10 Recipes with Rose Geranium – Pelargonium graveolens

Posted on June 4, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Rose geranium – pic via commons.wikimedia.org

So what is the difference between Rose geranium and Geranium?

Good question.

Both Rose geranium and geranium come from the same species. They are from the family Geraniaceae, the genus Pelargonium and then the species Pelargonium graveolens. It seems that the common name Pelargonium roseum is actually just another term for graveolens too.

But they do smell different! Rose geranium is a lot sweeter with a distinct rosey scent and geranium just smells like geranium. There are many different cultivars and it depends where the plants are grown as to what scent they have. The particular sweet rose scented flowers will be sold as Rose geranium and others as just geranium.

Just to add something else into the mix, hundreds of years ago the Island of Reunion was famous for their geranium which was called Bourbon geranium. It is thought that this could have been Pelargonium capitatum rather than, or as well as P. graveolens. Now the neighbouring island of Madagascar produces geranium which is called Bourbon, but it is listed from my suppliers as coming from P. graveolens.

According to Marcia Elston http://www.wingedseed.com/blog/

“North Africa is a principal producer and includes the countries Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt. Most of the plant stock for North African development came from Grasse from P. graveloens or its hybrids; the French oil produced around Grass having the most rosaceous odor of all.”

Ok let’s get into some recipes!

Sexy black diffuser from puzhen.com

1. Scent Your Space

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil

“Party!”

Get the party started –

Rose geranium 8 drops

Orange 8 drops

Cedarwood Atlas 5 drops

Patchouli 4 drops

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“Fresh Saturday House Cleaning Vibe”

Don’t avoid the housework any longer –

Rose geranium 7 drops

Lemongrass 7 drops

Juniper 7 drops

Tea tree 4 drops

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“Cheer Up!”

Add some happiness –

Rose geranium 5 drops

Mandarin 10 drops

Ylang Ylang 5 drops

Sandalwood Australian 5 drops

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Rub oil into your body – it’s good!

2. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil.

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops and see my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”

“Happy Days”

Get smiling in the morning –

Rose Geranium 3 drops

Lavender 3 drops

Black spruce 2 drops

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“Cute-Sexy”

Get your cute on –

Rose geranium 3 drops

Peru balsam 3 drops

Vanilla CO2 1 drop * see my article for more info on CO2 extracts What are CO2 Extracts in the World of Aromatherapy?

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“I Like Life”

Rose geranium 2 drops

Palmarosa 2 drops

Rosemary 2 drops

Lemon 2 drops

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get any cute little dish to mix your oils in

3. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!

“Yee ha Lets Go!”

Rose geranium 1 drop

Black pepper 1 drop

Basil 1 drop

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“Lollipops and Laughs”

Acknowledge your inner child –

Rose geranium 1 drop

Neroli 3% 3 drops * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

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“Sweet AND Determined”

You can do it –

Rose geranium 1 drop

Nutmeg 1 drop

Lime 1 drop

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“First Class”

You are the Queen –

Rose Geranium 1 drop

Rose 3% 3 drops

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Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas. See my article about intention.

Essential Oils and Babies – Do They Go Together?

Posted on June 2, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Do essential oils and babies go together? Thats a good question natural beauties. Read on to find out the best way to use essential oils around babies.

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Please check out my new book REVELATION! – Reveal Your Destiny with Essential Oils

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as an ebook and paperback

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Precious little person

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Babies – only use essential oils in their environment – not on them!

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Can you use essential oils on babies?

Short answer = YES – but not on them directly.

Long Answer = YES but you must use caution and follow these rules.

Any child up to 3 years I will consider a baby for this article and topic. Babies have extremely new and sensitive skin so

* do not use essential oils, diluted or neat, on your baby unless you seek medical advice.

* do not put essential oils into the bath, diluted or neat.

* always wash you hands before you touch your baby if you’ve been using essential oils

* keep bottles of essential oils away from reach, as even a couple of drops may hurt them

There’s so many easy ways to diffuse essential oils now

You can use essential oils with your baby in the environment around them and the best way to do this is to use a diffuser and vapourise the essential oils in their room. You can buy humidifier from your pharmacy specifically made for children so they can breathe easier, and you may also use calming essential oils so they sleep better too. An ordinary motorised diffuser will be fine for this as well, but as a precaution don’t use a burner with a candle. Refer to the model of your diffuser for amounts of oil and if there is no info I would only use 6 drops.

Babies love baths

If you really want to add something to your baby’s bath you could use some organic herbal tea (a couple of teaspoons) wrapped in some muslin and make a weak infusion. Chamomile and lavender would be the only herbs I would use. In the same vein you could use organic oats which makes a soft, skin soothing bath which is safe for babies and will help soothe nappy rash and hot skin. A dash of hydrosol would be fine too.

A lovely selection of rosewater

A great alternative to essential oils that works well with babies and kids are hydrosols and floral waters. They have a mild scent and are safe you to be misted all around your baby to help induce a sense of calm and also for cooling them down in summer. The best hydrosols will be rose, lavender, roman chamomile and neroli (or orange blossom). See my article Hydrosols vs Floral Waters – What’s the Diff? for more information.

You will find rosewater and orange blossom water in some food stores and to be on the safe side I would water these down, otherwise buy a good quality (organic if possible) hydrosol from a natural beauty/aromatherapy store.

Essential Oils for Baby’s Sleep

lavender

Roman chamomile

bergamot

marjoram

Essential Oils for Baby’s Better Breathing

frankincense

eucalyptus (sparingly ie 1 or 2 drops in a humidifier only and do not continue the treatment for more than a night or two) *

lavender

* a reader of my blog has asked a question regarding eucalyptus and babies –

“I enjoyed your article. However, why do you recommend eucalyptus? I have read it is not safe for young children. Wouldn’t fir needle, a pine, or spruce be a better option?”

My answer –

I have referenced 3 text books and only one leans towards avoiding eucalyptus with young babies. It has an active ingredient called 1-8 cineole that can be toxic in lethal doses but nothing like a couple of drops you would use in a humidifier. It may be best for me to update this article to be very specific about using eucalyptus with babies. It is still one of the best mucolytic oils. Fir, pine and/or spruce could be used as a substitute for sure, but they won’t be as effective.

Also some oils/formulas that are specific for kids & babies, that are sold with humidifiers, contain many questionable ingredients and could even be potentially more dangerous than a drop or two of eucalyptus.

Sleeping babies are happy babies

Essential Oils For Baby’s Crying

Try putting a couple of drops of oil on your clothes and when your hold your baby, they will just get a small scent of oil, mixed in with your scent, and this may work really well to settle them down. Just be careful not to let the babies face touch against you where the oil is.

vetiver (sparingly as its very strong – just a drop will do. You could also add a drop to the sleep oils too

lavender

Roman chamomile

You can see a pattern here – pretty much just stick with lavender and a few other oils until your baby is older.

Please your you motherly or fatherly intuition with your baby and remember if you use a diffuser the whole family will benefit from the aromatherapy treatment too.

10 Recipes with Lemon Essential Oil – Citrus limonum

Posted on May 28, 2014 by suzannerbanks

According to living.msn.com this Pantone colour Lemon Zest was a top colour for spring 2013 – nice!

Lemons are lovely and so are you. Lemons represent happiness, simplicity and joy and the essential oil has an uncanny knack of doing the same. I love this oil and use it frequently when treating clients. Not only is it a great oil for muscle fatigue but it helps you to feel refreshed and cleansed, ready to go on with a new outlook.

Lemon essential oil is light and sparkly and has many applications. As the molecules of this essential oil are simple, it tends to fly away quickly when used in a vapouriser or burner so it’s important to anchor it with heavier oils. As a perfume or body oil blend it holds its own but has slight photo-toxic qualities – meaning if you go out into the sun you could burn more than you would without it. So just remember not to slather it all over you and sunbake – ok?

Lets check out some recipes with magnificent lemon oil –

Rub oil into your body – it’s good!

1. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil.

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops and see my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”

“End of the Week Relaxathon”

Get rid of the working week and into a relaxing weekend –

Lemon 4 drops

Peru Balsam 4 drops

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“Anti-Puff”

Release puffiness and a feel a bit lighter –

Lemon 3 drops

Fennel 2 drops

Cypress 3 drops

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“Legs Up The Wall”

When your legs and feet hurt use this blend and then elevate your legs and rest –

Lemon 4 drops

Marjoram 2 drops

Peppermint 2 drops

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Face mask it!

2. Face Mask

Usually add 1 or 2 drops of oil to some clay and add water, floral water or hydrosol.

2 drops of lemon oil will be great for acne skin, oily skin and if you just need to freshen up dull skin.

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Any bottle with an atomiser top will do!

3. Personal Aura Cleansing Mist & Room Mist

In a 50ml mist bottle filled with water add 25 drops of oil

(depending on the packaging you have, you may need to use a little alcohol -like vodka- at the bottom of your bottle first, so the oils disperse into smaller drops to prevent clogging the atomiser top. I’ve found sometimes it works just with water, and sometimes it doesn’t – very annoying!)

“New Ideas”

Lemon 12 drops

Basil 5 drops

Palmarosa 5 drops

Geranium 3 drops

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“Lemon Bubble”

Create your own lemony bubble around you in a non-friendly environment –

Lemon 15 drops

Lavender 5 drops

Marjoram 5 drops

Vanilla CO2 3 drops

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“Vitality”

Keep your interest and energy levels up all day with a regular mist –

Lemon 10 drops

Juniper 8 drops

Mandarin 5 drops

Rosemary 2 drops

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Anoint yourself with pure essential oil blends

4. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!

“Daisy”

Stay fresh as –

Lemon 2 drops

Cedarwood Atlas 1 drop

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“Truth”

Simplicity is the key –

Lemon 2 drops

Jasmine 3% 3 drops * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

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Scent your space – the candle and flame will help transform negative energy too!

5. Scent Your Space

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil –

“Party”

Lemon 14 drops

Ylang Ylang 6 drops

Lime 5 drops

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Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas.See my article about intention.

Lemon Essential Oil = Refresh and Reload

Posted on May 26, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Lemon – gorgeous simplicity

One of my first stories on this blog was about lemons – The Loveliness of Lemons!.

Lemons truly are delightful and I categorize the essential oil from the rind as an oil of happiness. Sparkly, zingy, zesty, fresh, clarifying and clean, lemon essential oil is a must-have oil for the aromatherapy enthusiast.

I use lemon oil frequently when treating clients as I find it’s a great addition to a body blend for sore muscles. When I was studying, I remember my teacher telling me a therapist she knew used lemon juice with oil for sore muscles and had great results. Not sure if I could do that (you’d smell like a salad after the massage), but the essential oil is definitely the go.

Aw – a baby lemon!

From my earlier article:

Lemon essential oil is an uplifting oil with a sweet innocence about it, but don’t be fooled – it has a solid place in modern aromatherapy.

Some aromatherapists and scientific data claim lemon oil is good for:

stimulating the action of white blood cells

killing bacteria in the gut

soothing and lessening varicose veins

tonifying the circulatory system and aiding high blood pressure

helping the body shed excess fluids

decreasing cellulite

improving concentration

easing rheumatic pain & gout pain

stopping the flow of blood with cuts and abrasions

…… and the list continues.

Mum’s lemon tree with the washing hanging on it

Lemon essential oil is inexpensive and accessible and has a scent that is also easy to inhale. Within the chemical constituents and energy of the drops of lemon oil, lay the coded information of lightness and happiness. I often say the words “refresh and reload” in my mind when I get the bottle of lemon oil out, and it does just that!

* Feeling tired and uninspired? Lemon oil.

* Need a new perspective on life? Lemon oil.

* Want some more joy? Lemon oil.

*Just like clicking on the “reload” icon in your web browser, lemon essential oil can give you a clean slate to start from.

Lemon blossoms – I wonder why they aren’t made into an essential oil like Neroli?

* Add some drops of lemon oil to your water when cleaning surfaces in the house or completely brighten your home with lemon essential oil in the bucket of water for mopping the floors. When cooking with lemons I always keep the rind to rub over the kitchen benches at night to combat bacteria.

Lemons are a fruit of old and have origins in Asia – from Burma and India through to China.

They entered Europe near southern Italy no later than the 1st century AD, during the time of Ancient Rome. However, they were not widely cultivated. They were later introduced to Persia and then to Iraq and Egypt around 700 AD. The lemon was first recorded in literature in a 10th-century Arabic treatise on farming, and was also used as an ornamental plant in early Islamic gardens.^[1]^[2] It was distributed widely throughout the Arab world and the Mediterranean region between 1000 and 1150. Wikipedia

So a big hooray for lemons, and lemon essential oil. They have survived for this long because they are wonderful! Stay tuned for my next article 10 Recipes with Lemon Essential Oil.

10 Recipes with Rosemary Essential Oil – Rosmarinus officianalis

Posted on May 21, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Rosemary is a wonder herb and so is the oil

Rosemary is a spicy, stimulating essential oil which warms the body and helps the mind to remember. It is used frequently in Aromatherapy as it’s accessible, inexpensive and gives great results.

Rosemary will warm up the hands and feet and can even help with arthritis pain. It is wonderful in an oil blend for muscle pain and I often use it in a treatment blend with lavender and marjoram for this very purpose.

When you need more energy (both mentally and physically), a bit more warmth; when you need to get your brain working – think rosemary essential oil. Let’s check out some recipes.

An essential oil steam in the shower will do wonders for your mind and energy levels – pic via completehealthcircle.com

1. Put A few Drops Of Oil into the bottom of the Shower

This works in a similar way to just taking a whiff straight from the bottle, but if you’ve got an extra minute, it will give you a completely different experience. Your whole body will be immersed in an essential oil steam.

Use rosemary in the shower if you can’t seem to wake up in the morning or if you need your brain to switch on for a full day ahead.

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Nourish your body with a beautiful oil blend – pic via redbookmag.com

2. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil.

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops and see my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”

“Oh My Aching Body”

You get the drift –

Rosemary 8 drops

Lavandin 8 drops * for more info on Lavandin see my article Lavender – Simple and Complicated All at the Same Time

Marjoram 8 drops

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“Winter’s Run”

A pre-run warm up blend – pay attention to your feet and calves when rubbing in the oil –

Rosemary 10 drops

Lemongrass 8 drops

Ginger 7 drops

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“Long Day Ahead”

A stimulating body blend to keep your muscles going –

Rosemary 6 drops

Orange 6 drops

Rosewood 6 drops

Palmarosa 6 drops

Vetiver 1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————-

Sexy black diffuser from puzhen.com

3. Scent Your Space

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil

“Must Keep Studying!”

To keep your brain awake –

Rosemary 12 drops

Petitgrain 12 drops

Buddha Wood 1 drop

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“Meeting of the Minds”

A great blend to get brain storming in your meeting –

Rosemary 8 drops

Basil 6 drops

Mandarin 11 drops

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“Whistle While you (House) Work”

Come on its time to do the housework –

Rosemary 10 drops

Ylang Ylang 8 drops

Lime 7 drops

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The classic Duralex glass dish is handy to make oil blends and quick perfumes in

4. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!

“Wonder Woman”

Rosemary 1 drop

Sandalwood Indian 1 drop

Geranium 1 drop

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“Car Pool Tonic”

Rosemary 1 drop

Peru Balsam 2 drops

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“Confidence is the Key”

Rosemary 1 drop

Neroli 3% 3 drops * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

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Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas.See my article about intention.

Rosemary Essential Oil – Get Fired Up!

Posted on May 19, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Get fired up!

Rosemary is a herb that is found all around the world in suburban gardens, dried in little bags and fresh at grocery stores. It’s a herb that has been used for medicine and in gastronomy for thousands of years and packs a powerful punch. Rosmarinus officianalis belongs to Lamiacae family (which has all the herbs in it) and the genus Rosmarinus.

I have written about this wonderful herb before when I attended a funeral and we were offered sprigs of rosemary to place on the coffin (Remember with Rosemary – Lest We Forget). Rosemary’s traditional use is that of remembering.

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia says, “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.” (Hamlet, iv. 5.) Wikipedia

The fresh herb and of course the essential oil, is stimulating to the mind, and is warming and generally stimulating in its nature. It is high in 1-8 cineole (found in high amounts in Eucalyptus), and camphor and a-pinene (also found in many others oils including sage and thyme, citrus oils, eucalyptus and cedarwood).

Flowering rosemary in my client’s garden

Rosemary was found in the tombs of Egypt, used by the Greeks and Romans as medicine and revered as a sacred herb. More modern herbalists and physicians from the middle ages have used rosemary to treat any sickness of the head – and in this way we could see rosemary as a “cephalic oil” – the same as basil, which I have just written about. It has been used as a treatment for the liver, muscle aches and pains and for colds and sinus.

In aromatherapy today rosemary is used –

* for muscular aches and pains

* for stimulating memory – to be used in study and for the elderly

* for warming the body and increasing circulation to extremities

* as a digestive tonic

* as a tonic for the spleen meridian organs (liver, gall bladder, pancreas, spleen)

Rosemary botanical drawing – from Köhler’s Medizinal Pflanzen

As you can see the modern uses of rosemary are the same as the traditional uses of rosemary – stimulating and warming. It certainly is a strongly flavoured herb. Recently my friend, who has loads of rosemary bushes on his new property, stuck some in a bottle of gin and it didn’t take very long for the flavour to infuse.

I use rosemary frequently in my practice. Most clients have some type of muscle stiffness or soreness and rosemary is a real winner when it comes to relieving muscle tension. I’ll often use lavender, rosemary and marjoram together for a warming, pain relieving oil blend.

Rosemary oil is produced in a few countries around the world and this herb and oil has some very common chemotypes (again this is similar to basil and other herbs like marjoram too). Different chemotypes will have different scents and varying degrees of the common chemical constituents, depending on the soil, climate and other factors. Don’t get too confused, just dive in and use whatever rosemary oil you can find. It’s inexpensive and easily accessible!

Rosemary will stimulate your mind – pic via goldenagersrock.com

10 Recipes with Basil Essential Oil – Ocimum basilicum (part 2)

Posted on May 14, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Beautiful green basil!

If you are ever feeling down, a bit tired and generally blah, grab some fresh basil. Grind up a leaf in your fingers and inhale deeply. Eat a few leaves. Rest a minute.

Phew!

And if you can, make a few blends with basil oil it will not disappoint you at all. It is an oil that is so clearing and revitalising you’ll be so glad you’ve made friends with it. Here are a few recipes.

An essential oil steam in the shower will do wonders for your mind and energy levels – pic via completehealthcircle.com

1. Put A few Drops Of Oil into the bottom of the Shower

Basil oil will wake you up in the morning and give you a fresh green start to the day.

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Just use any mist bottle you can find

2. Personal Aura Cleansing Mist & Room Mist

In a 50ml mist bottle filled with water add 25 drops of oil

“Cool Water Brain Rinse”

Clear brain fog –

Basil 8 drops

Orange 12 drops

Cypress 5 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

“Creative Explosion”

When you need to open to your creative drive –

Basil 6 drops

Rosemary 6 drops

Lime 6 drops

Geranium 6 drops

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“Bubble of Inspiration”

When you need to surround yourself with light, creative energy –

Basil 7 drops

Rosewood 12 drops

Lemongrass 6 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

“It’s Morning!”

Help the whole family wake up smiling –

Basil 8 drops

Petitgrain 12 drops

Cedarwood Virginian 5 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

Anoint yourself with pure essential oil blends

3. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!

“Awaken the Goddess”

Open to divine guidance –

Basil 1 drop

Sandalwood Australian 1 drop

Mandarin 1 drop

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“Big Meeting this Morning”

Stay focused and relaxed-

Basil 2 drops

Lavender 1 drop

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“Clean Green”

Give yourself a burst of vitality –

Basil 1 drop

Palmarosa 1 drop

May Chang 1 drop

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Throw some essential oils into your bucket and mop your floors

4. Scent Your Space

I usually say “In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil”, but I also recommend you put about 15 drops in the water with your usual product and mop the floors. It’s a great way to get an aromatherapy treatment while cleaning!

and

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil –

“Hello World”

Welcome every day –

Basil 6 drops

Peru Balsam 8 drops

Lemon 11 drops

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Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas.See my article about intention.

Embrace Basil Essential Oil and Free Your Mind

Posted on May 12, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Flowering basil – beautiful!

Basil, Ocimum basilicum, is part of the Lamiacae family and the genus Ocimum. This family of plants also holds many herbs including mint, rosemary, lavender, patchouli and many more. The most common basil essential oil is sometimes referred to as sweet basil as there are a couple of chemotypes that are used to make essential oils.

Sweet basil is a linalool type. Linalool is one of the main ingredients of lavender, so this basil with have a softer scent and be more soothing and calming.

I have a basil essential oil that is a chavicol chemotype (methyl chavicol), which is slightly spicier and more camphorous in scent. I would use this with a client in a treatment blend if I wanted a warmer more stimulating blend. I would use the linalool type for a more relaxing blend, and I tend to use the sweet basil more often.

The stunning basil leaf makes a wonderful essential oil

Basil takes its name from the latin ’Basileum’ meaning royal. It is also considered a holy plant of India used in Ayurveda and dedicated to Vishnu and Krishna. This Indian basil is a different plant and is called tulsi, Ocimum tenuiflorumi. One of my suppliers now offers this as an organic essential oil but I haven’t smelt it yet so I’ll have to get back to you on that. There are some great tulsi teas on the market – they don’t taste like the sweet basil, just a soft lovely herb.

Sharp and spicy (yet sweet), basil helps clear the head and open the mind. It is referred to in aromatherapy as a “cepahilc” oil, which means pertaining to the head. It is a very powerful clearing oil, particularly effective when used in a vapouriser as an inhalation, or even when you are cooking! Making a fresh basil pesto is enough to make you feel refreshed and alive – especially when you use a mortar and pestle.

Basil is alluring – even to bees!

Basil essential oil is used for mental and physical fatigue and its anti-spasmodic properties make it ideal for treating menstrual problems and digestive disorders too.

* Sinus congestion, asthma and bronchitis are all soothed by basil.

* Fever can be treated effectively with basil.

* In the middle ages it was prescribed for melancholy and depression

So when you are feeling like you need some energy try basil oil for a quick pick-me-up. I’ll follow up with some recipes in the next article, but in the meantime buy a fresh bunch of basil instead of flowers and make sure you inhale the fragrance deeply. Get cooking with some basil and when you do, crush up a leaf in your fingers and allow the cooling fragrance to open your mind!

10 Recipes with Ylang Ylang Essential Oil – Cananga odorata

Posted on April 30, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Gorgeous flower gorgeous scent. I don’t think I’ve met anyone who doesn’t like this oil and even though it’s a floral, men still love it because of it’s very deep basey scent. Of course I’m generalising but I want you to know that men can love floral oils and women can love herbs and woods, and vice versa. If you want to get your partner in the mood for some loving (whether male or female), then choose this amazing oil.

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Buy my 100% natural and organic botanical perfumes, and paperback book here: suzannerbanks.com.au

Digital downloads of my book Revelation! Reveal your Destiny with Essentials Oils:

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

***********************************************************************************************

Wh!at a gorgeous flower

For more specifics on this beautiful plant and oil check out my previous article here. For now let’s get into it!

1. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!

“I Love Myself”

You better!

Ylang Ylang 2 drops

Bergamot 1 drop

“Tropical Breeze”

Feel summery and delicious even in winter –

Ylang Ylang 1 drop

Jasmine 3% 3 drops * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

“Release Frustration”

Ylang Ylang 1 drop

Frankincense 2 drops

“Not a care in the World”

Ylang Ylang 1 drop

Petitgrain 1 drop

Cedarwood Atlas 1 drop

Artsisan diffuser

2. Scent Your Space

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil

“You WILL Be Mine”

Ylang Ylang 8 drops

Mandarin 8 drops

Black Pepper 6 drops

Juniper 4 drops

“My Corner of The World”

Enjoy your own space and your own company –

Ylang Ylang 8 drops

Lime 8 drops

Lavender 6 drops

Clove 3 drops

“Sexy Love Bedroom Disco”

Ylang Ylang 8 drops

Sandalwood Mysore 6 drops

Orange 11 drops

Body oils make lovely legs

3. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil.

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops and see my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”

“Life is Beautiful”

Ylang Ylang 3 drops

Marjoram 3 drops

Roman Chamomile 3% 4 drops * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

“Nourish and Repair”

Skin can benefit from Ylang Ylang –

Ylang Ylang 2 drops

Lavender 2 drops

Patchouli 2 drops

Peru Balsam 1 drop

“You WILL Be Mine – The Musical”

Ylang Ylang 3 drops

Cedarwood Virginiana 2 drops

Pink Grapefruit 3 drops

Lavandula stoechas, my own pic thanks yes it is wonderful

Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas.See my article about intention.

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil – Yeah!

Posted on April 28, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Cananga odorata- pic via www.rareflora.com

A mass of Cananga odorata flowers on a branch – pic via http://www.rareflora.com

Many essential oils share similar qualities and properties, although they are all unique in their characteristics. Scent is the main way we distinguish essential oils from one another, and we know how varied the beautiful fragrances are!

Ylang Ylang – Cananga odorata is a beautiful oil used extensively in perfumery AND aromatherapy and hails from a beautiful and unusual looking flower. I love using Ylang Ylang anytime. It works well with orange oil and is great to counteract frustration and even anger. Soothing and calming to the nerves, it also works as an aphrodisiac with its deep, base scent.

The plant is grown in tropical climates and Salvatore Battaglia claims this wonderful, spidery looking flower is strewn on the wedding bed of newly married couples in Indonesia. How divine!

What a gorgeous flower

Some of its chemical constituents are:

* linalool (an alcohol) – also found in lavender and basil and has a warming effect

* B-caryophyllene (a sesquiterpene)- also found in cloves and could be considered balancing

* Benzyl benzoate (an ester) – also found in jasmine and can be seen as calming

Each chemical constituent within an essential oil gels with all the others to produce a general effect on the body. However, not all oils with esters will necessarily be calming oils, and this can be said for most active ingredients.

YinYang

Energetically it is said by some to be a “yang” (masculine) oil, and has an absolutely stunning oil with a heady, sweet aroma. It seems to have many feminine uses but I also know many men who adore this oil.

In Aromatherapy today Ylang ylang is used :

* for calming nerves

* as an aphrodisiac

* for stimulating cell growth in scar tissue and for general skin care and hair care

* for treatment with people who have high blood pressure

* for symptoms of menopause and PMS

Unlike other oils, when essential oil of ylang ylang is produced it creates a few different levels of oil. When you buy from a wholesaler they will indicate what level you are buying but when you buy from a retailer you may not get this information.

“Extra” – the first part of the distillation which is the most finely scented of the oils. I always use this

1st Grade – the next best bit

2nd Grade – the next best bit

3rd Grade – the level of oil with the lesser quality of all.

My wholesaler also offers “Complete Ylang Ylang” which is a combination of Extra, !st and 2nd grades so could be seen as a more rounded oil. I still use Extra all the time.

No other oil (as far as I know) has such a distinctive production and collection process, and this is where I think some multilevel marketing essential oil companies get their marketing ideas from – claiming they have the highest therapeutic grade oils in the world. There is no doubt some grades of essential oils are better than others, and one of my suppliers has created their own list of grades – Certified Organic – Conventional – down through a couple of levels to Commercial (which would be used for body products and some food flavourings). It’s all very interesting but have no doubt that raw ingredients, especially the oils of flowers (jasmine and rose) and sandalwood are becoming very expensive.