Search Results for: essential oils

Essential Oils: Ylang Ylang

Ylang ylang: a flower so nice, they had to name it twice. The name means “flower of flowers”. Ylang ylang essential oil falls in the middle of the price range: far less expensive than florals like rose and jasmine, but more expensive than the plentiful lavender. The ylang ylang tree originally comes from the Philippines, but is grown throughout tropical Asia for use in perfumes and in cooking! The sweet, yellow flower is used in beverages and desserts. Differences in climate can produce different grades of the essential oil that may smell very different from each other! If you are … Continue reading →

Essential Oils: Vanilla

It is the sweet, dreamy, warm scent of baking. Check your cabinets; you may have vanilla extract in the house from the last time you made a batch of cookies. Vanilla essential is slightly different from that vanilla extract, although they do come from the same place. Vanilla plantifolia is a climbing orchid with white or yellow-green flowers that is grown in Central America, Mexico, East Africa, and Indonesia — but the plant itself does not contain the essential oil. The oil comes from the vanilla beans: long, green pods filled with tiny seeds. The pods are fermented over the … Continue reading →

Essential Oils: Ginger

Looking for a little spice in your life? The scent of ginger is invigorating and energizing… but the health benefits of ginger essential oil go far beyond a quick perk up! The ginger plant comes from tropical areas. The knobby root is used in cooking and can be distilled into a pale yellow essential oil. Don’t know the scent of ginger? Open up a can of ginger ale or a box of ginger snap cookies. The scent, like the taste, is sharp, pungent, and warm. Ginger is a great choice for reducing inflammation because of its warming properties. Mix a … Continue reading →

Essential Oils: Geranium

Don’t get too excited — chances are that geranium in your garden isn’t going to be the cure for what ails you. There are more than six hundred different varieties of scented geranium. South African rose geranium is the main source for geranium essential oil. Geranium (or rose geranium) wasn’t distilled into essential oil form until the nineteenth century, making it a relative latecomer to aromatherapy. Geranium essential oil has a rose-like scent, and is often used in making synthetic rose oil and diluting or stretching true rose oil. The essential oil itself is a deep green in color and … Continue reading →

Essential Oils: Clove Bud

You probably know clove as a traditional holiday scent. But when distilled into essential oil form, you have one of the world’s most powerful natural antiseptics on your hands! You can use the essential oil from both clove buds and clove leaves. Yes, these are the same clove buds used in cooking. They come from evergreen trees found mainly in Indonesia and Zanzibar; the tree can bear cloves for a century or more. Clove bud essential oil has a component called eugenol that is often found in dental products. Both clove essential oil and eugenol alone are used for numbing … Continue reading →

Essential Oils: Basil

Across the Mediterranean, people have been using basil medicinally for centuries, even thousands of years. Basil (also known as ocimum basilicum) originally comes from India but is perhaps best known in Italian cooking. Pesto, pizza, sauces… but basil is much more than a seasoning! In the sixteenth century, basil was used as an antidepressant — herbalist John Gerard wrote that the herb “taketh away sorrowfulness.” Basil is still used in aromatherapy today to help ease negativity and mental fatigue. Use basil to help your mind stay sharp; the scent promotes circulation and can help you stay alert on a long … Continue reading →

Essential Oils: Chamomile

Compared to other essential oils, chamomile can be a little more expensive… but it is worth the price! Chamomile is a great all-around essential oil — it is mild enough for use on all skin types and is known to be great for easing stress and tension. Look for German chamomile or Roman chamomile, but get the German variety if you can. You’ll know you have the real deal on your hands if the essential oil has a blue-green color. Other chamomile varieties will show up as a paler yellow color. The other varieties of chamomile do the same things; … Continue reading →

Ten MORE Things to do With Essential Oils

1. Make your own potpourri. Gather dried flowers, pinecones, dried leaves, whatever you like! Arrange them in a bowl, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, and stir. You will need to add more oil occasionally to refresh the scent. Try orange and cinnamon for a nice fall scent, or lemon and lavender for spring freshness. 2. Clear kitchen odors easily! If you can boil water, you can fill your home with your favorite scents. Fill a small pot with water and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Heating the water will release the scent to … Continue reading →

Ten Things to do With Essential Oils

1. Add a few drops to your bathwater for a fragrant, skin softening experience! Try lavender if you need to unwind, or a citrus scent to energize. 2. Put a drop or two on a cotton ball and tuck it into your clothes drawers. 3. Have a humidifier? A drop of essential oil near where the mist comes out will make the air lightly fragrant. You shouldn’t add the oil directly to the water in the tank; humidifiers are designed to process only water! 4. Mix up a quick air/body spray! Fill a bottle with 4oz water and add 4 … Continue reading →

Essential Oils: Eucalyptus

Did you know? Some Australian Aborigines bind serious wounds with eucalyptus leaves. Eucalyptus essential oil is beneficial through scent alone. You know those “menthol-lyptus” cough drops that soothe your sore throat, ease your cough, and help clear your stuffy nose? Just the scent of eucalyptus is enough to cut through the most stubborn congestion! Even the least sensitive nose could probably pick eucalyptus out of a lineup. It has a sharp, medicinal smell that can bring tears to your eyes! If you prefer a less overwhelming scent, try lemon eucalyptus. It has many of the same properties with a gentler … Continue reading →