All the Australian Melaleucas

Posted on December 17, 2012 by suzannerbanks

tea tree

Many people know of the amazing properties of Tea Tree oil – Melalueca alternifolia. It’s fresh, it’s clean and it smells like the bush. The Australian bushland, that is. It is known for its powerful “anti’s” –

* anti-bacterial

* anti-fungal

* anti-viral

* anti-septic

Yep its powerful stuff and has been used by indigenous Australians as medicine and in smoking ceremonies for thousands of years (at the very least). It can be used topically for acne, fungal infections, cuts and abrasions. It is fantastic as an addition to your cleaning regime – just add a few drops to your cleaning products or go totally natural and use it on it’s own with some bi-carb soda or salt. Chuck a few drops straight onto the kitchen benches. This will not only disinfect the bench, and the cloth you are using but will also energetically and scentually make the kitchen beautiful!

But did you know there are some other types of melalueca that are lovely to use and have milder, softer fragrances?

Rosalina – Melalueca ericifolia

is much softer and sweeter than conventional tea tree, and is sometimes referred to as Lavender Tea Tree. It’s a good description and although it doesn’t really smell like lavender, it is gentle and has warm honey overtones. It has a high linalool content which is found in high quantities in lavender. I love to use this oil with kids, and in oil blends during treatments that require a formula to help the client get rid of negativity quickly.

Rosalina

Niaouli – Melalueca quinquinervia

this one has some lavender hints – more than Rosalina, but is also a bit citrusy and has a high content of 1,8 cineole which is found in eucalyptus, and limonene (guess where that is also found)? It is called the broad-leaved paperbark and the trees can grow quite large. Niaouli is also produced from Melalueca viridiflora and I can’t seem to find much information on whether both trees are used in the distillation, or only one tree and some information I have is incorrect. There is a Melalueca quinquinervia LN chemotype, which is called Nerolina as it has a high content of nerolidol. As I also mention below – they are all melaluecas and have similar properties.

Niaouli

Cajeput – Melalueca cajeputi

more spicy and “camphorous” than common tea tree, it’s great as an expectorant like eucalyptus. When you look at these pictures here, you can see that they are all very similar in their look as a plant, and are actually similar in their therapeutic properties. There are of course slight variations in scent and in chemical make-up, and cajeput could be a little too sensitising for use all over the body. I tend to use rosalina a lot more in body oil blends.

Cajeput

I love to use tea tree in oil vapourisers to purify the air and to help flush away bad vibes, stale energy – to help clear the way for new and exciting things!

So there you have it – some great Australian essentials oils to add to your library of scent. Go on, be adventurous.

Remember to treat yourself first, and everyone will benefit.

What Essential Oil is This?

Posted on December 12, 2012 by suzannerbanks

sneakily borrowed from biodagar.com

So 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!

I’m going to tell you about an oil, and as you are reading you may have an idea of what it could be. I will talk about the oil from the perspective of its uses and how it can influence the body.

The plant is grown in tropical climates, in Asia.

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 an general effect on the body. Not all oils with esters will necessarily be calming oils. I know that’s a bit technical but I’ll give you some more hints.

yin yang

Energetically it is said to be a “yang” (masculine) oil, and has an absolutely stunning oil with a heady, sweet aroma.

This oil could be blended with others to make a sexy, love oil.

It is a flower.

Uses of this oil include:

* calming nerves

* as an aphrodisiac

* stimulating cell growth

this is our mystery flower

This oil is used extensively in perfumery, but it doesn’t need anything else to help it.

This oil is YLANG YLANG – Cananga odorata! What a beautiful oil it is. 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 it’s deep, base scent.

How about a body oil blend like this –

“Gorgeous”

3 teaspoons carrier oil

3 drops ylang ylang

3 drops orange

1 drop patchouli

Gorgeous!

3 Simple Oily Beauty Tips

Posted on December 10, 2012 by suzannerbanks

oilve & oil – sneakily borrowed from botani.com

1. The Best Makeup Remover in the World

Oil. Olive oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, almond oil, camelia oil, safflower oil, macadamia oil. You get the picture. Any medium or heavy oil will do the job perfectly. Nothing takes off waterproof mascara like good ol’ cold pressed oil. My system is to wet a makeup remover pad with some water, add a squirt of oil, remove makeup. Clean face with warm, wet washcloth. The end.

rosehips – sneakily borrowed from wellnesswa.com.au

2. The Best Face Moisturiser in the World

Rosehip oil. You can also try borage oil and apricot oil but I find rosehip is the best. It is dark and slightly scented, but once you start using it it’s hard to give up. I rarely even make creams for my face anymore because rosehip oil is so good. I put makeup on straight away after moisturising with rosehip and don’t encounter any problems. Rosehips are high in Vitamin C and also have anti-inflammatory properties. Rosehip extracts are now being used in herbal medicine for both the above properties – in joint formulas as well as immune stimulating formulas. It works best if you smooth the oil on a damp face, this also helps trap some extra moisture in too. I use a floral water in a mist bottle to make the process even more stunning.

You can definitely add essential oils to your rosehip and the best for the face are:

Geranium

Lavender

Rose

Neroli

Frankincense

Refer to my blog for the correct quantities to use – Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 123

This lists essential oil ratios for making a body oil – for the face use half the quantity. For example if you use 1 teaspoon of oil for your body add 3 drops of essential oil. For the face use 1 drop of essential oil.

jojoba - it look a lot like an olive doesn't it?

jojoba – it looks a lot like an olive doesn’t it?

3. The Best Body Moisturiser in the World

Oil. Jojoba oil, almond oil, sesame oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, macadamia oil, olive oil, camelia oil, sunflower oil ……….

Add a few drops of essential oil and you have a natural, preservatice free, paraben free, beautifully scented, quick aromatherapy treatment.

Use any essential oils for the body but it’s best to stay away from the following in large quantities

All the spice oils – use them but be conservative

Thyme

Peppermint

and any other strongly scented oil you can think of. Refer to my article Aromatherapy It’s Easy As 1 2 3 for the correct quantities to use.

Go for it. Using cold pressed oils is a start to simplifying your life by cutting out chemicals and toxic ingredients in personal care products. It does take a bit longer but if you valuse yourself and the world around you, it’s easy to make the effort.

Look after yourself first. Treat yourself first and everyone will benefit.

Aussie Blue Sky – Aussie Blue Cypress

Posted on December 6, 2012 by suzannerbanks

Sydney summer sky

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the blue pic above, was just a picture of blue. I took this, this afternoon lying on Maroubra beach – it’s a picture of a clear blue Sydney summer sky! I felt so fortunate today. I’d just finished doing the last of the Chopra Centre 21 Day Meditation Challenge about abundance and as I opened my eyes this is what I saw.

The feeling of freedom was overwhelming.

Then I thought “cypress”.

Then I thought “Australian blue cypress”. Callitris intratropica.

This oil is not very well-known but its absolutely stunning. It comes from the trees that grow in the Northern Territory, the wood and bark being resistant to insects. It is native to the area of the mainland and also the Tiwi Islands. The Tiwis’s are Melville and Bathurst Islands and they have a magic and special energy. It is claimed that the islanders have been living here for at least 20,000 years or more. Just like our other indigenous peoples, these civilisations have actually been around for much, much longer.

The trees grown in sustainable plantations and have various uses, one being the essential oil that is distilled from the wood.

Australian Blue Cypress sneakily borrowed from griffith.edu.au

The blue colour comes from the active ingredient “Guaiazulene” which is similar to “chamazulene” in German Chamomile. This is the anti-inflammatory component of the oil, and one of the most obvious. It is dark blue, almost inky and has a spicy, woody fragrance. It’s is quite thick and heavy too. I remember being at a conference years ago and someone presented this oil as wonderful for lung infections. Any kind of disorder that requires cooling and soothing could be used with Blue Cypress. It still isn’t really classified as an essential oil as the regulating body in Australia hasn’t recognised it’s therapeutic qualities yet.

Australian Blue Cypress is a more expensive oil as the yield is quite low, and it takes a long time to distill.

I sometimes use it as a grounding, centering treatment when a client is overwhelmed or heated up with stress. It is powerful. I always say all oils go with all oils, but this cypress lends itself to lighter sweeter oils like lemon, orange, geranium, rose geranium, rose and anything you can think of really.

If you ever see it, it is worth a try. What about 1 drop on your wrists as a connection to the mysterious, wondrous time of the last world age.

It’s the END of the WORLD and it’s CRAZY out there!

Posted on December 3, 2012 by suzannerbanks

I know Oprah, it’s crazy out there

Yep it’s the end of the world soon. In less than a month actually. What a relief.

It’s the planetary alignment in the centre of our galaxy that’s causing all the issues. According to science – and brilliantly explained by scientist and philosopher Gregg Braden, the earth moves in 26,000 year cycles. These are called ages and are related to the zodiac and stars (obviously). The 26,000 year cycle is broken down into 5 smaller 5,000 (and something) year ages. We are finally coming out of Pisces an into Aquarius. This means we are not only at the end of a small world age, but at the end of a 26,000 year old age. This means there is great adjustment. The planets have been moving into the alignment for the past thirty years so actually the worst of it is over. December 21, 2012 represents the turning point. This is where the Mayan Calendar ends, but our life fortunately does not.

This is a time to allow old paradigms to be dissolved.

This is a time to ask yourself why you are here, at this place and at this time.

This is a time to ask yourself how you can help the human race evolve.

This is a time to care for others.

This is a time to acknowledge we are the same as our brothers and sisters all over the world.

This is a time to release to controls of religion, and blossom into spirituality.

Hey, have you noticed it’s CA-RAY-ZEE out there? It’s like time is speeding up as the universe demands we look at ourselves, and allow the archaic way we operate to fall away.

EVOLVE OR DIE!

My way of attuning into the energy of the new world, is to use essential oils. Essential oils give a moment of relief and bliss where there is stress and unhappiness. It does seem simplistic, but you KNOW the only way to change the world is to change what YOU do and how you infuse your ethics and morals into your life.

Let the financial structures crumble. They only serve the few anyway.

Let the people take to the streets and topple governments. They only represent the minority anyway.

Let technology take us to the next level. It’s an exciting time to be alive. Using the internet as an example, you can see how communication has been changed dramatically in only a few short years. It seems completely stupid to me that we still use money to live by, and that we don’t use solar power. Come on! I feel like we are in the dark ages.

EVOLVE OR DIE!

aaahhhhh essential oils

So I’ll just keep using my essential oils to make people feel good, and look forward to the future – the future is NOW!

Buzz Off – The Tribe has Spoken!

Posted on November 30, 2012 by suzannerbanks

It looks serene but….

It looks serene but it’s a jungle out there! It’s like being in the TV show “Survivor” 24/7!

I live less than 10 minutes from the city of Sydney, but I may as well be living in the swamp. In fact I feel a bit like Tammy Tyree who lived in the Mississippi swamps. Just call me Tammy. I am a bit cut-off from civilisation as I can’t talk on my mobile phone inside the house – so it’s freeze out the back in winter when making a call or fend off the mosies in summer! A few years ago a neighbour told me my suburb was actually reclaimed swamp/wetlands and that there is a huge water table underneath us. Sydney actually has lots of underground water which would explain all the insect, especially mosquitoes and cockroaches. My other neighbour has frogs but I’ve unsuccessfully tried for years to get tadpoles. I gave up with my pond but I’m serenaded all summer with the croaking from next door.

So anyway……. for years my friends have baulked at sitting outside in the beautiful garden because the mosquitoes are vicious. They are so big a friend once said “the mosie that followed me down the hall needs its own bedroom”. I have always made my own insect repellent in a mist bottle, but it has never been enough. Last year I got a few torches to burn citronella oil and that really helped. It’s the flame and smoke that keeps those little biters at bay. Add the topical application of some essential oils and a little bit of peace can be found in my backyard.

torch with a flame keeps those biters at bay

I now have a mosquito net over my bed because they are so bad at night it’s like a form of torture.

aaahhhhh peace at last

I have given up on the mist and gone for pure essential oils. After much trial and error I have found the best oils to keep away the insects are (in any combination):

Lemongrass

Citronella

Basil

Peppermint

Lavender

Clove

Thyme

and any oil that has a pungent aroma. No sweet pretty oils can be used, it will only attract them! Lavish these oils all over you especially around the ankles, neck and ears and anywhere where your flesh is exposed!

Of course having a gin and tonic will help as the quinine is supposed to be a malaria preventative, in case you get bitten by a mosie with the virus. Ok, well it’s probably not strong enough in the tonic we now drink, but my when my father was in the British Army, serving in Africa, they were given salt and quinine tablets. Salt for replenishing minerals and quinine against malaria. Interesting eh?

Essential oils, a G & T, a mosquito net and a Survivor-like torch is my recipe for getting through summer in Sydney. When I quench the flame at the end of the evening I silently say “the tribe has spoken”, and retire inside.

Oils for Meditation

Posted on November 29, 2012 by suzannerbanks

aaahhh meditation!

Meditation is a wonderful thing, and doesn’t really need any added help. It’s about being, not doing. It’s about connecting and detaching. So do we need essential oils to help our meditation practice? Probably not, but sometimes it adds anchoring to the ritual and helps some relax into the process. When you vapourise oils in a classic “oil burner” with a candle, the flame acts as an agent of transformation.

I love this oil burner from pagethirtythree.com

My choices for meditation oils are:

Lavender – I use lavender for everything! It is as warming as it is cooling, It is calming and nurturing, It is centering and grounding, and brings together your energy. It is a well-known oil for relaxation due to its high ‘linalool” content. A few deep breaths of lavender at the start of your meditation will help you zone in to yourself quite quickly. My motto is “If in doubt, use lavender”.

Frankincense – oh ye olde magic of frankincense! It starts out as a resin from the tree and is then steam distilled to make the oil. It is the oil of breathing deeply and has its roots in spiritual and religious practices. By breathing deeply and expanding your lungs, more oxygen can flow into your body. The combination of increased oxygen and the natural feeling of relaxation when you take a deep breath, adds up to a very peaceful vibration. It is in this state we can connect with our higher selves, and essentially “God”. It is almost used in churches as a scent to induce a type of hypnotic trance.
For a quite peaceful meditation use frankincense oil.

Rose – the ‘queen’ of oils, it is an oil of self nurturing and self-love. Rose can be used for everything from heat exhaustion to cuts and wounds. The scent is divine and when you are in the presence of pure rose oil you wont be able to escape is enveloping nature. I think of rose crystal quartz when I use this oil too, the love crystal. Shakti Gawain talks about “pink bubbles of love” in her revolutionary book from 1978 “Creative Visualization”. Pink, oil of rose, and rose quartz go hand in hand – I often surround myself with the energy of rose quartz, and rose oil, when I feel I need a bit of help and kindness. Use rose oil in your meditation to give yourself a feeling of security, softness and love so you can open to the messages of the universe.

unpolished rose quartz borrowed from angelreikihealing.com

So many oils can be used for the practice of meditation just be guided by your intuition and your personal fragrance preferences. You don’t even need to vapourise the oils you could just put a drop on your upper lip (patch test for sensitivity first).

Some more relaxing oils for meditation are:

orange, bergamot, petitgrain, lemon balm, neroli,

Some expansive oils:

pine, cypress, fir, tea tree, basil

The most important thing is to set some time aside to meditate – and that can be so hard in our busy daily lives! The oil is the icing on the cake.

Meditate, and the whole world will benefit.

10 Great Reasons to use Essential Oils

Posted on November 28, 2012 by suzannerbanks

There’s a 10 in there somewhere

1. They are from a natural source and have a distinctive scent

Essential oils come from a natural source and you can detect a deepness in their scent that can never be replicated.

2. Essential Oils can set a Mood

When you use essential oil in your home or space, their chemical structures positively effect your emotions and those who enter you’re scented zone. This doesn’t happen with GLADE or other chemical, synthetic fragrances.

3. Oils can support your life journey

Your spirit will be uplifted when you use essential oils to conjure change in your life. This is not about the emotions, it’s about acknowledging your soul with heavenly scents from nature.

4. Essential oils are great for First Aid

Essential oils are great for first aid. Lavender is #1 and Tea Tree is #2. When in doubt use lavender as it has anti-inflammatory and cell regenerating properties. Tea Tree is more

sneakily borrowed from jigzone.com

anti-bacterial.

5. Use them in your cleaning/cleansing regime

Add essential oils to your cleaning products to leave your home beautifully, naturally scented while removing bacteria and inviting new beginnings.

6. Use oils for a great sleep

Induce and enhance sleep with chamomile, lavender, lemon balm and even orange. The best way to do this is to vapourise the oils in the bedroom. This is great for calming kids down in the evening.

7. They can nurture your skin

Add a drop or two to your moisturiser to stimulate cell growth and leave a wonderful, natural calm energy.

8. Essential oil will make you the envy of your friends

Everyone will notice when you wear essential oils as a perfume or body oil. They have far reaching effects, they are quite magical and a little goes a long way.

9. Essential oils have a medicinal history

When you use an essential oil you are connecting to the history of the plant through the ages. Most oils and the plants they come from, are the original medicines. Using these plants as medicines, early man was connected to Earth as a life giver.

sneakily borrowed from scientificillustration.tumblr.com

10. Essential oils can help you create

Essential oils will help you tap into your creative force by working through your brain and affecting how you see the world. They use their subtle power to weave your subconscious mind into your everyday life. The results can be amazing!

Lemongrass! An oil for all seasons

Posted on November 27, 2012 by suzannerbanks

sneakily borrowed from candlemaking.com.au

Just look at the pic above. Lemongrass appears to be a substantial, almost “meaty” root. The essential oil of lemongrass definitely has a substantial scent, and I would dare say is one of the more popular oils. In general, men like the deep gutsy scent, women adore the verve and vitality and kids and pets resonate with it’s fresh yet syrupy energy.

Lemongrass is a great oil for energising and creating energy where there is lack. In cooking lemongrass gives a zingy, lemony bite to a dish. I often use the oil with clients when they are lacklustre. It’s like the giddy-up oil. The get-going oil.

Lemongrass is great for summer to ward off insects – just put some drops straight onto your skin to keep away the mosquitoes.

Lemongrass is great for winter as it helps to start you up on a cold morning.

Lemongrass is fantastic for spring to clear away the cobwebs of winter.

Lemongrass is wonderful for autumn as a mood enhancer when you realise summer is coming to an end.

The main active ingredient in lemongrass is citral. Then there’s lots of other little helpers including geraniol, limonene and nerol. Can you guess what other oils these belong too? If you said geranium, lemon and neroli you are right. These molecular structures are found in other oils too. Each essential oil has its own character that is created by different chemical consituents but it’s hard to pinpoint the magic. It’s all about the old adage “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”. This refers to the energetic presence an entity has. You can break down a plant into scientific measurements, but its the synergistic combination of all the little molecules that makes it unique. With essential oils, their uniqueness is their scent.

The scent of lemongrass can been described as lemony, herbaceous & strong. A little goes a long way. It’s a very tropical scent and is grown in hot areas in Asia and Africa. Perfect for bringing the warmth of the tropics into your life.

Try a few drops in the shower for an awakening steam treatment.

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Geranium rules my ‘hood!

Posted on November 26, 2012 by suzannerbanks

Geranium in the back lane

I love geranium essential oil. I love rose-geranium essential oil too. It’s flowery, it’s a little bit girly and it has a vibration of happiness and cheeriness. I just walked around the block and took a few pics of the lovely, brightly coloured flower. It loves the sun and so do I.

Geranium essential oil is great for skincare and I often use it in my face creams.

Geranium around the corner

These pictures of geranium may not necessarily reflect the exact geranium plants that the oils are distilled from but there is definitely an aroma when you squish up a leaf and smell it (after you’ve asked the plant’s permission of course!).

Geranium bourbon, originally from the Reunion Islands is considered the best geranium for skincare in Aromatherapy, but I’m not even sure if it is produced here anymore. The first plantings for production came from the island which was originally called “Bourbon”. It is the pelargonium graveolens plant that produces this oil. Rose geranium is produced from a cross of two different geranium plants – pelargonium cv rose.

I often use Rose geranium for scenting a space and in personal mists, and geranium bourbon for skincare creams and old blends for the body.

Geranium in my street

Some aromatherapy teachings claim geranium is a great balancing oil for the emotions as it’s main active ingredients geraniol and citronellol, work on the frontal and adrenal cortex of the brain. So basically, it’s a happy oil. You don’t need to be a genius to know that. Just take a huge whiff straight from the bottle and smile!

Try these combo’s:

Oil Blend to nourish your body:

“Oh Lady!”

3 teaspoons carrier oil like almond, grapeseed, jojoba

Geranium bourbon 3 drops

Orange 3 drops

Patchouli 1 drop

In an oil vapouriser to scent your space:

“Life is Grand”

Rose geranium 8 drops

Spearmint 8 drops

Mandarin 10 drops

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: