dōTERRA Clove: origin, scent and ideas for winter

Hello, dear scent lovers! When the days grow shorter and the throw returns to its place on the sofa, some scents announce winter better than any calendar. Clove is one of them: you find it in mulled wine, gingerbread or studded into a Christmas orange. But do you really know dōTERRA Clove essential oil? In this article, we take a closer look at it: its origin, its scent and four simple ways to use it during the cold months.

The origins of clove: a flower, a tree, an island

Contrary to what you might think, clove doesn't grow as is on a branch. It is the flower bud of the clove tree (Eugenia caryophyllata), a tropical evergreen of the myrtle family that can live for around a hundred years. The buds are picked before they open, then dried in the sun until they turn brown. Those used for dōTERRA oil are harvested in Madagascar, then steam distilled.

Its name comes from the Latin clavus, “nail”: look at it side-on and the resemblance is striking. A spice that lives up to its name is rarer than you'd think.

Did you know? Under the Han dynasty in China, courtiers had to keep a clove in their mouth before addressing the emperor, to keep their breath fresh. At the time, the spice came from the Moluccas, thousands of kilometres away.

But what makes clove unforgettable is, above all, its scent.

The scent of clove: warmth, spice and character

As soon as you open the bottle, it makes itself known: a spicy, warm, slightly woody aroma. It comes mainly from eugenol, its main component, complemented by eugenyl acetate and beta-caryophyllene, also found in black pepper. An oil with a strong personality, which loves the company of citrus and woody notes:

• “Mulled wine” mood: with Wild Orange.
• Woody note: with Frankincense, for quiet evenings.
• Bright version: with Lemon, to lighten the blend.
• Spicy version: with Ginger, for spice lovers.

When it comes to spices, modesty pays off: always dose sparingly. Now let's see how to use it day to day.

How to use clove essential oil in winter

In the diffuser

For a “mulled wine” mood, add 1 drop of Clove and 3 drops of Wild Orange to your diffuser. A single drop of clove is enough: it tends to take over the whole room.

In the kitchen

The oil can replace dried cloves in Christmas biscuits, apple compote or hot cider. Food use is limited to one drop per day at most: dip the tip of a clean toothpick into the bottle, stir, then taste before adding more. The scent is so concentrated that a toothpick tip is often enough to flavour a whole dish.

In the bathroom

The Han courtiers were onto something: clove is an ally for fresh breath. Place a drop on your toothbrush before the toothpaste, or add a drop to half a glass of water as a mouth rinse, without swallowing.

In massage, always diluted

Generously diluted, one drop for ten drops of dōTERRA Fractionated Coconut Oil, it can be used for a warming massage of the shoulders and back, always away from the face. A welcome feeling of warmth after a day out in the cold.

Clove, a key ingredient in On Guard

You may already have smelled it without knowing: clove is one of the five oils in the dōTERRA On Guard blend, alongside wild orange, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary. It's what gives the blend its spicy warmth. To use it at home, read our article dōTERRA On Guard: 5 ways to use it at home this autumn.

Precautions for use

• Clove is a powerful oil: never apply it neat to the skin, always dilute it generously in a carrier oil (one drop for ten drops), away from the face.
• Before first use, do a patch test in the crook of your elbow and wait 24 hours.
• Avoid contact with the eyes, inner ears and mucous membranes. In case of contact, apply a carrier oil and wipe away.
• Food use: one drop per day at most. Follow the directions on the label.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women, children, sensitive people or anyone under medical supervision: ask a healthcare professional before use.
• Diffuse in short sessions in a ventilated room, never continuously or in a young child's bedroom. Always leave your pets the option to leave the room.
• Keep the bottle tightly closed, away from heat and out of the reach of children.

Conclusion

Discreet in our cupboards for the rest of the year, clove has everything it takes to be an ally of the cold months: a home that smells good, cosy evenings and desserts with real flavour. Want to try it? Find our recipe of the month on Instagram. And this month, dōTERRA Clove is our product of the month, with a little treat for our newsletter subscribers. To discover other oils, our whole selection awaits you in the dōTERRA single essential oils collection. In your home, which spice signals the arrival of winter? Tell us in the comments, we can't wait to read you.

You might also like

• dōTERRA On Guard: 5 ways to use it at home this autumn
• Top 5 dōTERRA essential oils to have in autumn

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