Digestive
- Stimulates the production of gastric juices , cleanses the gastro-intestinal area. Used to treat diarrhoea (when caused by an infection), dyspepsia, colic, flatulence.
Genito-urinary
- Stimulates the production of urine and menstrual blood . Antiseptic, used to treat genito-urinary infections, cystitis, urethritis.
Circulation
- Stimulates, raises blood pressure, used for hypotension. Cleanses the blood.
Muscles/joints
- Relaxing and pain-relieving, used for arthritis, muscular aches, sprains, rheumatism.
Respiratory
- Antispasmodic, antiseptic, helps to expel mucus, used to treat asthma, bronchitis, catarrh, coughs, laryngitis, sinusitis, sore throat, tonsilitis.
Immune system
- Strengthens.
Skin
- antiseptic, astringent, assists in the healing of wounds and scars. Used to treat acne, bruises, burns, cuts, dermatitis, cellulitis, eczema, insect bites.
Emotions
- Invigorating, used for headaches, mental and physical exhaustion, stress, insomnia, depression.
Caution: Skin irritating can cause redness, burning.
Ylang-ylang
Latin name: Cananga odorata var. genuina
Genito-urinary tract
- Relaxing and soothing, helpful in treating menstrual cramps and PMS.
Circulation
- Lowers blood pressure, tones the heart. Used for hypertension, tachycardia and palpitations.
Skin
- Antiseptic, soothing, helps to control the production of sebum, smooths the skin and stimulates new cell growth. Used to treat oily and irritated skin, acne, dandruff. eczema, wrinkles. Stimulates hair growth.
Emotions
- Euphoric, sensual and sedative, combats depression, stress, nervous tension, insomnia, irritability.
Caution: Due to its strong scent, should be used in moderation.
Blending tips:Balances - Ylang ylang, lavender, geranium
Essential Oil Index List
Books
I am just listing a few books that I found helpful during my Aromatherapy Certification.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless
- Shirley Price's aromatherapy workbook
- The Practice of Aromatherapy by Dr Jean Valnet
- Gattefosse's Aromatherapy By Rene Gattefosse
- Marquerite Maury's Guide to Aromatherapy
For a list of more books go here
Book Store
Oils for dry skin:
Chamomile, Frankincense, Lavender, Palmarosa, Rosewood.
Oils for oily skin:
Bergamot, Carrot seed, Cedarwood, Clary sage, Cypress, Fennel (sweet), Geranium, Grapefruit, Juniper, Lemon, Mandarin, Tea tree, Ylang-ylang.
Oils for dull and congested skin:
Fennel, Geranium, Grapefruit, Mandarin, Peppermint, Rosemary, Rosewood.
Oils used for wrinkles:
Carrot seed, Clary sage, Fennel, Frankincense, Lavender, Mandarin, Myrrh, Palmarosa, Rosewood, Ylang-ylang.
Oils used to treat acne:
Bergamot, Chamomile, Clary sage, Clove bud, Geranium, Grapefruit, Juniper, Lavender, Lemon, Lime,Mandarin, Palmarosa, Peppermint, Rosemary, Rosewood, Tea tree, Ylang-ylang.
Oils that reduce inflammation:
Chamomile, Clary sage, Fennel, Frankincense, Geranium, Myrrh, Peppermint, Orange, Tea tree .
Oils to treat broken capillaries:
Chamomile, Cypress , Geranium, Lemon, Palmarosa, Peppermint Rosemary.
Oils used for cellulitis:
Cellulitis is composed of fat, cellular wastes and water, the oils used for this condition improve circulation, encourage the elimination of wastes and fluid.
Basil, Clary sage, Fennel, Geranium, Ginger, Grapefruit, Juniper, Lemon,
Rosemary.
Precautions:
Check with a reputable aromatherapst and your doctor regarding the safety of each oil. Some essential oils should be avoided during pregnancy or by those with asmtha, epilepsy, or with other health conditions. Also, some oils can cause hypersensitivity in some individuals. Never let children use essential oils without the presence of an adult knowledgable about their use. Essential oils should never be used undiluted on the skin. Essential oils should not be taken internally. (Remember that Essentials Oils are potent and using more drops in a blend does not make the blend work better , in fact the opposite is true.)(Always do a patch test when using new oils or oil combinations)
There are many ways to use essential oils. Please note that the proportions given for diluting the oils apply to our blends which are a 2.5% ratio of essential oil to carrier oil.
Take the cap off the bottle and breathe deeply.
An aromatic diffuser has a small container at the top and is filled with water and heated by a candle. Add 8-10 drops of a blend to water in the bowl of an aroma diffuser. Some perfer using just oil. Only burn for 5min. at a time. The aromatic vapors of the essential oils are diffused as the water is heated.
Direct inhalation of the aromatic vapors can be useful. Add 8 drops of a blend to a bowl of hot water, place a towel over your head, and breathe deeply for about 5 minutes.
A diffuser is a device which continuously disperses minute particles of essential oils into the air at high pressure. Follow diffuser manufacturer instructions for adding essential oils.(only use pure essential oils, not blends.)
Full bath: Add 12-15 drops of a blend to the tub after the water has finished running.(make sure that the water is not too Hot as the essential oils evaporate faster in hot water.) Baths are very effective as you breathe the vapors and absorb the oils through the skin.
Foot or hand bath: Add 8-10 drops of a blend to a container filled with warm water.
Massage
Create your own massage oil by adding up to 8 drops of a blend or a 2.5% dilution to 15ml of pure vegetable oil, such as jojoba, grapeseed or almond, olive. For children use only half the drops for the blend per 15ml of pure vegetable oil. The massage oil can be used for a full massage or spot massage at pressure points for quick effect.
Compress
Add 12 drops of a blend to a bowl of hot or cold water. Submerse a cloth in the water, wring it out and place it on the sore spot . Warm compresses are useful for muscular pain and cramp relief and cold compresses are useful for swelling or headache.
An essential oil blend can be created for therapeutic effect. A synergistic effect is possible when the essential oils work together harmoniously. You do not need to be an expert in the use of essential oils to create blends. But you do need to make sure that you are well aware of all the safety data regarding the use of essential oils. I’ve outlined below some basic information that may be useful to you while making blends
When creating a blend you will want to consider
The purpose of the blend
You will want to familiarize yourself with the fragrance and effect of essential oils
Breathe the aroma and
note how it makes you feel.
To test the aroma of the an individual essential oil you can
breathe directly from the bottle. Place a drop on an tissue.
Olfactory overload can and will happen if you are testing the aroma of different essential oils. Between oils smell coffee beans or even ground coffee works.
Creating a balanced blend
Many blends for therapeutic effect contain only 3 to 4 essential oils. If you find that you want to use more oils make another blend.You may have two or three things going on within your body. Make a blend for those 2 or 3 things not one blend to cover all.
Essential oils have different rates of volatility and evaporation.
top note:
fresh, light, fast evaporation - first scent you are aware of in a blend. The top note is usually the majority
of drops In your blend.
middle note:
evaporates slower - it is considered the body of the blend. Middle notes balance your blend
base note:
the fragrance is rich, emerges slowly and lingers , sometimes overpowering your blend. Use less in blend.
You can balance the fragrance of your blend by including top, middle and base notes. Make sure that you use at least two of the notes.
This is not to say that a single oil will not work. In some cases that is all that will be needed ( one single oil)
As you experiment with your blend creations keep a log of:
Number of drops you use of each essential oil in the blend. What therapeutic effect you were blending for.
Does an essential oil blend have a shelf life. Yes. Essential Oil Blends lose their Theraputic value normally in about 6 months. When making blends , blend small amounts 15ml to 30mls. You can always make more or buy more. Blends are best bought from an Aromatherapst that does not make mass production blends, then you can be sure of when the blend was made.
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