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With its sweet, floral aroma and approximately 45% monoterpenols -- the majority being citronellol, geraniol, and linalool -- Geranium adds subtle power to a number of essential oil blends.
The three constituents above belong to a chemical classification called Monoterpenols (alcohols). If you attribute sanitizing and sterilizing with alcohol, you'd be right on target. With this high a level of monoterpenols, Geranium has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. You might also think that the alcohol content would be hard on the skin, but that's not the case -- Geranium has skin cell regenerative properties. In addition, it's analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and cooling - again, all properties associated with alcohols. All of these properties make Geranium a great component in blends that relax muscles, relieve swelling and pain, disinfect, heal the skin, and, with it's aroma, lift the spirits. To learn more about this beautiful oil, read about it in the Materia Aromatica in the membership section of this website.
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Hops come from the Cannabaceae plant family and are related to Hemp. You may be familiar with Hops as an ingredient in beer, but did you know they are used as an herb and to make Hops Essential Oil? Let's discuss a few of the therapeutic properties of Hops Essential Oil.
The oil I currently have consists of approximately 66% beta-myrcene, 14% alpha-humulene, and 5% beta-caryophyllene. All three of these components are strongly analgesic and anti-inflammatory, which makes this a great oil to use in blends to help relieve pain, swelling, and muscle spasms. According to Aromatics International, studies are now comparing Hops EO and CBD oil to find out if the essential oil is as efficacious as CBD oil. In diffuser blends it can be used at night to help promote natural sleep as it has sedative and calming properties. Its antiviral benefits make it a good choice to put in a blend for diffusion during cold and flu season. It's interesting to note that, while the above constituents do make up the majority of Hops EO, the quantity of each may differ significantly. R. Tisserand's book, Essential Oil Safety lists the alpha-humulene at about 38% and the beta-myrcene at 25%. This becomes important if you're blending based on chemistry, and the only way to know the exact amount of each constituent is to get a GC/MS Report. Hops essential oil can be difficult to find (my current oil comes from Aromatics International) but it is an oil well worth keeping in stock because of its high level of alpha-humulene (the highest I've seen). If you love the scent of clove and cinnamon, you'll love the aroma of Tulsi Basil! Even better are the benefits of this dynamic essential oil. Let's review Tulsi Basil's therapeutic properties and its safety considerations.
The two major chemical constituents in this oil are Eugenol (a phenol) at about 50 - 55% and Beta-caryophyllene (a sesquiterpene) at about 30 - 35%. The combination of these chemicals makes Tulsi Basil strongly antimicrobial. β-Caryophyllene is a cannabinoid that works with our immune system and is antibacterial, antiviral, and antibiofilm. Eugenol is antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral. Diffusing a blend with Tulsi Basil during a cold or flu may help speed up recovery. It has applications for Athlete's Foot, helping control plaque, and MRSA. Both chemicals are anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and analgesic. β-Caryophyllene also has a local anesthetic effect. Sufficiently diluted in a topical blend, Tulsi can help reduce local swelling, muscle spasms, and pain. This makes it a good choice in blends for acute injury and arthritis flare-ups. These properties also make it carminative - it'll help reduce gas, bloating, and cramping. These two constituents are also antioxidant. In studies, they are showing promise in preventing and/or slowing the progression of certain cancer cell lines. Safety: Phenols are chemicals that are very harsh on the skin. Tulsi Basil's high phenolic composition in the form of Eugenol makes it an oil to be used at low dilutions and for short periods of time. This oil may inhibit blood clotting. Robert Tisserand recommends a maximum dilution of 1% (5 - 6 drops per oz of carrier oil). Drug interactions include Pethidine, SSRIs, MAOIs, and anticoagulants Do not use if you have a blood-clotting disorder, peptic ulcer, or for 1 week before to 2 weeks after major surgery. Do not use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Based on the high level of Eugenol, I recommend that any blends you make which include Tulsi Basil should also contain carrier and essential oils that are skin-healing, and I recommend using such a blend for a maximum of 3 days in order to minimize skin-damaging effects. Feeling overwhelmed? Stressed out? Blood pressure too high?
These are signs of heat. So what can you do to cool yourself down -- to regain a sense of calm -- to lower your blood pressure? One thing you can do is take some deep breaths of a blend that contains Ylang Ylang essential oil. Ylang Ylang (pronounced eee lang eee lang) is a cooling, calming oil with a strong floral aroma. Scientific studies have demonstrated its ability to lower the heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressure! (I add it to my deodorant and chest rub with good effect.) While Ylang Ylang does have sedative properties, it is an uplifting oil, so it can help raise you up out of frustration or the doldrums. Ylang Ylang does more than lift your spirits and calm your stress. It's also analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and skin-healing. I mentioned above the strong floral aroma -- it's the reason why very small quantities of Ylang Ylang are needed in a blend. For topical use, Tisserand recommends a maximum dilution of 0.8%. I find that 1 - 2 drops per ounce of carrier oil is plenty and usually keep it to 1/3 or less of the oils in my inhalation blends. Too much Ylang Ylang in a blend may cause headache or nausea. (If you experience this, go smell fresh coffee grounds for quick relief). Though this oil is skin-healing, it can be skin sensitizing or irritating for those with sensitive skin. Do not use this oil on dermatitis, damaged, or diseased skin. If your skin reacts easily to products, I recommend doing a patch test on the inside of your wrist first. Next time you need to chill out, or want to bring down your blood pressure, or even be able to relax enough to get a good night's sleep, Ylang Ylang will be ready to come to the rescue! |
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