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

Cinnamon face masks and scrubs get shared all over the internet, but the short answer is no. There’s no good evidence that cinnamon is good for your skin, and there’s documented evidence it can be bad for it. NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says there are reports of some topical cinnamon oils or powders causing skin irritation or contact dermatitis.¹ The European Union now requires cosmetics with more than trace amounts of cinnamon bark oil to name it on the label as a fragrance allergen.² On skin, the risks are on record and the benefits aren’t.

At a glance

Why cinnamon irritates skin

The European Medicines Agency’s herbal committee notes that cinnamaldehyde makes up 55 to 76% of cinnamon bark’s essential oil, and that its monograph on the oil already warns against hypersensitivity and irritation. Going through safety reports, the committee found topical exposure to cinnamon oil reported in six cases, mostly as a bath additive, and that most side effects came up after topical exposure. Topical use isn’t part of its monograph, and no products for putting it on skin are authorized on the EU market.³

In 2023 the EU expanded the list of fragrance allergens that have to be named on cosmetic labels, describing contact allergy as a life-long, altered specific reactivity of the immune system. The new list includes Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Oil and Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil. They 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, says cinnamates, used in sunscreens and cosmetics, are chemically related to cinnamon oil and cinnamic aldehyde. They can cause allergic contact dermatitis and photocontact dermatitis, with symptoms that show up right away or days later. DermNet advises people allergic to balsam of Peru and related cinnamon-type compounds to avoid sunscreens with cinnamates.⁵

The home remedies, checked

Cinnamon face masks, scrubs and scalp treatments get shared all over the internet. We looked for evidence behind each one.

If you’ve used cinnamon on your skin and have a rash, burning or swelling, stop and see 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. It’s unclear whether cinnamon supplements help with diabetes or weight loss, though, and research doesn’t clearly support cinnamon for any health condition.¹ We found no study showing that eating cinnamon improves your skin. Two cautions apply to large amounts:

• Coumarin. Cassia is the cinnamon most often 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 long-term use could be an issue for sensitive people, like 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 fairly low doses can cause 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 for this internet dare. It can do serious harm.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