Basil oil and basil leaves share a rich history with modern humans. Indigenous societies were the first people to discover the amazing properties of basil and the oil derived from the plant. It has been cultivated around the world for thousands of years. During the early years it was also used to treat headaches as well as to enhance the sex drive.

Pliny, the Roman author and naturalist, claimed it was an aphrodisiac, and the Greek physician Dioscorides prescribed it for headaches, but his contemporaries used it as horse feed during breeding season. In modern aromatherapy, basil oil is used to lift the spirits and cheer the mind, especially when melancholy and sorrow overwhelm active thoughts.

Being a polymorph, basil oil comes in different strengths and is offered in a variety of scents and compositions. Scented basil oils range from lemon, clove, and cinnamon in aroma, and when green and purple curly lettuce leaf basil plants are steam distilled, they yield another type of oil.

There are two varieties that are used to extract large quantities of  basil essential oil in this modern aromatherapy era. The first variety is Exotic basil, which is grown and distilled on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. The European type of basil is also used to produce commercial essential oil. It was originally harvested and distilled in Southern France, but is now cultivated in America as well. The constituents that give basil oil its flavor and aroma are methyl chavicol, linalool, and eugenol.

Reunion basil contains camphor but very little linalool. It has a harsh, woody aroma and is not used on its own in aromatherapy, since those qualities don’t conform to the energizing and refreshing elements found in a sense of well-being. Basil oil is often mixed with lavender, geranium, clary sage, and bergamot to give it balance and a more pleasing aroma. Sensitive skin may react to the methyl chavicol, so basil oil is often diluted with another carrier like vegetable oil to prevent skin redness.

The basic uses for essential basil oil are to stimulate the adrenal cortex, decrease anxiety, depression, and fatigue, and to treat symptoms of bronchitis, indigestion, gout, fever, and colds. It has hot and cold qualities that can pep up circulation or invigorate sluggish skin. When basil is combined with thyme, it’s a powerful antiseptic.

In aromatherapy, basil oil is used in baths, inhalers, massages, and facial masks. Basil is still popular as a culinary seasoning, but the essential oil of basil is a valuable friend that can help relieve common cold symptoms as well as rejuvenate and promote emotional stability. Basil has been a soul protector as well as a body protector for centuries. It’s no wonder the early Egyptians offered it to the gods.

Clary sage is one of those ancient herbs that worked magic when it was put into the eye to relieve mucus, or when it was combined with Muscatel wine to produce a heightened level of intoxication. That ability earned it the title of “muscatel sage” in Germany. During the Middle Ages it was called “Oculus Christi” because it had the ability to clear foreign objects out of the eye and increase vision. In 16th-century England it replaced hops in the beer-brewing process.

The clary sage plant is native to Southern Europe, but it grows in the US, Russia, Morocco, England, and Central Europe. The plant has large heavy green leaves with a hint of purple, and the plant produces small flowers that are either blue or purple. The essential oil is obtained by processing the leaves and flowers using the steam-distillation method. Clary sage essential oil may have a yellow-green appearance, but it can also be clear, with a sweet, nutty-herbaceous scent.

The composition of clary sage oil is unique since it has a high content of esters, like lavender and petitgrain. Seventy-five percent of the ester is linalyl acetate. Esters are known for their anti-inflammatory properties, and they complement rather than impede the nervous system. One of the most unique qualities of clary sage is that it blends well with other oils like cedarwood, bergamot, lavender, geranium, sandalwood, roman chamomile, jasmine, orange, rosewood, neroli, and ylang-ylang.

The essential oils that result from various clary sage combinations produce some powerful aromatherapy treatments that help alleviate an assortment of physical and mental ailments. The rich portions of linalyl acetate as well as other phytochemicals like diterpene, sclareol, myrcene, flavonoids, and rosmarinic acid, make the oil an excellent fragrant compound.

The calming parasympathetic nervous system reaction to clary sage, especially when it is diluted in a warm bath, has been well documented in cultures around the world. This versatile aromatherapy oil has a compound similar to estrogen in its chemical components, so it balances hormone secretion, and that has a positive effect on the hair growth cycle. Clary sage oil helps reduce excess hair oil, and it stimulates dormant hair follicles so they return to the anagen (growing) stage in the hair growth cycle.

Clary sage oil is also used as an antiseptic for surgical incisions, wounds, and post-natal injuries. It is also a depurative agent that helps remove toxins from the blood through sweating. The oil is classified as an oral toxin, so it should be used with care, and should not be used during pregnancy since it contains camphene and camphor. Still, this powerful oil has the ability to help heal a variety of skin, hair, respiratory, and mental issues when it is used responsibly.

Elegant and colorful geraniums graciously compliment gardens across America, but they are native to South Africa, Madagascar, Morocco, and Egypt. Geraniums were introduced to Spain, Italy, France, and England in the 17th century, and they made their way to America around the same time.

These beauties were considered sacred messengers in old Anglo-Saxon beliefs about the god Wotan. The fertility power of the geranium petals was one underlying belief, but they were also prominently displayed in ceremonies to attract prosperity and abundance. Modern research has identified a hormone-balancing ability in geranium oil, so those old fertility claims may not be as crazy as the medical profession said they were back in the 20th century.

Geranium oil has natural antiviral, antibiotic, anti-fungal, antidepressant, analgesic, antiseptic, and astringent properties and it also has deodorizing capabilities. The oil has cicatrisant properties as well, so it is used to reduce the appearance of surgery scars, acne, and minor burns. The regenerative properties of this essential oil make it an excellent choice when wrinkles and flabby skin develop as the body ages. There are 700 different varieties of geraniums, but only ten of them produce an essential oil.

The astringent quality of geranium essential oil helps alleviate eczema and psoriasis and the antimicrobial properties help heal cuts, scratches, and other minor abrasions. The oil is also an effective treatment for ringworm. Bruises and even hemorrhoids can be treated with geranium oil since it interacts with cells not only in the skin, but with cells in other organs in the body.

This cellular interaction impacts the hormones, so geranium oil is very effective when it comes to treating excessive hemorrhaging and menstrual problems. Hot flashes disappear since the oil is balancing hormone secretion. The oil also helps support normal liver and kidney functions because of its interaction with the adrenal glands.

The uplifting emotional qualities of geranium oil are also obvious. While the oil is creating a balance between dry and oily skin, it is also relieving excess stress and anxiety at the same time. Hormonal messages are sent to the brain as well as to the cells in the skin and other organs. A sense of well-being permeates the body and mind so tension, depression, fluid retention, eczema, edema, bruises, cellulite, and menstrual irregularities are addressed, especially when the oil is used in an overall wellness program.

Geranium oil can be massaged into the skin, diluted in a bath, or blended with bergamot, lavender, citronella, jasmine, clary sage, neroli, and cedarwood to alleviate a plethora of skin issues and balance cellular regeneration.

Myrrh has rock-star status around the world thanks to gold and frankincense. Egyptian, Hebrew, Aramaic, Indian, and Chinese texts have written about the magical qualities as well as the value of myrrh for centuries. The Egyptians used it for embalming; the Hebrews used it for incense; it was traded by camel caravans in Arabia, and the Chinese and Indians used it as medicine.

The New Testament as well as neo-pagan significance has kept myrrh in the minds of billions of people; it has never lost its ability to mystify cultures around the world.

Popular pharmaceutical uses for myrrh include toothpaste, mouthwash, and gargles because of its antiseptic qualities, but myrrh oil does much more than that when its energy-moving abilities are recognized.

Myrrh essential oil has a special efficacy when it comes to heart, liver, and spleen functions, and it has the power to purge stagnant blood from the uterus. Over the years, myrrh oil has been used in aromatherapy to alleviate arthritic, rheumatic, and circulatory issues and uterine tumors.

One of myrrh’s latest accomplishments is its ability to lower LDL cholesterol and increase beneficial HDL cholesterol, which opens a plethora of doors in terms of treating internal well-being. Myrrh oil is used in a variety of medical as well as cosmetic products, so the list of internal and external uses for myrrh is a long one, especially when new products are considered.

The Egyptians recently developed an oral drug which contains myrrh that treats parasitic ailments, and in Italy researchers have discovered that myrrh can produce analgesic effects by interacting with opioid receptors.

One of the most important uses for myrrh oil is on older, mature skin. Dehydrated, traumatized, dry, and very distressed skin will react to an aromatherapy oil treatment using myrrh oil. Even chapped heels react to myrrh oil. The oil prevents skin degeneration, and after a few treatments the skin is rejuvenated. Myrrh oil interacts with skin cells to eliminate the free radicals that destroy the cells. Toxins damage skin cells, and the result of that damage manifests as dry, chapped skin in some areas and saggy, wrinkled skin in other areas.

Myrrh oil contains limonene, eugenol, a-pinene, cuminaldehyde, m-cresol, cadinene, heerabolene, formic acid, acetic acid, and other sesquiterpenes and acids. The combination of these chemical compounds gives myrrh oil antiseptic, astringent, anti-microbial, diuretic, antiphlogistic, carminative, anti-inflammatory, balsamic, diuretic, cicatrisant, fungicidal, tonic, and vulnerary therapeutic properties.

Myrrh oil research continues where the ancients left off, so it is safe to say that myrrh is still worth as much as gold in terms of health and skin care.

Admirers of the patchouli bush say it is the most distinct herb in the botanical kingdom in terms of fragrance and aroma. One whiff of patchouli oil is forever embedded in the olfactory memory. The bush has an impressive list of long-distance relatives that include rosemary, lavender, and other aromatic plants that grow in the temperate regions. Patchouli likes the steamy jungles, while its cousins prefer the Northern Mediterranean.

Botanists in the Philippines were the first group to write about patchouli. That was in 1845, but the oil had been used for centuries. The bush flowers, but it does so reluctantly. The hairy stems distinguish it from Java patchouli, which has smooth stems and flowers.

The oil from Java patchouli has an inferior aroma, but it does show up as an essential oil, so it is important to recognize the difference, especially when the oil is being used to treat thyroid issues or to regenerate damaged cells. Herbs labeled Pogostemon cablin may actually be Pogostemon heyneanus, which is not as potent.

Asian cultures have been using patchouli oil as a moth repellent for centuries. The Europeans followed suit in the 19th century. The aroma of the oil gave oriental goods a mark of distinction back in those days, and the perfume industry started using it in the mid-1800s. Sneaky London merchants started to use the herb to scent domestic goods so they smelled like expensive imported merchandise.

Adulteration is less common with patchouli oil; it’s easy to cultivate and the yield is better than with many other essential oils. There is a temptation to dilute, and a strong cedarwood smell or a spicy clove scent may indicate that the oil has been tampered with, especially when demand outweighs the supply.

An aromatherapy oil blend of patchouli, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sandalwood, rose, and vetiver can inspire clarity and a harmonious flow of energy that interacts with thyroid glands and balances hormone secretion. When patchouli oil is combined with clary sage, rose, lavender, neroli, and geranium the regenerative properties of the oil are triggered. Wounds heal faster, the immune system is reinforced, and damaged cells in the organs are brought back to normal or new cell growth occurs.

The intriguing properties of this thick, sticky, viscous and slow-to-volatize oil get better with age, so aromatherapy treatment can take place years after the oil is distilled. The benefits in terms of thyroid stimulation and skin regeneration will be as good as or better than they were when the oil was first prepared.

The Egyptians were big fans of cardamom oil. They used cardamom to whiten their teeth, and the oil was used in perfumes and for incense in religious ceremonies. When the Romans ate too much, they drank cardamom to aid digestion, and the Arabs mixed it in their coffee to enhance the aroma and flavor of the brew. The Chinese use cardamom for cooking, and cardamom and India have enjoyed a rich history because the Indians saw the export value in this incredible herb and the oil it produced.

India was the world’s number one producer of cardamom for centuries, but Guatemala took over as the number one exporter in the 1990s. Global output of cardamom vacillates between 30,000 and 35,000 tons per year when other countries like Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Papua New Guinea, and El Salvador are included in the total.

Cardamom is the second most expensive spice in the world. It’s right behind saffron, so there are many imitators in the spice market that masquerade as the real cardamom, which actually comes from the Elettaria cardamomum plant. There are two varieties of that plant in India: Malabar and Mysore. Mysore contains high levels of limonene and cineol so it is much more aromatic than the Malabar variety.

Cardamom oil is processed in India and sent to countries in Europe as well as other countries around the world. The essential oil of cardamom plays a key role in aromatherapy treatments, and in the preparation of medicines and food. The sweet and spicy aroma of this essential oil is the perfect massage or bath oil, and serves as a general tonic as well. It aids digestion, soothes the stomach, works as a laxative, and helps with nausea. The oil of cardamom is traditionally associated with sharp eyesight and sweet breath, and it also helps the circulatory system.

The aromatherapy qualities of cardamom oil are enhanced when it is combined with blood orange and bergamot oil, and rose, cinnamon bark, clove bud, caraway, and cedarwood oil are also excellent agents for blending purposes. The chemical properties of cardamom oil give it an almost balsamic fragrance, which is perfect for inhalers and steam aromatherapy treatments.

Over the years cardamom has earned the title “Grains of Paradise” because of its versatility, and its ability to help the body’s immune system function effectively. Cardamom oil is composed of calcium, iron, and resin abstract that help with inflammation, especially in the gums and mouth. Cardamom oil can be used effectively to control skin infections and acne. Some people use the oil as a sexual tonic because it relaxes muscles and the nervous system. Other people use it to help disintegrate kidney stones.