The Essential Oils in Joe Smooth
A juniper berry is the female seed cone produced by the various species of junipers. It is not a true berry but a cone with unusually fleshy and merged scales, which give it a berry-like appearance.
An essential oil extracted from juniper berries is used in aromatherapy and perfumery. The essential oil can be distilled out of berries which have already been used to flavour gin. The natural chemicals in Juniper Berry include alpha pinene, cadinine, camphene, terpineol, borneol and camphor of juniper. Juniper has been known since antiquity as an antiseptic and astringent particularly effective against acne. Back.
The Mediterranean Cypress is a species of cypress native to the eastern Mediterranean region, in northeast Libya, southeast Greece, southern Turkey, Cyprus, Northern Egypt, western Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Malta, Italy, western Jordan, and Iran. t is very long-lived, with some trees reported to be over 1,000 years old.
It is known for its very durable, scented wood, used most famously for the doors of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City, Rome.
The essential oil comes from the leaves and cones and contains pinene, d-camphene, d-sylvestrene, cymene, sabinol, terpenic alcohol and camphor of Cypress. Itsvery astringent and antiseptic properties make it ideal for the treatment of oily and over-hydrated skin. It also acts as an effective natural deodorant. Back.
Anthemis nobilis, commonly known as Roman Camomile, Chamomile, garden camomile, ground apple, low chamomile, English chamomile, or whig plant, is a low perennial plant found in dry fields and around gardens and cultivated grounds. It has daisy-like white flowers that are found in Europe, North America, and Argentina.
The chemical composition of the essential oil includes angelic esters, tiglic esters, pinocarvone and chamazulene,
Camomile is soothing, calming, anti-inflammatory and disinfectant and therefore very effective in soothing sensitive, red or dry skin. It is also very valuable in the treatment of eczema, itchy skin and rashes. Back.
Cedrus atlantica, the Atlas Cedar, is a cedar native to the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco and is a medium-sized to large tree.
Cedar has been used by all the ancient civilisations as medicine, cosmetics and as a perfume. he oils active inredients include cedrol, cadinene, sesquiterpenes and terpenic hydrocarbons.
Cedarwood is a very powerful antiseptic and mild astringent, making a great treatment for acne and it is widely used in modern aftershaves because of it’s woody fragrance. Back.
Pelargonium graveolens is a species in the Pelargonium genus, which is indigenous to various parts of southern Africa, and in particular South Africa.
The antiseptic and astringent oil is obtained from the leaves and contains geraniol and citronellol. Geranium has the ability to balance the production of the skin’s natural oil Sebum, making it particularly useful in controlling oily skin or dry skin with oily patches. Back.
Eucalyptus oil is the generic name for distilled oil from the leaf of Eucalyptus, a genus of the plant family Myrtaceae native to Australia and cultivated worldwide. Eucalyptus oil has a history of wide application, as a pharmaceutical, antiseptic, repellent, flavouring, fragrance and industrial uses. The leaves of selected Eucalyptus species are steam distilled to extract eucalyptus oil.
The main constituent of the oil is eucalyptol, ethyl alcohol, amyl alcohol, aldehydes, camphene, eudesmol, phellandrene, pinene and aromadendrene. Eucalyptus oil is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, disinfectant and anti-microbial.
Australian Aboriginals have long known about the antiseptic and healing properties of this plant, using eucalyptus leaf infusions as a traditional medicine for treating body pains, sinus congestion, fever, colds and wounds. Back.
Salvia sclarea, clary, or clary sage, is a biennial or short-lived herbaceous perennial in the genus Salvia. It is native to the northern Mediterranean, along with some areas in north Africa and Central Asia. The plant has a lengthy history as a medicinal herb, and is currently grown for its essential oil. The oil is distilled from the flowers and the flowering tips and contains linalyl acetate, sclareol, linalol, salvene and salvone.
Descriptions of medicinal use of the plant goes back to the writings of Theophrastus (4th century BCE), Dioscorides (1st century CE), and Pliny the Elder (1st century CE).
Clary Sage can help to reduce the production of Sebum, the skin’s natural oil making it particularly useful for oily and greasy skin. Back.
Melaleuca alternifolia, commonly known as Narrow-leaved Paperbark, Narrow-leaved Tea-tree, Narrow-leaved Ti-tree, or Snow-in-summer, is a species of tree or tall shrub in the plant genus Melaleuca. Native to Australia, it occurs on the north coast and adjacent ranges of New South Wales. It grows along streams and on swampy flats, and is often the dominant species where it occurs.
Australian Aborigines used the leaves traditionally for many medicinal purposes, including chewing the young leaves to alleviate headache and for other ailments.
Scientific studies have shown that tea tree oil made from Melaleuca alternifolia is a highly effective topical antibacterial and anti-fungal.
The active ingredient of tea tree oil includes large amounts of terpineol plus cineol, pinene, terpinenes and various alcohols.
Because of it’s strong, natural antiseptic qualities, tea tree is an ideal treatment for cold sores, warts, spots, acne, inflamed or painful spots. Back.
Sandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods. These woods are yielded by trees in the genus Santalum which are often used for the essential oil they contain. The wood is heavy and yellow in color as well as fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods it retains its fragrance for decades. The sandalwood fragrance is very distinctive and is used in countless applications. Sandalwood has been valued and treasured for many years for its fragrance, carving, medical, and religious qualities.
The oil from sandalwood is widely used in the cosmetic industry and is expensive. It contains santalol, pinene, santalic acid, terasantalic acid and santalone and has been used for the last 2000 years as a perfume, incense and medicine.
It is a powerful antiseptic, slightly astringent and soothing on the skin, making it an effective treatment for dry and dehydrated skin as well as shaving rash. Back.
The carrot (Daucus carota) is a root vegetable, usually orange in colour, though purple, red, white, and yellow varieties exist. It has a crisp texture when fresh. The most commonly eaten part of a carrot is a taproot, although the greens are edible as well. It is a domesticated form of the wild carrot Daucus carota, native to Europe and southwestern Asia. The domestic carrot has been selectively bred for its greatly enlarged and more palatable, less woody-textured edible taproot.
The essential oil is distilled from the seeds and is pale yellow in color. It’s active constituents include carotol, daucol, limonene and pinene.
It has been used to treat eczema, psoriasis, skin ulcers and even skin cancers. Carrot oil is a good aid to healthy skin because it restores tone and elasticity and reduces wrinkles. Back.
The lavenders (Lavandula) are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. The native range extends across the Canary Islands, North and East Africa, Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, Arabia and India.
Because the cultivated forms are planted in gardens worldwide, they are occasionally found growing wild as garden escapees, well beyond their natural range. However, since lavender cross-pollinates easily, there are countless variations within the species. The color of the flowers of some forms has come to be called lavender.
Lavender has been used extensively in herbal medicine and aromatherapy for thousands of years. Lavender was commonly used in Roman baths to scent the water, and it was thought to restore the skin. Its late Latin name was lavandārius, from lavanda (things to be washed), from the verb lavāre (to wash).
English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) yields an essential oil with sweet overtones, and can be used in balms, salves, perfumes, cosmetics, and topical applications.
Essential oil of lavender has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It was used in hospitals during WWI to disinfect floors and walls. These extracts are also used as fragrances for bath products.
According to folk wisdom, lavender has many uses. Infusions of lavender soothes, heal insect bites and burns. Bunches of lavender repel insects. If applied to the temples, lavender oil soothes headaches. In pillows, lavender seeds and flowers aid sleep and relaxation. An infusion of three flower heads added to a cup of boiling water soothes and relaxes at bedtime. Lavender oil (or extract of Lavender) heals acne and it also treats skin burns and inflammatory conditions.
Lavender oil contains linalyl, geranyl, geraniol, linalol, cineol, d-borneol, limonene, l-pinene, caryophyllene and coumarin.
It’s soothing, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties make it an ideal treatment for acne because it inhibits the bacteria which cause the skin infection whilst also soothing the skin. Because it also encourages the production of healthy new skin cells, it can help in minimising any scarring associated with acne. Back.
Neroli oil is a plant oil similar in scent to bergamot produced from the blossom of the bitter orange tree (Citrus aurantium var. amara or Bigaradia).
By the end of the 17th century, Anne Marie Orsini, duchess of Bracciano and princess of Nerola, Italy, introduced the essence of bitter orange tree as a fashionable fragrance by using it to perfume her gloves and her bath. Since then, the term "neroli" has been used to describe this essence. Neroli has a refreshing and distinctive, spicy aroma with sweet and flowery notes.
As an essential oil used in aromatherapy and massage, neroli is considered to have a soothing effect on the nervous system. It’s chemical ingredients include linalol, linalyl acetate, limonene, nerol, nerolidol, geraniol, indol and jasmone.
Much like lavender, it has the ability to stimulate the product of new skin cells and therefore can have a rejuvenating effect on the skin. It can be used on all skin types but is particularly effective on dry or sensitive skin. Back.
Frankincense, also called olibanum, is an aromatic resin obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia and has been used in incense, perfumes and medicine throughout history. Frankincense has been traded on the Arabian Peninsula and in North Africa for more than 5000 years. A mural depicting sacks of frankincense traded from the Land of Punt adorns the walls of the temple of ancient Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut, who died in 1458 BCE.
Frankincense is tapped from the very scraggly but hardy Boswellia tree by slashing the bark and allowing the exuded resins to bleed out and harden. These hardened resins are called tears. There are numerous species and varieties of frankincense trees, each producing a slightly different type of resin. Differences in soil and climate create even more diversity of the resin, even within the same species.
The trees start producing resin when they are about 8 to 10 years old. Tapping is done 2 to 3 times a year with the final taps producing the best tears due to their higher aromatic terpene, sesquiterpene and diterpene content.
Frankincense resin is edible and often used in various traditional medicines in Asia for digestion and healthy skin. In Ayurvedic medicine Indian frankincense (Boswellia serrata), commonly referred to as "dhoop," has been used for hundreds of years for treating arthritis, healing wounds, strengthening the female hormone system, and purifying the atmosphere from undesirable germs. The use of frankincense in Ayurveda is called "dhoopan". In Indian culture, it is suggested that burning frankincense everyday in house brings good health.
The essential oil of frankincense is produced by steam distillation of the tree resin. The oil's chemical components are 75% monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, monoterpenoles, sesquiterpenols, and ketones. I
In skincare, Frankincense is particularly helpful for mature skin because of it’s tonic effect, restoring tone to slack facial skin and slowing down the appearance of wrinkles. Many commercial anti-aging creams use this precious oil as their main constituent. Back.
Juniper Berry
Cypress
Camomile
Geranium
Eucalyptus
Clary Sage
Tea Tree
Sandalwood
Carrot Seed
Lavender
Neroli
Frankincense
