Some Essential Oils Portraits

Bay Laurel – from leaves of Laurus nobilis (not to be confused with Pimenta racemosa, aka West Indian bay or bay berry). Wonderful for the immune system, bay stimulates lymph circulation. When you feel a cold coming on or heightened activity in your lymph nodes, you can apply a drop of bay laurel (neat) on the area. Bay helps support our sense of worth and self-confidence. Could there be a link between self-worth and immune function? This is the same laurel used as a crown by ancient Greeks. An excellent hair tonic, bay promotes hair growth and helps clear dandruff. Use to treat bruises, scars, boils and acne. Bay can relieve muscle and joint aches and pains. It reputedly lowers the blood pressure and acts as an anticoagulant. Use to treat ear infection (place 1 drop on a cotton ball in the outer ear) and lower fever. Bay soothes the stomach, tones the liver and kidneys, and stimulates the mind.

Benzoin absolute – from the resin of Styrax benzoe. This is a thick sticky essential oil used extensively to clear pulmonary congestion and grief from the lungs and around the heart. It reputedly draws toxins, including nicotine, from the lungs. Benzoin helps restore your ability to absorb prana (or life force) and to experience joy. It is also good for painful joints, stimulates circulation and soothes chapped and irritated skin. Use for nervous tension and stress. It has an intensely rich sweet balsamic odor much like vanilla. Caution: dilute well before applying to skin. Not recommended for diffusers or baths because of its extreme viscosity.

Bergamot – expressed from the peel of Citrus bergamia. Bergamot is gentle and purposeful like a patient mother bathing her child. It helps stimulate self-confidence and lift uncertainty. Conversely, bergamot helps one accept a healthy degree of uncertainty in life, acknowledging the chaotic nature of our world. Bergamot is antiseptic, especially for the pulmonary and genito-urinary systems. It is helpful for acne and oily skin, cold sores, eczema, psoriasis and skin spots. Also used for sore throat and insect repellent. It is very refreshing and can be used to treat insomnia, anxiety or depression. Bergamot stimulates the appetite and soothes intestinal complaints. This essential oil is a beautiful golden green color with a fresh, sweet and fruity, slightly spicy odor. Caution: essential oils with high coumarin content cause your skin to be more susceptible to UV rays. Use sun protection when you are wearing bergamot on your skin.

Cajeput – distilled from the leaves and twigs of Melaleuca cajeputi. It is used for all kinds of ailments in Southeast Asia: colds, sore throats, headaches, rheumatoid arthritis, varicose veins, sinusitis and gastric complaints. Cleansing to the digestive, urinary and respiratory systems, cajeput can be helpful for viral infections. Also try it as a salve for insect bites. Dab one or two drops of essential oil on a cotton ball and place it inside the outer ear for earache and inflammation of the ear. Esoterically cajeput addresses one of the most powerful issues facing our species: how to balance and express sexual energy in a healthy appropriate fashion. Like the other oils in its family (tea tree and eucalyptus), it has a penetrating medicinal aroma, only a bit milder with a fruity twist.

German Chamomile – distilled from the flowering plant of Chamommilla matricaria. This usually deep blue essential oil is loaded with a sesquiterpene called chamazulene. The chamazulene imparts powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-fever and anti-allergic actions. Chamomile has the ability to engage the parasympathetic nervous system, quieting the “fight or flight” nervous response and bringing you to rest and rejuvenation. Instruct anyone undergoing heavy emotional trauma or feeling overwhelmed to rub a drop or two between the hands and cup them over the mouth and nose, breathing deeply. You will both notice a distinct change in countenance. This chamomile is a remarkable stress reliever. It is a good dressing for burns, cuts, boils, insect bites, rashes, teething pain, toothache, and earache (put 1-2 drops on a cotton ball and place in outer ear). Also try it for headaches and insomnia. German chamomile is a good nerve sedative for children. It has a strong herbaceous odor.

Eucalyptus citriodora – distilled from the leaves and twigs of Eucalyptus citriodora, commonly known as lemon eucalyptus – an aroma encompassing the allure of citrus and the smooth piercing quality of eucalyptus. This species of eucalyptus helps us gain perspective on life lessons; it induces us to grasp the message contained in our experiences. And if you believe in reincarnation, you can extend the enlightening effects of lemon eucalyptus across lifetimes. Lemon eucalyptus has many medicinal qualities: antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial, fungicidal, and insect repellent. Use as a deodorant, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, cold and sore throat remedy, and sedative. Lemon eucalyptus is indicated for joint pain and muscle aches, sprains and injuries. Its penetrating lemony (high in citronellal), sweet aroma is a favorite.

Eucalyptus radiata – distilled from the leaves and twigs of Eucalyptus radiata from Australia. Subtler than the common Eucalyptus globulus, the radiata species has a smooth clear aroma. Like all eucalyptus oils, radiata stimulates a vital flow of energy (chi) through the body/mind. Well known for its healing effect on the respiratory system, eucalyptus is a decongestant and an expectorant with antiseptic, anti-viral and analgesic actions. It is a preventative for contagious and pulmonary diseases; diffuse it into the air. Eucalyptus radiata is anti-inflammatory and indicated for rheumatoid arthritis, urinary infections, endometriosis, and nerve irritations such as sciatica. Use to repel insects and treat their bites. Try it for treating headaches and migraine. Eucalyptus stimulates circulation and eases muscle and joint aches. It has a soothing camphoraceous odor with a woody undertone. Caution: The high 1,8 cineol content of this essential oil may sting open wounds. Some references warn against use with children or pregnant women due to lack of formal testing.

Geranium – steam distilled from the leaves, stalks and flowers of Pelarganium graveolens. This essential oil brings courage and inner confidence. It helps you focus on the present moment, on the challenges to be faced here in this moment only. Helpful in transitions into the unknown, geranium promotes movement and clear perception. This is a very versatile healing essential oil. Use for a variety of skin conditions: congestion, acne, oily complexion, mature skin, bruises, burns, eczema, and broken capillaries. Geranium can treat wounds: it promotes cellular regeneration and stimulates lymph drainage. It is useful to menopausal women, and to those with PMS and/or swollen breasts. Geranium is indicated for depression, stress, hemorrhoids, cellulite, and sore throat. Because it stimulates the adrenal cortex, geranium is useful in treating debility. It also has a deodorant action. The fragrance of geranium is green, highly floral and reminiscent of rose.

Ginger – distilled from the rhizome of Zingiber officinale. Ginger is the yang essential oil of the heart chakra; it helps open and release this center of wisdom and unconditional love. This oil provides an opportunity to discover the blessings to be found in every feeling. It helps dispel depression and let go of any victim role-identification. A reputed sexual tonic, ginger is warming and good for poor circulation, colds and flu, joint pain, muscle aches, strains and cramps. Use for relief of pain, fatigue, rheumatism, cough, sore throat, toothache and nervous exhaustion. Ginger is a good treatment for low back pain. Diffuse into the air for prevention of contagious disease. Ginger is effective for many digestive difficulties. Mix with peppermint and inhale to treat nausea and travel sickness. Ginger has a rich, warm, fresh, wood-spice aroma. Caution: Can cause skin sensitization in some individuals, especially in high concentration.

Jasmine Absolute – solvent-extracted from the blossoms of Jasminum officinale, technically this product is not considered aromatherapy-grade because there are still traces of solvent remaining in the essential oil. Robert Tisserand says jasmine, “produces a feeling of optimism, confidence and euphoria most useful in cases where there is apathy, indifference or listlessness.” It is effective for dry, greasy, sensitive and irritated skin as well as muscle spasms and sprains. Use to treat pelvic congestion including painful periods, sexual disinterest and infertility. Jasmine has a deeply satisfying quality and assists to open and release any emotional or mental barriers you have created for yourself. It is also a well-known aphrodisiac. One of the most enticing aromas in the world, jasmine is dark, rich, warm and intensely floral with a tea-like undertone.

Highland Lavender – distilled from the flowering plant of Lavedula vera. Lavender rekindles your ability to be at ease and self-nurturing. It can heighten your appreciation of life, gently open your heart, and bring a sense of altruism as tension and stress subsides. Use for meditation. Regarded as the most versatile essential oil, lavender calms the mind and helps the body heal. It can treat acne, allergies, athlete’s foot, boils, bruises, dandruff, earache, eczema, alopecia, insect bites/stings, wounds, muscle and joint aches, asthma, digestive complaints, sinusitis, bronchitis, cough, throat infections, headache/migraine, depression, insomnia, and debility. Use it for burns to stop tissue damage, help the skin cells regenerate, and minimize scarring. Sweet, floral and herbaceous, lavender adds a smooth round quality to most essential oil mixtures. This highland variety is rich in esters. Caution: this essential oil causes your skin to be slightly more susceptible to UV rays. Use sun protection when wearing on skin.

Lavender, Spike – distilled from the flowering plant of Lavedula latifolia from Spain. his species repeats the nurturing qualities of its well-known sister (Lavandula vera). Spike lavender addresses the mother archetype, celebrating this universal role, and exploring the ways we relate to and fulfill it. pike lavender embodies love and cultivation of growth and change. In fact, Kurt Schnaubelt describes it thus: “wake up and change!” It is a good source of the cell-regenerating benefits if camphor couched within the balancing constituents of a lavender: it has keytone content with a lower risk of neurotoxicity. Spike lavender is an excellent antiseptic for active oily skin. It is used in animal environments to prevent airborne disease, and to treat joint aches and lice. Use for chronic bronchitis and other signs of depressed immune function, as well as headaches, muscle and joint aches, depression, insomnia and stress. The more piercing camphoraceous aroma still imparts a hint of true lavender. Caution: Pregnant women and small children use sparingly.

Lemon – expressed from the rind of Citrus limonum. Lemon has an uplifting aroma, excellent for diffusion to purify the air (bactericidal and antiseptic). Esoterically, lemon helps to reevaluate patterns of emotion and behavior that you learned as a child. It creates an opportunity to let go of ancestral patterns, for example, ideas about money or conditions such as alcoholism. Other uses include: oily skin and prevention of wrinkles; insect repellent (especially clothes moths and ants); varicose veins; warts; asthma and bronchitis; throat infections (my grandmother used to have us gargle with hot salted lemon water); colds, flu, and pneumonia; joint congestion; growing pains; headache/migraine; gingivitis; and intestinal parasites. Lemon stimulates the white corpuscles; it is alkalizing; it is stimulating to the nervous system and cooling to the body. It has a very light, fresh citrus scent. Caution: those with hypertension should use lemon with care. This essential oil causes your skin to be slightly more susceptible to UV rays. Use sun protection when wearing on skin.

Lemon Eucalyptus – distilled from the leaves and twigs of Eucalyptus citriodora, commonly known as lemon eucalyptus – an aroma encompassing the allure of citrus and the smooth piercing quality of eucalyptus. This species of eucalyptus helps us gain perspective on life lessons; it induces us to grasp the message contained in our experiences. And if you believe in reincarnation, you can extend the enlightening effects of lemon eucalyptus across lifetimes. Lemon eucalyptus has many medicinal qualities: antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial, fungicidal, and insect repellent. Use as a deodorant, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, cold and sore throat remedy, and sedative. Lemon eucalyptus is indicated for joint pain and muscle aches, sprains and injuries. Its penetrating lemony (high in citronellal), sweet aroma is a favorite.

Lemongrass – distilled from the fresh and partially dried grass leaves of Cymbopogon citratus. A great aroma for pick-me-up, lemongrass helps clear your head, tone muscle and skin tissue (try it for cellulite), quickens sluggish digestion, and stimulates circulation. Use it for headaches, nervous exhaustion, and stress. Lemongrass is helpful for oily skin and hair, excessive perspiration and athlete's foot. It promotes truth in your relationship with yourself by moving “undigested” issues and introducing more flexibility and resilience. Lemongrass is also an excellent insect repellent. It has a fresh, grassy-citrus smell with an earthy undertone; most people love it. Caution: because of its citral content, diluting lemongrass (eight to sixteen drops maximum per ounce of carrier) will actually heighten its effect and prevent any skin irritation. Some references recommend avoiding lemongrass during pregnancy.

Red Mandarin – expressed from the rind of Citrus reticulata. This small Asian evergreen tree is known as tangerine in the US. The two variations of this species produce rather different essential oils, tangerine being slightly more orange-like. Use this oil to help awaken the goddess within and strengthen your connection with feminine power-the force of receptivity, rejuvenation and simply being (rather than doing). Use red mandarin to treat insomnia or restlessness, especially in children. Mandarin can help in facing fear, grief, shock, and past-life trauma. It is a lymphatic stimulant (helpful for the immune system). It is used to treat oily or congested skin, stretch marks and scars, and to stimulate digestion. Try a drop rubbed in your hands then cupped over your mouth and nose for hiccups, or put one drop in a glass of water and drink. Its aroma is intensely sweet, almost a floral citrus. Caution: This essential oil causes your skin to be slightly more susceptible to UV rays. Use sun protection when wearing on skin.

Mangoginger – distilled from the rhizome of Curcuma amada in the ginger family. Little information is available on this essential oil. I believe it to be an important essential oil because it personifies love and blessing. Mangoginger calls us to accept and receive the blessings that are available to us each moment if we will only invite them and recognize them. Mangoginger has a complex warm aroma that is surprisingly citrus-like. Caution: no formal testing has been reported on this essential oil.

Niaouli – distilled from the leaves of Melaleuca quinquenervia viridiflora. Extremely healing for allergies and other respiratory congestion, niaouli (or MQV) is a member of the Melaleuca family (as are eucalyptus and tea tree). You can rub this on your chest to treat respiratory problems. Use to treat acne and oily skin, burns, sore muscles and joints, cold, influenza and sore throat. MQV is helpful for varicose veins and hemorrhoids. It also works to balance the hormones. Diffuse this essential oil into the air as a prophylactic against colds and viral conditions. Niaouli has a sweet fresh camphoraceous odor. Caution: the high 1,8-cineol content of niaouli can sting open wounds. Some references recommend avoiding niaouli during pregnancy.

Nutmeg – distilled from the fruit of Myristica fragrans. Some refer to this exquisite aroma as the Buddha essential oil. Nutmeg inspires a calm, serene and centered countenance; it evokes your unshakable benevolence no matter what occurs in your outside environment. Another way to describe this is unconditional love. Its myristicine content is a uterine tonic and nutmeg can help regulate menstruation. It is a digestive, an intestinal antiseptic and possibly dissolves gallstones. You might use nutmeg for halitosis, loss of appetite or debility and stress. It has analgesic actions and soothes muscle and joint pain (particularly intercostal) and toothache. It has a sweet, warm spicy aroma. Caution: do not use on or for anyone with epilepsy; avoid during pregnancy; and use well diluted (eight drops maximum per ounce of carrier) in small amounts.

Patchouli – distilled from the dried leaves of Pogostemon cablin. A good general skin tonic and emotionally balancing, patchouli is effective for dry chapped skin, weeping eczema, acne, oily hair and skin, wrinkles and reputedly cellulite. It is also bactericidal and fungicidal (use for athlete's foot), and repels insects. This deep smoky aroma is also known as an aphrodisiac (through its stimulating effect on the endocrine system). The character of patchouli is uplifting, soothing feelings of loneliness and grief. The heart chakra can become a reservoir for heavy feelings in the body and this essential oil helps to slow breathing and open and ease the heart. The odor is deep, rich, herbaceous, and earthy and improves with age. Use this essential oil as a fixative in your aromatic blends; its viscous consistency gives it good ‘staying power’.

Peppermint – distilled from the flowering herb of Mentha piperita. Peppermint has a paradoxical cold fire quality that is very rejuvenating. Try putting a drop on your brow chakra to increase your awareness and prepare for meditation. It is excellent for cooling fevers and hot flashes; it cools the skin and helps it retain moisture. Peppermint is used to relieve headaches, migraines and vertigo (apply one drop to temples), and to treat overexertion and stress. It brings vitality and diminishes fatigue. Mix with ginger and inhale to treat nausea. Peppermint is analgesic, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, antiseptic to the respiratory tract, decongestant, and digestive. It is used to treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Britain. Peppermint is an excellent treatment for itches. Peppermint has a highly penetrating, minty, camphoraceous aroma. Caution: avoid if pregnant or breast feeding. May cause skin irritation in some individuals. Some sources recommend not using peppermint with homeopathic remedies. Use a milder mint, such as spearmint, for young children.

Ravansara – a relatively new essential oil from Madagascar, it is in the Lauraceae family (sassafras and bay laurel). The anisata variety is distilled from the bark of Ravansara aromatica. This essential oil is very clearing to the mind and the emotions and stimulates a reevaluation of your mission statement or intention. You may confirm that you are on the right track or decide to redirect your goals. Use for all types of respiratory complaints, also good for treating bacterial and viral infections, and stimulating to the lymph system. Ravansara is reputedly helpful for treating shingles. This aroma is very eucalyptus-like with a strong tinge of anise. Caution: avoid during pregnancy and around young children.

Rose Absolute – solvent-extracted from the flower petals of Rosa centifolia, technically this product is not considered aromatherapy-grade because there are still traces of solvent remaining in the essential oil. Rose is an aromatic reverie, as you might imagine. This oil is about the appreciation of beauty and our intimate connection with nature. Rose embodies the cherishing with which nature herself looks upon each of us. Rose offers respite from depression, insomnia, migraine, headache, and stress. It is indicated for regulating menstruation, painful menstruation and as a sexual tonic. Rose stimulates the circulation and helps dry, mature and wrinkled skin as well as broken capillaries and eczema.

Sandalwood – distilled from the roots and heartwood of Santalum album, the best quality from the Mysore region of India. The yin oil of the throat chakra, sandalwood helps dissolve fears and promotes authentic creative expression. It encourages healthy choices that reflect your heart's desires. A good salve for stress and anxiety, sandalwood can be used to treat depression. Of course it is effective for sore throats and dry coughs in addition to being a good antiseptic for the pulmonary and urinary tracts. Use sandalwood as a sedative to calm the nerves and to fall asleep. It is also said to be an aphrodisiac. Finally, this essential oil is very effective for treating dry, cracked skin as well as oily skin. This lingering aroma is deep, soft, sweet and woody. Use this essential oil as a fixative in your aromatic blends; its viscous consistency gives it good ‘staying power’. Caution: anyone with kidney problems should not use in high concentration for longer than two weeks at a time.

Spearmint – distilled from the flowering tops of Mentha spicata from the United States. This aroma is very uplifting and helps fortify your feeling of soul-connection. Thomas Moore describes soul as the embodiment of spirit, all the small things you do to feel authentic and whole in your life. Spearmint soothes raw nerves and assists you to let go of annoyances. It is decongestant, digestive, hepatic and can be used as a more gentle “peppermint” for children (dilute well). It is also effective for congested skin, all respiratory problems, flatulence, nausea, stress, and headache or migraine. Spearmint has an herbaceous minty odor.

Tea Tree – distilled from leaves and twigs of Melaleuca alternifolia from Australia. One of the most powerful anti-fungal and bactericidal essential oils, tea tree is used extensively in toothpaste, soap, deodorant and mouthwashes. It is the yin oil of the sacral chakra and helps produce a feeling of inner direction and support in your creative endeavors and in your intimate relationships. It stimulates the immune system and treats colds, cystitis, bronchitis, sinusitis, and coughs. When I feel a bladder infection coming on I drink water with tea tree (1 drop to 8 ounces of water) as often as I think about it. Use tea tree for oily skin, rash, warts, insect bites, dandruff, acne and athlete's foot. Shirley Price says tea tree can protect skin from burning during radiation treatment. he odor is spicy and camphoraceous.

Vetiver – distilled from the roots of Vetiveria zizanoides. Vetiver is a grass that is often grown to prevent soil erosion because of the dense nature of its roots. It is the yang oil of the sacral chakra and helps clear any issues around sex, sexuality and intimate relationships. A nervous sedative, it is calming and soothing. Vetiver is a circulatory and lymph stimulant and can be used to treat wounds, oily skin, muscular and joint pains, depression, and insomnia. It is said to detoxify, soften and hydrate the skin. Vetiver's aroma is slightly sweet and very earthy. Use this essential oil as a fixative in your aromatic blends; its viscous consistency gives it good ‘staying power’.

Ylang Ylang – (pronounced ‘alang-ilang’) distilled from the freshly picked flowers of Cananga odorata. The Latin name means ‘flower of flowers’. In the Philippines “ylang ylang” implies ‘something fluttering or trembling in a breeze’. It is the yin oil of the brow chakra and stimulates intuition, easing stress, possessiveness and uncertainty. It brings consciousness of your most powerful motivations and inspirations: self-knowledge. Ylang ylang slows the breath and aids meditation. It is tonic to hair and skin, sedative, aphrodisiac, and antidepressant. Ylang ylang is an excellent treatment for stimulating hair growth. Use for extreme anxiety, frustration and overwork. It is said to be aphrodisiac. The aroma varies, but is generally very floral and sweet.

Disclaimer – The information offered in this booklet is designed for educational purposes and should be used at your individual discretion. A generally accepted level of scientific evidence does not back up many of the described treatments using specific essential oils for particular conditions. None of Aroma-Massage products or services precludes or in any way substitute for medical care.