Some Common Essential Oils & Their Properties

Essential Oils are highly concentrated distilled plant essences. Very aromatic, they have a wide variety of uses. Essential oils have been used traditionally for treating specific ailments. In addition to treating physical conditions, these oils can effect people mentally and emotionally as well.

Some Common Essential Oils & Their Properties

BERGAMOT Balancing. Used to lift depression.

CEDARWOOD Antiseptic, astringent, expectorant, sedative. Used to balance the function of sweat glands, ease bronchial problems and to control mold & mildew.

CHAMOMILE Analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic. Used for headaches, in warm baths, added to hair rinses, and in massage oils.

CLARY SAGE Popular antidepressant, anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and aphrodisiac. Used in skin and hair products and to counter insomnia. (Avoid in early months of pregnancy.)

CYPRESS Astringent, antiseptic, antispasmodic. Used to repell fleas, reduce coughing, and for excessive perspiration.

EUCALYPTUS Antiseptic, antiviral, decongestant, disinfectant, expectorant. Has a balancing, normalizing effect. Used to reduce fever, ease sore muscles, repel insects, treatbites and stings.

GERANIUM Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, sedative, expectorant. Used for bronchitis, cleansing and purifying the environment, promotes cell regeneration.

HYSSOP Antiseptic, tonic. Used for cleansing and detoxifying, stimulating respiratory system, and clearing congestion from lungs. (Avoid if you have any type of seizure disorder.)

JASMINE Antidepressant, antiseptic, and sedative. Used for anxiety, emotional imbalance, frigidity and impotence. Good for the skin and scalp.

JUNIPER Antiseptic, detoxifier, diuretic, and internal cleanser. Used to rid the system of toxins and parasites, reduce spasms, and cellulite. (Not for use during pregnancy. or if you have kidney problems.)

LAVENDER Antiseptic. Used to calm and normalize the body, improve immune system, fight bacteria and fungal infection, ease depression, and reduce inflammation. Also useful in treating acne, burns, eczema, sleep disorders, and stress.

PATCHOULI Antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, antifungal. A popular scent used in personal fragrances and bath & body products.

PEPPERMINT Antiseptic, antispasmodic, mental stimulant. Used to treat headaches, congestion, fatigue, fever, indigestion, sore muscles, sinus and stomach problems. Popular in bath and oral care products.

PINE Antiseptic, antiviral, expectorant, restorative and stimulant.

ROSE Antidepressant, antiseptic, astringent, mild sedative. Used for female complaints, impotence, insomnia, and nervous tension. Popular in skin care products.

ROSEMARY Analgesic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent. Used for cellulite, enhancing circulation, dandruff, hair loss, memory problems, headache, and muscle soreness.

ROSEWOOD Antiseptic, regenerative. Used for anxiety, cellular regeneration, depression, headaches, nausea, PMS, and tension.

SANDALWOOD Antidepressant, antiseptic, aphrodisiac. Used for bronchitis, nervousness, dry skin, and for soothing the mind.

THYME Antiseptic, antispasmodic, expectorant. Added to bath for a calming effect, and to ease congestion.

YARROW Anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic. Used to lower blood pressure and improve digestion. Has similar functions as chamomile.

YLANG YLANG Antidepressant, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, sedative. Used to lift mood, ease anxiety, normalize heartbeat, and lower blood pressure.

Make Your Own Lip Balm

Lip balm is truly one of the easiest and most inexpensive products to create. Once that you have created your own homemade lip balm, it is almost impossible to muster up $3.00 for a tube of inferior stuff at the store. Plus, you can even make special blends with your favorite oils, butters, and other luxurious ingredients. You seasonal lip balms, and unique lip balms for friends and families. Lip balm may be made within 10-15 minutes, and you can easily make enough lip balm to fill 15 or more lip balm tubes for under $3.00!

Lip balm is almost fool-proof. The great thing about lip balm is that if it turns out too soft, then you can easily re-melt it and add more beeswax, and if it is too hard, then you can re-melt it and add more carrier oil. You really can’t mess up! You can also adjust your recipes with the seasons: harder lip balms are better for the summer, and softer lip balms are better for the fall and wintertime. As a general rule, use 3 parts of carrier oil to 1 part of beeswax (do not include butters in your calculations as they are already solid at room temperature). Add essential oils at your discretion, a good amount is 2 drops of essential oil per ¼ oz container, but this varies depending upon the essential oil used. Lesser is always better when it comes to essential oils, you don’t want to create anything that may sting or irritate your lips.

Basic Lip Balm Preparation

1. Coarsely chop or grated your beeswax (vegans may use Carnauba Wax as an alternative), and place it in a small pot or glass pyrex measuring cup with your butters and carrier oils in the top of a double boiler, and melt gently over heated water. Make sure that the water does not boil over into your oil mixture, 1 -2” of water in the bottom of your pot is enough.
2. Once that your beeswax mixture has melted, remove from burner, and add your essential oils. The essential oils will begin to dissipate with the scent, add more as needed.
3. Immediately pour the hot mixture into lip balm containers. If the mixture cools too rapidly while you are pouring, then heat the mixture back up over the double boiler.
4. Allow to cool completely (I usually wait overnight) before placing the caps onto your lip balm containers.

Below are some specific recipes for you to play with. Please note that these recipes are completely arbitrary, and the amount and types of oils, butter, essential oils, and other ingredients that you use is completely up to you. Experimenting with a recipe is the most enjoyable part of creation!

Lemon Coconut Lip Balm

This recipe will fill 8-9 lip balm tubes!

1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil

2 Tablespoons Sunflower Oil

1 Tablespoon & 1 teaspoon Beeswax

10 drops Lemon essential oil

Peppermint Cocoa Lip Balm

1 Tablespoon Cocoa Butter

2 Tablespoons Sweet Almond Oil

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon & 1 teaspoon Beeswax

5-10 drops Peppermint essential oil

Healing Herbal Lip Balm (Unscented)

1 Tablespoon Shea Butter

2 Tablespoon Calendula Infused Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Jojoba Oil

1 Tablespoon & 1 teaspoon Beeswax

5 drops Vitamin E Oil

All-Purpose Lip Balm

This large recipe will make 6 ½ oz, enough to fill 24 ¼ oz lip balm containers!

1 oz Sweet Almond or Apricot Kernel Oil

1 oz Sunflower Oil

1 oz Avocado or Olive Oil

1 oz Shea Butter

1 oz Cocoa Butter

1 ½ oz Beeswax

30-40 drops essential oil

Essential Oil Guide

Cinnamon: Spicy, warming. Use sparingly, as the oil is very strong.

Clove: Spicy, warming. Use sparingly, as the oil is very strong.

Ginger: Warm, spicy, and exotic. Great for winter blends. Use sparingly, as the oil is very strong.

Grapefruit: Fresh, uplifting, light citrus scent.

Lemon: Fresh, uplifting, citrus scent.

Lime: Fresh, uplifting, citrus scent.

Peppermint: Cooling, refreshing, and invigorating. Use sparingly, as the oil is very strong.

Spearmint: Cooling, refreshing, and invigorating. Use sparingly, as the oil is very strong.

Sweet Orange: Refreshing, uplifting, sweet, citrus scent. Blends well with many oils.

Rescources for Supplies:

Beeswax and Bulk Ingredients
Butters
Carrier Oils
Containers
Essential Oils
Herbal Infused Oils

from Mountain Rose Herbs

Make Your Own Natural Hand Sanitizers

Commercial hand sanitizers may be great for killing germs when there is no water available for washing hands, but these products also pose a serious health risk to children.
Because of the potential dangers of the alcohol based sanitizers, many companies have put non-alcohol products on the market. However, these pose even greater problems. Due to the way they kill bacteria, they can actually cause bacteria to become stronger and more resistant to antibiotics. These products contain a highly toxic ingredient called Triclosan. A recent story in Parents magazine told of a young girl who rubbed a hand sanitizer gel on her face and ended up in the hospital with second degree burns due to the harsh effect of Triclosan.

Triclosan, which is considered a pesticide by the Environmental Protection Agency, can also lead to yeast overgrowth on the fingernails.

Natural Alternatives to Hand Sanitizers
It's quick and easy to make your own natural, waterless hand sanitizer.

Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer

Ingredients

1 cup aloe vera gel

2 tsp vegetable glycerin

8-10 drops tea tree essential oil or lavender essential oil

Simply blend all of the ingredients together and store.

The standard recipe calls for tea tree or lavender oil, but you can be creative and use other essential oils as well. Choose from oils that have antibacterial and/or antiviral properties and make a blend that suits the season. Citrus oils are a good choice. So is eucalyptus and pine. Choose oils that appeal to your senses and also add the cleansing properties appropriate for a hand sanitizer.

You can recycle old liquid soap or hand sanitizer dispensers to store your creations, or you can buy glass bottles with pumps.

Use Sparingly
Home made hand sanitizers don't dissolve into your hands as quickly or as well as the commercial hand sanitizers you buy in the store. Use a little at a time.

Essential Oils for the Immune System

Essential Oils are highly concentrated distilled plant essences. Many essential oils have anti-viral and immune-modulating properties.
The antiviral action of certain essential oils is one of their most valuable attributes-especially since allopathic medicine has little to offer. Essential oils with terpenoid compounds are very specific, notably the citruses and pine oils, as well as some oils in the phenol group.

Essential Oils For The Immune System:
Lavender, lemon, bergamot, thyme, chamomile, pine, sandalwood, myrrh and vetiver stimulate production of infection-fighting white corpuscles.

SUGGESTIONS FOR COLDS:
According to the People's Desk Reference For Essential Oils, (The PDR) the following single oils are suggested:
Lavender, lemon, marjoram, frankincense, eucalyptus, melaleuca (Tea Tree Oil) and rosemary.

The following blend helps build the body's natural resistance.

IMMUNE TONIC BLEND
3 drops lavender

3 drops tea tree

2 drops bergamot

2 drops eucalyptus

10 drops Caulophyllum inophyllum

1 ounce carrier oil (calendula-infused is especially effective.)

Use as a body oil daily in the bath as part of a health-maintenance program, or to treat acute conditions such as cold or flu.

Try adding some to a small spray bottle diluted with spring water. Carry with you to disinfect surfaces in public places or disinifect the air.

THIEVES OIL RECIPE

Equal amounts of the following essential oils:
Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Cinnamon, Clove and Lemon.
Mix with base of olive oil.
Put a tablespoon of each in a 2 oz. bottle and then fill the rest with olive oil.
You can make a larger batch in a quart jar following the same proportion method.

HOW TO USE

Diffuse for short periods of time (1/2 hour or less) in the work or home environment. Apply to the bottom of the feet or dilute with a massage oil base for a stimulating massage under the arms and on the chest at the base of the neck.