Forum Archive
Forum Archive
Selected Conversations from the Ananda Community
Real questions. Practical experience. Applied judgment.
These conversations come from Ananda’s original public forum, where customers, practitioners, and staff discussed essential oils in real use. Some were written more than a decade ago; those presented here are part of the historical record, with original attribution preserved. This is a growing archive, not the complete collection. More to come.
The Purpose of the archive was originally published August 21, 2011. The language in the descriptive below reflects Ananda’s public forum at that time and is preserved as part of the archive.
The Purpose of the Ananda Apothecary Forums
The Ananda Apothecary forums are a home for discussion groups on the use of essential oils in any and all ways. Should you have a question about using essential oils, their properties, accessories and tools used in therapeutic essential oil use, this is the place. If you've got questions, this is a fine place to post them -- just find the appropriate forum and jump in. If you're a knowledgeable user, and would like to share your experience, we invite you to do that too! Either way, you're questions and comments about the great wide world of essential oil use will be answered. Our staff regularly contributes as well, assisting in any way we can. While we cannot offer specific medical advice, we can share what the latest science is telling us about the myriad of properties of the oils, and all the conditions being studied using oils as "treatments". Our aim is to build a community of folks who have incorporated the use of essential oils in their lives, and those who are just beginning. This is a wonderful addition to all the great information already available on the website, yet seen through different eyes, of users with a wide variety of experience. If you have any requests for new forum topics, or anything else you'd like to see here, just send us an email, and we'll be sure to address your questions or concerns. Thanks for joining us! All the Best, The Ananda Apothecary Staff
Seasonal / Immune Support
Oregano Oil Details?
Does anyone know the Carvacrol percentange in Ananda's Oregano Oil? I'm trying to figure out how it compares to Oreganol. And also to determine possible dosage amounts.
Our wildgrown Oregano oil is 70.66% Carvacrol. Please do note, it's not just about carvacrol! One could get carvacrol on its own, and it would not be as effective. It is the combination of all constituents in an essential oil which makes it do what it does. EVERY scientific study comparing what scientists think is the 'active' ingredient in an essential oil, comparing it to the whole oil itself for the given application (ie. antimicrobial) shows the whole oil to be more effective. Cheers!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Oils for C-diff
Just about to order the book about using EO for MRSA and was wondering if any oils are good for getting rid of C-diff? I work in a hospital and would love to create an "air freshener" that would kill both of these bugs. Chigirl40
'Benchmark' Thyme is absolutely the most wonderful antibacterial oil in existence. It's chemical complexity makes it very 'broad spectrum'. If you'd like to mix something with it...and I say this because I have not seen studies on C-diff itself, I would recommend our PuriFy blend...I'd thought about straight Oregano, but it's too overpowering for diffuser use...PuriFy is a tried-and-true antibacterial formula, and smells nice at the same time... Go for 1/2 Benchmark Thyme, 1/2 PuriFy blend - Or really up to 100% Benmark Thyme - it's really phenomenal all by itself. All the Best, Eric
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
A Best Single Oil for Immune Support?
I've successfully used blends to keep myself and my family cold-free all year long (like Ananda's Super Immune). I was wondering if anyone had such success with a single oil? I was considering Benchmark Thyme, but not sure of it's anti-viral properties (though I''m convinced of it's anti-bacterial potency)...or perhaps Bay Laurel, because of its chemically complex nature, and its efficacy against SARS CoV. Any thoughts would bw welcome. Thanks! ERay
Hmmm -- that's a tough one. Seeing how Benchmark Thyme has a profile similar to a combination of Thyme and Tea Tree, it is likely one of the best -- as is likely Bay Laurel, like you mentioned; it does have some research behind it as well. Salvatore Battaglia mentions in the Complete Guide to Aromatherapy that Frankincense is the number one "immune modulating" oil. Meaning, I believe, that its sort of an adaptogen for the immune system, and the body/mind complex in general. It keeps us healthy overall, and the immune system is strengthened in this process. Hyssop officinalis (not decumbens) is also a highly complex oil noted for immune support, though it does have safety concerns, and probably not an oil to be used all year 'round. Blends like Super Immune may be the way to go, as they generally include anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal essential oils all in one formula. I'm interested if others have had success as well with a single oil keeping them well while those around them caught "whatever was going around"? This would be great information for those with a limited budget or collection of oils -- and how they used them as well: diffusing, topically, etc...Let us know!
Benchmark Thyme" may be "it". I've been in touch with the developer (remember it's a blend of 4 pure Thyme essential oils) who'd perfected this combination of oils from strains of Thymus zygis that effectively destroyed the MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) "superbug" bacteria. No other "single" oil has shown the efficacy that it does. There's a lot of research on PubMed.Gov that indicates the antimicrobial oils also seem to enhance activity of the immune system - increasing phagocytosis, and some say they actually change electrical potential of cell walls to make it harder for each cell to be infected. Meaning that the destruction of the microbes should expected to be accompanied by increased immune-system function. Whether these are confirmed, this study does at least support the use of oils in general for immune-supportive actions: "Immune-modifying and antimicrobial effects of Eucalyptus oil and simple inhalation devices" I hope this helps!
Would this oil be good then for seasonal (fall) allergies? My daughter has a cough from what seems to be allergies. Would I just diffuse some daily? Can you suggest how often I should diffuse? Thanks!
Hmmm....allergies are an inflammatory reaction; she MAY do well with just Blue Gum Eucalyptus (some do) -- which you'd just diffuse, and there are other oils used specifically for reducing allergy symptoms through their more potent anti-inflammatory action. Blue Tansy and Blue Yarrow, are two, which could be blended with Eucalyptus in the diffuser (perhaps 1:10, Blue Tansy:Eucalyptus ratio) or blended with a carrier and massaged around her throat. Though the "blue" oils will leave the skin blue for a bit Everyone reacts differently, so you'll have to experiment. I recommend diffusing the Eucalyptus, and the Eucalyptus + Blue Tansy and see if one or both work well for her. I have had a customer respond that her son did well when she diffused Eucalyptus; he had bronchial issues from allergies. I hadn't thought to recommend the Blue Tansy at the time, though it makes good sense. Another route would be to try diffusing the Super Immune blend, as it will be anti-inflammatory as well, boosts immune system activity, and is designed to be very protective from airborne infectious agents. I hope that's not too many choices! Let me know if you'd like help narrowing that down. Cheers! Eric
Thanks Eric! I think I'll try the immune oil as now everyone just seens to be fighting something more than just allergies. Hopefull that will cover all the bases. Thanks for your time, I really appreciate it.
I would like to know how much lemon essential oil should be put in an 8 oz. glass of water to help alkalize the body and help with the immune support. Harpcat
Hi - The typical recommendation is 5 drops of essential oil per 8oz of water. What's important to recognize is that this is a detoxification agent, meant to stimulate the liver's release of bile (should be used first thing in the morning) - and detox throughout the day. It is not meant to be an alkalizer. For improved alkalinity, drink the juice with water - chew the seeds if they are organic, and also if organic, one can make a tea of the used peels and drink that as well - as alkaline minerals will be released into the water.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Best Remedy for Cold Sores?
Best remedy for cold sores?
I think the best single oil for cold sores is Melissa. Cold sores are a form of the Herpes Simplex virus. Check out the link to the Ananda page for this oil. There is a recipe for a blend that you could try. Regards, Sue
When a tiny new blister started developing I went back to acyclovir, which I'd been using daily prophylactically. But I only needed a total of three doses over two days, which means that with Melissa I reduced my antibiotic use enormously. Plus, when I used to get an outbreak I'd have to increase the acyclovir dose for several days. So I'm VERY happy with melissa & will use it the next time there's trouble.
Another vote for Melissa. My partner had a developiong cold sore. I placed a few drops of Melissa in a shallow dish, immersed a cotton swab in the Super Skincare Blend of carrier oils, dipped it into the dish, and applied the mix directly to the affected area. Within a very short time, the sore had stopped growing and attendant discomfort disappeared. Using this 2-3 times daily got rid of the sore completely in about two days.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Can You Use Super Immune Blend Right Up to Day of Surgery?
Hey, I'm having surgery once again this year. I am one week away. I have been using the Super Immune Blend this fall & so far, I have warded off colds! Yeah. But, is it okay to use The Super Immune up until day of surgery, or is there EO in it that may hinder blood clotting?
None of the oils in Super Immune are known to be blood thinners (like Helichrysum or Turmeric might be). To ward off all the bugs in a hospital setting, it might be good to use a diffuser and inhale the Super Immune on a regular basis, before and after surgery. All the Best, Eric
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Diffusing Essential Oils for Immune System Support
Diffusing essential oils is likely the best way to utilize what several professional, and highly regarded aromatherapists believe to be the most beneficial property from a medicinal standpoint of essential oils. The reason being is that when the oils are diffused in the air around you, you are breathing them into the respiratory system directly. This has several effects. 1 - The oil vapor comes in contact directly with the cells lining the respiratory system. It has been show than "pre-treatment" of cells before exposure to an infectious agent (a virus or bacteria) limits the potential of that cell becoming infected, and passing the infection on to other cells and throughout the body. 2 - The vapor is actually absorbed into the bloodstream, just like anything else you would inhale. They circulate throughout the body and provide their activity in all areas, not just the respiratory system. 3 - You can select oils for a condition you are specifically targeting. If it's an anti-viral effect you're looking for, Ananda's Super Immune is a blend created from scientific reports of essential oils and their anti-viral properties. Bay Laurel, Melissa, Ravensara and Eucalyptus Radiata are all considered potent anti-viral oils, and diffuse well in any diffuser -- and can be blended together for such a purpose. When seeking a more anti-bacterial result, Benchmark Thyme, Geranium, Lemongrass, Lemon Tea Tree and Tea Tree are excellent choices. These also diffuse well in any diffuser, and are not too "hot" as to be dangerous to the mucous membranes (as would be Cinnamon or Oregano essential oils). Enjoy your diffusing, and here's to your health!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
How to Use Super Immune with a Carrier Oil
So under Super Immune it says that the staff use it under their nose with a carrier oil. How exactly do you do that? How many drops of oil to how many ounces of carrier oil? Would it work in a roller bottle and just roll it under your nose? (of course you'd want your own bottle and not to share after that. haha) Are there other ways to use it for its immune purposes like on the soles of the feet?
Hi...well, we've never found a carrier necessary for Super Immune, but if you like, you can blend with ANY carrier oil at all. We actually rub the oil on our wrists, feet, and neck without an issue. A diffuser is probably the very best way to inhale this oil, and get it into your bloodstream where needed!
Hi. I'm new to EOs. I thought that you were supposed to dilute oils in a carrier before you were applied topically? If I were to dilute it with a carrier such as Frac Coconut Oil, what would the ratio be for an adult? Is it safe to use on children? Thanks.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Oils for Auto Immune Dis-Orders
I've been looking into blends that help, heal and support the immune system, I have an auto-immune dis-order. My question is this. YL have a blend called Immupower, could I order your Super Immune blend and add the oils that are in the Immupower but not in your blend, say a couple of drops of each, or would you not recommend that? Would your blend be a good starting point to help with an auto-immune dis-order? Also could you ingest the Super Immune Blend and if so how many drops? Thank you.
Hello, Yes you can certainly blend more EO's into the SuperImmune however it is quite an excellent blend on its own. It would be a good starting point for your immune condition. I also recommend herbal support as well. Astragalus is an excellent herb used for gentile strong immune support. I cant legally say you should take EO's internally though people here at Ananda have and with success especially with the SuperImmune! Hope this helps! Kind regards, Aaron All the Best, The Ananda Apothecary Staff
I had have success with SuperImmune. Many of my client got remedy using it. I highly recommend SuperImmune.
Wouldn't most autoimmune disorders involve an overactive immune system that needs balancing and calming rather than stimulating, as most immune oils are known for?
I agree, MS is an auto immune problem where the immune system has gone troppo and attacks its own body. I googled and could find zero research on this with EO. I did find an EO user who contends that candida is a trigger irritating the immune response so it attacks the body. I have zero knowledge or opinion. So based on her idea, suggest a gentle blend including a calming oil, a candida deterrent and heliochrysum. I know if I was desperate I would make up something this.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Thieves Oil
I got a thieves oil blend for a present...it has mustard seed oil (cold pressed). Is this a carrier oil? Can i use it in the synergy diffuser?
Does not seem that you got the original Thieves essential oil created by Young Living. That contains clove, lemon, cinnamon, Eucalyptus radiata and rosemary officinalis. So the cold-pressed mustard seed oil seems to be a carrier oil, mostly used for hair and skin care, and in cooking.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Sinus / Sinusitis
Hi, I have chronic blocking of sinus and very often feel the pressure on my face below the eyes on either side of the nose. A friend of mine suggested inhaling thyme essential oil since it is antimicrobial and told me that it helps treat sinus infection. I have never used essential oil before. Any guidance for me on this topic as a starter? 1) Is thyme effective in curing sinus infection? I am not looking for temporary relief from nasal congestion, cough, cold etc. due to sinusitis. Simple steam inhaling provides me good temporary relief. I am looking for reducing the sinus condition through regular usage. If yes, how to use it? (distilled water for steam? any specific water temperature? thyme oil to water concentration ratio? etc.) 2) Online search results showed some types of Thyme - Red Thyme and Sweet Thyme. What are the different types of thyme and which is/are suited for treating sinus? 3) What are 'Linalool' and 'Benchmark'? Are they brands? Any notable difference in purpose, especially for sinus? Appreciate any help. Thanks!
Thyme could be the oil for you. It is highly antibacterial, though caution need be used - Some Thyme oils are 'hotter' than others. I wouldn't inhale directly from anything with Red or White Thyme. Linalool is the most gentle form of Thyme ~ Benchmark is a "brand", but is 4 different strains of Thyme in the same essential oil. In fact, the only 'single' essential oil shown to effectively eradicate the MRSA bacteria. SO, if the condition is bacteria-related, sprinkle a few drops of Benchmark Thyme into a small pot of steaming water and inhale deeply from there a few times per day. Be careful not to get the essential oil on mucous membranes directly, it will burn. And be aware of it's strength when diffusing as you are. Really, what would be easier is one of our Ultrasonic diffusers over the warm water. ALSO, if you'd like to lessen inflammation - Blue Tansy is very effective at reducing any inflammation concurrently. It's not an inexpensive oil, I know, but exceptionally effective. One drop rubbed under each eye completely takes away hay fever symptoms in about a minute. Experiment for yourself with amounts of essential oil and frequency of use. Thanks!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Allergies
Allergies I made up a blend for two clients who were suffering from acute allergy symptoms. Early results are very promising, so here is my recipe. It makes about 2-1/2 ml. German Chamomile - 1/3 ml (12 drops) Frankincense - 1/2 ml Myrrh - 1/3 ml (14 drops) Helichrysum - 1/2 ml Bergamot - 1/2 ml Cajeput - 1/3 ml (13 drops) Peppermint - about 5-6 drops
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Mold
I've read of using Thieves Oil blend in a nebulizer to help reduce mold in a living space. Any recommends beyond using the equivalent blend, "Purify"? Other essential oils or blends that would boost this?
I would alternate with eucalyptus, I read that it killed black mould spores readily. Its also affordable.
Yes, thieves and purify will help to kill mold spores. Eucalyptus is actually already in both blends. I did read that lemongrass also kills some types of mold and it is not in either blend, so sometimes I put a couple drops in the diffuser with the purify/ thieves. In my opinion the thieves has a stronger cinnamon aroma and purify has a stronger eucalyptus scent. At first I thought I liked the thieves better because I enjoyed the scent of cinnamon. However, when diffusing, too much cinnamon burns my eyes, so I like the purify better now for that reason.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Skin Care
Oils for Itch Relief?
So in the time that I've been meaning to post the above, I applied the blend I normally use as a face serum on to my mosquito bites. Interestingly, it's quelled the itching some! I'm not sure which individual or synergistic ingredients are providing the relief, but these are the ingredients in my face serum blend: Base Tamanu, Argan, Hazelnut Essential Oils Helichrysum, Sea Buckthorn, Lavendar, Rosemary Please share your experience/thoughts on oils you use for anti-itch relief! -ether
. They're the one's I've always heard are anti-inflammatory and anti-itch from the one's you've listed. I would also use peppermint (the "cooling" effect can take an itch away instantly), the Helichrysum "neat" , and maybe German chamomile , but I don't think it would work as quickly. Your blend seems especially nice for general skin care...how's it doing for your skin?
Thanks for your response, MelissaGinger. I started this blend as a face serum a week ago. I aim to keep detailed reports of my findings, so I'll make note of it here on the forum as well. On the itch relief front, I have to report that I appplied this blend once this morning, and did not think about itchiness until late in the evening! So it seems as though one application provided relief for about ten hours. I'm about to apply dose #2 tonight - dose #3 tomorrow. We'll see what happens... -ether p.s. Relief was experienced almost instantly after application.
Blue Tansy is a good one. Also helpful for allergies -- which makes sense. I just haven't figured out how to not look like a painted warrior with it rubbed all into my sinuses, but a well-respected aromatherapist suggested it, and it's readily available....
I am still very new at blending oils and such, but for bites I make a paste of baking soda and water then add a couple of drops of lavender oil. It feels a bit weird while the paste is drying but it usually works. My question is does anyone have any ideas on what to use on fire ant bites?
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Sun Damage
I have sun damage on my face and chest. I have tried everything to get rid of several red splotches and rough spots on my skin. With my first order I ordered: Lavender, Frankincense, Sandalwood and Lemon essential oils. I applied all of them by using the neat application, no carrier oil... within 3 days all the red splotches are fading and the rough patches are disappearing too! I do not see any adverse reactions on my skin, but do you think I should use a carrier oil with it? I do have coconut. I also have been using a couple drops of the lemon oil in by water bottles and it seems to help my work outs and my metabolism...I am really pumped, because I really did not expect to see such rapid results...your site is the best!
Wow, nice. This is excellent to hear, though a carrier oil is really recommended. Tamanu or coconut (Tamanu is likely the best choice, as it has a great many therapeutic properties which apply to your use which you can read about here....and more on using essential oils for sun damaged skin here. The thing to watch out for is that the oils CAN cause irritation if continually used neat -- I find Frankincense will do that fairly quickly -- and Lemon is considered highly phototoxic, meaning it will make the skin far more sensitive to UV light rays. So if you apply it, that area of skin should be covered from sunlight for at least the next day, some therapists say up to 72 hours. A great blend to improve skin texture using a carrier oil could certainly include the oils you're using...and there are a couple of essential oils that are highly regarded for this use: In one ounce of Tamanu oil (which does have a little funky aroma, because of the way it's aged to improve its therapeutic value -- I don't mind it on my face at all, one customer had expressed they didn't care for it so much -- but not SO much that they stopped using it! ... you could use 1ml (35 drops) Sea Buckthorn Berry CO2 (this is the oil that's so highly regarded for helping all sorts of skin conditions, including improving texture and smoothness) 1ml Lavender 1ml Frankincense 1ml Sandalwood That's a pretty strong formula for the face, though of course you've been using yours 'neat'...and I would be careful with the Lemon, as noted -- you can include it in the blend, just notice if sun makes your skin uncomfortable (I have noticed this as a feeling of a sunburn from being in the sun for only a short time). Keep it up! So glad to hear the oils are working for you!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Sunblock Question
Hi - Essential oils specifically noted for sunblock include Sea Buckthorn and Sandlwood. Personally, I use several of the CO2 oils as a skin protectant - mostly for their strong antioxidant activity. Again, Sea Buckthorn, Carrot Root, Rosehip CO2, Frankincense and Sandalwood. Small amounts of Rosemary CO2 (it doesn't smell too strongly!) can be added as well, as it has very special and potent antioxidant activities. It was Sea Buckthorn that was studied by Russian Cosmonauts as a potential blocking agent from intense rays encountered in outer space For hair loss, a base of Tamanu, Virgin Coconut and Rosehip Seed, with Helichrysum (5%), German Chamomile (1%), Rosemary Verbenone (3%), and Carrot Root (1%) may be an excellent choice. Anti-inflammatory and stimulating.
Thanks!
Do you mean for the sunblock? I go for our 'Super Skin Care' base/carrier oil blend, with 5 of the most renown skin-health-enhancing carriers blended together. All the Best!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
New Essential Oil Blend Added — Sun Radiance™
Sun Radiance™ For before and after sun exposure, full of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory oils to keep your skin it's healthiest. Use daily for extra protection from oxidative radicals and inflammation caused by UV radiation. Includes Rosehip CO2, Carrot Root CO2, Sea Buckthorn CO2, Rosemary Antioxidant, and Sandalwood. We've based these in Virgin Coconut, Tamanu and Rosehip Seed oils. We use this blend ourselves daily, not just for sun protection, but as a general anti-aging formula. It has a lovely texture and very mild aroma - just note it may leave your skin a little red while it's absorbing and going to work!
There's so much that's questionable about sunscreens -- unless you go totally natural and organic, and I just heard something about an ingredient I thought was ok, turns out it isn't...ANYway, my favorite sunscreen is a combination of internally ingested fern extract (I found that at LEF.org) and blends like SunRadiance. It was created by blending essential oils and carriers known to actually absorb UV rays, are potent antioxidants (light rays and skin tissue interacting starts a "cascade" of oxidative radical creation), and are known anti-inflammatory agents (this is all from research available through pubmed.gov). Using that and the fern (also 'proven' to block UV rays when ingested) gives me a good feeling that it's all-natural AND it works.
I have been using the SunRadiance every morning for a couple of weeks now and I really like it. I use it as a sunscreen and apply on top of my other skin care blend. Right now I am using the regular Radiance first. It works for me. Eric, regarding the "internally ingested fern extract" sunscreen, is it a powder, liquid or capsule? And how does it taste? I have a friend that is prone to basal cell cancererous growths. This might be very helpful for him. I would consider trying it myself if it doesn't taste awful.
It's in cellulose capsules, and I don't recall them tasting like anything. And with the complementary/synergistic actions of the oils, one can't go wrong.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Purifying Masks
hi there, just wan to share this beauty recipe =) hope you like it Being expose dirt and dust cause skin problems most especially to our face. Here is a purifying recipe to help us rejuvenate and cleanse. Green Caly-2 ounces Corn Flour- 3 teaspoons Mix them together and put in a clean and dry container or jar For normal skin type: 1 table spoon basic mask mix 1 egg yolk 1 teaspoon water 2 drops of Geranium essential oil 1 drop Bois de rose Mix them together to form a smooth paste. Apply it on the face avoid contacts to the eyes. Leave it for 15 minutes. Rinse well and apply a face moisturizer. Wipe your face with clean tissue.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Lots of Skin Care Questions from a New User
Hello, I've been happily putting all of my new oils to use and have a few questions since I'm new to this. I've created a night time facial oil based on various recipes found on this site and elsewhere, made up of: 1 oz Super Skin Care Base Oil, 8 dr carrot root, 12 dr carrot seed, 8 dr rosehip CO2 oil, 8 dr helichrysum, 8 dr frankincense. Question 1: is this a balanced blend for anti-aging, etc. (is there some critical oil missing? do I have the correct number of drops of each to balance each other? etc.). Question 2: I'm having a small spot removed from my face next week (ouch). Will applying this general blend nightly be appropriate for speeding healing and reducing scarring, or is there something more targeted/specific I should also be using? Question 3: I've noticed that since starting to use this blend my normally pale face seems to have a healthier glow (yea!). Could this be due to the orange-ish color of the oils, or is it just a coincidence because I'm outside more with the warmer weather and probably picking up color even with sunscreen on? Next, my daughter just came home with sunburned cheeks and after applying aloe, I pulled out my oils and mixed up a little jojoba with a few drops of helichrysum and a couple drops of the little blue tansy sample I received with my last order, then applied it to her skin. Is this a proper/safe blend to apply to sunburn? Would there be something better to use? Next, my son just showed me that he has a wart on his hand, said that it's been there for "a while". Is there a single oil that can be used to treat this, or is a mix of oils like Ananda's Super Immune blend needed to get better results? Also, for the treatment for children described in this site's blog post, can I mix the Super Immune and ACV together ahead of time or does it need to be mixed right before application (will it stay fresh if mixed in larger quantities)? And why does the blog post recommend diluting with ACV for kids but with tamanu oil for adults? Also, can the Super Immune blend be used safely and effectively on cold sores? Next, which Lavender is the best to order? I don't have a specific purpose for it, just like to have lavender on hand. Yes, a lot of questions as a newbie, but I'm now hooked on your products and can't wait to learn how to use them in more ways for myself and my family! Thanks!
In answer to your questions: 1. Yes, your blend is perfect - no need to alter the ratios. 2. Yes, your blend 2x per day, and 1 drop of Helichrysum 'neat' 1 time per day. 3. Most certainly your skin can be looking healthier from your blend! The Super Skin Care base alone is incredible, very much enhanced by the addition of the essential oils you're adding. 4. Your application to your daughter's sunburn is great - you could use your personal blend successfully as well - perhaps even a better choice. 5. For your son's wart - Super Immune 'neat' would be an excellent choice. If you don't see improvement over 2 weeks, switch to Benchmark Thyme instead. I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you mean by ACV, but tamanu is a fine choice. However, because of the size of a wart, I'd recommend using 1 drop of Super Immune undiluted, 2x per day. As for the Lavender, it's really a personal choice. I really like the organic Bulgarian, and for the price, it's really the way to go. It's no less effective in any way that the French oils - only the aromas differ slightly. I actually prefer the Bulgarian. Hope this helps!
I'll get some of the Immune blend and Bulgarian Lav on order. Also, wanted to check on using the Immune Blend on cold sores since it is also virus-based. Have you heard of this working?
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
One Bottle Does It All Facial Blend
Well, you have a great collection of ingredients to do what you need. Interestingly, Sea Buckthorn for sure, and I have no doubt about the Calendula, Carrot and German Chamomile - but they've not studied these oils in particular - has UV-ray absorbing capabilities. We include it in personal blends, and in our Sun Radiance blend, for UV sunlight protection. For your base: you can use each one of your carrier oils - when filling up a 4oz bottle, just 'eyeball' about 1/7 of each. It's really no problem with the base oils to not get them exact - you might put the Tamanu in last, and use just a little less, so you have some space to add all the essential oils. Tamanu, while a little 'odd' in aroma and feel, is profoundly healing to the skin. Oh, and you may need to warm your Coconut of course, depending on the temperature of the room you're working in. If you have a 3ml measuring pipette, use 15ml of each carrier oil (up to 15 1/2ml of each, actually, but no more)...this will leave you enough room to add your essential oils to the blend (this is assuming 7 carrier oils, as you've listed - you can always figure like this: 1oz = 29.5ml, so 4oz = 118ml. 118/7 carrier oils = 16.8ml per carrier oil...but you want to leave about 10ml of room for your essential oils). For a very UV protective and soothing (for eczema) formula, use the following: 1% Each Calendula, Sea Buckthorn, Carrot Root, German Chamomile 1/2% Each Helichrsyum, Lavender, Rosemary, Frankincense Since the total is close enough to 100ml, you can estimate 1% to be 1ml. Really, you can use 1 1/5ml of each for 1%. If you'd like to measure by drops, use this table. Clearly, 1/2% will be about 1/2ml, or just a little more. Use the Rose Absolute and/or Patchouli for aromatic preference. Both are great for your skin; skip the Ravensara and Black Pepper for this. The blend will not have a very strong aroma - Calendula, Carrot Root and Sea Buckthorn CO2's are not strong aromatically, nor is the German Chamomile CO2 (not sure if you're using CO2 or steam...) The CO2's are easy on the skin too, so even though you are using what seems like a lot of total essential oil (with all the different oils you're adding at 1% and 1/2%) you'll be fine because of the nature of these CO2 extracts. Really, this will be an amazing combination for your skin - this is truly as 'high end' a formula as you could ever want; finer than anything we've ever seen even in salons and spas. Wish you the best!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Recommend a Face Skin Care Regime for 41 Year-Old Me?
Hoping that my question and the responses, recommendations, and related experiences can help others too.... Could someone help me with a skin care regimen for face and body? I would be so appreciative. I am like a kid in a candy store looking through all of the products on the Ananda site. I want them all. I am overwhelmed too. I am thinking that it may not be a good idea to buy a couple dozen products and try to use them all at once. Everything sounds wonderful, but I could use some editing. Which do I choose? I am intrigued by Ananda's skin care blends and also the possibility of adding essential oils to carrier oils best-suited for me. Flower water? Essential oil for spot treatments?? Definitely interested in the Ananda sun products! Can somebody help me with a routine or a regime for healthy, nourished skin for face and body? Me- *41 years-old *Caucasian-fair skin *live in suburbs of hot, steamy Atlanta *really clear skin really good condition, never been able to wear make-up or sunscreen... makes me break out, burns, or irritates my skin *occasional breakouts along forehead hairline-normally in summer *some slightly darker patches of discoloration in corners of forehead below hairline-sun damage? age? see same discoloration in my sisters too *I get lines/wrinkles during facial expressions....squinting, laughing, raising my eyebrows, but these lines/wrinkles are not deep set-yet *hydration is not a problem due to humidity and the fact that I drink a lot of water--dry months might be Jan, Feb, March *concerned about: delicate eye area, overall protection and health of facial skin, overall health and moisture of skin on of rest of my body(mostly winter months) Thank you!
It seems the best thing to do off the bat is get a bottle of Heavenly Skin and Sun Radiance. Since you don't really have 'problem' skin, Heavenly Skin is an all-around glow-enhancing, anti-aging oil blend (I use the men's version myself all the time - which, honestly, wouldn't be a bad idea to use as well - one in the morning, one at night). See how it does at your hairline too. But it has regenerative and anti-oxidant oils in there, in a great blend of highly-nutritive base oils. Sun Radiance: yes, I have friends that won't use sunscreen, and I don't myself. That's why we developed Sun Radiance...it's rich in oils with high anti-oxidant capacities, and it's oxidative cascades which cause sun damage. I'd suggest using before and after significant sun exposure. I think the combination simply of these blends addresses most of what you're asking about - start here and keep learning. Blending your own is awfully fun as well...we have a few posts on our blog with recipes...here's a good start: http://www.anandaapothecary.com/weblog/2013/06/essential-oil-blends-for-sun-exposed-skin/ Enjoy!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Skin Care Recipes
Since all of my posts have disappeared due to the recent forum meltdown, thought I would share two recipes that might be of interest. Skincare I - 100ml jojoba + coconut helichrysum, rose otto - 1.5ml neroli - .5ml Skincare II - 100ml super skincare blend rose otto - 1ml helichrysum - 1ml german chamomile - .5ml (19 drops) frankincense - .75ml (33 drops) lavender - .25ml (12 drops) sea buckthorn - 1ml carrot seed - .5ml (21 drops) rosehip CO2 - .5ml (13 drops) rosemary verbenone - .5ml (23 drops) carrot root - .5ml (17 drops)
This may be obvious, but.... place the essential oils in the 100ml containers first, then fill with the carrier oils.
I'm so glad you re-posted this formula, I was looking for it. Here's my question about carrier oils - I also have on hand Pomegranate, Tamanu and Evening Primrose as well as the Jojoba and Coconut. Would it be overkill to add a few of the others? Thanks so much.
Hi Available Light, and thanks for the kind words. In my experience, it would be fine to add the carrier oils you have on hand to the blend. I like the simplicity of jojoba + virgin coconut -- it has a delightful creamy texture, and we use it mostly on our faces. The Ananda super skin care base is Argan Nut, virgin Coconut, Evening Primrose, Rosehip Seed and Tamanu, which seems like more than enough for the second blend. But, as always, you are the best judge of what works for you!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Spot Treatment for Zits / Pimples / Blemishes
Whenever I get stressed, I would have pimples popping up on my forehead, chin or cheeks, and none of that small stuff either that you can cover up with a dab of concealer - big red shiny ones that almost seem to jump out of you skin and are so painful to touch. None of the OTC drugstore remedies containing benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or sulphur work for me, some of them irritate the surrounding skin so much that I feel better off just sticking it out for 2 weeks (the time it usually takes for my outbreaks to calm down). Then I started studying aromatherapy and one of my favorite books written on that subject was "Essential Oils for vibrant health and beauty" by Roberta Wilson. It came with dozens of recipes and the first one I tried was the one she recommended as a spot treatment for blemishes: - Cypress for its antiseptic and astringent properties. - Helichrysum and true lavender to reduce inflammation and promote skin healing. - Tea tree for its strong anti-bacterial action. These 4 essential oils in a base of organic apple cider vinegar, dabbed on the offending spot with a cotton bud 3 times a day, have managed to make every single one of my massive pimples shrink down to a managable size within 2-3 days and it would usually be gone by the end of the week. I have been using this blend for the past 3 years and it has never once failed me. If there is only one aromatherapy product I can take with me to the end of the world, this would be it. What I like about it the most is that, unlike most of the drugstore products, it doesn't dry out or otherwise irritate the surrounding skin, and the spot heals up without leaving a dark mark as it so often happens when there has been massive inflammation. You have to get used to the smell of vinegar at first when you apply it but it dissipates quickly. I can't quite remember at this moment what percentage or dilution rate Roberta Wilson recommended in her book because over time I have played with the original formula a bit and varied the dosage for the different oils and the overall strength of the blend to suit me, but if you want to have an idea, this is how I am currently making it up for myself: 10 Lavandula angustifolia, 8 Melaleuca alternifolia, 6 Helichrysum italicum, 6 Cypressus sempervirens - in 15ml organic apple cider vinegar (10% dil).
Nice to hear about the Apple Cider base. It's supposed to be good for so many things, and glad it works for you with essential oils. We've been recommending Tamanu as THE carrier for acne, as it has strong antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and skin healing properties itself. I expect several essential oils will do the job: myrtle, spike lavender, Benchmark thyme, tea tree, and as you mentioned, a little Helicrysum is good for everything! For those who would like to try apple cider vinegar as the base, find "raw" vinegar, with what they call "the mother"....it is the most biologically active. Also, if it DOES dry your skin out too much, then mix in the carrier of your choice -- our recommendations are, again, Tamanu, and also Virgin Coconut, Grapeseed and Hazelnut. The last two aren't known so much for their anti-bacterial activity, but for their mildly astringent qualities. BTW, when you say 10, 8, 6, 6...do you mean drops per ounce of these oils? Thanks for sharing!
If you haven't tried it, Neem Oil also works great as a spot treatment for blemishes. It has similar action as Tea Tree, but I found it to be more gentle on the skin and for me, more effective. It's antibacterial action is awesome although some people find its almost peanut-like smell a little odd. I also add small amounts to my blend of facial moisturizer (essential oils & various carrier oils), and I find it helps to keep new acne from forming. Good luck!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Surgical Scars
I have just had surgery and want to know what oils I should use to diminish the scarring.
I posted this in another forum for someone else that asked about oils recommended for scar reduction. I am including the links for all the individual oils for your convenience as well as the Smooth Skin Scar Treatment™ Ananda carries a wonderful blend for scar healing and reduction which I have been using for an old scar and my son used for a new scar (from a bad burn). My son's scar healed magnificently and my old scar is improving nicely. The color of the scar itself has lightened over the past couple of months. I don't always remember to apply the "scar treatment" as often as I should, but I am very pleased with the progress so far. Below is the information from Ananda regarding their blend. I included the links to the ingredients below, which you could use to create your own blend, but I do not know what proportions you should use. Smooth Skin Scar Treatment™ Described in the medical aromatherapy literature for reducing or eliminating appearance of old scars, including keloid scarring from wounds or surgery. Used regularly, this blend of Helichrysum, Sea Buckthorn, Rosemary Verbenone, and essential oils based in organic Rosehip Seed (studied for it's skin smoothing effects) Tamanu (Callophyllum, a very healing oil for the skin) and Hazelnut oils can reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks. Works equally well on the face and other parts of the body. Use continually for 3-6 months for reducing appearance of 'old' marks. Apply to 'new' wounds regularly to prevent scar formation. Hope this helps!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
The Big 5 Carrier Oils for Beauty Care
For general beauty care, and primarily anti-aging, here's a list of the "Big 5" oils with researched therapeutic properties -- particularly for wrinkle reduction and smoothing of skin texture. The selection is just an opinion, but from our experience, these are excellent carrier oils for beauty care: #1 Tamanu Nut: It's been the subject of MANY scientific investigations, showing it will heal wounds, stimulate skin cell growth, actually blocks UV rays, is anti-inflammatory, has antioxidant properties, and limits the development of skin tumors. It's also anti-viral, and can be used to treat herpes outbreaks too. #2 Rosehip Seed: This was the first carrier oil to be the subject of controlled research, showing it both limited appearance of wrinkles and lines, and healed wounds. Its combination of essential fatty acids and phytonutrients is unique, and discussed by Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt in Advanced Aromatherapy as THE base oil for formulas to limit scar appearance (except when one is prone to acne). #3 Borage Seed: It contains the highest known amount of GLA, an essential fat missing in our diets, and the cause of many skin conditions. Simply using for beauty care, it is highly anti-inflammatory, and it is inflammation that is thought to be at the root of skin aging (along with oxidation -- they really go hand in hand). #4 Virgin Coconut: While some find it a little heavy for their skin, it's worth experimenting by using it as only a small portion of your base. Like Tamanu, it is anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial/anti-fungal/anti-viral (can help with skin "conditions") and deeply hydrating. It has been used for centuries for skin and hair care, considered to give both a healthy glow with regular use. It's unique in its content of caprylic acid, to which many health benefits have been attributed. It's also considered a beauty supplement, consumed on the order of 1-3 tbs per day. #5 Hempseed: Completely underutilized as a carrier oil, it has a "perfect" balance of omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids, and provides these nutrients to the skin directly. The omega-3's are anti-inflammatory, and, like coconut, can be consumed as a supplement -- an aside: One report noted that with regular supplementation of Coconut oil, the brain grew new cells at the rate of 3% per (now I can't remember "per" what - month? week?) and when combined with supplementation with Hempseed, this doubled to 6%! And maybe right up there (but we're having trouble finding a large source is Pomegranate Seed Oil. With it's high level of punicic acid, it has many of the same properties as Tamanu oil (regenerative, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and protective). It can also be ingested -- where we're sure Tamanu can as well, we're just a little afraid of the taste Also, a runner-up: Argan Oil -- Argan MAY be an exceptional beauty care carrier, yet it does not as of yet have a lot of science to back it up. While it does have celebrity endorsement, and helps support indiginous communities in Morocco, we'd like to see some rigorous research before recommending it more strongly than the oils above. You'll find several of these oils already blended in our Super Skin Care carrier oil blend, so you can simply add the essential oils of your choice to the formula, without having to buy each carrier. It's been a real hit, and hopefully -- should you give it a try -- is great for your skin as well.
for my first blend specifically for a face serum, i used rosehip seed, evening primrose oil and kukui nut oil...1/3 each..i found it to feel just a lil tight on my skin..so i added a bit of jojoba and vitamin E for good measure..these were my base oils..i have been really happy with this blend!! planning to explore more in the way of skin and hair conditioning using blends of base and essential oils...
Yes, the fractionated is really good for 2 things: as a natural perfume base (it has no aroma) and as a massage oil base. However, all the therapeutic benefits of Coconut oil are ascribed to the whole oil - anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial, to name a couple.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
The Regenerative Essential Oils and Carriers
It's been shown that as we age, the rate of production of new skin cells slows significantly -- along with a loss of collagen, there's work to be done to keep up our looks. Background: One of the great features of "aromatherapy" oils is their known regeneration-supporting properties. One or more of these oils should really always be included in blends addressing the signs of aging. We all know that this is all that prescription "Retin-A" does, and it has such a noticeable effect reducing lines and wrinkles, that it's really the benchmark by which other products of the same nature go. Synthetic Product Effects: However, even though it does its job, Retin-A has two major side effects, which the oils mentioned here do not: it can be excessively drying, to the point that the skin is peeling. Also, it makes the skin more susceptible to UV rays, so while reducing wrinkle appearance, it almost makes one more unacceptable to sun damage (I've actually tried it myself, forgot sunscreen, and felt a significant burning after half-an-hour in the sun). The Regenerative Essential Oils: There are several oils that have been included in recipes for years by Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt, for would healing and scar reduction. We think it fairly easy to take the leap in saying that certain oils in these recipes, included to speed the process, will increase new skin cell production in the dermal layer (in fact, there are several controlled studies which we'll mention that support this.) Helichrysum: Perhaps the most renown oil is Helichrysum italicum. A high quality oil will contain about 12% "Italidiones", a class of ketone which is safe for use. Ketones are generally regeneration-supportive molecules, though some are known to potentially also stimulate formation of tumors. Not only does Helichrysum contain this high Italidione content, but its curcuminoid compouds are also anti-inflammatory, another very important factor in skin aging. Rosemary Verbenone: Next perhaps is Rosemary c.t. Verbenone, which has a different chemical profile than the cineol chemotype, (which is what you receive when you order simple "Rosemary Essential Oil"). Rosemary essential oil itself is pleasantly stimulting, yet it is the "verbenone" ketone in this oil often distilled in France which has regenerative actions like the Italidiones in Helichrysum. Sage: Common, or "Dalmatian" Sage essential oil also contains regenerative ketone, but these are consider less safe, and should be used sparingly blends. Lavender: Yes, lavender has a small amount of the "safe" ketones in it, and because of its all-around balancing and inflammation-reducing nature, it really has a place in almost every formula. In addition to these steam distilled oils, there are CO2 distillations which, while not containing ketones, contain nutrients LIKE THAT IN RETIN-A which also stimulate production of new skin cells. These include: Sea Buckthorn: While there is a Sea Buckthorn seed carrier oil, the CO2 'Total; distillation of the whole fruit provides vitamin-A like compounds and other antioxidant flavenoids, plus one of the only known sources of Omega-7 fatty acids, which are the predominant fatty acid in epithelial cell membranes. Feed it to your skin through topical application and it will absorb it! Carrot Root: Clearly the deep orange color indicates again a high level of vitamin-A precursors, which your skin craves in order to grow. Think of Beta Carotine, a source of Vitamin-A with none of the drawbacks of synthetic variations. Rosehip 'Total': Like Sea Buckthorn above, this is a distillation of the whole, bright red "fruit" of wild roses. While it contains a smaller amount of the fatty acids (oils) in the Rosehip Seed carrier, also like the Sea Buckthorn, it is dense (really, it's almost a reddish-orange paste) with nutrients again to stimulate cell growth and nourish the skin in general. ALSO, these three CO2 oils are know to absorb some amount of UV radiation, acting as natural sunscreens, and preventing the oxidative radical cascade which occurs when the amount of light exceeds that of which the body can utilize its own antioxidant defenses to quench. The Carrier Oils: Tamanu Oil: Yes, you'll see us keep mentioning Tamanu, as the research on the oil is growing. Researchers in the Journal of Cosmetic Sciences presented a study confirmed the oil's ability to speed wound healing; others in preventing UV radiation damage, and others in preventing formation of skin tumors. Rosehip Seed Oil: Pressed from the seeds of the fruit of roses originally growing wild in the mountains of Chile, this may have been the first oil studied in a laboratory setting for its beautification properties. Its regenerative features, from its unique fatty acids, have show in to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, even skin coloration, and reduce the appearance of scars.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Using Frankincense and Other CO2's for Skin Care
I've started putting a little Frankincense CO2 essential oil in my skin care blends after seeing the following science report (pasted at the bottom...it discusses boswellic acids from the resin, which are in fact present in the CO2 Frankincense oils. I only use a little, as with most essential oils, to avoid irritation (like I can use A LOT of Sea Buckthorn, Carrot Root or Rosehip CO2's). A blend I've been working with lately, which my skin really likes, is as follows: - A 2 ounce base of 1/3rd each Tamanu, Rosehip Seed and Argan. Sometimes I'll use 1/4th each of these plus virgin coconut. - 16 drops Frankincense essential oil (the CO2 blend of both species Ananda carries (which I'm guessing mimics the amount of boswellic acid content of the report added below) - 1ml (33 drops) each of Carrot Root and Sea Buckthorn (for a night time formula, I'll add Rosehip CO2, but it leaves the skin pretty pink for a while as all its antioxidants absorb -- it's REALLY good if you've been in the Sun though -- the richer the color of the oil, the higher the content of very effective antioxidants). - And finally 16 drops each of German Chamomile CO2 and EITHER Helichrysum or Rosemary Verbenone. The Chamomile is very anti-inflammatory, mentioned as an important factor in skin aging, and the Helichrysum and Rosemary Verbenone both contain ketones which supposedly stimulate skin regeneration. In the book, "Making Aromatherapy Creams and Lotions" the author mentions a "CO2 Crew", where she includes German Chamomile, Rosehip and Sea Buckthorn CO2 essential oils in virtually everything, because of their great effects for skin health and beauty. ENJOY! I hope this helps inspire someone to try making their own formulas. It's fun, and they're really very nice -- like "high end" skin care products. OH YEAH -- the Frankincense...this is copied from PubMed, a report showing noticeable improvement in skin texture from using Frankincense extract. Dermatolic Therapeutics 2010 Jan-Feb;23 Suppl 1:S28-32. Topical Boswellic acids for treatment of photoaged skin. Dermatology Department, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy. Boswellic acids (BAs) are pentacyclic triterpenes extracted from the gum resins of the tropical tree Boswellia serrata. They are orally administered in traditional Indian medicine for the treatment of several inflammatory disease and cancer because of their anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities as well as stimulatory effects on fibroblasts. The present authors have investigated efficacy, tolerability, and safety of a base cream containing 0.5% BAs in the treatment of clinical manifestations of photoaging of facial skin with a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, split-face study. Fifteen female volunteers applied the creams with or without BAs on the half sides of the face once daily for 30 days. Significant improvements of the Dover's global score for photoaging, tactile roughness, and fine lines, as well as, with noninvasive diagnostic techniques, an increase of elasticity, a decrease of sebum excretion, and a change of echographic parameters were observed with topical BAs in comparison with placebo. The treatment was always well tolerated without adverse effects. The present findings seem to indicate that topical application of BAs may represent a suitable treatment option for selected features of skin photoaging.
Can I ask you something? Is your skin dry, combination or oily? I want to make my own blend too, mostly for fade some scarring and improve the overall texture of my skin, but I have combination skin with a quite oily t-zone. I've read Tamanu is quite heavy for combination/oily skin types, but great for scars. How do you find Tamanu? Do you think can I use Tamanu on my combination skin? The same question goes to Carrot Root and Sea Buckthorn. I have a carrier blend of Hemp, Pomegranate, Argan and Rosehip, all oils that I've tried and are very light and good for my skin, I've also read great things about them, especially of Pomegranate and Rosehip, do you think is Tamanu necessary? On the other hand, do you believe is Frankincense a must or with Helichrysum should be enough? Thanks!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Doterra Immortelle Replacement? Need Formulation Advice
I have been using Doterra Immortelle blended in a carrier oil on my face and it has been lovely. I am looking to replicate it, or get as close as possible. I have the ingredients as listed on their website. Can anyone suggest a balanced formula of the following oils? I've been reading through the forums trying to get an idea of good proportions for each product based on their properties but I'm a little overwhelmed. I'm a beginner with formulating for myself and I'm unsure of what proportions might be best. Any thoughts would be greatly welcomed Thanks in advance! Frankincense Resin, Hawaiian Sandalwood, Lavender Flower, Myrrh Resin, Helichrysum Flower, Rose Flower essential oils.
frankincense - 10% myrhh - 10% lavender - 20% helichrysum - 20% rose otto - 10% sandalwood - 30%
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
A Blend for Caring, Maintaining and Regenerating Skin
I wanted to make a blend to erase some little scars and dark spots, but I'm still undecided because I want to make something really really simple because I don't want to overload my skin or it could be affected as I have combination skin, also, recently I got a really short pixie haircut and I'm showing my whole face now, so I can't have much skin problems haha. There are so many options and so many benefits of those options that would be great use them all but I can't. Can you give me some blends ideas with no more than two carrier oils and two essential oils? Would be great a blend that I can keep using after healing my skin to care for it. Thanks!
evening primrose, rosehip seed, and hazelnut oils, which are anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, skin-firming, and astringent. We do have a Super Skin Care Blend, which integrates the five most nutritive oils, into which you can add any essential oil you like. The best essential oils for combination skin are geranium and palmarosa, which have a balancing effect on the sebaceous glands. You could also use Neroli and Lavender, which both have astringent qualities. One suggestion would be: Hazelnut and Rosehip Seed oils, (2 oz. each) Palmarosa and Lavender essential oils (10-15 drops each) Smells delightful and soothing, and addresses your skin concerns so you can show off that cute haircut with great looking skin! Hope that helps!
I have combination skin and I have tried so many different commercial products that leave me with some small patches of dry flaking skin. I have tried several of the ANANDA Skincare blends and I must say --- I LOVE ANANDA PRODUCTS!!! I no longer use commercial skin care products since I've discovered these and they work so well. For the last few years I've been "fretting" over a moderately deep wrinkle between my eyebrows. After about 6 months of using ANANDA Skincare products on my face, that wrinkle is less pronounced and hardly noticeable. My favorites are the Heavenly Skin Serum, Bella Rosa & Milk and Honey. I am 50 years old and my skin looks great! I had a facial last month and the woman complimented me and asked me what products I use on my face. I am so impressed by the quality and integrity of ANANDA'S oils and their excellent customer service, I no longer buy EO's or carrier oils from any other source. I would highly recommend that you give one of the ANANDA Skincare blends a try. Or try the SUPER SKINCARE BASE in the carrier oils section and add the ingredients that best suit your complexion issues.
First you need to have an Aromatherapy trained Esthetician to look at your skin and make an evaluation (usually consulatations are free). There is quite a bit to be considered before deciding on a specific blend as each individual skin is unique.
In the mean time it would not hurt at all to start appling Rose Hip Seed oil to your face after cleansing (both morning and night), it is a fabulous regenrative oil and you can do that while you are looking for an aromatherapist esthetician to evaluate your skin.
Is it advisable to use the Rosehip seed oils on active acne?
@Julia: Thanks a lot fot the help! I've read great things about Palmarosa, but I never considered it and I don't know why! Now I know it would be a great choice. @agedog1: I'm studying aromatherapy and I'm quite into the skincare and dermatology worlds, so much, that when I discovered all the ugly things behind the beauty world I decided to jump into the natural skincare world, so I believe I can make my own evaluations and save some money in case consultation is not free haha @*ether*: For what I know, is not advisable to use Rosehip on active acne and very oily skin types, but I just have combination skin that doesn't breakout more than once a month, but I'm worried about my skin being oilier more than pimples, you know.
There's SO much information coming out about Tamanu, it seems like it may be better than rosehip seed for regeneration. Kurt Schnaubelt talks about it like being a blend of essential and carrier oils in itself, and there's a study somewhere about how it healed wounds faster because it increased the rate of skin turnover. I use it almost daily, and my skin, which was showing some lines, sure seems smoother. Blend it with whatever other carrier oil you think is best for you if you think you'd do well with something else too. I like it with a little sea buckthorn, and rosemary verbenone essential oils. I think that's a really simple combination with a lot of good stuff going on at the same time. Good luck!
I decided after reading some posts to try an experiment. Last night I put a layer of Rosehip seed oil and Tamanu oil on my skin and a little Sea Buckthorn on my eye zone. This morning my skin looked great and hydrated. I'm excited to create my own blend with what I have available. Here is what I have and would love suggestions on how to blend any or all of these. I'm very new to aromatherapy but love Ananda oils. Thank you!! Tamanu Rosehip seed Sea Buckthorn Calendula Helichrysum Wild Lavender Rosemary Verbone Geranium Frankincense
I'm very new to all of this, but I've read that Frankincense helps with getting rid of dark spots (age spots, sun spots, etc). So I've been using it with tea tree, and lavendar on my face. Has anyone else heard this about Frankincense?
Yes, Frankincense has a lot of research to back it up as well -- it's very important not to overdo it -- it can make the skin irritated in concentrations that are too high, and it's probably best to use a CO2 distillation, because it is more like the resin. YOU MUST use these oils you mentioned with a base oil, as it will do half the work!!! Tamanu, Rosehip, Coconut, Argan, Borage and Evening Primrose are good to look at. [The archived capture merges in a separate reference post here, attributed to a forum member called "innerscent," describing the Helichrysum (Immortelle) profile: steam distilled from the flowers, a floral-mint aroma, traditionally used for skin healing, scar tissue, and sun-damaged skin, with a caution to avoid during pregnancy.]
Here's 3 ideas for blends with these oils. The numbers are for each 1 ounce total that you mix. If you wanted to make 2 ounces, simply double the number of drops. For the Base, you can use equal parts of Tamanu and Rosehip, or up to 2/3rds Rosehip with 1/3rd Tamanu. As for the essential oils, if you want to blend all 7, you need to keep the concentration of each fairly low: 2% (22 drops) Sea Buckthorn, .25% (3 drops) Calendula, .75% (8 drops) Helichrysum, .75% (8 drops) Wild Lavender, .75% (8 drops) Rosemary Verbenone, .75% (8 drops) Geranium, .75% (8 drops) Frankincense. So that's about 5% essential oils. This is the high end of what you'd like a skin-care blend to contain in terms of essential oils. You COULD, if you wanted, make 2 blends, one more soothing and anti-inflammatory, the other more regenerative. Soothing - use 1/4th to 1/5th Tamanu, the rest Rosehip seed: 1% (11 drops) Sea Buckthorn, .25% (3 drops) Calendula, 1% (11 drops) Wild Lavender, .25% (3 drops) Rosemary Verbenone, 1% (11 drops) Geranium. Regenerative - here use the 50:50 Tamanu:Rosehip base: 2% (22 drops) Sea Buckthorn, .25% (3 drops) Calendula, 1% (11 drops) Helichrysum, .25% (3 drops) Wild Lavender, 1% (11 drops) Rosemary Verbenone, .75% (8 drops) Frankincense. About measuring: there are 30 milliliters, or 2 tablespoons, in one ounce. We've always found 33 to 36 drops of essential oil per milliliter. So 1% concentration of essential oil in each one ounce formula is about 11 drops. Hope this helps!
Oh wow ericcech!! Thank you for all that information...I'm going to blend something today. This is so fun! I will let you know how things turn out.
The only things I would consider changing are MORE of the Carrot CO2 and Rosehip CO2. These are both oils one could apply 'neat' if one wanted to. More in the range of 2-5% for both, if you don't mind the red/orange 'tinge' they will leave your skin while they are absorbing. Rosemary Verbenone OR Helichrysum, yes, there's no real need for both. Cheers, Eric
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Nummular Dermatitis / Eczema
My dermatologist prescribed steroid cream and antibiotics for Nummular dermatitis. I resisted the sterile cream for 2 weeks but had to take it today because the rash just kept getting worse. I've never had such a bad case of eczema in my life. It's all over my body, including lips, ears, and eye lids! i would like to take something natural instead of the tetracycline and was thinking oil of oregano would be good. I'm not early sure why an antibiotic is used for dermatitis but maybe for killing staph. Do you think oil of oregano would be the best choice? Should I start with 1 drop 2x a day and build up to 2 drops 2 x a day? Anyone else have experience with oil of oregano for dermatitis and eczema? Thanks, MJ
Oil of oregano sounds good to me too instead of antibiotic. salt therapy (i.e. breathing in salt rooms) said to work for eczema. I have seen vit A stop adolescent skin problems in days.
I've been thinking that since eczema is said to be an autoimmune condition, Frankinscense may be beneficial. Also, I am looking more into benchmark Thyme instead of oil of oregano. Pretty amazing that it kills MRSA. Does it kill any beneficial bacteria as well? I'm trying to avoid killing the good stuff.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Hormones & Acne
I know that hormonal imbalance is one of the main causes of acne. Do you have any suggestions as to which oils to take to fix this imbalance? Also, is it better to balance hormones through applying oils topically or taking them internally? Thank you in advance for your help!
Sometimes Clary Sage is used to balance estrogen deficiency by women for 'mature' skin, but that's as far as is generally found in the literature. EO's are most often used for their anti-bacterial qualities for acne treatment, for which we would recommend 5% 'Benchmark' Thyme in Grapeseed oil (a mildly-astringent carrier) and/or Coconut oil (with its own anti-bacterial properties - though needs to be above 70degF to be liquid). Cheers, Eric
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Hi from Newbie and Acne Question
Hi there I'm Caroline from Melbourne Australia I have a question about acne I make a range of skin care products by hand for a range of skin types and conditions but this time I've been asked to make somethign to help a lady with acne. This is not an area I'm knowledgeable about. The lady is mid 30s and she has some skin congestion and acne on her chin. She has been advised by her doctor that the acne is hormonal due to her having had a hysterectomy (over 12 months ago). I'm wondering what to make for her. I wondering about making her a separate oil base serum with essential oils rather than add the oils to a cream But what do people think What essential oils are best to help with the acne and skin congestion - she has combination skin What percentage of essential oils do I add I would be very greatful for your help This is a fabulous forum I've learned heaps regards Caroline
Myrtle is likely the best essential oil for inclusion in a blend for hormonally-related acne. It is antiseptic, and may assist in balancing acne-causing hormones on a cellular level. Base oils to consider are Tamanu (antiseptic itself, with a host of other wonderful properties for beautiful skin). Virgin coconut is another, and Grapeseed and Hazelut are also often included in anti-acne formulas, as they are mildly astringent. Sea Buckthorn is also often recommended as an ingredient for its multitude of therapeutic properties for the skin, including eradication of acne. A 10% concentration of oils is most often noted, though the CO2 distillation of sea buckthorn may be used in higher amounts as it is has properties of both an essential oil and a carrier oil. An example recipe worth experimenting with would be as such: for each 30ml, use 2.5ml Myrtle, 1ml Spike Lavender (purely as an antiseptic), and 2.5ml Sea Buckthorn in a base of equal parts Tamanu and Hazelnut (12ml each). This should be a highly effective formula. Others have based their essential oils in Apple Cider Vinegar, and dabbed only directly on location, while the blend above could be used over a larger area. Though I would recommend the above blend to start, applying just enough to cover the area 2x daily. The spike lavender may not be necessary, though it has features of lavender (anti-inflammatory and skin healing) with greater antiseptic properties. The concentration can be adjusted depending on her skin sensitivity, though the Sea Buckthorn and Tamanu oils both have healing properties which should enable this concentration to be acceptable for a wide range of skin conditions. Please let us know if we can help you further! ~ Eric, with The Ananda Apothecary Staff
kind regards Caroline
I have had wonderful luck with my use of -simply- Lavender in jojoba. Being that jojoba is closest to the skin's sebum, I find it cleanses the skin and helps to remove the hardened sebum within pores. The lavender has calmed my post-natal skin, which is hormonally- and stress-effected. It seems like such an obvious answer, but it was helpful. The jojoba to lavender ratio was low, like 1:1. I massaged my skin for several minutes, gently and in small circles, alternating direction- which loosened impurities. So, don't forget the most obvious selection when considering your serum's ingredient list!
Good point, Keenan. Julia, who was with Ananda for a little while, used Lavender as you mentioned. She didn't have severe acne in any way, but the lavender kept her skin balanced. It is antiseptic, and considered balancing -- itself, and thought to balance or integrate other oils in a blend. And good point with the Jojoba too -- hadn't thought about it as an 'emulsifier' of sorts for sebum. So there's a couple of approaches -- one that's somewhat more aggressive in terms of antibacterial activity, and one more gentle for long-term use. ALSO, I just read research (Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2011 Oct 7. "Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Essential Oils from Five Selected Herbs") noting the combination of Thyme (one high in Thymol, such as our "Benchmark" Thyme) and Palmarosa to be anti-inflammatory and antiseptic for the bacteria that causes acne. Certainly Thyme, Palmarosa and Lavender together would make another excellent acne-care blend -- perhaps in Jojoba, or if that felt too heavy, the "classic" acne-care base oils are Hazelnut or Grapeseed -- or even Aloe Vera. All the Best, Eric
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Combonation Acne Prone Skin Formula?
Hello, Very new to aroma-medicine and trying to create a nice blend for my combination (only oily in T zone) and acne prone skin. After much research on several different sites this is what I'm going to start experimenting with... thoughts? 1 oz. jojoba/coconut cream blend 4 drops spike lavender 2 drops myrtle 3 drops frankincense Maybe 3 drops rosewood I will most likely start with just the jojoba/coconut and then add from there in the order listed depending on how my skin reacts. Any advice or thoughts are much appreciated!
Hi - sounds like a great start. My only suggestion would be to double the amount of essential oils. 3% is not a bad concentration to reach, and you're only at about 1% currently. Best of luck! Cheers, Eric
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Allergic to Lavender
I am reluctantly coming to the conclusion that I must be allergic to Lavender. I have a itchy rash everywhere that I have used Lavender. Have you ever heard of this?
I was just about to answer your email as well. It's been shown in research that some folks can be allergic, and it's TYPICALLY from lavender that's been sitting on store shelves for quite some time -- though that needn't be the case for sure -- one could simply have a contact dermatitis with the oil. Are you creating your own blends? What sort of concentration are you using? Cheers! Eric
I have been wondering. It did not affect my skin but my eyes. I used some lavender neat on my arms where I had itching and my eyes started to water. The kind I was using could well be of poor quality.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Lavender
Lavender is still my favorite. Besides it's calming abilities, it just smells good. When I have lavender in my diffuser at work, it takes me to my garden (in my mind) where I have lots of English Lavender growing. I'm new here, having just found Ananda and I hope to learn a lot.
Thanks for the post. Yes, lavender IS amazing for all the things it can do -- calm you down, put you to sleep, heal wounds, keep the skin healthy, and new research indicates that Linalool, which it contains more of than any other essential oil, is a potent anti-cancer agent. That's why we carry 4 forms of Lavendula angustifolia -- all of therapeutic grade (folks always ask "which is the most therapeutic" - to which the answer is: whichever one you like the aroma of best! You'll use it more!). While lavender is the most popular oil, there are many, many others with broad ranges of action -- do venture out and try some others: cape chamomile is wonderful, as is Frankincense (CO2 blend), and many others -- which really all depend on your desired action. Uplifting (bergamot), calming (lavender or for some people, chamomile), anti-viral (melissa and bay laurel), anti-bacterial (tea tree, Benchmark thyme), sharpening the mind (Sage, lemon) -- it's all very personal too, so what works for one person may not work for another -- just like some people like onions and others don't - really very similar. Keep it up! Glad to see you here. Thanks, Eric
I've used Lavender on insect bits & bee stings which took the itch and pain away almost instantly. We had a friend that went rafting the river and they got sunburned really bad on both legs. We used Highland Lavender and Spike Lavender (one on each leg) and within 5 minutes both legs quite burning. I had a electric tea pot burp hot water over the top of my hands and I used Highland Lavender for the burns. I could feel the tingling leave and within 5 minutes my hand didn't hurt. We had a friend who's daugher was roller blading and fell by a motorcycle that had a hot muffler and she grab the muffler with her hand to catch herself. Her mother put Highland Bulgarian on every 30 minutes for 3 hours and there were no third degree burns. Lavender is really an amazing healing essential oil that I always have with me plus Lavender has a great smell. I could go on and on about the wonderful essential oil.
I'll mention lavender as well in honor of the bottle that was included in my Ananda order. A few weeks ago, I was using a frying pan to bake. I carefully took it out of the oven with a mitt. But a couple minutes later, I completely forgot it had been in the oven and grabbed the handle. Needless to say, I experienced a great deal of pain. I ran my hand under cold water for a bit. Then I applied lavender. I was totally amazed that the pain vanished and not a single blister appeared.
hi there, great choice! lavender is superb, I like it too. It calming scent soothe and calm my senses. Before going to bed I love to light scented lavender candles together with a pillow aromatherapy sprayed with lavender oil.
Lavendar, vera --this is awesome. I love the smell. It is a must have essential oil. I use lavendar for healing burns, irritated skin, relaxation, etc. it works for so many different ailments. My 22yo son, got a pan from oven (without his oven mitt) and his younger brother (14) got the lavendar from the first aid kit & put on the burn. By the time I got home, you'd never know there was a problem. I think lavendar is amazing for burns. And I think I trained the youngest brother right :)
lavender oils (really don't know why), but I love the Vera. It's VERY therapeutic in all the ways that lavender should be, and it has a nice, full middle tone, rather than the high notes from the esters in other lavenders. The distiller who makes it specializes in medicinal grade oils for primarily the French and European market, and somehow I get a feeling they really know what they're doing. Yummy.
another lavender fan! I use it for sleep aid and wound healing and pest repellant and in candles... also give my bathroom a spritz for a fresh floral scent... also use it on my dog ... and for any who may have a very stressful job: just carry a small vial of lavender on a chain around your neck & when people are going off/ becoming irritating and you seek that inner calmness simply uncap the tiny bottle of liquid love and take a secret whiff... the people just seem to fade away ... though afterward I've had trouble explaining the silly little smile on my face. LAVENDER CURES ALL
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Psorasis
Does anyone have a blend that they use for Psorasis? Ny neice has a very extreme case of it.
Hi Betty. Although not afflicted, I can offer recommendations from Salvatore Battaglia, whose book is one of the best on using essential oils for various purposes. Recommended for psoriasis are bergamot, cajeput, German chamomile, lavender, sandalwood, helichrysum, and yarrow, with evening primrose as a carrier oil. He also recommends paying careful attention to avoiding stressful situations, identifying and dealing with possible food allergies, and managing inflammatory responses by using anti-inflammatory remedies. Bonne chance! merlin
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Recovery / Pain
Recovery from a Stroke
I had a stroke 6 mos. ago caused by plaque that dislodged and caused a blockage. 1. I'm temporarily required to take Coumadin (Warfarin) to reduce platelet production, i.e. to "thin" my blood. I've read that various E.O.s can act as a blood thinner, including Clove, Ginger, Cinnamon, Helichrysum, and others. Are you aware of a mixture of E.O.'s that would be as effective as Coumadin, yet much safer to use? If so, do any of these oils affect the same pathways as Coumadin? That's important so that thinning can be monitored using standard equipment for checking INR. How would this mixture be used? Ingestion? How much and how frequently? 2. Are you aware of any research that indicates E.O.'s would facilitate recovery from a stroke? Perhaps, even healing the brain cells damaged by a stroke? 3. Are you aware of E.O.'s that could be used to dissolve a "deep vein thrombosis". Even better, to prevent them from occurring? Kind regards, Steve
Thanks for the enquiry. It's a pretty big question, and it's difficult to give firm answers in this regard. Helichrysum will thin the blood. It can be topically applied, and will absorb into the bloodstream fairly rapidly. Because there is no protocol, it would be advisable, should you choose to use the oil, to have your blood monitored at the same time to discern the effect. Again, Helichrysum IS the oil that has been noted to potentially support nerve regeneration (and tissue regeneration in general). I've used the oil significantly, and with exceptionally positive result to recuperate from traumatic injury - however, this injury did not involve nerve damage. For all your questions, Helichrysum may be the oil suggested. It can be massaged-in 'neat' - using a thin layer at a time, and used relatively frequently. The best you can do is use your intuition for its use, or find the help of a holistic practitioner that may assist you directly in its application for your needs.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Oils or Blend for Twisted Ankle?
My approach has always seemed to heal the injury faster, and others have said the same. 1. I use Helichrysum "neat" -- just enough to put a thin layer over the injured area -- 'cause it is a pricey oil. I do this 3 times per day. 2. I make a blend of anti-inflammatory oils to use in between, or after day 2 when I've stopped using the helichrysum "neat": A one-half ounce blend consists of: 1.5ml (48 drops) Helichrysum .5ml (16 drops) Frankincense CO2 (has boswellic acids for inflammation relief) 10 drops German Chamomile -- I'll use the CO2 if I have it, otherwise the CO2 is fine 14 drops Ginger CO2 -- research has shown this to be VERY anti-inflammmatory If I'm making in a 1 ounce bottle, I'll fill the rest with Tamanu (again, anti-inflammatory in itself), or fractionated coconut oil, OR really any carrier oil you have around. Best of luck! Heal quick!
I've tried Plai essential oil -- it's relatively "new", but there's been some studies that it too works like Helichrysum, and can be used "neat".
I have what I call a 3C infusion at home but it is not an essential oil blend, Chamomile Flower, Comfrey Leaf, and Calendula Flower steep in olive or jojoba oil for a few months, I almost broke my toe one Friday so I toke a tablespoon of this oil and add 1 drop of Anise Seed Oil and by Monday I could fit the foot in a closed toe shoe and walk on it again.
german chamomile and/or calendula CO2 oils to the base and have it ready to go. Not edible though. I do like the sound of what you've done. My "infusion" education is slim to none -- would you care to share your exact recipe and method? I'd really like to know better the amounts of each herb relative to the oil, infusion time and such. Thanks!
Thank you so much dear Eric site administrator for your recipe. I am just this year learning about helicrysm, as I am getting into my 50's and never worked with it before. I find it awesome and never thought of it as what you described above. Thanks so much. To PureSimple, what I have used thru the years is hyssop and germanium for bruises with great results. And lately adding St John's Wort. for aches and pains as this hot weather finds me not exercising as much, so I'm more sore for less activity, go figure, lol.
Chiming in on Helichrysum, Plai, and Tamanu! I love all three. Tamanu has been a favorite of mine for a couple years. Helichrysum and Plai are new to my arsenal, and I don't want to run out, ever. Since I'm getting great results from using these on some fairly nasty arthritis in my thumb, I'd think they'd be good for sprains, too. I use Helichrysum neat, or mixed with Tamanu; I do the same with Plai. No particular ratio. I'm usually doing it on the fly while working on piano or guitar. These. Oils. Work. Full stop!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Help! Bad Muscle Spasms in Back
The last few days I have had some bad muscle spams in my back from sitting in a really bad chair for my new job. I was using Helichrysum, which worked wonderfully, but am now out. I am ordering more but in the meantime, what would be another good EO to use? I have read Basil or Ginger..I have both of these on hand but was wondering what would be the best to use to calm these down. Any help is greatly appreciated as I am kind of new to Essential Oils. Thank you! Lisa
Hi Lisa. You might try lavender, marjoram and rosemary. Helichrysum and plai are probably best, but you might have some of the first three on hand. Also, hot compresses might help as well.
Thank you Merlin! yes I do have those on hand. I will try those. The basil worked okay with some FCO in it but not as well as the Helichrysum. I am ordering some now. I have got to have that! Thank you!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Inflammation in Joints
How deep can an oil blend penetrate into the body? I'm wondering if an essential oil can reduce inflammation in the neck joints (cervical) or lower back (lumbar).
Well, oils will be in the circulatory system almost immediately -- and they've sure helped my spine and low back. Particularly helichrsysum -- and it really doesn't take a lot. The oils in the Athlete Magic formula have worked well for a lot of people on different parts of their bodies -- backs, knees, necks -- not just pinkies Ginger CO2, Turmeric CO2, German Chamomile CO2, Frankincense CO2, Plai and Helichrysum are the big anti-inflammatory/regenerative oils I'm aware of, and just read research that Tamanu and Borage carriers can have significant effect as well. Cheers!
rosemary, wintergreen, lavender, thyme helichrysum, peppermint, blue chamomile, blue tansy, ofmanthus. I add all oils with the carrier coconut oil put in a glass spray bottle and fill with 4 to 6 oz. distilled water. Spray on any area of your body you are experiencing pain. I had horrible fibromylasia and this blend is the only thing that has completely taken away my pain.
Wow Linda, interesting blend. I can see the Helichrysum, wintergreen and blue tansy -- I wouldn't have expected the rest. And using as a spray - how did you find that beneficial? It's certainly something we may want to share about, or offer certain blends this way. Even just for the reduction in "greasiness" if applying to large areas it may very helpful for those working with pain. Thanks! Eric
I'm wondering about the oils you listed specifying CO2 distillation. Does that mean that the steam varieties are not effective or just less effective? Thanks, a.
The CO2's are just different -- only in some cases are they "better", and that really depends on your application. And some oils are ONLY available as CO2's, and some are not. So really, the bottom line is their just different. For example, Helichrsyum, Plai, Eucalyptus and many others are not available as CO2's, and the steam distilled varieties are a very high quality both aromatically and therapeutically. Frankincense is available as both, and in many cases, the CO2 is the more therapeutic of the two, yet we offer both for those who prefer the steam distilled. Calendula, Rosehip, Carrot Root, and Sea Buckthorn are only available as CO2's, so those are the only ones we offer. Let us know if we can help you with that any further!
I'm not sure which Frankincense to get for pain relief. I'm considering one of the CO2 versions, but have no idea which. Any info or recommendations?
I heard that Tamanu (1) and evening Primrose oil are the best carrier oils to use for inflammation or pain management That's what I use, along with Copaiba, PLAI, Birch oil, & Helichrysum - and a little black pepper oil, and lavandin.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Neck Pain
Nice. It's impressive how many oils NOT listed as potent anti-inflammatory agents actually have these properties. My neck has always been taken care of by Helichrysum, but I can see that Angelica is a very complex oil, and Carrot is very nutrient dense. Anyone else find pain relief from oils not typically used for this purpose? Cheers!
I used this.They provided quick relief when massaged into the afflicted area.Really Its very useful for me.. _________________ essential oil
Helichrysum both neat, and in jojoba/coconut cream at up to 20%...sometimes with a little frankincense, ginger co2 and German chamomile (all to reduce inflammation, and assist the Helichrysum, which helps the locked muscles let go. One twisted vertebrae released after a couple days of regular use, and is no longer the blockage it once was!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
The Pain of Fibromyalgia
Most certainly Helichrysum essential oil -- while it is a little costly, it's very effective for a very wide variety of pain. Anywhere from 10 - 20% of this essential oil in a carrier can help. Borage seed oil as a carrier is known to reduce pain as well. So a simple blend would be (for each one ounce) 3ml Helichcrysum, 10ml Borage Seed and 17ml Fractionated Coconut Oil. There are a number of essential oils that reduce pain due to inflammation, and you could reduce the amount of Helichrysum by including other oils in your blend. Ginger CO2, Frankincense CO2, Black Pepper CO2 and German Chamomile are commonly used, as are Plai and Sweet Marjoram. Lavender and/or Turmeric may also help. A blend that includes these oils could look like this, again, for each 1 ounce -- In general, you can use a base of approximately 1/3rd Borage Seed and 2/3rds Fractionated Coconut. 1.5ml Helichrysum 1ml Ginger CO2 1ml Frankincense CO2 3ml Plai .5ml German Chamomile You really can choose from these oils, and create your own formulation. Let us know if the Helichrysum is out of your price range, and we'll offer you a different recipe. ALSD, these oils ARE already in our Athlete Magic blend - if you'd like to try it, I highly recommend the XS (extra strength) formula; this is already in a carrier and ready to be massaged-in -- finally, we also have a blend called "Super Soother", with Wintergreen and Helichrysum (and a couple other oils) that is at full-strength (no carrier oil). Wintergreen is essentially liquid aspirin -- this too may work well for you. You'd want to dilute it down to at least 20% (that's 6ml in one ounce of carrier, and you could use just fractionated coconut if you like), or even less (10%, 3ml in one ounce). For more on measuring for blending, see our "measuring essential oils" page. All the Best, Eric
Wanda, I've done a little more research for you, and I highly recommend giving a try to Plai as your primary essential oil. The properties for the oil are as follows: Primary Actions: Analgesic, anti-neuralgic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic. The results of one study follow -- not particularly on fibromyalgia, but the properties seem as though they should cross over well: "For inflamed joints, under a certified aroma therapist direction Plai has been found to ease the pain for up to 18 hours. This is incredible since no other oil has been found to change pain levels. On joints that were inflamed due to injury, Plai and an approved carrier was best combined with oils such as Black Pepper and Lemon or Neroli, Himalayan Cedar and Orange. These combinations worked to take swelling down, calm pain and speed up healing time considerably. Dilutions were one bottle of 10% concentration in a vegetable gel and a small roller bottle with no dilution - blends were all oils equal parts. With other recent research, I still do recommend a blend with Ginger CO2, Frankincense CO2 and German Chamomile CO2 - these are among the most effective anti-inflammatory oils available. You may also consider adding Turmeric - Curcuma Longa, at 1ml per ounce. Make 4 ounces of formula in a pump-top glass bottle for ease of use. To 4 ounces of Fractionated Coconut (simply ase for a pump top for this bottle in addition to the regular top in the 'comments' section of the checkout page should you order this from us) (pour out a little to make room for the essential oils) Add: 12ml Plai 5ml Ginger CO2 5ml Frankincense Carteri + Seratta CO2 (for the anti-inflammatory boswellic acids) 2ml German Chamomile CO2 (this will need warming before use to make liquid. It will come as a paste - this is normal. It is simply very concentrated). You MAY want to experiment with a base of Borage Seed and Fractionated Coconut oil together, as Borage is anti-inflammatory on its own in many situations. I hope this helps! Let us know if you have further questions. ~ Eric
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Sciatic Pain
Hello, I was wondering if anyone can possibly help me. I have 2 herniated disks on my lower spine and a small tear that is resting on my sciatic nerve. As a result I have been experiencing excruciating pain down the back of right side of my leg all the way to my calf and sometimes the bottom of my foot. It doesn't help that I am standing for all 8 hrs or more at work. I refused cortisone shots but I am currently going to PT 2x a week. I also did some research and saw the Wintergreen oil along with a couple of other oils was recommended to use for my type of pain. I have been using wintergreen, peppermint,ginger, geranium and lavender (sometimes I add german chamomile and marjoram) directly on my lower back and massaging each one into the area that hurts. I always start with wintergreen 3 drops on my lower back and massage it, then I mix another drop or 2 of the oil with almond oil carrrier and rub down the back of my right leg. I continue doing this with each oil. This has helped greatly but I'm hoping that a recipe can be recommended so that I can make a mixture instead of using each of these oils separately. Thanks, D
German chamomile - 10% Helichrysum - 10% Cajeput - 25% Spike lavender - 35% Juniper berry - 20% Total essential oils should be around 5-7%. You can use the blend for gentle massaging when the pain is not so great, or combine the essential oils alone with a bit of milk (for dispersion) and place them in a bath.
oh dburger, I have a similar issue years go but was not diagnosed properly as yours was. However symptoms similar including the pain on the bottom of my feet when walked.. felt like an unanaesthetised dentist drill plus other agony and my ankle was pulled apart because of muscle spasm so it was 6" in diameter for a 10 months. Muscle spasms occurred elsewhere in my body and it was horrendous. I did get over it, kept mobile and stretched. Was in wheelchair etc now and then, and had a 5 month old babe, breastfeeding so no painkillers. You will recover. Agree STRONGLY, NO cortisone, it kills mitochondria thus cells die... terrible stuff. I agree with Merlin's mix. I wonder if you also have inflammation of the nerve. Rubbing over the lower back and the nerve plexus and painful areas sounds right. Getting onto this immediately sound right, do not delay as if inflammation builds up it gets worse in my experience. Watch out for muscle spasms because of the stimulated upset nerves. Be very careful about twists or lifting, no high heels. NO getting down on the floor (getting up is very hard) or any action which will cause stress. Would be good if you had some relief from the long time standing, lying down for bit now and then and stretching out would be good. good luck. Thinking kind and loving thoughts at the torn discs etc can be helpful in releasing any emotional trauma located there.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Shin Splints
I had shin splints from running, and used helichrysum twice, and they went away completely....no idea how it worked so well, as usually I have to tape my shins for a week or more, but it really did the trick
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Arthritis
I was wondering if there are any essential oil that are effective to help with arthritis discomfort. Also would the recommendation be the same for human or animal? I am new to essential oils. If anyone has any suggestions, I would appreciate it. Thank you
I use various EOs for arthritis in my hands. I'm a musician and it just annoys the daylights outta me when it hurts to play. SO! Eucalyptus Radiata is lovely, and Peppermint, too--either singly or together. I mix my own Thieve's Oil from equal parts of Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus Radiata, Rosemary, Clove Bud, and White Thyme essential oils, and dilute it with a carrier of Sweet Almond oil. This is my go-to immune support, and it's also a great pain rub. Lately my left thumb has been going bonkers when I play guitar and piano, so I've been going after it with Helichrysum either on its own or in Tamanu Oil for a carrier (Tamanu can help with arthritis for some folks). This one isn't immediate pain relief, but it's pretty quick. The best thing about it is that I'm getting healing from it! The anti-inflammatory ability of the Helichrysum kicks in right away, and then my thumb...just...gets better! I'm using this daily now, and it's definitely making all-round progress with the thumb. _________________ Music Is. Art is. Cheers!
I was recommended something called "Pan Away". It seems to help with arthritic pain in the knee. Don't know if it is a blend from another company or simply a standard blend. Good luck!
Hi All, Pan Away is simply a brand name (and somewhat costly -- it is the same formula as our Super Soother; though really, for arthritis, a slightly different formula would be better. The healing effect comes from the Helichrysum, and pain relief primarily from the Helichrysum and Wintergreen (or Birch) -- and a little from the Peppermint and Clove's "cooling effect". Helichrysum is truly effective, as it's anti-inflammatory, muscle-relaxing, regenerative, and increases blood flow all at the same time. Because of this combination, as noted in this thread, it seems to relieve pain almost instantly (we've had this reported to us again and again!) Wintergreen and Birch are both almost 100% liquid aspirin (methyl salicilate) -- and while ok to use when needed, they're not so healthy for our liver to deal with on a regular basis. So, for arthritis, one is really trying to reduce inflammation as much as possible, and increase circulation in the area. Essential oils with scientific support for their anti-inflammatory activity are Ginger CO2, Frankincense CO2, and German Chamomile (steam or CO2 distilled -- though the CO2 is about 2x as effective). With a little less data, there's also Plai essential oil. We've been finding good sucess by reducing the amount of Helichrysum in formulas, and replacing with Plai to make a more affordable, yet still highly effective blend. The one report noted for Plai done in a research environment noted significantly less pain after knee surgery with its use, and a significant reduction in the amount of pain medication necessary. Also, Turmeric essential oil should help increase blood flow to the area (though MUST be used in small amounts). Carrier Oils: Several carrier oils are shown to reduce inflammation not just to the skin where they're applied, but to the joints and muscles below. Borage Seed is highly recommended, as well is Tamanu. Borage seed is reported in many places to help with arthritis all by itself, as the GLA fatty acid it contains is typically deficient in our diets, and when applied, will stop the formation of pro-inflammatory molecules. We have not seed reports of Tamanu oil for inflammation-reduction past the skin, or superficial wounds, but it doesn't mean they're not out there. Considering all the incredible things it's been researched TO do, it would not be surprising if it it helped in this way as well. Example Recipe For each one ounce of blend (that's 30 milliliters, and there are 35 drops of essential oil per ml) use the following essential oils: 1.5ml Helichrysum (up to 3ml if this is affordable) 1.5ml Plai 0.5ml Ginger CO2 0.5ml Frankincense CO 0.3ml German Chamomile CO2 0.3ml Turmeric CO2 (omit if you are using blood thinner drugs) Then fill the bottle with your base oils: a 50:50 ratio of Borage Seed and Tamanu is recommended. If you like, you can try a stronger formula by putting in less carrier oil to start, and experiment. While some of these oils are somewhat costly, making a large amount and storing it away may quite cost effective relative to other solutions. This blend has been used by those with arthritis, and reports have been that they were "amazed" at how well it worked, and could also reduce or stop pain medication. Please let us know if you have any questions on all this! Cheers and Thanks!
I have some osteoarthritis in my knees, hips, and lower back, and have been using your Athlete Magic blend for this condition. I purchased the regular strength and added another 10% of helichrysum to it. But having read about cajeput, I am wondering if it would be useful to add some of it to the blend? If so, how much for the 2-oz. bottle, or would it simply overlap the effects of helichrysum, and therefore not be worthwhile?
Plai over Cajeput ...there's been a number of studies (small, but still) noting it's efficacy for pain relief. It too can be used like Helichrysum, at a 10% or so concentration (as it was in the research). I only say this because of the data; I know Batagglia notes Cajeput can be helpful with rheumatoid arthritis, and wouldn't want to keep you from using the most valuable ingredient. Yet with Plai coming from the same family as Ginger, I expect the anti-inflammatory potential may be pretty strong. If you do choose Cajeput, I would start with a lower concentration and work up, to see how your skin reacts. It's not noted as an oil to use "neat" or at high concentrations, but it also doesn't seem to have safety concerns associated with it in that respect (like cinnamon, for example)... Hope this helps! Eric
Hi Eric, and thanks for the information on Plai. I had not heard of it until now, but it certainly seems worth a try. Unfortunately, the Athlete Magic blend, even with the addition of more Helichrysum, has not had an effect, so this may be the way to go.
So if I use 10% Plai, would you agree with a blend that added 5% Helichrysum and 1.5% Lavender? Or might you suggest something else?
As we spoke, I do recommend trying it -- I also don't know if we'd discussed including Borage, Hemp and/or Tamanu as a carrier. The data indicates that Borage itself MAY be helpful, though it also implies it will need the addition of some other compounds to make it truly effective. There's always Birch for those days when nothing else is helping -- liquid aspirin on location -- though not recommended for regular, continual use, as the liver doesn't seem to care for lots of aspirin Let us know how it goes. Cheers, Eric
Hey, all! Since I last posted back in July, I've added plai to my arsenal for arthritis, and it's working for me. I'll also use frankincense, and it's giving me some instant relief. Eric, I *am* going to try borage seed oil mixed with tamanu. I've been considering getting some for a long time, and you've tipped the scales! Your recipe above is close to what I've been using for a while now--a mix of Helichrysum, Plai, Cape Chamomile. I will try your recipe soon; it looks great! Some birch might be a good secret weapon to add from time to time... my next order is growing!
You can use emu oil for arthritis and its very good pain reliving property Thanks, Prabhu
Thanks Prabhu for the note. In general, we try to avoid use of animal products when possible, and we believe their are acceptable substitutes for these oils. For example, Borage Seed Oil has shown promise for relieve of arthritic symptoms, both when topically applied and ingested. We HIGHLY recommend using the oil in both these manners. While not tested, we expect relief to come from other high omega-3 containing oils such as Hemp Seed oil, particularly when mixed with another oil similar to the skin's own composition (as is Emu)...or with it's own innate anti-inflammatory properties - such as coconut oil. These two oils in combination also lend themselves to carrying anti-inflammatory essential oils such as german blue chamomile (at 1%), Frankincense CO2, wintergreen or birch (should one desire the inflammation reducing potential of methyl calicylate in these oils), and high concentrations of Helicrysum and Plai (10% may not be strong enough for some conditions, and it's always worth a try to move up to 50% of the total mixture). I've personally been recovering from a broken ankle, with a steel plate holding the bone together. Walking now, significantly with the help of Helichrysum. Point being, there are vegetable and nut carrier oils out their with anti-inflammatory components themselves, the we encourage our customers to try first before animal based ones - it's just good for the planet.
The use of essential oils is one of the best and safest ways to treat and control the pain caused by arthritis.
1 T honey 1 T Apple Cider 1/2 C warm water Take in the morning on an empty stomach and right before you go to bed. It took about 2 weeks and my arthritis pain started subsiding. With continual use I am pain free except on the coldest of days. Then I use your formula and I can knit and dance without pain all year round! AsGotuYuk
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Bruises / Skin Trauma
I'm aware of the homeopathic remedy "Arnica" for treatment of bruises and such. But does anyone out there have experience with using essential oils for this purpose? Thank you.
is my go-to essential oil for bruising and all types of wounds (cuts, insect bites, burns, scrapes). I've seen it help to heal scars (even older scars), and it's great added to massage or bath oil when treating muscle strains. I like to add it to Arnica-infused carrier oil, or "Trauma Oil" (St. John's Wort, Calendula and Arnica infused in olive oil).
I just started using Helichrysum for the first time recently. As part of a blend, I used it on a couple bruises and itchy mosquito bites - I swear the bruises healed in a couple days and the itching subsided almost instantly. I will definitely experiment on future bruises by using it by itself in a carrier oil. Thanks for sharing!
Helichrysum is excellent, and can be combined with Tamanu (carrier oil with wound-healing, anti-inflammatory properties). All that's needed for skin wounds are these -- if there's deeper bruising, other anti-inflammatory oils can be helpful: Plai, Frankcense CO2, Ginger CO2 and German Chamomile CO2. For a larger bruised area, a sample recipe might be (for each ounce): A base of 100% Tamanu, or 50:50 with Borage Seed, then: 35 drops Helichrysum 35 drops Plai 16 drops each Frankincense CO2 and Ginger CO2 8 drops German Chamomile CO2 (actually, it's easier to measure the essential oils first, then add the carriers to fill the bottle to the proper amount) I realize that's a lot of oils, and really including any in addition to the Helichrysum will likely be helpful. All the Best!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Black Eye Help
I wanted to get some input. A friend of mine was in a car accident where the airbag deployed. She is okay for the most part, but she has a black eye and a swollen lip. She has come to me for some help because I blended her a really nice headache blend that has helped. I am thinking of a Helichrysum & Lavender blend for the black eye since Helichrysum helps with bruising. Has anybody else had any experience with using essential oils for a black eye? Thank you Lisa
Helichrysum is precisely the oil to use. It willl help the healing occur much faster. The only concern is getting the oil near the eyes. I've done this myself, and it's fairly unpleasant. So here are a couple of simple options: 1) Dilute the helichrysum to 10% in a carrier, then apply lightly and slowly to see what she can tolerate. Really, with Heli, the more the merrier, but this is a challenging situation. 2) Dilute to about only 50%, but have her lie back with her eyes closed, apply, and have her wait 15 minutes until opening her eyes again to allow the oil to absorb. She can 'check' if the oil is still an irritant - and either close her eyes again and wait longer, have her face wiped with a tissue or soft cloth, or be lead to the bathroom sink to wash her face with soap and warm water before opening her eyes again. The lavender would help, though helichrysum is the stronger anti-inflammatory, and more quickly stimulates healing.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Focus / Mental Performance
Peppermint
The first bottle I bought, I caught myself sniffing it several times throughout the day. I use it for headaches, rubbing it in to sore feet and neck muscles. It clears my head when I'm stuffed. I simply love that stuff! Yum! Great in diffuser also.
Peppermint is mentioned in the 'Aromatherapy Home Medicine Chest' as one of those 'top ten' oils you should have at home. A deep inhale is great - even one drop on the tongue - to quickly clear the head. Also very invigorating when used in a massage oil...warms the muscles right up at a 1-2% concentration. Also, can help digestive troubles: 2 drops in some warm water will both stimulate and soothe digestion. Enjoy!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Is There an EO for ADHD?
Just curious about it. It would be nice to know if there is an EO for ADHD. There's EO for brain but not sure if it does anything for people who have ADHD.
Frankincense, Roman chamomile, sandalwood, vetiver, ylang ylang, and pine have been recommended for this.
Thank you. I have some Pine EO. I've read great things about Pine. I haven't used it steadily because I have about a dozen EO that I cycle on and off. Maybe I should stick with Pine EO for a while. I'm going to try out some Pycnogenol (Maritime Pine bark) supplement as well. Not sure if this is related to Pine but I have read of its possible health benefits.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Sleep
Insomnia
I know its the most obvious but I'm constantly surprised by the effectiveness of lavender. I like to diffuse it in a nebulizer. Mine can be set to go for a chosen length of time at intervals of my choice. So it can go on for five minutes every 25 minutes to keep me asleep. Sometimes it can take a little while to take effect (10 - 15 mins at most) but I will awaken feeling so slightly drugged which wears off very quickly but convinces me that I've used a potent substance. I like tumeric as well. I've also used Lavender to relieve pain in my legs from POTS which is surprising as well.
I have had success with lavender, provided I don't slather too much of it on myself (in which case I end up WITH insomnia) ...and I have had even more success using a blend of lavender, geranium and clary sage. Also, I have just made a nice lavender hydrosol from the lavender in my garden. It is more subtle than the essential oil, so I will be experimenting with that and will post the results soon.
I've read recently a study where it said the Jasmine aroma is as potent as the same Valium. Probably would sound too much, but a bit surely can help you to deeply relax and rest.
I have had success in recommending Marjoram for a 5 year old boy. This boy had difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Rubbing a drop or two of Marjoram on his feet before bed has helped to normalize his sleep patterns. Overall, his mother has now included half a dozen EO to his daily regimen, mostly to his feet, in the mornings and at night, and he is much calmer and happier than he used to be. He is a testament to the effectiveness of EO, for sure.
What I've found, is because I don't care so much for the more floral scents (just a personal preference), I use enough just so I get a "hint" of it in bed. Just a couple of drops on the bedsheet or pillow. Some folks love it, and will diffuse it all night, so you have to find what works for you. Melissa has also been recommended, and Neroli, or even "Neroli Petitgrain" (a very nice aroma, calming, with a lower cost). And as was said, chamomile or jasmine can work well too. There's science also saying Sandalwood can help improve the quality of rest. These are options just in case you'd like to try something other than lavender. I think the most important thing is to start with just a little and work up if you feel you'd like more. Also, massaging the oil into the feet is a very common application rather than diffusion.
I have fibromyalgia and have terrible insomnia. I can't go to sleep or stay asleep thus no good rems. I have been having some success with rubbing earth goddess essential oil blend on my feet neat. I also place green myrtle on a cotton ball and place it under my sleep mask near my nose. I am experiencing dreams again so I must be having better rem cycles.
I've had success with lavender as well. Also green myrtle (sp?), frankincense, sandlewood. I usually tip the bottle to get a trace on my fingers and then rub on my temples and behind my ears. I think I'll use some tonight!
If it is at the point where you can actually "smell it" you've used way too much. There should only be the slightest hint. For your sedative mixtures this is most important. Only put 1 drop of oil on your pillow.
Yes, definitely 'more is not better', and different folks will have varying success with different oils. Neroli is great, Mandarin Petitgrain is great - and as above, Lavender is the 'go to' oil. Though the idea is to simply get a 'hint' of the oil's aroma. UNDER the pillow is a great place to start, or out in the middle of the bedspread (no need to worry about staining). Further, there's been one research study showing an improvement of the sleep/wake cycle, and lessening of wakenings with Sandalwood...VERY interestingly, the Sandalwood was not inhaled. So, to replicate, one could put a couple drops on the bottom of each foot - which allows the oil to be absorbed into the bloodstream (of course, inhaling a little probably wouldn't hurt either).
I agree, Lavender is super ... but our physician, who has both my husband and I on Hormone therapy warns us of using Lavender for the hormone work she is trying to accomplish in both of us. Since it seems that Lavender seems to be the "go to" EO ... what would be everyone's plan b ... if Lavender should be limited. this is a great site!!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Nervous System Support
Blends for Anxiety and Stress
Here are two blends I have recently used for anxiety and stress, with excellent results. Cedarwood is added for inner strength in difficult times. Rose Otto - 1.5 ml Lavender - 1.5 ml Cedarwood - 1.5 ml Melissa - 4 drops Thyme - 4 drops Cypress - .5 ml Bergamot - 1 ml Lavender - 1 ml Melissa - 4 drops Palmarosa - 1 ml Frankincense - .5 ml Marjoram - .5 ml Vetiver - .5 ml Cedarwood - .5 ml Hope you find these to be useful!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Which Oil Is a Central Nervous System Stimulant, if Any?
If ephedra was ever made into an EO, would it be as stimulant to the CNS or not? Ephedra is a precursor to methamphetamine, if I'm not mistaken. The drug serves its purpose for ADHD but can be abused as well. Is there an EO made from ephedra?
From what I have found on the net, ephedra contains its own essential oil, which can be extracted via the usual methods. Whether you can find it for sale in that format is, however, another story. If you are interested in stimulant nervines, basil, clary sage, juniper, lemongrass, vetiver, rosemary, and peppermint might be useful.
I've tried sage, sweet basil, and peppermint EO. Teas as well but it was holy basil (tulsi). Not sure if there is much difference with basil vs. sweet basil, or clary sage vs. sage EOs. Curious is there a special machine to "extract"?
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Grounding and Connecting with the Earth
Grounding and Connecting with the Earth. Any suggestions? I am considering a blend of black spruce, cypress, cedarwood, douglas fir, and a bit of juniper berry. Also perhaps some rosewood.
Frankincense seratta -- the deeper of the two varieties, and perhaps the Myrrh (in a smaller relative amount). These would serve as base notes to the oils you've listed. Patchouli is really called for in this case too, but most folks either love it or hate it.
For the juniper berry in this blend, would you recommend SD or CO2?
The CO2 -- it has a real scent of Juniper Berries -- very rich, so much so that you have to be careful not to use too much, as it can overpower the other aromas. Steam distilled is nice, though has a less complex "evergreen" aroma. The Juniper Berry CO2 was one of my first favorite aromas... ~ Eric
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Menopause
Best Oil(s) for Female Hormonal Imbalance
Does anyone have specific information or experience in using EO's to treat PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), and its symptoms? Specifically infertility and hirsutism? I'm currently taking an androgen blocker but would like to eventually cure/treat this naturally rather than depend on a pill for the rest of my life. Also, I cannot get pregnant on the androgen blocker as it causes extreme birth defects.
Hi Emily. A bit of online research suggested Basil, Clary Sage, Cypress, Frankincense, Geranium, Helichrysum, Lavender, and Myrrh.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Hormone Imbalance
I'm just new to the wonderful healing world of essential oils. Currently my husband and I are mixing coriander, lemon and oregano in a capsule and taking it twice daily for diabetes. I was wondering if there is an oil or blend of oils which helps balance hormones (or to produce progesterone)?
In a lovely book called, Creative Menopause: illuminating women's health and spirituality, by Farida Sharan, MDMA, ND, MH, there are a variety of herbs and oils recommended for balancing hormones, and for producing progesterone. I encourage you to find her book, and perhaps research further on her websites. Herbs for Balancing Hormones: Alfalfa, Black Cohosh, Chasteberry, Cramp Bark, Dandelion Root (this is probably in your back yard), Dong Quai, False Unicorn, Fenugreek, Hops, Licorice, Liferoot, Motherwort, Nettles, Raspberry leaves, Red Clover Blossoms, Sage, Sarsaparilla, Saw Palmetto, Wild Yam Root, and Yarrow. Progesterone Promoting Herbs: Alfalfa, Chasteberry, Lady's Mantle, Pulsatilla, Sarsaparilla, Wild Yam Root, Yarrow. Rosemary Gladstar, a world-renowned Master Herbalist, also wrote, Herbal Healing for Women and a variety of other books on the topic that will help you in your search for herbs, and will also explain how to use the herbs once you have them. As far as essential oils are concerned, in The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, Valerie Ann Wormwood names the following as beneficial oils for the hormonal changes of menopause: Clary Sage, Geranium, Jasmine, Rosewood, Nutmeg, Sage, Rose Maroc, Bergamot, Coriander, Red Thyme. Also, taking vitamins and Evening Primrose Oil can be very helpful to the body. The GLAs (gamma linolenic acid) in Evening Primrose Oil, and in Borage Oil, are essential fatty acids needed by the body to make prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are contained in all cells in the body, and are necessary to many body systems, including circulation, digestion, reproduction, and growth. All the above essential oils and "carrier oils" of Evening Primrose, and Borage are available in various quantities on the website. The oils can either be crafted into body care products and absorbed through the skin, or can be taken internally. I wish you the absolute best of luck in your search. To your health, Julia@Ananda. Thanks for posting! Please let us know if we can help further.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Hair & Scalp
Essential Oils for Hair Growth
Hi, I have been considering using essential oils as a growth aid for my hair. I have been reading about different essential oils and carriers. I would like to fix my thinning hair, stop breakage/split ends, and most importantly grow my hair. I do have a mild case of alopecia, many split ends, a thinning hairline, and weak/brittle hair. I would like to create my own blend. Below is a list of oils and carriers that I think will work for me, but I would like another opinion/suggestion. Anything I should remove or add? Does the dilution % need to be changed? I plan to do scalp massages 3-5 day's with a blend of these oils. Any help is greatly appreciated. Carrier Oils: Grape Seed (Napa Valley Dark Green) – 2oz, Jojoba – 2oz, Castor – 4oz, Tamanu Oil – 2oz (I have tried true olive, avocado, and almond oil before, but I did not like them). Essential Oils: Lavender – at 3%, Peppermint – at 3%, Rosemary Verbenone – at 3%, White Thyme – at 3%, Ylang Ylang – at 3%, Eucalyptus – at 3%, Geranium – at 3%, Carrot Root – at 2% (where can I buy this? cannot find anywhere. I can only find Carrot Seed and Carrot Oil but not Carrot ROOT), Cedarwood – at 1%, Cypress – at 1%, Sage – at 1%.
Carrot oil is a CO2 extract of dried carrot root in Jojoba oil, making this wonderful distillation much easier to include in skin and hair care recipes. The oil does have a light, sweet and earthy aroma, though it is its actions when topically applied that are Carrot Root Oil's highlights. This bright orange oil is distilled from the root, and has different properties than Carrot Seed (the essential oil from the seed is often used for detoxification and regeneration of both skin and liver cells - these two oils can certainly be used in combination in your recipes).
As for carriers, good choices, though considering the skin-cell-growth enhancing aspects of Pomegranate Seed, and the somewhat 'acquired' aroma of Tamanu, I'd recommend 1oz Tamanu and 1oz Pomegranate. Virgin Coconut, too, is recommended for alopecia (and hair care) - you could replace some of your castor with this. As for the essential oils - Your TOTAL concentration should not exceed 5%. More is not better....so you should calculate all these down to add up to a MAX of 5%. Research treating alopecia was done with an EO concentration within the 2-3% range. For hair regrowth, you're interested in: reducing inflammation, stimulating circulation, and stimulating regeneration. Perhaps review your list, and consider adding Helichrysum and/or Rosehip CO2...though your recipe is quite complete as it is. Cheers!
Thank you. You said that I should use the Tamanu and Pomegranate oils as carrier oils to replace the castor oil. Should the castor oil not be used at all? Also, for hair that is not regrowth what factors should one be most interested in?
No, castor is fine...it's a bit thick and funky to work with, but blended with the other oils, should be fine. I can't say I have any knowledge of it being used on the scalp for one purpose or another - but that could just be a gap in my experience. Jojoba and Coconut are the two most-frequently mentioned/utilized carrier oils for hydrating the hair/hair repair/luster, etc.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Essential Oils for Dandruff & Oily Hair
I have dandruff on my scalp & oily hair--a weird combo I know, but what would be the best way to treat my hair type with essential oils? and any ideas for a homemade shampoo?
As strange as it may sound, baking soda wash and a vinegar-based condition is the best remedy I've tried for treating dandruff. I use about a palmful of baking soda, moistened into a paste, and then gently scrub the scalp with it. Baking soda is alkaline, which reacts with the "acid mantle", which is the layer of sebum and sweat it our skin's life purpose to produce. It removes dirt, oil, and debris, and exfoliates the scalp. To restore a favorable acid balance to the scalp, as well as to seal the cuticle of the hair down after being opened by alkaline baking soda, spray in apple cider vinegar with a few drops of essential oil to make it smell nice, and to treat the skin. Cider vinegar heals the scalp, and will cool it down immediately after putting it on. Lavender and Palmarosa would be my recommendations for essential oils, as they are both astringent, and balance the sebaceous glands. If you have color-treated hair, skip the baking soda, as it may reduce the life of your color. Carrot root oil is also especially healing and regenerative to the hair and skin, so massaging a little of that into the scalp might be really soothing. It is also worth questioning whether your shampoo has ingredients that are irritating your scalp. Many people are sensitive to detergents and sulfates that make shampoos foam. I've been using a homemade shampoo to avoid those chemicals. First, I add about 6 drops of Argan nut oil, to the ends only, of my shoulder-length relatively thick hair. You'll find an amount that works for you in about two shampoos! Then I use about 2-3 ml of Aloe Castille Soap. It is made to remove oil, so it does that, but leaves enough that my hair is smooth and easy to comb through. You'll know exactly how much you can leave in, and whether you need to "shampoo" again. If you want to scent your soap with oils, any of the above will work well.
thanks for your helpful tips. I'm going to try the baking soda & the vinegar rinse. I think I'll use the Lavender, vera that I just got from you all. I love the smell of that one so much better than Lav. wild or any other Lav. I have ever tried. That is some good stuff! Where do you get the aloe shampoo? I have tried Dr. B's brand of castille soap & it makes my hair really oily and my head still itches. I think I am just allergic to everything. I'm sure that has been my problem in the past w/ shampoos--there is something in them that I react to. So I guess the simpler the better for me.
The warmer summertime months is the perfect time to diffuse and blend with light, energizing, herbaceous, floral, and cooling essential oils. Oils from the mint, citrus and floral families are especially nice during summer.
Our Healthy Hair blend, diluted to half strength, in Jojoba OR virgin coconut oil (better, but you have to deal with melting it at 76deg.), massaging in a few times per week is really an excellent place to start. Best, Eric
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Hair Growth? (Eyebrows Too!)
I'm looking forward to make an oil blend to use as a weekly or bi-weekly hair treatment and I want something that makes my hair healthy, soft, very shiny (shine is quite important), but especially that stimulates hair growth. What do you recommend? Do you think could work on eyebrows too? Any recommendation for eyebrows hair?
Healthy Hair blend on the Essential Oils Blends page -- this could be massaged into the scalp and left there for 20min to 1hr, then washed-out. The blend was primarily formulated to stimulate hair growth, and make the follicles happy. We're currently developing a series of shampoos and conditioners, but it will likely be about the first of August until they're on the site. A regular scalp massage with only virgin coconut oil may be very effective as well -- there seems to be a lot of research coming out about the positive properties of that oil for hair care. Cheers!
I have been using Rosemary, Lavender, and Basil in Jojoba carrier oil with pretty good results. My wife is now hooked on it. I also want to try the blend sold in this site. Sounds like it has all the right stuff in it. tsp
4 drops clary sage, 4 drops rosemary, 2 drops cedarwood, 2 drops ylang-ylang. Base is 1 ounce jojoba oil. Add oils first then the base. Roll gently to mix. Apply to scalp a few times per day for thinning hair on scalp.
Tamanu oil -- because it stimulates new skin cell development, and is anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial (both implicated in hair loss), regular massage with the oil may be effective. We'll use this, and add a little Helichryum (regenerative and increases blood flow) and Carrot Root (vitamin A compounds also stimulate new skin cell production). With all this, we're really guessing that if it grows new skin, it's going to help revive follicles.
i read an article about hair growth and I want to share this hair growth recipe. 1 Ounce of carrier oil, 8 drops of Myrtle, 8 drops of Lavender, 8 drops of Rosemary Verbenone, 16 drops of Carrot Roots or Sea Buckthorn. hope it can help
If your eyebrows are missing the outer third it's usually a sign of hypothyroidism so that should be taken into account. I'd be really interested if any of these EO's actually stimulate regrowth of eyebrows, because to me it would indicate a positive effect on the thyroid gland. anybody?
I am very interested in learning more about the medicinal value of essential oil use, so I have recently purchased MANY books on the subject. The following is an excerpt from "Aromatherapy for Health Professionals" Third Edition, by Shirley Price and Len Price: ESSENTIAL OILS EFFECTING THE THYROID GLAND: Allium sativum (Garlic) - Thyroid Stimulant (Franchole & Penoel 2001 p. 349). Onion (N-propyldisulphide) and Garlic (methy disulphide, allyl disulphide) - Inhibit Iodine Metabolism (rats) (Cowan et al 1967, Salji et al 1971). Daucus Carota (Carrot Seed) - Helps the Pituitary Gland to Regulate the Production of Thyroxin. Commiphora myrrah (Myrrh) - Balances the production of Thyroxin. Rose (1992 p. 118) advises Myrrh be used in inhalation in the early morning to stimulate and regulate the thyroid. Pinus silvestrus (Pine) - is a Thyroid Stimulant. Cymbopogon martinii (Palmarosa) - considered having a Normalizing Effect on the Thyroid Gland (Rose 1992 p. 122). Picea mariana (Black Spruce) - is said to be Cortisone Like and Useful in Cases of Hyperthyroidism. Sassafras - In rats, oral administration of safrole or sassafras oil gives rise to cellular changes in the adrenal, pituitary and thyroid glands; also the testes or ovaries (Abbot et all 1961). Not referenced: many essential oils are said to have a tendency to normalize hormonal secretions by encouraging the endocrine glands naturally to work more efficiently. In my searches I have found these mentioned - artemisia, basil, cinnamon, clary sage, cumin, cypress, lavender, melissa, myrtle, pepper, mint, pine, thyme, valerian. Both Pimenta dioica (allspice) and eugenol are said to enhance trypsin activity and have larvicidal properties (Harkiss personal communications). I hope this is helpful. Best Regards, Sue
For hair growth, in all places our Healthy Hair blend is formulated just for this. Apply 2x daily, just enough as can be absorbed by the area. Leave on as long as possible before washing out (if necessary). Best, Eric
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Blending & Formulation
Aging of Essential Oils
Aging of Essential Oils I see sometimes mentioned that essential oils get better with time or age. A couple questions, Is that true with all oils? Do oils evaporate if expose to air i.e. the lid left off? Will oils become more potent if aged, and do they age in a close bottle or left with the lid off? What is the shelf life of oils? Ali
Yes, some oils get better with age, some oils have such a long "shelf life" that it doesn't really matter, and some should be relatively fresh (but not JUST distilled -- the best distillers won't ship some of their oils until they're a few weeks old -- Lavender and Helichrysum are examples. SO, to answer your questions: Oils that get better with age: Sandalwood tops the list, as it will actually be more costly the older the 'vintage'. I've found other woods to improve with age: Palo Santo, and likely Rosewood, also perhaps Cedarwood, though I have not experienced one that I new was aged. Many heavier oils and resin oils also seem to improve with age: Patchouli, Vetiver, Frankincense (CO2 at least), Myrrh, likely Spikenard. Oils will evaporate if you leave the lid off. This isn't typically done to age an oil faster. You'll simply loose oil. A quality aged Patchouli or Sandalwood has just been stored away for some time (a year at least), but not in an open bottle or jar. The oils do not necessarily become more biochemically therapeutically more potent. They just seem to have nicer aromas. We have a large library here at the store, and a lot of cumulative knowledge. No one has said an aged sandalwood will be more effective at preventing skin cancer (just an example from the research on the oil). The oil MAY thicken, but that's not necessarily an improvement. There's generally groups of shelf lives, and always exceptions. Some should be within the last year's distillation: Lavender, Tea Tree, Neroli, ALL pressed citrus oils -- however, a very respected aromatherapist (writer and holder of a Ph.D.) said even these oils can last almost indefinitely if stored in a dark bottle, with as little air space in the bottle as possible, and kept in a cool location. Their seems to be debate about refrigeration, but it seems the latest school of thought is that this is perfectly fine, as long as that's your "storage" bottle, not your "working" bottle. Don't take it in and out of the cold frequently -- keep a bottle out that you work from, and occasionally refill that. So, it would be a very long and complex list to discuss the shelf life of each oil. One of our projects is putting up more technical documentation about each oil, and this will appear there. This is a GENERAL order of shelf lives, from shortest to longest, if simply kept in a bottle that's been opened, but with the cap on and kept out of light and heat: 1 - Pressed citrus oils and Neroli: One year or less 2 - Florals (but not Helichrysum, for example -- "florals" with floral aromas" 3 - Herbal oils - there's a wide range, particularly if you include the spice oils. Cinnamon will last a long time, but Tea Tree has been shown to cause contact dermatitis if it's been left out and not stored properly after a year. 4 - There are some oils where age doesn't seem to affect them either way. Certainly Helichrysum (some say a 5 year shelf life) is an example. 5 - Then oils that improve aromatically with age (but there's no evidence, again, for changes in therapeutics, other than aromatically). Whew! Bottom line is, there's only a few oils that are certain to improve aromatically with age: Sandalwood and Patchouli are the most well known. The way they are most commonly aged is just stored away for a long time. And with other oils, just be aware of your storage methods. Light, heat and air CAN degrade the therapeutic value of SOME oils (though there is very little data on this -- other than these oils seem to cause skin irritation for a small group of the population. Hope this helps! Please let us know if we can clarify any of this
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Hot Temps During Shipping — Damaging?
Hello, I am hoping to find out if hot temperatures during shipping can damage the essential oils. I live in the south and temps are in the 90's for the foreseeable future. Packages are often left in the sun if they are delivered while I'm gone and I imagine temps in the direct sun get up in the 115 degree range. I am dying to order some of the more precious oils like rose, sandalwood, etc but hate the thought that they will get damaged. Any thoughts? I keep missing the specials I'm interested in waiting for a break in heat to make an order, but this might be over thinking? Thanks so much!
There's no problem ordering in the heat. They're steam distilled essential oils, and heat for a while won't hurt them at all. Just store them properly when you receive them...they have a very long shelf life, and are bottled in dark bottles. Absolutely will be ok!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Blending?
I am always afraid of wasting oil when I blend. What happens if I blend the oils and I do not like it, there is $ down the drain. What I have done is get several 1 ounce jars and fill them with coconut oil, but could be the oil of your liking. I add the oils to the jars and have several to choose from. That way I can mix as I go and save oil without worrying about blending. I the morning you can choose your oils and wear them in any combination, I have several oils I have this way, Sandalwood, Palo Santo, Amber, Blue Lotus, Cedar, Lavender. You can apply a little Sandalwood in your bread if you have one a little Lavender on your arms, it is endless.
This sounds like a great system! You've created a way to enable the greatest versatility with combinations of essential oils. If you decide you like a couple oils together reliably, or you want to change the strength of the scents, you can always add a few drops of each essential oil into a tiny sample vial alone, or the bottom of a 1 oz. jar. That way, if you don't like it, it's no more than a few drops at risk. Once you figure out proportions you like, add your coconut oil, and you have created your favorite blend. Make a note of the recipe, and you will be able to recreate it anytime. Thanks for the contribution, Ali.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Blending by Frequency or "Note"?
I've read some conflicting and often confusing information on the art? science? of blending oils for therapeutic use. One website recommended adding oils to a blend according to their individual frequencies, i.e., highest MHz oil first, then in decreasing order. Another recommended adding oils to a blend based on top-, mid-, and bottom "notes" -- which seems to be more relative to perfumes than the medicinal properties of the oils. Does anyone know if either of these recommendations are (A) True/valid? and (B) Relevant when blending for therapeutic purposes? Thanks so much for any help!
Some websites demarcate frequencies of oils, so that you don't end up with discordant oils in your blend. The frequency is one way of looking at it. Unless you are especially sensitive to frequencies, your own sense of smell is deserving of your trust. If a couple of oils vibrate at contradictory frequencies, then they won't smell right together (i.e. attributes of one oil are subsumed by another, the mix becomes flat or colorless in the mind's eye.) Using "notes" is a closer approximation to one's own sensory input. Aromatherapy literature categorizes oils, from which you can pick a top-, middle-, and bottom-note. Then, finding your blend is a process of combining each of those notes to arrive at a blend that smells right to you. For example, Patchouli and Orange oils smell delightful together --that is, when they are accompanied by Neroli, or another middle note that marries them together. Without the middle note, your attention would be drawn to the heaviness of patchouli after the blitz of Orange passes. With a middle note, You smell a nice round, full, fruity, and earthy fragrance. Nothing distracting, nothing too strong. Choosing from a variety of "notes" is all about balancing the scents that work for you. If you prefer an example be set, or to have more of a template to go from, take a look through our recipes on the website, or in aromatherapy books that include recipes. With a little research to figure out how aromatherapists are combining notes, you will be able to repeat the process for yourself with ease. Also, it's possible that if you describe what you're looking for in words, one of us on the forum would be able to make suggestions as to which oils to combine. Indulge your patience and curiosity, as well as your senses! Enjoy!
One really need distinguish what "therapeutic" means in this case: is it the aroma that is invoking a psycho/emotional response, or the biochemistry (and yes, in some cases they do work in concert, but this can be mostly put aside for the beginner). We'll look at both... The best bet for the VAST majority of practitioners blending with essential oils for aromatic purposes (be they therapeutic, pleasurable, or both) is blending by note. The available information for "frequency" is SO limited, it makes it very difficult to use this as a guideline. There's also very little consistent information on frequency blending, even in the best, most advanced of the aromatherapy literature. For the experienced blender, the very sensitive, and the very experienced individual whom are effected by, and can detect, differences in frequencies in oils and their blends, should absolutely experiment with this procedure - and if anyone does so, we'd be very interested in their experience. Also, remember that here too, the vast majority of blends for therapeutic use are for very "palpable" needs, where frequency will be overcome by biochemistry in most cases. One of our concerns is that the beginning-to-novice practitioners avoid creating blends themselves because the information seems complex. For blends for therapeutic purposes that are not primarily aromatic, one can simply use the therapeutic properties of each oil, and it's activity at a given concentration (along with safety concerns) as the main guideline. For example: blending for pain and inflammation relief -- Helichrysum and Plai are oils that can be used "neat", so one could include them at relatively high concentrations in their formulas. Yet other anti-inflammatory oils need to be used in smaller amounts (as they can in fact be "pro-inflammatory" if used in concentrations that are too high). Ginger CO2 essential oil, an extract backed by scientific research for its ability to block production of pro-inflammatory hormones in the body, is rather "intense". While Helichcrysum or Plai can be in a base at 10%, Ginger CO2 should be closer to 1/2%. Same with German Chamomile CO2 essential oil -- it too is highly anti-inflammatory, yet the distiller says to include in formulas at 1/4 to 1/2% concentration. The bottom line here is to be clear as to not overdo it, thinking "more is better", because the essential oils are so potent. To advance as a practitioner, it's SO much more important that one at least jumps in and starts blending, and begin gaining some experience. For purely medicinal applications, the above method is probably the simplest. For aromatic blending, including therapeutic aromatic formulas, a combination of therapeutic activity, concentrations necessary to achieve this activity relative to other oils, AND, as was originally noted ... Blending by note will be easier in all the respects discussed to start with. Whether one goes from high to low, or low to high, we have not as much noticed a difference as one being methodical in their process. Try blending simply drop by drop -- and letting the blend sit for a while before judging it. Don't keep smelling it over and over, and you'll loose your sensitivity to the differences in your formulas. The blend itself will change as the oils really mix (for some reason, there's no other way to do this but wait -- shaking does not have the same effect). And MANY blends which were OK when first put together really improve by sitting overnight. It's also a good idea to see what they'll smell like on your skin, not just out of the bottle, as this too seems to have an important effect on you're appreciation of the aroma. (Some recommend inhaling deeply from bag of freshly ground coffee between aromatic sampling of the blend, as it seems to clear the olfactory sense). While that's an awful lot on a simple question regarding "frequency" or "note", there are many factors involved. Both are valid means, depending on the desired outcome, and experience of the practitioner, and we thought we'd bring them up for a complete picture! Please, this is a great discussion, and we'd love to keep up the conversation All the Best, Eric @ The Ananda Apothecary
Wow! Thanks so much for both replies to my post. I appreciate any advice from those more experienced and knowledgeable. My primary interest is in creating specialized blends for my counseling clients to help with some of their issues. Most people I see have more than one problem at a time, such as trauma from sexual abuse + self-rejection + deep anger/rage -or- rejection/abandonment + inferiority + depression -or- trauma/PTSD from an accident + intense fear, etc. Clients range from teenage girls in Juvenile Detention to soccer moms to CEO's to the chronically homeless. I've been mixing blends for each person based on the emotionally therapeutic benefits of the oils that address their specific needs. I add individual oils per drop while attempting to make the blend aromatically pleasing as well. The oils I've used most are Rose Otto, Sandalwood, Neroli, Bergamot, Lavender, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Orange, Geranium, Melissa, Blue Tansy, Helichysum, Ylang Ylang and Vetiver. I'm diluting with a carrier oil and placing the blend in a small roll-on bottle for my clients to use in prayer, during their sessions with me, and anytime they feel overwhelmed or flooded by negative feelings (they apply the oil to a few specific points and also inhale.) They all seem to love using their individual oil blend and say it's really helping them process and release their buried emotions. At this point, I don't know if they are truly experiencing something with the oils, are responding to the suggestion that the oils may help, or just feel special and cared about due to having something created just for them! I've done quite a bit of research on the web, and would be interested in any info regarding essential oils and emotions - especially any scientific research on the effects of oils on emotions. I gleaned some great info here on the Ananda site just from reading the description page on each oil -- thank you! I have Dr. Carolyn L. Mein's book "Releasing Emotional Patterns With Essential Oils", but it's based on a specific brand of oils/blends.
(which our distributor is out of, and we're looking for a new source) which is less esoteric than, say, Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit, but seeing what you're dealing with, that may be really worthwhile for you. It was really one of my first favorites, and offers many simple recipes for relatively complex psycho-emotional states (5 types of stress, 3 of anger, worthlessness, etc.) There's not a whole lot of research on the emotional effects of "aroma"-therapy. There seems to be more on Bergamot than any other as acting consistently as an anti-depressant and pain reliever (it affects brain wiring) lavender a sedative; sandalwood both relaxing and uplifting at the same time. But also, in general, there's not a lot of psychological research, and even that data is inconsistent. It's fantastic what you're doing, and I think different results would be seen in studies like "Does Lavender Hand Massage Create Positive Outcome On Emotional State" if the oils were blended by a professional for each individual. Everyone likes different scents, and has different wiring in the brain - where the aromas strongly effect - wiring which was created from the individual's lifetime of experience. I recommend searching pubmed.gov ...I found this abstract searching for "bergamot oil anxiolytic" Essential oils and anxiolytic aromatherapy. It's a very basic abstract, but if you could dig up the complete paper, it might be useful given what the abstract says. I logged into the Journal's website, but could not find anything but abstracts - one may need an 'institutional account' ... if you're interested, you might look at the abstract, get the journal reference and send an email to their customer service to see what you could access. I would love to hear more about your entire process; being of direct assistance with the oils is something of great value for me. Cheers! Eric
I'm bringing this conversation to the top because it greatly interests me as well. I am a Life Coach and plan to make "gifts" for my clients for spiritual/emotional healing. I tend to be a simple blender...which is fine but would love to hear/see more recipes that others here create for spiritual/emotional healing. In fact, Julia mentioned the patchouli/orange blend needing a middle note to marry the scents. I would love it if she were willing to share the blend recipe...hint,hint...LOL! With laughter and magic, Elaine
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Blending Strength
Any information on blending strength percentages of the different oils for use on the skin? For example if I blend my oil with carrier for a 1% - 4% or (7% just because I like if strong), are there any guidelines for oil strengths that you can apply to the skin? I guess it depends on your skin, I do use some oils on my skin @ 100%, but I do take warning on oils that are not recommended to apply with out dilution. Just looking for some guidelines.
The CO2 'fruit and vegetable" source oils can be used at a little higher concentration -- sometimes I'll use as much as 1, maybe even 2 full milliliters of Sea Buckthorn, 1ml of Rose hip oil CO2 to "total" extract, or Carrot Root. These somewhat resemble cold-pressed seed oils, but with a much higher concentration of flavenoids and other nutrients besides fats. I use less so of pretty much everything else except oils that can be used neat, if they are used that way often (really only helichrysum, lavender, and plai, but I have yet to experiment with this one). So don't let "CO2" fool you -- it's certainly easy to use too much Frankincense (irritating); German Chamomile & Calendula - may (according to some professionals), have a pro-inflammatory effect when used at greater than 2%, And particularly for topical facial skincare, if I use too high an amount of the Heli or Lav., it can irritate my eyes. So really it's just those Fruit CO2's, oh AND Sandalwood -- that seems to be fairly benign as well -- being a base note (releasing slowly aromatically around the eyes) GENERALLY, skin care formulas created without the idea of treating some medical condition are in the neighborhood of 3% - 5% total essential concentration, particularly those for continuous daily use.
My latest, all-around, face serum has an 11-12% concentration of oils to one ounce of carrier. The oils consist of: sea buckthorn, carrot root, helichrysum, rosemary verb, lavender. According to what Eric has said, most of these oils are safe to use at higher concentrations because they fall under "oils that can be used neat" or as one of the qualifying "fruit & veg" oils. I've been using this blend for about 2 weeks now, and so far it doesn't feel like it's too strong. But I do have some concern about it being potentially pro-inflammatory, due to the high concentration of EO's (and my predisposition for acne). Any thoughts?
To be safe, perhaps you should consider diluting your blend somewhat with some hazelnut carrier oil, which has an astringent quality (but won't dry out your skin) and should be suitable for skin prone to acne.
Hi Ether & Sue -- I DO think it's a very nice anti-aging / regenerative blend. The rosemary and lavender might be anticeptic enough to ward off acne, but Sue made a good suggestion -- and I think you could use Grapeseed as well. Regarding the concentration, that is a pretty high number, I don't think even with those oils I go over 6 or 7%, but if there's reasonably more sea buckthorn and carrot root than the others in their ratio of concentrations, I could see it may be ok. Now, I still wouldn't use Heli, Lavender, and particularly the Rosemary (not one that should be used "neat") at 2% each. I don't think you'll see a pro-inflammatory condition, and because they're often used "neat", some highly educated therapist would have said something over the last 20 years I think if the concentrations were too high. I've made a similar blend, including Frankincense CO2 at a slightly high concentration, which made my eyes water and my skin feel a little warm. My final words: I would still recommend those that are first blending for facial skin care to stay at or below the 5% limit, and ask if they have questions about certain oils which may be ok to use more of. And for all readers, don't feel more is better; more can be better and more can burn.
I should have been more thorough. To the EO's I originally listed, I added approx. a 1/3 of each for a total of one ounce: Hazelnut, Argan, Tamanu. The actual number of drops I used for EO's are: 35 drops Sea Buckthorn, 35 drops Carrot Root, 17 drops Helichrysum, 17 drops Rosemary Verbenone, 10 drops Lavender. That's a total of 114 drops; 11-12% concentration. I really enjoyed discovering how the Hazelnut seems to help everything else get absorbed better. Eric, I went a little nuts, didn't I. I would actually prefer that "less is more", when it comes to concentrations... But next time, I'll keep it to below 5%.
By MY calculations you're between 8.68% and 9.21%. This is using the 33-35 drops per mL value which we've consistently recorded across droppers and oils...maybe it's the altitude?
I have a feeling there's something I'm not getting right in determining the concentration of blends. Considering I have 114 drops of essential oil to 1oz of carrier oil in this blend -- Eric, will you break down the math?
We'll do the calculation of the essential oil concentration in your blend using milliliters. Because drops per milliliter is an easy and common way to figure the concentrations of EO's in carriers, one day I decided to actually measure this -- rather than assume the figure that's for WATER (20 drops per millimeter) is correct for essential oils. The numbers are very different. I JUST did this test again a few minutes ago, using a scientific disposable transfer pipette, and here's what I observed: 1) for water, there were 20 drops per milliliter, 2) for a thin oil (tea tree) there were 30 drops per milliliter, 3) for a thicker oil (Sea Buckthorn Berry CO2 Total) there were 40 drops per ml. SO, to get down to business and answer your question about what's the concentration of 114 drops of essential oils within one ounce of blend! There are 30 milliliters in one fluid ounce. There are (about) 30 to 38 drops of essential oil per milliliter, depending on which essential oil. Let's go with the average being d/ml of the oils in your blend. So you want to figure out first how many milliliters is 114 drops, then divide that by 30 (milliliters in one fluid ounce) to give you the percent concentration. That's 114/35 = 3.26 milliliters of essential oil. 3.26/30 = 0.108, or 10.8%. Tomorrow the staff will be measuring the number of drops per milliliter of each essential oil, and we'll put up a chart for anyone who would like to use it in their blending.
Eric posted the link to "Table with Drops Per Milliliter Chart" for all the Ananda oils under the topic: "How to make blends according to % concentrations". I didn't want you to miss it. The link to the chart is below as well. http://www.anandaapothecary.com/measuring-essential-oils.html
Hi Eric. Without perhaps giving away secrets, I am wondering about the percentages of rose and helichrysum in your Bella Rosa blend? And in general, what percentages would you recommend of these oils, plus lavender and sandalwood, in any facial blend?
As this is a "general skin care" blend, and not specifically for healing wounds, injuries or scars, the % concentration are around .5% Rose, and 1-2% Helichrysum. For general skin care, the max % recommended is generally 5%. With a very few CO2 oils, you can use a little more (Carrot Root, Sea Buckthorn, perhaps Rosehip) as they're not as volatile. So, a TOTAL of 5% max is the general rule of thumb for skin care - if your eyes are watering from application that wasn't "on" them, or your skin feels slightly sunburned, your concentration is too high.
I am wondering what you used to measure the drops per ml. If an eyedropper or pipette, how can you keep it from getting some into each oil you are measuring, or would you either clean it or use a new one for each? What about using the orifice reducer? There would obviously be no problem using this method in terms of perhaps adulterating each oil, but would the number of drops be as accurate as the other methods?
Well, of course in the store we have a different pipette for every oil. And with the 3ml pipettes, you can shake them pretty clean such that less than a drop would remain before using. Consider the physics of actually getting one type of oil into the bottle of another. Let's say it was 1 drop (when I've shaken most oil pipettes clean, even one drop is hard to come by). 1 drop in a 12ml bottle is something on the order of 1/480th. It's just not something that's going to have an effect. Now, if you're using some of the really thick oils - rosehip CO2, for example, you might want to dedicate a pipette to the bottle, or wash it with Vodka, shake, then dry. We generally don't recommend measuring precise amounts with the orifice reducer.
Can you give me guidance when I am mixing the essential oils and carrier oils, if it is 1% (for example) how many drops do I use to carrier oil?
Check this link for the number of drops per milliliter of particular oils. Then multiply that number by .01 (1%) times total mls in your blend (including carrier oil) to get the number of drops. For example, if there are 44 drops per ml of the oil you are wanting to use in a 30ml (one ounce) bottle, it would be 44 x .01 x 30 = 13.2 drops.
You can imagine it like this. There are 30 milliliters in 1 ounce, and typically this is the amount of carrier oil one uses - and can 'factor up from' (meaning if you're making 4oz total, just multiply the essential oil amounts by 4). If you added 1ml of essential oil to 30ml of Carrier Oil, this would result in a 3.33% concentration of essential oil in the carrier. For simplicity's sake, we just say use 1/3rd ml of essential oil per ounce of carrier to make a 1% concentration. With our measuring pipettes, you can 'eyeball' this, and really 'close enough is close enough'. You can of course also count drops. Every essential oil has a different number of drops per milliliter coming from a pipette or glass eye dropper. This varies from about 30 to 40 drops per ml depending on the EO. Rather than bog down on getting an exact number, use 12 drops of essential oil for each ounce of carrier oil to give you a 1% concentration. So even if you use 3 essential oils, you could add 4 drops of each to one ounce of carrier oil, giving you a 1% concentration.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Blending — How Much Carrier Oil?
Omg...I'm so confused about how much carrier to use for an immune support blend. There are 61 drops being used. Can I choose how much oil I want like 1 oz to 61 drops? Is it safe or would I need more carrier oil? Plz help
Minimum-maximum drops of EO into measurement of base oil: 0-1 drop = 1/5 teaspoon. 2-5 drops = 1 teaspoon (5 ml). 4-10 drops = 2 teaspoons (10 ml). 6-15 drops = 1 tablespoon (15 ml). 8-20 drops = 4 teaspoons. 15-25 drops = 5 teaspoons. 12-30 drops = 2 tablespoons. For 61 drops I would use at least 60 ml (4 tablespoons) of carrier oil. Considering that 1 oz = 30 ml (approx.), you will need at least 2 oz carrier oil for 61 drops.
I find it is easiest to make up a blend then add the blended oils as needed to a roller with a carrier. I like having some undiluted for smelling or diffusing and this way I dont have to try to cut a recipe down enough for my small bottle. using a teaspoon of carrier is SUPER easy as it is 1% dilution per drop. So if you add 5 drops of blend to a teaspoon of carrier you have a 5% dilution. Easy peasy
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Help! I Added Too High a Concentration of EO's, How to Fix?
HELP! I made my own antiaging facial serum (in a base oil of 20% Rosehip seed oil and 80% grape seed oil). I had read I should keep the concentration of EO's at 3 to 5%, not realizing this was supposed to be the TOTAL EO concentration. So now I realize I need to add a lot more base oil to bring the concentration down, can anyone help me figure out how much more to add? THANKS! Here is the recipe I used: (In a 15 ml violet bottle with pump) 32 drops Frankincense (5%) 33 drops helichrysum (5%) 20 drops Neroli (3%) 31 drops carrot seed oil (5%) 32 drops sea buckthorn (5%) 19 drops patchouli (3%)
Hi. Perhaps the easiest solution is to purchase a 100 ml violet bottle with pump. That will reduce the percentage of EO's by more than one-sixth, or a bit more than 4% total. Pour the contents of your 15 ml bottle into the large one, and then fill it with carrier oil(s).
Thank you so much! This works out perfectly because I have 100 mL bottle with the pump I was going to use for hand sanitizer.
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Tools, Methods, and Some Tips for Blending
Some ideas on blending for different purposes and how best to achieve your goal. Skin Care Blends: For skin care, particularly for the face, be sure to keep your total essential oil concentration below 5% maximum, 3% is probably better. There ARE a FEW oils you can use greater amounts of; these are mostly the CO2's from fruits: Sea Buckthorn, Rosehip, and Carrot Root, because even at high concentrations, they won't be irritating to the skin -- this is NOT the case with Frankincense CO2's (which are excellent anti-aging, anti-cancer skin care agents, but can be irritating at higher levels), German Chamomile CO2, because at over 1% it MAY become PRO-inflammatory (says one published therapist), and Calendula (again, it's effects are so strong that you only need tiny amounts -- the distiller recommends less than 1/2% in your blend). It is generally best to start with an empty bottle of known size, add the essential oils, then estimate the amount of carriers to complete the formula. I'll use a one or two ounce bottle, add all the essential oils, then carefully add the carrier oils at approximate amounts (if a blend says 1/3rd each of Argan, Tamanu and Rosehip Seed as the base, getting close to 1/3rd each is really good enough!) Natural Perfume or Aromatic Diffuser Blends: For Creating Blends for Natural Perfume, or one where you would like a particular aroma and you're creating it yourself: Make a very small amount first, and write down how much of each oil you've added. Wait a while before deciding on whether you like the aroma, and how you're going to adjust it. It's nearly impossible to keep smelling the same oils over and over while developing a blend and get a good idea of what the finished product will be like. The blend will smell different after an hour or so (some more, some less). Your nose needs time to clear out so it can smell ALL the aspects of the blend again. Some use a small bag of fresh coffee grounds, and inhale deeply from this to clear their aroma 'palate', so they can fully experience the next oil(s) right away. You should still allow blends to sit for a while because of the oils, not just your nose. If you'll be wearing the blend, make sure you try it on your wrist, as it will smell different there than it will from the bottle. If anyone else has any tips, please let us know!
I agree with your comments regarding fragrance blends. It is vital that one wears a fragrance for at least 30 minutes in order for the fragrance to blend with your chemistry. Smelling a product from a bottle or placing it on paper is not going to be a true test of the fragrance. Another important factor to consider is the weather. Some fragrances are lighter and naturally work better in warmer weather (Spring or Summer), while other combinations, particularly spices and roots or balsams, are much more appealing to cooler climates. Finally, personal preference is the final deciding factor, and there are as many opinions about fragrances as there are people in this lovely world! Having loved fragrances all my life, I am still as passionate as ever with the endless possibilities!
I use a 2.0 - 2.5% (on my facial client blends) but I think it is up to the therapist - original poster is correct you should not use more than 5%. Also I am an obsessive measurer (have more tools than anyone should have).
Yes, AgeDog1 is certainly correct that about 2 - 2.5% concentration of essential oils in blends for skin care -- particularly for the face, is the way to go with most oils. There are just a few CO2 distilled oils that you can use a little more of if you like - in particular Sea Buckthorn, Carrot Root, and Rosehip (CO2 total, not seed oil carrier I mean) - which will not be irritating at slightly higher amounts. I find these oils still gentle on the skin even if I blend with 1% each, all in the same formula; the reason being is they contain higher amounts of the plant's total lipid soluble components -- ie. a little more "nutritive" essential fats than even other CO2 distillations such as Frankincense. It's a good idea always to see how your skin reacts regardless. It's always easy to dilute a little more if you need to!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Using an EO in a Blend for Its Aroma
I have a general question. Is it OK to add a few drops of a favorite oil -- in my case Neroli, Jasmine, or Sandalwood -- to a therapeutic blend just because I love the aroma and this makes the product more pleasurable to use? More specifically, I have made a cream to treat my facial dermatitis, which is made from East African Shea Butter, Ananda's Skin Care Base, Chamomile, and Calendula. It smells fine but not heavenly, and has definitely helped a lot. I would like to scent it with a few drops of Neroli or the other oils I mention above but wanted to make sure this will not be negative for skin with Dermatitis. When I researched Neroli I didn't find any mention of it as an irritant but it does seem to have some astringent effects. More generally, is creating a formula which smells wonderful generally a consideration when treating a problem? Obviously the most important part of using essential oils is to address a symptom or enhance some aspect of health, but having an aromatherapuetic experience would be wonderful. I guess an alternative would be to add the Neroli to a Jojoba base, and use it as perfume. Thanks for any ideas, thought, suggestions, or suggested resources.
I often add a few drops of a highly aromatic oil such as Neroli or Rose to various EO blends, and have not experienced anything untoward. The aroma is of course a large part of aromatherapy!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Using Thyme Essential Oil Blend in Water for a Mouth Rinse
Hi. I've been dealing with gingivitis for a long time and had gum surgery about 6 mouths ago. I recently got thyme which is supposed to help with this condition. I blended a few drops, along with a few drops of lavender (to further dilute the thyme) and a few drops of peppermint in a small cup of warm water and use it as a rinse after I brush. I noticed an improvement in my gums but on the thyme information page a caution is don't use if you have high blood pressure. I do and take a low dose blood pressure medication. Any thoughts on this? Thanks. Colorz
Because you're not swallowing the Thyme essential oil, there should be no concern with regards to your blood pressure - it's really just rinsing your teeth and gums, eliminating bacteria. Haven't tried the thyme yet, but proud of you for doing it!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Beginner's Guide to Making Aromatherapy Liquid Soaps
Making "aromatherapy" liquid soaps is an easy, inexpensive means of learning to blend through practice. All you're doing is adding essential oils to a bottle of (hopefully) good, organic liquid soap. Shake it a little and "presto!" ... either a wonderfully smelling, or purposefully therapeutic (or BOTH) soap that you can use either on you, or your clothes, your dog, or most household surfaces (usually all not the same blend!). All you really need to know is how much essential oil to use per your amount of soap -- and that's between 30 and 60 drops per 8 fluid ounces of soap. For essential oils with more potent aromas, use closer to 30, for those with less potent aromas, use closer to 60. And you can always use the higher number if you'd just like a stronger smelling soap -- just be aware if you're using it on your skin if there is any adverse reaction. You COULD even use tiny amounts of Cinnamon, but never ALL cinnamon -- not even close to 30 drops of cinnamon -- more like 3 or 5 drops per 8 ounces at first, test, and dilute with more soap or add a litte more cinnamon if you've determined it to be safe. BE SURE to keep this out of the eyes -- maybe use it just as a holiday "decoration" with therapeutic value We carry 2 kinds of soap bases, 4 or more bottles specifically FOR liquid soap (some with that cool foaming top), and over 120 essential oil varieties to blend with (just getting silly here on a late night...) So choose your base first: Our Aloe Castile is very all-purpose. Great for the body, the hair, your dog, your car, you name it. It's not "harsh" in any way, but for sensitive and/or dry skin (and the very young and very old) go for the Hi Olive Castile Gel. It has a natural thickener in it so it can be called a "gel" -- it works well with the small flip top caps for this reason, as it won't come out all at once. It also will not foam, only use the Aloe Castile in Foam Pump top bottles. The olive oil in it moisturizes as the soap cleans. I've heard rave reports from a new staff member coming out of the bathroom after using each, and then the blends... Ok, so maybe start by making a small bottle. Our smallest are "travel size", airplane-legal 1.75 ounces, with both foam pumps and flip top caps. You can nearly fill this up to the top with your soap base. If using the foaming pump, do leave a little room for the pump -- the essential oils won't hardly take up any space at this size. 30 to 60 drops in 8oz works out to 6 to 13 drops of essential oil for this size: (8oz/1.75oz=4.57), (30 drops/4.57)=6.6 drops, (60 drops/4.57)=13.2 drops. With this formula, you can just change the "1.75" ounces to the bottle size you're making. This gives you a new adjusting factor, here it is 4.57. Bottles LARGER than 8oz will give adjusting factors that are less than one, and will increase the number of drops (8/16=.5, 30/.5=60, 60/.5=120 ... for example. Before you chose your soap base, you probably had an intention for your blend, yes? Sorta working out "cleanliness factor", "aroma factor" and if for personal or other human use "skin care factor"? I'm going to share one of my favorites, and a way to modify it to make it without the blend, at a lower cost. I like to put the Super Immune essential oil blend in a 1.75oz foaming bottle of Aloe Castile, to travel with, or take to work. If by chance I have a cold, or someone else does, I'll leave it by the bathroom sink for those days so we have even less of a chance of getting each other sick (of course, running it continuously in the diffuser doesn't hurt either) I measure all 13 drops into the filled bottle of soap, cap it, and shake it a bit. Super immune is nice, as while it was created by scientific results of anti-viral activity of essential oils, it also smells wonderful. OK, so you don't have a bottle of Super Immune, but your child just brought a cold home from school and you'd like to do everything you can to keep it from traveling around the household. YES! You have Bay Laurel, ohhh, some Eucalyptus Radiata ...and... Geranium (or Benchmark or Linalool Thyme, or Lemongrass)! Geranium isn't in the Super Immune as that's more geared towards viruses, and Geranium we know is a great antibacterial (with some antiviral properties). Why not put 'em together? (And, if you're creating this blend from this recipe, "Benchmark" Thyme would actually be the best choice of this series to blend with the Eucalyptus Radiata and Bay Laurel -- it has a VERY broad spectrum of action, as its natural chemical profile includes the primary anti-viral/antimicrobial constituent of Tea Tree). These three can be used in equal parts with no problem. Some oils have really strong aromatic potency, like Jasmine (and with a softer touch, but still will readily overwhelm other aromas is vanilla)...so you'd want to use a little less. Ok, how about one for dry skin on face and hands? In a base of 1.75oz of Hi-Olive Gel, we'll also add 13 drops: 6 drops Sandalwood, 4 drops Calendula, 3 drops...
So the soap bases can go directly into the foamer bottle without adding water and it will foam? Thanks so much for all this great info!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Using Essential Oils: Healing Properties & Safe Usage
The Healing Potential of Essential Oils. Essential Oils are very powerful, highly concentrated extracts of plants. They can be very helpful in a great many situations when used properly, yet need to be respected for the potent natural chemicals that they are. Research is now showing that certain oils can actually effectively treat serious medical conditions. For example, MRSA infections ("Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus", a bacteria responsible for life threatening illnesses, which has become resistant to synthetic antibiotics) has been shown to be treatable with certain essential oils, such as tea tree, geranium, and now "Benchmark" thyme essential oil (from strains of thyme herb grown specifically to produce an essential oil for this purpose -- there are research abstracts available on pubmed). Certain essential oils can be highly effective for pain relief and inflammation reduction, providing support for conditions such as arthritis, sports injuries and more. There is not as much peer-reviewed research performed as of yet, however, many users swear by the use of essential oils for their efficacy when topically applied. Research does support the use of oils for healing of wounds, surgical procedures, burns, and the skin in general. Other oils have been shown to be very effective in treating Herpes Simplex outbreaks, and many other virus-mediated conditions. And still other oils are just now being shown to have potent anti-cancer properties, both for skin tumors (as in this study using Sandalwood), and other organ systems (as in this study using Frankincense essential oil). And the "aroma" part of "aromatherapy" is now being supported by research as well. Controlled studies have shown Bergamot essential oil to be an effective antidepressant, and Lavender to support sleep and relaxation. The body of scientific research continues to grow, supporting the methods and protocols that professional aromatherapists have used for many years. The Safe Use of Essential Oils. Aromatherapy has been called an "entire branch of botanical medicine", and as you can see, has great potential for support of health. Yet it is crucial that one have an idea of which oil or oils will best help them, and how those oils should actually be used. Some oils can actually be dangerous if used improperly -- for example, one can easily burn themselves with pure cinnamon or oregano oils. This is such a diverse practice that there are many books on the subject, each seeming to cover a piece of the puzzle. When getting started, books like The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy, The Encyclopedia of Aromatherapy, and The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy are very useful to gain a lot of knowledge quickly. If you have any sort of medical "condition", do your homework and see if you can safely use essential oils. In general, if one is pregnant, there are a many oils that should be avoided. The use of essential oils with children should be done with caution as well... it is up to you to take personal responsibility to find out what is safe for you and what is not. If you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant, or breast feeding, it is critical you consult your physician before using any essential oil. PLEASE READ THE CAUTIONS AVAILABLE ON EACH INDIVIDUAL ESSENTIAL OIL PAGE before using any essential oil. If in doubt about the use of any particular oil, please ask someone who is knowledgeable in the area. Again, while harm caused by essential oil use is rare, it is possible. At Ananda, the most common safety issue we've seen is contact with undiluted oils such as cinnamon causing skin burns. Almost all essential oils should be diluted in your chosen carrier (or 'base') oil prior to topical application - Lavender, Helichrysum and Chamomile Oils being notable exceptions. There are situations where the antiseptic nature of essential oils calls for higher concentrations -- one need be careful about this, and be aware of what they're doing. We've seen individuals treating candida which has appeared as a foot rash, with too high a concentration of Tea Tree. The skin was quite irritated, and the result no better than if the concentration were 10% or less. The Primary Methods of Using Essential Oils. Inhalation: There are three traditional uses of Essential Oils in Aromatherapy: Inhalation, Topical Application, and Ingestion. Most essential oils can be used undiluted in a diffuser safely. A nebulizing diffuser passes a continuous stream of air over your oil source (or makes a mist of the oil with water) creating a fine evaporated mist without heating. A candle lamp incorporates a small bowl over a tea candle. The bowl is first filled with a small amount of water, into which a few drops of essential oils are placed. The oils are evaporated through the gentle heating of the water by the candle. GO SLOW, START WITH A SMALL AMOUNT! You will know when you've had enough - we tend to notice a distaste for the smell or even a mild headache.
I would like to create the essence of pumpkin pie spice in a body butter and scrub, but with all organic essential oils. They would be in very small quantities, 1-2% total, and i've tried using allspice, clove bud, ginger and nutmeg oils but without cinnamon it doesn't quite get the right scent. Obviously I don't want to create an organic skin product that is irritating to the skin, so does anyone have a suggestion? A touch of ground cinnamon might work in a scrub, but not a leave on product.
Hi...you might try a bit of cinnamon, and see if your minimum amount to create the aroma you're happy with is actually irritating. You might find you can use 1/4% or less to add the notes that you'd like, which should be low enough to not cause irritation - though of course you'd want to test a good bit, with a few different people. It's not that NO cinnamon can be in a blend that's used on the skin, it's that it needs to be in an exceptionally low concentration. And Cardamom CO2 oil is really a great, complex spice oil you may experiment with too, without the concerns of cinnamon. It's certainly the most savory of the spice oils, and I think might do what you're looking for. Cheers! Eric
And am just starting to study a couple of very good books and collecting some oils. I was introduced to essential oils for bath therapy years ago, but I've decided I'd like to make blends to use for particular health issues I face. (And there are many.) But for starters: The intro article mentions herpes, one of my smallest problems :) but still, it would be nice to get off the daily antibiotic that keeps outbreaks to a minimum and have at hand a topical solution instead (you can read "solution" both ways). But here's my problem. The article lists 10 different oils that could work plus Ananda's own blend. And I have notes about other oils useful for Herpes. How do you go about making the selection? (Where does my username pop up? I don't see it....)
The first "goto" essential oil for herpes outbreaks is Melissa, either used neat, or if that's too intense for your skin, mixed 50:50 with a little virgin Coconut oil or Tamanu. Melissa has the most amount of research supporting it's use; though there are certainly other oils to try, and others will likely share their success using them, Melissa has the greatest support from data. While it's a bit costly, you really only need a drop or two at a time, a couple times per day...all in all, not very much. Hope this helps! Eric
Thanks, Eric. Very helpful to know melissa tops the list and why. But in general, how do you go about making these selections? I'm accumulating lists of suggested oils for a couple of things (at the moment using Gabriel Mojay's book), but it still leaves me with a very long list! One or two things have been contraindicated for certain reasons, but otherwise... well, it's daunting. Is it just a question of lots of experience? Or it doing something like this, coming on a forum to talk to people who know a lot?
P.S. Re melissa and herpes. Yes, I see it's quite pricey. What would you suggest as a second-best? Thanks!
Tea tree oil works well with all kinds of infections, including herpes. And compared with Melissa, it is quite inexpensive.
According to "Aromatherapy for Health Professionals" Third Edition (2007), edited by Shirley Price and Len Price (published in the United Kingdom by Elsevier), the following oils are effective against various forms of the Herpes virus: Herpes genitalis: Niaouli (Melaleuca viridiflora); Sage (Salvia officinalis). Herpes (unspecified): Lemon (Citrus limon); Lavander (Lavandula augustifolia); Peppermint (Mentha x piperita); Catnip (Nepeta cataria var. citriodora); Clove/Clove Bud (Syzygium aromaticum). Herpes simplex: Geranium (Pelagorium graveolens P. x asperum), Rosemary (Rosemary officinalis), Clove/Clove Bud (Syzygium aromaticum). Herpes varicella: Ravensara (Ravensara aromatica). Herpes simplex l: Bergamot (Citrus Bergamia); Melissa (Melissa officinalis). Herpes simplex ll (zoster, shingles): Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora); Peppermint (Mentha x piperita); Ravensara (Ravensara aromatica), Geranium (Pelagorium graveolens P. x asperum), Pimento (Pimenta dioica), Sage (Salvia officinalis), Sweet Thyme (Thymus vulgaris ct., thujanol-4). I hope this is of some help to you. All The Best, Sue
Thanks for that Sue. And Alliswell, my recommendation of Melissa in particular is because Melissa has the greatest amount of scientific research noting it's efficacy against HSV-1, with one text noting one German researcher's claim that with regular use (ie. application when one is feeling an outbreak coming on, and through it's cycle) it's possible to eradicate the virus altogether. And while it is expensive, again only a drop or two are used at any one time. A 5ml bottle has somewhere around 175 drops in the bottle - worthy of several outbreaks. I've actually used it for this purpose myself with great success. Kurt Schnaubelt recommends a 50:50 blend of Ravensara and Tamanu (carrier oil) for HSV-II, FYI. Tamanu is a great choice for a carrier for either type, as it seems to be the most antimicrobial of all the carrier oils. Sue's recommendations are quite valid as well, as all these are all noted in the aromatherapy literature in more than just the text Sue has mentioned. Personally, I still think the value of Melissa is greatest (again, in Advanced Aromatherapy, Dr. Schnaubelt notes it's efficacy at very low concentrations) because of it's track record, and that a 5ml bottle would get you through 5 outbreaks easy, and you may notice them happening less frequently and less intensely. At the same time, I wouldn't want to steer you away from something that may cost less and be AS effective -- if I were to suggest something other than Melissa, it would be: 1 part Geranium (our South African variety, which is Pelagorium graveolens P. x asperum -- we haven't noted that yet, in addition to the Egyptian, which is also Pelagorium graveolens P. x asperum) 1 part Bergamot 2 parts Tamanu oil. In regards to Tea Tree, while it does exhibit antiviral activity, it's efficacy against HSV is questionable, as the results are mixed - you can see research on many oils at www.pubmed.gov, searching for "essential oil HSV"...the one I opened noted this about Tea Tree: "Only a slight virucidal effect was observed for TTO (0.125% v/v) against HSV-1 and HSV-2" -- Though the same study did note it's efficacy for treating influenza virus infections. TTO is great for some infections, and not so for others (I had this discussion with a doctor who wanted to only include Terpinene-4-ol in an anti-viral blend...he missed this conclusion about isolating what is considered the most active molecule from an essential oil: "(the complete oil) revealed a ten-fold higher selectivity index and a lower toxicity than its isolated single (molecule)." All this info, as you asked, comes from personal experience, and lots of research and writing of papers on this particular subject. I'm not saying that any of this will "cure" you, I'm only relaying the information I've gathered, primarily from reading scientific research abstracts, over the last 7 years. I know you've just started looking into it, and have noted Mojay's book -- and I know too that there doesn't seem to be one text that covers EVERYthing you might want to know about caring for yourself with essential oils -- the one that comes closest is Battaglia's "The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy" from a "medicinal" standpoint, and Mojays might be the runner up for more esoteric knowledge -- and browsing Pubmed.gov, searching for "essential oil" (or the name of a particular oil) and any "condition" you'd like to research is very helpful as well. Whew...was that too much? Cheers, Eric
Techie question that I don't know where to post. I have checked: "Notify me when a reply is posted." But I have yet to figure out where I am being notified, if in fact I am. Am I supposed to get an email? or....?
Another question I have is about lymph and lymph drainage. Consulting Mojay and Schnaubelt, I've come up with a short list: laurel, cedarwood (atlas c.), & grapefruit with juniper. I happen to love cedarwood (& have some), but Mojay recommends the grapefruit & juniper for lymph congestion that's associated with dampness, which is right on target for me. As for the laurel (that's Schnaubelt), is this bay laurel? Also, I'm assuming it would be best to pick just one or two. I wouldn't combine all four; that doesn't feel right to me. So how does one go about choosing?
The Laurel is Bay Laurel, or Laurel Leaf. It's really an amazing oil, given its very complex chemistry. Probably one of the least recognized but most potent antiviral oils, and as Schnaubelt puts it, "one application and even the most (unbelieving) user is convinced." It's certainly one of my favorites, and a main ingredient in Super Immune. Studies show it potentially effective against the virus which causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (the SARS-CoV virus). I believe eventually it will be recognized for the profoundly healing oil that it is -- it's also a main component of Graceful Goddess, a formula meant to assist movement of breast cysts, while including Frankincense as an anti-cancer agent. Again, I'm not saying it'll cure anything, but this is what the scientific data seems to imply. Hard to say what blend would be best for you. Bay for sure; I would experiment with this and a 50:50 combination of CO2 and steam distilled Juniper. Are you not getting emails when replies are made to your posts? Cheers, Eric
I asked someone who dowses for me about this and she came up with cedarwood/laurel/juniper in these proportions: 1:4:2. So, quite close to what you're suggesting. And no, I'm not receiving emails! What should I do?
Also, I'd just like to thank you, Eric, for creating this forum. It's wonderful to be able to consult with you and others. I mean, I have two books I think are great, but it's important to have someone(s) to turn to with questions.
Hi my dear...I know this has been an ongoing topic...when you click "Notify me when a reply is posted" at the bottom of the box where you type your reply, you don't receive an email? Or, when you first open a topic, below the "Post Reply" button, there's a "subscribe topic" link...have you tried that? Let me know! All the Best, Eric
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.
Taking Oils Internally
Hello! This year, I started utilizing empty gelatin capsules, filling them with essential oils. One oil that I used for over three months in this way was frankincense. Lately, I have taken oregano in the same way. Very beneficial!
Internal ingestion is reasonable for sure, so long as one knows that the amounts used are on the order of 1-3 drops at a time, once or twice per day -- and it's generally not recommended to do this forever, instead only as long as one is addressing a particular "condition". This is, at least, the general consensus from therapists that DO recommend internal ingestion.
I have also had succes in taking EO internally. I make a tea using lemon and peppermint oils. I mix a drop or two of each in a teaspoon of honey, to prevent the oils from floating on the top of the tea. Add hot water for a very tasty, refreshing, cleansing tea. I use it when I'm feeling sluggish, or have a cold, or need to detoxify from overindulgence in foods or drinks. The peppermint opens up the sinuses and brings instant clarity. Lemon is cleansing to the liver. I also take frankincense internally, a drop under my tongue. It tastes wonderful, and helps with depression. Always drink plenty of water when you take oils internally, as they are very concentrated and detoxifying. A word of caution: taking oils internally is only safe if you are using therapeutic grade oils. For ingestion, I am very careful to use only organic or wild crafted oils from reputable sources, such as Ananda.
I've done a drop of cardamom for nausea in liquid. It worked great. I didn't have any ginger oil or else I would have used that. One of my shiatsu teachers once recommended one drop of basil essentail oil to help move "cold damp" and stagnation in the stomach/spleen meridian. I also dabbed the cardamom on a damp cotton ball and inhaled until the nausea passed.
I ordered some red grapefruit oil from Ananda & want to take it internally for weight loss benefits. How much do I take & how often?
I ordered some red grapefruit oil from Ananda & want to take it internally for weight loss benefits. How much do I take & how often? I have taken a blend that includes grapefruit oil, lemon, and orange for similar reasons and they also detoxify the liver. My protocol says to add 1-3 drops to each quart of water consumed. Make sure that you use high quality oils when taking internally. Also, be careful to do a lot of research (or consult a professional) because not all Essential Oils should be taken internally.
For an allergy attack (itching, sneezing, etc) I've taken Lavender, Lemon, and Peppermint in a capsule (I make a 1:1:1 blend and put 3-6 drops in a capsule). It is very effective and doesn't cause drowsiness like the benedryl I used to have to take for these "attacks". I've also swabbed them inside my nose and sniffed if my attack was primarily sneezing or an itchy feeling in my nose. It can make your eyes water a little for a few minutes, but once that subsides the relief lasts for several hours and again no drowsiness! Note, I do not dilute them, but some would suggest that you do so.
I have been taking clove oil (2 drops 3 times per day in water) for bacterial and yeast overgrowth. This was recommended to me by my naturopath and it is helping. Tastes nice too!
From the original Ananda Forum archive. Originally published during Ananda’s earlier years and presented here with attribution preserved.