Essential Oils
Essential Oils are very potent. They should always be used sparingly and in conjunction with a reliable reference.
Most oils should not be applied directly to the skin. Ingesting some oils can cause health problems or be fatal. Safe use requires they be treated with care and respect. The user should be knowledgeable about their properties and actions before any use. Most personal applications require drops rather than ounces.
*Always read and follow all label warnings and cautions.
*Keep oils tightly closed and out of the reach of children.
*Never ingest essential oils.
*Don’t use undiluted oils on your skin (Dilute with vegetable oils, known as “carrier oils,” such as sweet almond oil or grapeseed oil).
*Skin test oils before using. Dilute a small amount and apply to the skin on your inner arm. Do not use if redness or irritation occurs.
*Keep oils away from eyes and mucous membranes.
*Avoid use of these oils during pregnancy:
bitter almond, basil, clary sage, clove bud, hyssop, sweet fennel, juniper berry, marjoram, myrrh, peppermint, rose, rosemary, sage, thyme and wintergreen.
*These oils can be especially irritating to the skin:
allspice, bitter almond, basil, cinnamon leaf, cinnamon bark, clove bud, sweet fennel, fir needle, lemon, lemongrass, melissa, peppermint, tea tree and wintergreen.
*Angelica and all citrus oils make the skin more sensitive to ultraviolet light. Do not go out into the sun with these oils on your skin.
*Sweet fennel, hyssop, sage and rosemary should not be used by anyone with epilepsy.
*People with high blood pressure should avoid hyssop, rosemary, sage and thyme.
Therapeutic properties of essential oils listed by conditon or symptoms:
anesthetic
cinnamon, cloves, peppermint
anti-allergic
chamomile, melissa
anti-asthmatic
cedarwood, chamomile (Roman), cypress, eucalyptus, frankincense, lavender
antibiotic
garlic, tea tree
anti-coagulant
geranium
antidepressant
benzoin, bergamot, carnation, clary sage, lavender, lemongrass, neroli, orange
anti-dontalgic
cajuput, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, peppermint, pimento
anti-microbial
myrrh, tagetes, thyme
anti-neuralgic
bay, cajuput, cloves, lemon
anti-rheumatic
cajuput, celery, chamomile, cypress, eucalyptus, hyssop, juniper, lemon, lavender, niaouli, oregano, pine, rosemary, thyme
anti-scorbutic
fir, ginger, lemon, lime
antiseptic
basil, bergamot, black pepper, cajuput, camphor, cedarwood, cinnamon, cloves, fir, frankincense, lavender, lemon, nutmeg, parsley, rose, sandalwood
antispasmodic
angelica, aniseed, basil, bay, bergamot, camphor, clary sage, clove, jasmine, lavender, mandarin, neroli, nutmeg, orange, peppermint, sandalwood, tangerine, thyme
anti-sudorific
clary sage
anti-venomous
basil, thyme
antiviral
eucalyptus, garlic, immortelle, lavender, lime, tea tree
anxiety
benzoin, chamomile (Roman), clary sage, jasmine, lavender, neroli, sandalwood
aperitif
bay, caraway, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, sage, thyme
aphrodisiac
angelica, aniseed, basil, black pepper, cinnamon, clary sage, clove, ginger, jasmine, nutmeg, pimento, rosewood, sandalwood, thyme, vetivert, ylang-ylang
astringent
bay, benzoin, cedarwood, cypress, frankincense, geranium, hyssop. immortelle, juniper, lemon, lime, myrrh, peppermint, rose, rosemary, sandalwood, yarrow
bactericide
basil, garlic, immortelle, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, lime, myrrh, neroli, rose, rosewood, tea tree
balsamic
cajuput, clary sage, eucalyptus, myrrh, niaouli, pine, tea tree
bechic
ginger, hyssop, oregano, sandalwood, thyme
cardiac
aniseed, black pepper, camphor, cinnamon, hyssop, nutmeg, thyme
carminative
angelica, aniseed, basil, bergamot, black pepper, carrot seed, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, hyssop, juniper, lemon, lemongrass, melissa, nutmeg, orange, oregano, parsley, peppermint, pimento, rosemary, spearmint, thyme
cholagogue
bay, hyssop, marjoram, peppermint, rosemary, rosewood
cicatrisant
bergamot, cajuput, clove, cypress, eucalyptus, frankincense, geranium, hyssop, juniper, lavender, rosemary, tea tree
cordial
benzoin, bergamot, lavender, marjoram, melissa, neroli, peppermint, rosemary, tea tree
concentration
basil, black pepper, ginger
cytophylactic
carrot seed, frankincense, geranium, immortelle, lavender, mandarin, neroli, rose
decongestant
cajuput, eucalyptus, garlic, lavender, niaouli, peppermint, pine
deodorant
benzoin, bergamot, citronella, clary sage, coriander, cypress, geranium, lavender, lemongrass, myrrh, pine, rosewood
depurative
caraway, carrot seed, coriander, eucalyptus, juniper, lemon, rose
detoxification
cedarwood, grapefruit, lemon, orange, rosemary
digestive
black pepper, coriander, ginger, lemon, lemongrass, peppermint
disinfectant
caraway, clove, juniper, lime, myrrh, pine
diuretic
bay, benzoin, black pepper, carrot seed, cedarwood, cypress, eucalyptus, hyssop, juniper, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, parsley, pine, rose, rosemary, sandalwood, violet
energy
basil, grapefruit, lemon, orange, rosemary
exhaustion
black pepper, clary sage, frankincense, grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, ylang-ylang
expectorant
angelica, basil, bergamot, cajuput, cedarwood, garlic, hyssop, myrrh, parsley, pine, peppermint, sandalwood, thyme
feet: sweaty
cypress, clary sage, geranium, peppermint
fever
bergamot, black pepper, chamomile, eucalyptus, ginger, lemon, melissa
flatulence
coriander, peppermint
gout
juniper, geranium, peppermint
gum infection
myrrh, peppermint, tea tree
hangover
cypress, grapefruit, juniper, pine, rosemary
hay fever
eucalyptus, chamomile (German), lavender, melissa
hypertension
camphor, hyssop, rosemary, thyme
hypo-tension
celery, clary sage, lavender, lemon, melissa
headache
basil, eucalyptus, grapefruit, lavender, melissa, peppermint
heartburn
chamomile (German), marjoram, peppermint
indigestion
cardamom, coriander, ginger, lemon, peppermint
infection
black pepper, cinnamon, juniper, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, myrrh, pine, rosemary
influenza
bay, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cypress, ginger, lemon, peppermint
insect repellent
cedarwood, citronella, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, sandalwood
insomnia
chamomile (Roman), lavender, clary sage, neroli, petitgrain, sandalwood
irritability
benzoin, chamomile (Roman), clary sage, geranium, lavender, neroli, sandalwood
jet lag
basil, geranium, grapefruit, peppermint, rosemary
laxative
aniseed, black pepper, ginger, lemon, nutmeg, parsley, rose, violet
laryngitis
benzoin, bergamot, cypress, lavender, lemon
measles
bergamot, chamomile (German), eucalyptus, geranium, lavender, tea tree
memory enhancement
basil, rosemary
menopause
chamomile (Roman), clary sage, cypress, geranium, jasmine, lavender, sandalwood
menstrual problems
clary sage, geranium, lavender, chamomile (Roman), marjoram
migraine
chamomile (Roman), lavender, peppermint, rosemary
mouth infection
geranium, myrrh, tea tree
mumps
chamomile (German), lavender, tea tree
muscle pains
basil, bay, black pepper, chamomile (Roman), clary sage, marjoram, peppermint, rosemary
nausea
clove, ginger, melissa, peppermint
nosebleed
cypress, lavender, lemon
neuralgia
bay, benzoin, black pepper, chamomile, clary sage, geranium, peppermint
overindulgence
juniper, grapefruit, lemon, peppermint
over-work
clary sage, lavender, neroli
pms
clary sage, chamomile (Roman), geranium, neroli, rosemary
respiratory problems
basil, benzoin, cedarwood, eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary, sandalwood
relaxing
benzoin, carnation, clary sage, geranium, lavender, neroli, sandalwood, ylang-ylang
rheumatism
black pepper, cedarwood, chamomile, cloves, coriander, eucalyptus, frankincense, ginger, lavender, lemon, pine, rosemary
scar tissue
helichrysum, jasmine, neroli, petitgrain, sandalwood
seasickness
ginger
sedative
benzoin, bergamot, cedarwood, clary sage, cypress, frankincense, jasmine, lavender, mandarin, melissa, neroli, petitgrain, rose, sandalwood, ylang-ylang
shock
basil, lavender
sinusitis
basil, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, pine, rosemary, tea tree
sunburn
chamomile (Roman), eucalyptus, lavender
throat
eucalyptus, lemon, sandalwood, tea tree
tonsillitis
lavender, tea tree
toothache
chamomile (Roman), clove, peppermint
tonic
basil, black pepper, carrot seed, clary sage, frankincense, geranium, ginger, hyssop, lemon, lemongrass, myrrh, nutmeg, neroli, orange, pine, rose, rosewood
varicose veins
cypress, geranium, lemon
windburn
chamomile (Roman), lavender
wounds
benzoin, bergamot, chamomile (Roman), eucalyptus, frankincense, lavender, tea tree
