Cinnamon Oil

Cinnamon's familiar aroma continues to warm kitchens throughout the world.  The spice was first used medicinally in ancient Egypt; we know now it has antiviral properties due to its volatile oil, which is extracted from both the bark and leaves of the cinnamon plant.  These oils emit a sweet scent that aromatherapists believe can provide warmth and a sense of security.  The aroma is thought to arouse the senses.  Used topically as a beauty aid, cinnamon-leaf oil is astringent, antiseptic and soothingly warm.  The warmth also soothes aching muscles due to cold symptoms.  Avoid skin irritation by diluting before use.  For the following recipes, I always use Livinity's Tru Bliss Essential oils.

Recipes

Gentle Strength for When You Feel Fragile - The aroma of cinnamon oil can calm your anxieties and strengthen self-confidence.  A few drops of the following blend in a diffuser or nebulizer has a soothing effect, strengthens the heart and may bring comfort in times of painful loss.
4 drops cinnamon oil
2 drops sandalwood oil
2 drops orange oil

For Head Lice - To repel head lice, add a few drops of cinnamon oil to 1 tablespoon of jojoba oil.  rub the mixture into your scalp daily until the parasites are gone.  Be extremely careful to avoid the eyes.

To Combat Chills - A warm bath with cinnamon, ginger and juniper oils may dispel the chills that accompany colds.  The bath stimulates circulation and warms the entire body.  Add 1 drop each of the oils to your bathwater and be sure to mix them well.

For a Warming Footbath - Fill a deep tub with 2 gallons warm water.  Add one drop of cinnamon oil, 2 drops of rosemary, 1 tsp of vodka and 2 drops of juniper essential oil.  Mix well, and submerge your feet in the mixture for a relaxing soak.

Daily massage with 3 tbsp of sweet almond oil mixed with 8 drops of cinnamon oil, 5 drops of orange oil and 4 drops of juniper oil to stimulate blood flow and help to firm up and tone the skin.  The mixture can also help you battle cellulite; Massage the oil into the skin with firm upward strokes toward the heart.  In addition, this oil blend works well as a foot massage.

Cinnamon oil strengthens and firms up gums and helps to prevent gum disease.  Add 1 drop of cinnamon oil to 1 tsp of vodka and 2 tbsp of water.  Shake the mixture well and swish your toothbrush in it.  Brush your teeth as usual.

In  room spray, cinnamon oil will refresh damp, mildewy areas.  Mix 2 ounces of vodka, 3 drops of cinnamon oil, 5 drops of bergamot oil and 2 ounces of water in a spritzer; shake the bottle well, and then spray the room.  You can add this mixture to a simmer pot or nebulizer for the same effect.

As a Custom Perfume - For an antiseptic perfume, a single drop of cinnamon oil may be added to 2 ounces of vodka for a warm spicy base.  Other essential oils like lavender, bergamot or ylang-ylang could be added - up to 10 drops total - to create your own personal scent.  Spray your hair or your clothes, but always avoid your eyes.  If you add bergamot, don't spritz your skin, as it's phototoxic.  Add jasmine oil for a rich scent; vanilla oil will lend an exotic edge.

Eucalyptus Oil

The essential oil of eucalyptus is obtained from the leaves and branches of the eucalyptus tree, Eucalyptus globulus.  It takes some 110 pounds of plant material to produce about 2 pounds of eucalyptus oil. The medicinal properties of eucalyptus oil were most likely first discovered by the Aborigines, the native inhabitants of Australia.  They used the oil as a remedy for skin problems and fever; not surprisingly, the eucalyptus tree has long been called the "fever tree."  Modern herbalists rely on eucalyptus oil to treat these conditions, as well as colds and other bothersome respiratory ailments.  The oil is a fine decongestant and has strong germicidal and antibacterial effects.  It is an effective treatment for colds, fever, respiratory diseases, joint and muscle pain, migraines and kidney and bladder problems. 

Take Care!!! Too much eucalyptus oil can potentially irritate the skin, so be sure to use the exact amount specified in the preparations listed here.  Combining eucalyptus oils with massage oil reduces the chance of irritation.  Keep eucalyptus oil away from children under age 6.

Recipes

For Mental Fatigue - Eucalyptus essential oil stimulates the nervous system and promotes concentration.  Combined with lemon oil in a nebulizer or diffuser, it is ideal to use when the psyche is affected by mental exhaustion and listlessness.
4 drops eucalyptus oil
2 drops lemon oil

For a Sense of Well-Being - A few drops of a blend of eucalyptus and massage oils have a cooling and stimulating effect on both mind and body.  Apply to pulse points.

To Purify the Sickroom - Eucalyptus oil is the ideal essence to use in the sickbed environment.  Five drops of the oil in a diffuser or nebulizer will kill germs in the air and reduce the number of airborne bacteria.  This will help keep germs from spreading.

Insect Repellent - Insects dislike the odor of eucalyptus oil.  To make an insect repellent, add a few drops of the oil to massage oil.  Or place a few drops in a diffuser or nebulizer to keep the room pest free.

For Wounds and Abscesses - The strong germicidal effect of eucalyptus oil can help heal wounds, burns, ulcers and insect bites or stings.  Place a few drops of the essential oil on a dressing or bandage before covering the area with it.

To Suppress Coughs - Make a chest compress with eucalyptus and massage oils to loosen phlegm and improve lung function.

Fever Reducer - Lower a fever with a eucalyptus calf wrap.  Add 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil to 1 qt. of lukewarm water.  Soak linen or cotton cloths in the mixture.  Then, wrap the cloths around your calves and secure with dry cloths.  Calf wraps should be used only when the feet are warm.

Congestion - To relieve sinus and chest congestion, combine 5 drops of eucalyptus oil with 1 drop peppermint oil.  Add crushed eucalyptus, peppermint, coltsfoot and comfrey herbs.  Place 1/2 oz of mixture in a clean sock, knot the end and place inside your pillowcase overnight.  To alleviate cold symptoms, place a few drops of eucalyptus oil on a handkerchief and deeply inhale the aroma.

Muscle Aches - For relief from muscular aches and pains, mix 10-15 drops of eucalyptus oil and 2 oz of sweet almond or grapeseed oil.  Massage into your muscles.

Dandruff - To rid dandruff, mix 10 drops of eucalyptus oil with your shampoo.  Massage well into your scalp.  Wait a few minutes before rinsing.

Geranium Oil

Even though there are around 700 varieties of geranium, only about 10 supply the valuable essential oil, which is obtained by distilling the leaves and shoots with steam.  The oil, with its fresh, rosy, citrusy scent, stimulates the senses.  It can renew your energy when you feel exhausted and calm you when you feel angry or irritable.  Geranium oil also helps balance the hormones, making it a good option for women who are troubled by menopausal symptoms.  Because of its cleansing and antiseptic properties, the oil has proved valuable in healing wounds and fighting infections.  Geranium essential oil can help most skin types because its stimulating action helps boost the regeneration of skin cells and aids the healing of acne and blemishes.  Diluted, it also helps control excessive oiliness of the skin and soothe dry, sensitive skin.  The geranium oil will give your skin a healthy glow, making it appear more youthful and radiant.  Many cosmetic lotions contain geranium oil, as it soothes irritated skin and helps control acne.  Geranium oil blends well with most other oils, including lemon, grapefruit, lavender, rosemary, jasmine bergamot and ginger essential oils.
Recipes

Insect Repellant
Geranium oil is especially well suited to warding off insects, particularly mosquitoes.  The following mixture used in a nebulizer or diffuser provides for perfect insect-free evenings.
5 drops geranium oil
3 drops clove oil

To help insect bites - Geranium can help with the aggrevation of swollen, itching mosquito bites.  Simply dilute 2 drops of pure geranium oil in 1 ounce of witch hazel.  Dab on affected area with a cotton ball.  This will help the swelling go down.

For acne - Geranium is an antiseptic and anti-flammatory.  After daily cleansing, dab a little of a geranium-witch hazel dilution on individual pimples with a cotton ball.

To feel good - If plants could speak, the message from the geranium would be, "Don't do a thing, let yourself be pampered."  The pleasant scent of geranium, when mixed with rose oil is ideal for making a body oil combination to pamper yourself in a bath, with a facial or in a hair rinse.  The oil relaxes the body and softens the skin.

For concentration problems - You can begin to feel more in control of your hectic life and decrease absentmindedness by inhaling the scent of geranium oil.  The clear, light scent will aid you in organizingh your thoughts and improving your memory.  You can also mix 2 drops of geranium oil with 2 drops of rosemary oil to enliven your senses.  Add some to a tissue and keep in your purse when you travel or place the mixture in your car diffuser.

To reduce swelling in the legs - rub them with a mixture of 3 tbsp of sweet-almond oil, 8 drops of geranium oil and 5 drops of lemon oil.  After applying the mixture, elevate your legs slightly and rest for for 30 min.  The oils unblock the lymph nodes and prevent edema. 

To help fade scars - use geranium oil mixed with neroli oil: mix 5 drops each of geranium and neroli oils into 3 tbsp of odorless enriched skin cream.  Massage into the scar tissue to keep it supple. 

To ease menstrual pain and cramps, a bath with geranium oil will provide relief.  Add 6 drops of geranium oil, 3 drops of jasmine oil and 2 drops of clary-sage oil to 1 1/2 cups of whole milk and pour it into your bathwater; soak in the tub for at least 30 min or more.

Geranium oil can give your new optimism when your're feeling worn-out and apathetic.  Place 3 drops each of geranium and bergamot oil in the nebulizer.  

Lavender Oil

Lavender grows in open fields and on mountain slopes, giving off an intense spicy aroma when it blooms.  Ther herb's flower buds are harvested by hand at midday, when the oil content is highest; the essential oil is then extracted using steam distillation. 

Lavender oil has many uses:  It is a powerful antiseptic containing more than 200 compounds that are active against fungi, viruses and other microbes.  The oil is also valued for its ability to balance the emotions.  It restores vitality in people suffering from nervous exhaustion and also has a calming effect on people who are agitated or who have trouble sleeping.  Lavender oil is one of the few essential oils that is safe to use "neat" or undiluted, on the skin. 

Recipes

To Purify Indoor Air - Place this mixture of essential oils in  simmer pot or nebulizer to help freshen the air.  The oils have a powerful cleansng action.  The fresh scent also exerts an uplifting effect on the mind, body and spirit.  Lavender combines particularly well with citrus oils.
4 drops lavender oil
2 drops bergamot oil
2 drops lemon oil

For Skin Irritations - Lavender water promotes good circulation in the skin and prevents infections of the sebaceous glads.  For a facial lotion, add 3 drops of lavender oil to 1 quart of distilled water; dab on daily

For Sunburn Relief - Add 10 drops of lavender oil to 4 ounces of water.  Store the liquid in a glass spray bottle and take it with you to spritz on sunburned skin as needed.

To Treat First Degree Burns - 1 to 2 drops directly on the burn will relieve pain and reduce the risk of blisters.

For Insomnia - Lavender oil has a calming effect and can be used to induce sleep when you're feeling stressed or anxious.  Put a few drops of lavender oil in your nebulizer and place it in your bedroom.  Its soothing effects will help you sleep soundly through the night.

For Middle Ear Infections - Saturate a cotton ball in olive oil, drip 5 drops of lavender oil onto it and place it on the outer part of the affected ear.  The lavender oil will help releive the pain and inhibit the inflammation that often accompanies ear infections.

Stomach Aches, Cramping, and Colic - Combine 30 drops of lavender oil, 10 drops of chamomile oil and 3 1/2 ounces of cold pressed olive oil in a bottle and shake vigorously.  Massage this mixture gently onto the abdomen for 10 minutes, using broad circular movements.  Rest for a brief period, and then apply a hot water bottle to the affected area for 30 minutes.

For an aromatic lavender bath, use a natural emulsifier to help the oil blend well with the bathwater.  Mix 5 drops of lavender oil with 1 cup of heavy cream or 1 tsp of honey and add it to the tub.

Around the House
Add several drops of lavender oil to the washer's final rinse cycle, or scent a cloth with a few drops of lavender oil and throw it in the dryer to freshen a load of newly laundered clothes.

Bergamot Oil

It's the inedible, bitter green fruit of the bergamot tree that gives us one of the most commonly used essential oils.  Its refreshing, distinctive aroma lifts the spirit, relaxes frayed nerves and even diminishes anxiety, fear and anger, while the oil itself possesses strong antiseptic and antibacterial properties. 

Its Many Uses

• Adding bergamot oil to a sitz bath helps treat such urinary-tract infections as urethritis and cystitis.
• When applied topically, the oil can help in the healing of irritated skin; thus, it can effectively treat acne and insect bites

Recipes

For Exhaustion~Bergamot oil is restorative and can combat fatigue due to stress or illness.  When it's combined with lime, another oil that is known to counter depression and exhaustion, the blend makes for a potent energy booster.  Place the 2 oils together in a diffuser, nebulizer or aromatherapy lamp. 
8 drops bergamot oil
5 drops lime oil

For Acne & Eczema~Using the oil in a facial steam bath is effective for cleansing and healing the skin. To make a steam bath, add 3 drops of bergmot oil to a large bowl of steaming hot water.  Drape a towel over your head and shoulders, and then bend your face over the bowl.  For 10-15 minutes, breathe deeply, keeping your eyes closed. Caution: Don't use a steam bath if you have any broken facial capillaries.

For Emotional Stress~An aromatic bath can invigorate your body, mind and spirit, especially during times of stress.  Two basic bath blends for tension and stress are bergamot oil and sweet-orange oil; and bergamot oil and clary-sage oil, also an antidepressant.  To prepare either one, blend 3 drops of each oil into the bathwater when the tub is full.  These oils can also be mixed with a carrier oil, such as grapeseed or olive oil, before being added to the bath.  This helps moisturize the skin and ensures an even distribution. 

Natural Mosquito Repellent~Place 2 drops on a cotton ball and put it in a pocket or use the oil in an aromatherapy lamp.

Headache Relief~Dilute bergamot oil with a carrier oil and rub it into your temples or the back of your neck.  A few drops should alleviate the pain, especially if it's tension related.

To Reduce a Fever~A compress with bergamot oil has proven to be cooling and effective.  Mix 5 drops of the oil in 1 qt of cold water and soak 2 cotton towels in it.  Wring out the towels and wrap them around your calves.  Cover the compresses with another towel to keep them in place.  Resoak the compresses when they aer no longer cold, and continue to reapply until the fever subsides.

To Ease the Discomfort of Chicken Pox or Cold Sores~Combine 3 drops each of bergamot oil and eucalyptus oil with 1tsp of a water-based gel, which is used to dilute the oils.  Avoid using vegetable oils, since they can prevent the skin from scabbing over.  Apply several times daily.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea Tree Oil has been referred to as a "first aid kit in a bottle".  Native Australians were vthe first to discover that the tea tree is a remedy for many different ailments.  The aborigines used its leaves to make a medicinal rea that builds and strengthens the immune system.  Today because of its antiviral properties, tea tree oil occupies a favored position in aromatherapy.  It can counteract bacteria, fungi and viruses, as well as eliminate parasites.  It inhibits inflammation, eases pain and protects the skin.  The oil has also been known to penetrate outer layers of the skin and attack infections, helping to heal wounds.  Time tested for aiding coughs, bronchitis, infectious diseases, muscle aches and pains, arthritis, rheumatism, constipation, exzema and nounds; and as a disinfectant.  Keep this versatile oil part of your home medicine chest.

Recipes

Mosquito Repellant
To keep pesky mosquitoes out of your house in summer, try using tea tree oil in a nebulizer, diffuser or a spray bottle of water (4qt of water and 10 drops of tea tre oil).  If the medicinal smell of the pure oil is too strong for your taste, try the following scent mixtures instead:
3 drops tea-tree oil
2 drops lavender oil
2 drops geranium oil
or
4 drops tea-tree oil
3 drops bergamot oil

To help releive the discomfort of cold sores, mix the essential oil with 10 times its volume of carrier oil (olive, almond, or grapeseed oil) and dab on the affected area as soon as symptoms of a developing cold sore appear.

To ease sore throat pain and inhibit inflammation, gargle a solution of 3-6 drops of tea tree oil in one glass of water.

For nasty spider bites, a combination of tea tree and lavender oils applied undiluted to the skin will help clear up and soothe the bites.

To eliminate head lice, add a few drops of the oil on a fine comb and work well through hair.

Tea tree oils can help clear up bronchitis.  Put 5 drops of the oil on a damp, warm cloth on the chest and cover it with a dry hand towel.  It is best to allow the compress to work overnight.

For bleeding gums, put some tea tree oil on a cotton swab and dab it on the affected area.

For irritated skin or shingles, mix tea tree essential oil with sweet almond oil in a 1:9 ratio.  Warm the mixture and apply it to the affected skin 3 times a day.

Highly antiseptic and antifungal, tea tree oil is considered to be a reliable home remedy for athlete's foot.  After showering, dry between the toes well - use a hair dryer for an extra thorough job - and apply a couple drops of undiluted tea tree oil to the affected areas.  It is important to only wear socks made of natural materials, such as cotton or wool.