Manuka Essential Oil 10mL
Manuka honey and manuka oil come from the same plant, Leptospermum scoparium, and share almost nothing else. The honey's activity comes from methylglyoxal in the nectar. The oil is steam distilled from leaves and twigs and is built on triketones, a group of compounds the honey does not contain at all.
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Manuka is steam distilled from the leaves and twigs of Leptospermum scoparium. It sits in the same genus as Zea's Coastal Tea Tree and the same Myrtaceae family as kunzea, eucalyptus and tea tree. The aroma is spicy, herbaceous, fresh and earthy, and it is one of the more expensive oils in the range because the yield is low.
From bush to bottle
Leptospermum scoparium colonises cleared and marginal land across New Zealand, holding soil while slower forest species establish behind it. It was long treated as scrub to be cleared, which is a reminder that commercial value and ecological value are not the same conversation.
The harvest takes fine leaf and twig material, which is where the oil sits. Because the species reshoots from cut stems, harvesting works as a pruning cycle rather than a clearing operation.
Manuka gives up very little oil for the volume of material distilled, which is the main reason it costs what it does. Nothing is added afterwards and every batch is GC/MS tested.
Manuka honey's reputation rests on methylglyoxal, which forms from a compound in the nectar and is measured by MGO or UMF ratings. It is a honey property, it is measured in honey, and it has nothing to do with the oil.
The oil is steam distilled from foliage and its distinguishing constituents are triketones, chiefly leptospermone and its relatives. Those compounds are concentrated in some populations of Leptospermum scoparium and nearly absent in others, which is why manuka oil varies enormously between sources and why a triketone figure means something. An MGO rating on an essential oil would be meaningless, and you should be suspicious of anyone quoting one.
Quality and testing
Every batch is GC/MS tested and carries a certificate of analysis. The full constituent breakdown sits on the batch certificate rather than here, because the ranges shift with each season and harvest.
Manuka grows across New Zealand on cleared, burnt and marginal country, which is exactly the role Kanuka plays on this side of the Tasman. For decades it was cleared as scrub. Its commercial rehabilitation, first through honey and then through oil, is fairly recent.
Manuka, Kanuka and Coastal Tea Tree
| Manuka | Kanuka | Coastal Tea Tree | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botanical | Leptospermum scoparium | Kunzea ericoides | Leptospermum laevigatum |
| Genus | Leptospermum | Kunzea | Leptospermum |
| Aroma | Spicy, herbaceous, earthy | Sweet, fresh, herbaceous | Sweet, earthy, soft citrus |
| Distinguishing chemistry | Triketones | Not triketone-led | Not triketone-led |
| Origin | New Zealand | New South Wales | Flinders Island |
| Relative cost | Highest of the three | Moderate | Moderate |
A botanical and aroma comparison to help you choose between oils. It is not a claim that one oil performs better than another.
Properties
Traditional and aromatherapy properties associated with this oil. Individual results differ, and this is not a substitute for advice from your health professional.
Ways to use it
3 to 6 drops in a diffuser or oil burner. The simplest way in.
Manuka blends with Kunzea, Coastal Tea Tree, Lavender and the resinous oils.
One or two drops in a carrier oil such as jojoba. Patch test first.
One drop inhaled from a tissue when you want the aroma on the move.
A few drops in water instead of a synthetic air freshener.
Well dispersed in a carrier or with bath salts, never neat on water.
A few drops in a homemade surface spray as a fresh deodoriser.
A few drops with Kunzea or Frankincense.
What customers tell us
★★★★★
“Beautiful oil, I use it in my diffuser and love the earthy scent. Zea's oils are consistently excellent.”
Verified buyer · Verified buyer
★★★★★
“Ive tried essential oils across various companies online. And i must say Zea is exceptional. Truly grateful for the level of quality that each of my orders with them have come with.”
Anne Lynn T. · Verified buyer
★★★★★
“I buy a lot of essential oils I have tried other brands from all over the world but Zea's oils are by far the best I have purchased.”
Dean A. · Verified buyer
Five-star reviews from verified Judge.me buyers. The second and third speak to the Zea Essentials range rather than to this oil specifically. Individual experiences differ.
Complete your blending kit
Manuka is a deep herbaceous note. These are the oils it sits with.
The Tasmanian counterpart. Two Myrtaceae together.
$24.95
The same genus, Leptospermum. A close relative.
$34.95
The oil manuka is most often paired and confused with.
$34.95
True lavender, to soften a heavy herbaceous oil.
$24.95
Resinous and grounding beneath it.
$32.95
Unscented base for diluting before any skin use.
$17.95
Single origin Australian essential oils since 2016
Questions, answered
A 100% pure essential oil, steam distilled from the leaves and twigs of Leptospermum scoparium in New Zealand. It is GC/MS tested and carries a certificate of analysis.
Spicy, herbaceous, fresh and earthy. Heavier and more complex than tea tree, and quite different from the honey.
Start with 3 to 6 drops in a diffuser. For skin, dilute one or two drops in a carrier oil such as jojoba or sweet almond, and patch test first.
Same plant, completely different product. The honey's activity comes from methylglyoxal in the nectar and is rated by MGO or UMF. The oil is distilled from leaves and twigs and is characterised by triketones instead. An MGO rating on an oil would be meaningless.
Yield. Manuka gives up very little oil for the volume of foliage distilled, and the triketone-rich populations are limited.
No. Never apply an undiluted essential oil and never take one internally. Dilute in a carrier oil first, and patch test.
Yes. Every batch is GC/MS tested and carries a certificate of analysis, which is how the specifications on this page are established.
Keep it out of reach of children and never apply it undiluted. Diffuse in a ventilated room rather than a closed space. Check with your vet before diffusing around pets.
Below 30°C in a dry place away from direct sunlight, with the cap on firmly. The lighter constituents are always the first to escape.
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Free shipping on Australian orders over $75 · 100% pure · GC/MS tested · single origin New Zealand. Choose your pack and we will get it on its way.
Choose your packManuka Essential Oil is an aromatherapy product for external use only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always dilute before use and follow the label directions. Statements about individual constituents refer to published research on those constituents, not to an outcome from using this product. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional.
Manuka Oil 10mL
