Incans. It has aromatic berries, bark, and leaves which were used in herbal solutions for health benefits.

It was traditionally used to aid digestion, improve respiratory systems and promote healthy cellular immune function.

Today, pink pepper essential oil is most commonly used in cosmetics for its fresh, spicy, pink pepper smell. It is mainly used in perfumes, for diffusers, aromatherapy and skincare products.

Blending Suggestions

Pink pepper essential oil is a middle note with a fresh, sweet and spicy aroma. Pink pepper blends well with citrus or floral oils. Pink pepper essential oil can be blended with cedarwood, mandarin, patchouli and eucalyptus.

Here's a few of our favourite blends with pink pepper essential oil:

Sweet and spicy blend:

3 drops Pink Pepper oil

3 drops Bergamot oil

2 drops Grapefruit oil

Sweet, musky blend:

3 drops Patchouli oil

3 drops Pink Pepper oil

2 drops Ylang ylang oil

How to Store Your Essential Oils

Keep the pink pepper essential oil sealed and out of direct sunlight. This will stop it from degrading over time and help prolong the quality. Make sure you keep the pink pepper essential oil out of the reach of children.

Safety Precautions

Pink pepper essential oil is not a food grade product and not for internal use. It is generally skin safe in skin treatments but should be kept out of reach of children.

Avoid contact with skin directly as essential oils can cause redness and irritation. Pink pepper essential oil should be diluted in a carrier oil before applying to the skin. We recommend doing a small patch test with the dilute oil to test for any possible skin sensitivity.

Pink pepper essential oil is not thought to be hazardous for use during pregnancy [1]

FAQ's

What is pink pepper essential oil INCI name?

The INCI name for pink pepper essential oil is schinus molle.

Where does our pink pepper oil originate from?

Our pink pepper essential oil originates from Kenya.

What is the difference between pink and black pepper essential oil?

Pink pepper essential oil is from a different botanical family to black pepper oil. Pink pepper essential oil is from the Anacardiaceae botanical family. Whereas black pepper essential oil is from the botanical family Piperaceae.

The black pepper oil is distilled from the dried peppercorns. Whereas, pink pepper essential oil is extracted from the ripe fruit.

Black pepper has a much stronger scent compared to pink pepper essential oil. However, these essential oils are often substituted in recipes.

What is pink pepper essential oil used for?

Pink pepper essential oil is used for its fragrance in perfumes, aromatherapy, soaps, diffusers and cosmetics. Pink pepper is said to have therapeutic benefits due to its relaxing and calming aroma for aromatherapy.

It is also popular to add pink pepper essential oil to a carrier oil for a soothing massage oil and for its aromatic effects. A patch test should be done before applying to skin, to check for any sensitive areas.

It is said that, due to the antioxidant effects of pink pepper oil, it can also help support healthy blood sugar levels, support healthy immune system and overall cellular health. However, there is not enough evidence to support these claims.

[1] Essential oil safety 2nd edition Tisserand & Young p385