Is Cinnamon Good for Your Skin? What the Evidence Shows, and Why Cinnamon Can Irritate

No good evidence shows that cinnamon is good for your skin, and there is documented evidence that it can be bad for it. NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says research doesn’t clearly support using cinnamon for any health condition, and that some types of topical cinnamon oil or powder may cause skin irritation or contact dermatitis, according to reports.¹ The European Union now requires cosmetics containing cinnamon bark oil above trace levels to name it on the label as a fragrance allergen.² Cinnamon belongs in food. On skin, the risks are documented and the benefits are not.

At a glance

Why cinnamon irritates skin

The European Medicines Agency’s herbal committee notes that cinnamaldehyde makes up 55 to 76% of the essential oil of cinnamon bark, and that its monograph on the oil already carries a warning against hypersensitivity and irritation.³ Reviewing safety reports, the committee found that topical exposure to cinnamon oil was reported in six cases, mostly as a bath additive, and that most undesirable effects were mentioned after topical exposure.³ Topical use is not part of its monograph, and there are no authorized products on the EU market for applying it to skin.³

In 2023 the EU expanded the list of fragrance allergens that must be named on cosmetic labels, describing contact allergy as a life-long, altered specific reactivity of the immune system.² The new list includes Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Oil and Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil; their presence must be declared above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products, and products that don’t comply could only be placed on the EU market until 31 July 2026.²

Related compounds cause trouble too. DermNet, the New Zealand dermatology reference, describes cinnamates, used in sunscreens and cosmetics, as chemically related to cinnamon oil and cinnamic aldehyde, able to cause allergic contact dermatitis and photocontact dermatitis, with symptoms that can appear immediately or days later.⁵ It advises people allergic to balsam of Peru and related cinnamon-type compounds to avoid sunscreens containing cinnamates.⁵

The home remedies, checked

Cinnamon face masks, scrubs and scalp treatments are widely shared online. We looked for evidence behind each.

If you have used cinnamon on your skin and have a rash, burning or swelling, stop and talk to a doctor; DermNet notes that cinnamate allergy is diagnosed by patch testing.⁵

What about eating cinnamon?

NCCIH says cinnamon is likely safe in the amounts commonly used in food, but that it is unclear whether cinnamon supplements help with diabetes or weight loss, and research doesn’t clearly support cinnamon for any health condition.¹ We found no study showing that eating cinnamon improves skin. Two cautions apply to large amounts:

• Coumarin. Cassia is the most common type of cinnamon sold in North America. NCCIH says eating it doesn’t usually supply enough coumarin to cause significant problems, but some cassia products are high in it, and prolonged use could be an issue for sensitive people, such as those with liver disease; Ceylon cinnamon may contain a trace amount.¹ The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment says that in a small group of sensitive people even relatively low doses can lead to liver damage, which is usually reversible.⁴ See cassia cinnamon and Ceylon vs. cassia cinnamon.
• The “cinnamon challenge.” NCCIH warns never to swallow cinnamon powder as part of this internet dare; serious harm is possible.¹

NCCIH also advises talking with a health care provider before using cinnamon products if you take any medicine.¹

Related

• Cinnamon: the full profile, including the FDA’s 2024 lead alerts on ground cinnamon
• Cassia cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon, Saigon cinnamon, Korintje cinnamon
• Ceylon vs. cassia cinnamon
• Too much cinnamon
• Cinnamon substitutes
• Herbs for inflammation