10 Recipes with Lemongrass Essential Oil- Cymbopogon citratus

Posted on April 23, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Delicious lemongrass

Lemongrass belongs to the Poaceae family (the grasses), and its genus is Cymbopogon. Other plants you may know in this family are palmarosa, citronella and vetiver (same family different Genus).

Commercially lemongrass essential oil comes from Cymbopogon citratus and Cymbopogon flexuosis, some of my suppliers have both, and some only have one.

“East Indian lemon grass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), also called Cochin grass or Malabar grass (Malayalam: (inchippullu), is native to Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand, while West Indian lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) is native to maritime Southeast Asia.” Wikipedia

Recently I have seen more C. flexuosis on offer and I wouldn’t really be able to tell the difference unless I had both bottles to sniff at the same time. There are variations in chemical constituents however if you bought either you would be fine to use them in the recipes below.

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.

With a lemongrass steam in the shower expect to feel uplifted, awakened, refreshed and ready to go. Some extra happiness may also randomly occur.

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”

“Pre Exercise Zinger”

When you need a bit of encouragement to get you going –

Lemongrass 2 drops

Rosemary 2 drops

Orange 4 drops

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

“After Exercise Soother”

Lemongrass 3 drops

Marjoram 2 drops

Lavender 2 drops

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

“Eye of the Tiger”

To give yourself some positive vibes for the day ahead –

Lemongrass 3 drops

Cedarwood Virginiana 2 drops

Rosewood 3 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!

“Energy NOW!”

Lemongrass 1 drop

Basil 1 drop

Geranium 1 drop

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

“After Work Before a Dinner Date”

Refresh and revitalize –

Lemongrass 1 drop

Petitgrain 1 drop

Nutmeg 1 drop

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

“It’s Gonna Be a Bumpy Ride”

To help with travel sickness –

Lemongrass 1 drop

Ginger 1 drop

Peppermint 1 drop

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

A classic oil burner with a candle helps to remove and transmute unwanted energy

4. Scent Your Space

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

“Freedom”

Lemongrass 8 drops

Peru Balsam 9 drops

Cinnamon 8 drops

—————————————————————————————————————–

“A Night of Intrigue and Love”

Lemongrass 6 drops

Ylang Ylang 6 drops

Mandarin 6 drops

Sandalwood 6 drops

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

“Sunny Sunday”

The perfect scent for a Sunday afternoon –

Lemongrass 8 drops

Bergamot 10 drops

Cedarwood Atlas 7 drops

—————————————————————————————————————–

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

Lemongrass – A Universal Scent and “All Seasons” Essential Oil

Posted on April 21, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Delicious lemongrass

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. It is a universally appealing oil and is accessible and inexpensive.

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.

So fresh and green!

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.

Goodbye summer …

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.

In Aromatherapy today lemongrass is used –

* for clearing the mind

* as a tonic for exhasution

* in a treatment when someone is recovering from sickness or is post viral

* to aid digestion

* for aching muscles and an aching body

Try a few drops in the shower for an awakening steam treatment or making an energising essential oil body blend. Stay tuned for more recipes!

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Black Pepper – A Strong Essential Oil with a Soft Scent

Posted on March 17, 2014 by suzannerbanks

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

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and many other stores worldwide as a Kindle and Paperback

Black Pepper – A Strong Essential Oil with a Soft Scent

Black pepper - pic via www.seriouseats.com

Black pepper – pic via http://www.seriouseats.com

Many moons ago my first guest post on Australian Perfume Junkies was about black pepper. Black pepper is one of those oils that I may not use frequently, but when I do use it, I am always intrigued as if I am smelling it for the first time. And I seem to be surprised at its soft, warm scent. When you taste black pepper it can be sharp, pungent and spicy but when you smell the essential oil it is gentle and sweet with a hint of spice.

From my APJ story;

“The essential oil of black pepper is a lot softer and sweeter than the taste, and is used in Aromatherapy for symptoms such as poor circulation, muscle and joint aches and pains, as treatment for bad digestion and as a general warming tonic. It has been used as an aphrodisiac, and an anti-dote to depression. Taking in all these properties, what can the divine scent tell us? Like many spice oils, it carries the energetic resonance of the evolution of humanity – really. Each drop, each whiff can link us to the past. It’s an oil of warmth, expansion and action. It’s a stimulating scent to the brain and can certainly be employed to open your mind. When I smell black pepper straight from the bottle (the best way to experience an essential oil is to take off the lid and take a huge sniff) I am inspired to carry on. To me it’s an oil of searching for your purpose in life, and giving inspiration to go forward and seize the day.”

Wow I just quoted myself hehehehehehe. To read the full story click here.

Black pepper in its dried and undried forms - pic via kampot-pepper.us

Black pepper in its dried and natural forms – pic via kampot-pepper.us

Black pepper is considered as slightly sensitising, which means it may cause a reaction on the skin. This is why I say to “patch test first”, even though I know not many of you do. Putting a couple of drops neat on your skin would not be advisable but putting a couple of drops in an oil blend may work quite well.

Here’s a couple of 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 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.

Black pepper – will gently warm up your brain and body in the morning, creating space for you to shine!

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 Legs!”

Rub this blend on, and then put your feet up –

Black pepper 2 drops

Lavender 4 drops

Peppermint 1 drop

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

“Hike”

When you need to warm up your muscles before you conquer your day –

Black pepper 2 drops

Rosemary 2 drops

Lemon 4 drops

—————————————————————————————————————–

“God Give Me Strength”

When you need to summon some courage –

Black pepper 2 drops

Cedarwood Virginian 2 drops

Petitgrain 4 drops

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

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

Lagging Energy? Use These Essential Oils

Posted on March 10, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Sometimes it just feels hard to do anything! pic via www.katimorton.com

Sometimes it just feels hard to do anything! pic via http://www.katimorton.com

Feeling listless, not enough energy to get through the day? Sometimes it’s not even about being tired because you can definitely have trouble getting to sleep during these low times too.

It. Feels. Like. You. Just. Can’t. Do. Stuff.

I’ve been feeling a bit like that lately as our late summer in Sydney has been a hot, wet, heavy earth summer. Not much sun, but loads of humidity. Some of my friends have been complaining about having no energy, and I suppose as we count down to the equinox (Autumn equinox for the southern hemisphere and spring equinox for the north), we can take time to adjust.

bounce on trampoline – pic via herweightlossdiary.blogspot.com

All the obvious regimes apply here like making sure you have good nutrition, good sleep and make yourself get out and exercise. A daily routine can help get you back on track and by this I mean waking at the same time, eating dinner and breakfast at the same time, going to bed at the same time. Use your alarm and plan ahead. It may only take you a week to reclaim your energy. But what if you are doing all that and still feel blah? Cutting down on stress in all forms will help but sometimes we need a bit of nature’s medicine. Cue essential oils.

Try these oils and recipes –

1. Open The Bottle and Take a Huge Whiff

This is the easiest and fastest way to wake up your brain which can be enough to then stimulate your body into action. The oils with strong aromas will automatically wake you up.

Rosemary – stimulates your mind, particular to helping you remember

Basil – energetically open upper chakras to the universe and is stimulating to your brain

Eucalyptus – wake up, deconstruct over thinking

Lemongrass – gently helps your mind fall into action

Tea Tree – release negative thinking

A drop of oil can be essential

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

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

Use any of the oils above plus –

Palmarosa – gentle hint at being more flexible in your daily life

Lime – a zesty zingy way to wake up

Thyme – could blow your head off with its strength but great for a complete mind cleanse

Cypress, Pine, Black Spruce, Juniper – like waking up in a beautiful forest, clean, fresh, inspiring

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

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”

If you’ve got a couple of extra minutes up your sleeve THE BEST way to wake you body up and get energy flow going is to make an oil blend for your body. By massaging the oil into your skin you are physically creating warmth and energy directly, then the oils will go to work silently and softly. Get up, shower, oil yourself, put on a robe for 5 minutes to let the oil soak in. Get dressed. Go!

“I am A Robot”

When you need to get gong and do loads of things without having to think about it –

Rosemary 2 drops

Lavender 1 drop

Cardamom 1 drop

Lemon 4 drops

—————————————————————————————————————–

“Ok That’s It I’m Going For a Walk”

Get vibed up for some exercise –

Orange 4 drops

Black pepper 2 drops

Juniper 2 drops

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

“Anything is Possible”

The universe rewards action –

Tea Tree 3 drops

Mandarin 3 drops

Ginger 2 drops

—————————————————————————————————————–

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

Ginger – an Oil of Warmth and Movement

Posted on April 22, 2013 by suzannerbanks

ginger – a fantastic food and oil

I used ginger oil in 2 treatments last week, and loved every minute of them.

Treatment 1

Rosemary, Ginger and Geranium

My intention for this blend was to create warmth in the muscles, and release muscle tension so there was more room for fluidity and movement.

The blend was stunning and the geranium was the little sweet treat the ginger and rosemary needed to be more appealing to the nose, and to add a little happiness and joy.

Treatment 2

Ginger, Rose Geranium and Orange

This blend was created to treat stomach upset and IBS. It was important to make ginger the star here, so I just added some rose geranium (because my client likes the scent, it’s a delightful flower oil that inspires joy, and I must have had it on my mind from the previous blend) and some orange for sweetness. Having bad digestion can indicate someone may not be enjoying and “digesting” life.

It must have been the ginger-geranium week and these two oils work really well together. So do ginger and orange!

Geranium in my street

So what is Ginger good for?

The ginger root is used for

– treating upset stomach and sea sickness

– making a hot drink with lemon and honey to reduce the symptoms of a cold

– warming the extremities by drinking ginger tea or taking a straight shot of ginger juice

The essential oil can be used for the same things physically, and in a meta-physical sense I use ginger oil to

– negate the colder/harder parts of my mind and thinking

– enhance my ability to communicate in a softer way

– help to focus on dharma and purpose in life

Here are some recipes to try:

Scent Your Space

In a classic oil burner or diffuser add these oils

“Joan of Arc”

To inspire your inner fire and find the purpose of your life;

Ginger 10 drops

Mandarin 8 drops

Peru Balsam 6 drops

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

“Qi”

To allow room for movement and change in your body (particularly heart chakra) and mind;

Ginger 10 drops

Rosewood 8 drops

Petitgrain 6 drops

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

Shower Steam

Open a bottle of ginger and pour 10 drops into the bottom of the shower (cover the drain with a cloth or your foot). Breathe in deeply. This will soften your emotions and help you feel compassion for others.

Good for before work, if you have any challenging stuff going on at the office.

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

Pure Pulse Point Perfume

Anoint your beautiful self with a few drops of oil. It’s a secret treatment for YOU, and YOU only.

Mix these oils together and dab on your wrists, heart, anywhere you are called to do so. If you are not sure ask the angels for guidance – they will silently place the answer in your mind.

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!

“Give Me Strength”

Garner a little extra energy for the day ahead;

Ginger 2 drops

Lavender 1 drop

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

“Kindness, Compassion and Baby Animals”

When YOU feel you need to show more compassion to another person;

Ginger 1 drop

Rose in 3% jojoba 2 drops

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

Make ginger oil your friend and rejoice in the amazing results!

Remember to treat your self first, then everyone will benefit.

Help Your Hangover with Essential Oils

Posted on March 4, 2013 by suzannerbanks

Oh no natural beauties, I hope you don’t have a hangover! The best cure for a hangover is time. Drink water, eat good food and rest too. Using essential oils can help speed up the process by acting as anti-inflammatory agents, tonics for the nervous system and antidotes for nausea. Here are some great oils for a hangover.

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A cup of peppermint tea could do the trick as well

Peppermint oil is THE best! It’s great for nausea and a headache too. It’s cooling and clearing.

How to use peppermint oil for a hangover:

Place a few drops in the bottom of the shower and cover the drain. This works as a peppermint steam and will make you feel better immediately!

Put a drop on your temples and the back of your skull for headaches.

Place a few drops in a teaspoon of oil and rub onto your stomach and lower back to lessen nausea.

Lavender is the most versatile essential oil we have and it can be used all through the year

Lavender oil is an all-rounder. It’s versatility makes it perfect to treat any type of discomfort in the body.

How to use lavender oil for a hangover:

Put 10 drops of lavender into an oil burner with 10 drops of peppermint. Chill on the couch or go back to bed.

You can use lavender like peppermint oil for a headache but the deep scent could have an opposite effect if you feel sick too. Stick to peppermint if you have an upset stomach.

Sunny lemons

Lemon is a refreshing, light, happy oil and is great for a hangover because it isn’t too heavy. It is an oil used for so many things, and I would use this for a hangover because it will lighten you up, and help your mind clear.

How to use lemon oil for a hangover:

Follow the same two methods for both lavender and peppermint AND,

in 3 teaspoons of oil add 8 drops of lemon and smooth all over your body.

This is a very nourishing moisturiser for your skin and entire body, and will help your nerves settle a little bit and give you a more clarity. It will refresh your energy too.

Wh!at a gorgeous flower

** It will be best to stay away from floral oils like geranium, ylang ylang and jasmine as they could make you feel a bit sicker than you already are.

However, rose oil could do the trick quite nicely and may help you go back to sleep – which will help you even more!

** Don’t use vetiver or patchouli as they are too deeply scented and are base notes – this could bring you down even further.

Stay with citrus oils – light, sparkly and fresh!

Time is the best thing for a hangover but these simple, beautiful essential oils will speed up the recovery process.

Lemongrass! An oil for all seasons

Posted on November 27, 2012 by suzannerbanks

sneakily borrowed from candlemaking.com.au

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.

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

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Meet me in the Shower

Posted on November 14, 2012 by suzannerbanks

Hot steamy shower with essential oils

A fast, easy way to brighten up your day is to take something (or someone you love) into the shower with you. Or both. When I say ‘meet me in the shower”, I really mean, take my hints about aromatherapy into the shower with you.

So that could be really disappointing for some, and an absolute relief for others.

Steaming with essentials oil in the shower gives your entire being a blast of positivity.

Mentally

A few drops of essential oil will literally and figuratively open your mind. When the oils mix with the steam and are inhaled by you, the little molecules of scent will connect with receptors in your nasal cavity, the information being transported through different parts of your brain to effect change in hormonal glands, and in turn your feelings.

They will also open up your nose, your facial sinuses, and make you feel alive!

The best oils to wake you up will be peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon, lemongrass and tea tree (among many, really).

Spiritually

Essential oils have a bewitching nature that will surround and envelope you with their presence. It’s like a scented meditation and will set the mood of inspiration for the entire day. To be inspired is to be in spirit. To acknowledge your spirit via the fractal nature of essential oils will connect you to the beauty of the universe.

Physically

I did a weekend workshop many years ago with In Essence, an Australian company founded by two sisters. Their recipe for showering with essential oils was to put 6 drops of oils in a 200 ml bottle, shake as you go and pour the water onto your body with the addition of a skin brush. Although I don’t do that everyday, occasionally it can be a real wake-up zinger! I prefer to use a body oil blend after the shower as its softer and more nourishing.

When you do your essential oil steam you will need to cover the shower drain with a plug or a wash cloth, and simply drop some oils into the bottom of the shower recess. Depending on what oils you use, about 6 drops will be plenty.

It’s easy and effective!

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Smiley Face Essential Oils

Posted on November 9, 2012 by suzannerbanks

sneakily borrowed from cartoonlogodesigns.com

Smiley faces and emoticons have come a long way. There are lots of versions but in essence, they are simple, cute and can make you feel good.

When Deepak Chopra was in Australia last year he talked about the power of emoticons. In his inimitable style, he is collaborating with Gallup, the company that conducts market research – The Gallup Polls. They have been collecting data on the positive ramifications and ripples stemming from emoticons and the smiley face. Basically you can spread happiness, joy and positivity by simply sending someone an emoticon via text message. You don’t even need to say anything, or write anything else. They speak for themselves. It’s like sending good vibes.

Essential oils are similar in the way they can inspire happiness, joy and a feeling of simplicity in your life. Wouldn’t it be great if we could send scent through our computers and phones? It will happen one day and I’m envious in advance! Until then here’s a few recipe for smiles:

*** It’s important to hold your intention when making your blend, so your energy can align with your thoughts, and transfer to your oils. Infuse your intention in the positive form eg “it’s another day, I’m so happy to be alive” rather than “I hate that guy at work he better stay away from me today”.

MIST

In a 100ml mist bottle with water add

Geranium 10 drops

Orange 20 drops

Spearmint 15 drops

Shake and mist. Breathe and release any tension. Fantastic to mist around kids.

STEAM

For a Smiley Face shower, cover the drain and add a few drops of Mandarin to the cascading water. Inhale. Smile.

DROP

To anoint yourself with a beautiful balm of happiness, try a drop or two Melissa (the oil) on your wrists. Gently inhale during the day for a sense of calm and softness.

SNIFF

Take a huge whiff of lime oil straight from the bottle, when you need to adjust your attitude.

sneakily borrowed from clkr.com

BODY OIL
A body oil blend recipe could look something like this;

3 teaspoons of almond oil

Grapefruit 5 drops

Bergamot 1 drop

CLEANING

If you are cleaning the house, add some lemongrass to water to mop floors or clean surfaces in any room of the house. Cleaning with essential oils is another great way to have an aromatherapy treatment while you are going about your day.

Remember, treat yourself first, and everyone will benefit.

suzannerbanks

scent . intention . consciousness . essential oils

Tag Archives: shower steam with essential ols

10 Recipes with Lemongrass Essential Oil- Cymbopogon citratus

Lemongrass – A Universal Scent and “All Seasons” Essential Oil

Black Pepper – A Strong Essential Oil with a Soft Scent

Lagging Energy? Use These Essential Oils

Ginger – an Oil of Warmth and Movement

Help Your Hangover with Essential Oils

Lemongrass! An oil for all seasons

Meet me in the Shower

Smiley Face Essential Oils

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