(Citrus x paradisi)

Family: Rutaceae

Description: Grapefruit is a big tree with glossy leaves and large fruits. The essential oil is expressed from the peel of the ripe fruit.

Countries of origin: America, Brazil, Israel

Characteristics: Grapefruit has clean, fresh, light, sharp top notes with slightly sweet, citrousy undertones. It blends well with other citruses and spices, and also with palmarosa, neroli, rosemary, cypress, juniper, lavender, jasmine and ylang ylang.

Main therapeutic properties: Anti-depressant, antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, astringent, depurative, diuretic, stimulant, tonic.

Grapefruit is useful in lymphatic drainage massage, helping to treat water retention and cellulite. It is good for a congested or over-heated liver and, in a morning bath blended together with rosemary and fennel, grapefruit can help to relieve a hangover. It has a tonic effect on the scalp and is useful in skin care for oily skin and acne. Overall, grapefruit is uplifting, cleansing and stimulating.

Psychologically, grapefruit is refreshing and reviving, helping to alleviate stress, depression, nervous exhaustion and tension. Like bergamot, it lifts the spirits in winter, and it is excellent blended in massage oils and bath oils to counteract emotional and physical exhaustion and lethargy. Grapefruit lifts self-esteem and promotes optimism.

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(Citrus bergamia)

Family: Rutaceae

Description: The bergamot tree was originally grown only in Italy. It produces small citrus fruits that ripen from green to yellow, but the fruit is inedible because it is so sour. Bergamot is the finest of the citrus essential oils and is expressed from the peel of the nearly ripe fruit.

Countries of origin: Corsica, Morocco, Italy

Characteristics: Bergamot has sweet, lemon-fresh top notes and warm, floral, balsamic undertones. It blends well with other citruses and florals, and also with cypress, sandalwood, juniper, coriander, black pepper, ginger, clary sage, rosemary and frankincense.

Main^- therapeutic properties: Analgesic, antiseptic, anti-depressant, anti-spasmodic, carminative, cicatrizant, deodorant, digestive, febrifuge, sedative, stomachic, tonic.

Bergamot is the sunny essential oil. As well as being an excellent treatment for depression and anxiety, it is first choice for urinary-tract infections and cystitis, because it is a powerful disinfectant of the urinary system. Chronic

sufferers of cystitis become tense and anxious with the onset of symptoms, and in a local wash bergamot calms the nerves and relieves the symptoms. Overall, bergamot is cheering, uplifting and calming.

The lovely fragrance and powerful antiseptic qualities of bergamot make it a valuable addition to skin-care creams and lotions, and it is especially suited to oily skins and acne. Bergamot has a regulating effect on the appetite, and is useful both in convalescence and for those who are dieting, in a mood perfume or  massage oil. Bergamot used in the bath is cooling for feverish conditions.

Psychologically, bergamot is reviving, soothing and balancing. Its sunny, anti-depressant qualities make it useful in treating Seasonal Affective Disorder, and it is cheering generally on cold, grey, winter days. Bergamot is heart-warming and has an affinity with the heart chakra, gently relieving sadness, depression and grief.

Contraindications: Do not use if you have very sensitive skin or before exposure to sunlight. Use no more than 3 drops in the bath.

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(Styrax benzoin)

Family: Styracaceae

Description: Benzoin is a tropical tree with pale-green leaves and hard-shelled fruit. Incisions into the bark produce a resin that hardens into brown ‘tears’ with reddish streaks. The essential oil is steam-distilled from these ‘tears’ of hardened resin, but it is an almost solid resinous mass. This is then dissolved in ethyl glycol (or similar) to render it suitable for aromatherapeutic purposes.

Countries of origin: Sumatra, Java, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia Characteristics: Benzoin has vanilla ice-cream top notes and sweet-molasses, balsamic undertones. It blends well with other resins and most spices, and also with rose, sandalwood, jasmine, cypress, juniper, lemon and pine.

Main therapeutic properties: Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, carminative, deodorant, expectorant, sedative, styptic.

Benzoin is the ‘cuddly’ essential oil, and its sweet fragrance comforts people who are sad, lonely, alienated, depressed and bereaved. Most commonly used in the form of Friar’s Balsam, it is a valuable cold remedy, gentle enough for children, and is used in steam inhalations, for treating asthma, bronchitis and coughs. Overall, benzoin is warming, soothing and mothering.

Like myrrh, benzoin is useful in skin care, especially when the skin is cut, chapped, cracked or inflamed.

Psychologically, benzoin acts like a shield or comfort blanket, protecting you from the harshness of life. Bezoin comforts, elevates and protects; it was traditionally used in incense to drive away evil spirits.

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(Santalum album)

Family : Santalaceae

Description : Sandalwood is a small evergreen tree with pinky-purple flowers. Mysore in India is the main producer of sandalwood essential oil, which is steam-or water- distilled from the powdered heartwood and major roots.

Countries of origin : India, China, Australia, New Caledonia

Characteristics : Sandalwood’s warm, heavy fragrance increases over time, and it has the longest-lasting aroma of essential oils. I has sweet, woody, rose like top notes and deep balsamic, spicy, oriental undertones. Sandalwood blends well with most floras and resins, and also with rosewood, clove, black pepper, cypress, vetiver, patchouli and bergamot.

Main therapeutic properties : Anti – depressant, antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, aphrodisiac, astringent, bactericide, carminative, cicatrizant, demulcent, expectorant, sedative, tonic.

Sandalwood is widely used in the perfume industry and its gentle, erotic fragrance is enjoyed by women and men alike. It is excellent for urinary-tract infections and is the first choice for chronic bronchitis, soothing and alleviating the symptoms. It is wonderful in skin care for all skin types, balancing, soothing and hydrating the skin, with a possible rejuvenating effect. Overall, sandalwood is erotic, relaxing and uplifting.

Excellent for nervous tension and depression, sandalwood is also a powerful aphrodisiac, especially useful when sexual problems are caused by stress, anxiety and isolation. When used in massages and baths, sandalwood is cooling and calming, helping to prevent tense headaches and relieving insomnia.

Psychologically, sandalwood facilitates spiritual practice and has been used in incense as a meditation aid for centuries. It calms irritation born of frustration, quietens and stills in the mind, and opens you up to your spiritual potential. Sandalwood is associated with both the crown and base chakras. Traditionally, sandalwood has been used to arouse Kundalini in tantric rituals, which means that it arouses sexual energy for the purpose of transmutation into spiritual wisdom. Sandalwood helps to balance and harmonize the chakras, thereby restoring equilibrium.

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(Matricaria chamomilla, Matricaria recutita)

Family : Compositae or Asteraceae

Description : German chamomile is an annual herb with delicate feathery leaves and simple, daisy like white and yellow flowers on single stems. The viscous, inky-blue essential oil is steam-distilled from the flower heads.

Country of origin : England, Hungary, Bulgaria, Spain

Characteristics : German chamomile has an intense odor that some people find overwhelming until it is diluted. The fragrance has strong, sweet, green herbal top notes with an almost fruity but slightly bitter undertone. It blends well with most other floras, citruses and herbs, and also with patchouli, frankincense, petitgrain and benzoin.

Main therapeutic properties : Analgesic, anti-allergenic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, anti-viral, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, hepatic, nervine, sedative.

German chamomile is the first choice to treat inflammation. The presence of azulene-which gives german chamomile its deep-blue color – makes this essential oil a powerful anti-inflammatory. Avoid buying it if the blue is turning to green, as this is a sign of ageing and means the essential oil is no longer fresh. Overall, german chamomile is soothing, calming and balancing.

It is especially valuable in treating cystitis. Hot compresses over the abdomen relieve the hot, burning symptoms and calm the nerves, allaying the anxiety and exhaustion that often accompany cystitis. Drinking copious quantities of chamomile tea alongside the aromatherapy compresses is of great benefit and the two forms of chamomile work in harmonious synergy.

Skin allergies, such as eczema and other rashes, respond well t german chamomile, which should be mixed into a base cream or lotion. Avoid using base oils, as these can aggravate skin allergies, worsening the symptoms of hot, red, dry flaky skin. The gentle action of german chamomile calms, heals and soothes the skin condition while simultaneously alleviating the causes of the allergy.

Psychologically, german chamomile is calming and soothing, especially for irritability and depression, and helps to cool the heat of anger. However this essential oil does need to be blended carefully with others to make it appealing and aesthetic.

Contraindications : avoid in early pregnancy, especially if there is a history of miscarriage.

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