Experiments with Olive Oil and Essential Oil

Sometimes I just like to try new things.  I love olive oil and the beautiful fragrance that comes from the really good stuff like Bertonlini's made right here in California. I wondered how it would work as a carrier oil for essential oils and so went about making some up.  I used orange, ylang-ylang, rose and geranium in a base of olive oil not knowing exactly what to expect.  I picked up some fragrance bottles (I know, they're not ideal for essential oil products because they don't seal properly and they are made from clear glass, nevertheless...) and went about trying out the new concotion on friends. 

Here's what I discovered.  The olive oil feels great when applied to the writs (and it seems to take away any irritating sting some sensitive skin feels from citrus oils) and leaves no greasy or olive oil fragrance behind.  And interestingly, the oil smells differently on different people.  And even more interesting, it is not a long lasting frangrant experience but doesn't evaporate altogether. 

One friend asked if that was because the olive oil is absorved into the skin.  I don't know.  Do you?

What I do know is that I had a several friends at work walking around sniffing their wrists deeply saying oooh and aaaah - men and women.

What will I do next?

It'll Help You Sleep - Rose, Ylang Ylang and Sandalwood

Yet another friend of mine -- they all want something (Grin) -- reported that due to some medication he was having difficulty sleeping.  After checking with his physician if it was ok to use essential oils to support a mood of peace to enhance his sleep we got right down to experimenting on him.

Different fragrances work different effects on people.  Some are drawn to florals and sigh a deep sigh of relaxation and enjoyment.  Others just get a headache.  Seriously, it is for this reason that I keep my best rose absolute close to me and risk sharing it only when I know

Dry and Cracked Elbows

A friend showed up with extremely dry and cracked elbows.  Not pretty.  Irritated, itchy and flakey.  It was late on a Sunday afternoon and he wasn't going to be able to see his doctor until next week.  He had been using over the counter lotion to try to keep the skin moisturized but it didn't seem to be doing any good.  He wanted some relief.

I picked up some Simplers Comfrey Oil which is described on their site as "Due to its high allantoin content, Comfrey stimulates cell proliferation in wound healing. It has shown to promote rapid growth of connective tissue, bone & cartilage."  I remember growing comfrey in the back yard in my home town Johannesburg.  My aunt used to crush the luscious leaves while still

Head Lice and Anise Oil

I’ve been reading up on how to treat head lice and one of the essential oils that keeps showing up is Anise Oil in a variety of different oily bases.  My favorite so far is coconut oil, because in my experience it has a nourishing effect on the skin, washes out easily and is enjoyable to apply to the skin. 

A coconut and anise oil spray successfully addressed infestations, better than did the widely

Mood Enhancing

I'm fascinated by Essential Oils. I'm particularly happy with a variety of Lavender that I discovered that grows in South Africa - Lavandula Marie. It reminds me of rugged South African countryside. In other words, it’s not like the delicate aroma of French Lavender. This is bold, rugged and hearty. I love it!

I use it as a mood enhancer for meditation, prayer and for sleep. A drop or two on a Kleenex under my pillow creates an aura of comfort and peace while sleeping. Or, I keep a drop or two on a Kleenex in my pocket whenever I get a stuffy nose. Sniffing the lavender seems to help tremendously.

It has a fresh sweet, floral-herbaceous odor with a touch of the African veld.
A Little History: The use of Lavender has been recorded for more than 2500 years. Records have shown that it was used by the Egyptians as a perfume and also in the mummification process. In Roman Times, Lavender was so popular that only the wealthy could afford it. It