One of the most well-known and ubiquitous features of essential oils is their antiseptic nature. Many people use an essential oil for the first time in their lives for this application. They’ll be handed a bottle of tea tree for a small cut, and they’re using an essential oil as an antiseptic. Essential oils can be highly effective for the treatment of acne — perhaps better than many pharmaceutical preparations — because of their complex antiseptic chemistry. In addition to being antiseptic, they offer both anti-inflammatory and sebum/hormone balancing effects, along with general healing properties for the skin. Here’s a look at using essential oils for the treatment of both teenage and adult acne, including which oils to use and how to blend them.

First examining the antiseptics, the choice for many people is tea tree essential oil. It has been the gold standard of topical antiseptic essential oils. It is readily available, inexpensive, and actually “proven” effective. A recent study was produced comparing the efficacy of tea tree to oxybenzone, the most popular over-the-counter active ingredient for acne treatment. A 5% tea tree formulation was found to be as effective as a 5% benzoylperozxide preparation, without side effects (benzoylperoxide can cause drying and peeling). Tea tree can be used at much higher concentrations if desired, as it will not produce the peeling and drying action of oxybenzone. Some people find they can use it “neat” (undiluted) without side effects, though it’s crucial you test a very small amount to see if this is both safe AND effective for you personally. Other popular antiseptic essential oils in acne blends include geranium and palmarosa — you can combine one or more of these in your formula, which may result in greater therapeutic activity.

We’ll then add oils that bring balance — these oils will balance the output of sebum. It is likely some of these do this by balancing hormones on a cellular level. Myrtle is an excellent choice, as it is a strong antiseptic and can balance oil output. With these properties, myrtle can be dabbed on at full strength, and is highly recommended in your blend.

Rosewood is considered balancing in nature, limiting overproduction of sebum. It is included in many skin care preparations, naturally supporting healthy skin conditions. Rosewood itself is not strongly antibacterial, and will be best blending with one or more other oils for a synergistic effect. Excellent choices are geranium and lemongrass, two very effective, gentile antiseptics that work especially well together. Rosewood, geranium and lemongrass together in a carrier (which we’ll discuss in a moment) would be a very effective combination. A note regarding rosewood: the rainforest in Brazil has been decimated by its over-harvesting. Consider getting this oil from a known ethically harvested source, or even better, sourced from India, which is producing a very high quality oil.

To summarize a few other highly-regarded oils for acne-care blends: Lavender essential oil may be the most commonly used essential oil in all of skin and hair care. It is thought to synergize — or tie together — all other oils in a formula. It is known for its anti-inflammatory and wound healing actions. Spike lavender, sort of a cross between sage and lavender, is a more potent antiseptic, if you feel you need something stronger in that respect. Myrrh has been used for skin care for thousands of years, with an excellent combination of antiseptic and healing actions. Sandalwood, too, is a soothing, protective, and balancing oil to include in adult-care formulas where the skin may be dry.

These are most of the essential oils recommended for acne care, aside from the citrus oils. The oils pressed from the peels of citrus fruits, including lemon and bergamot, are antiseptic and astringent — an excellent combination of actions. They do cause the skin where they’ve been applied to be photosensitive, meaning the skin is much more susceptible to sunburn. For this reason, they should be used sparingly, and are not a good choice for blends to be applied over larger areas of the face on a regular basis.

When creating a blend for both treatment of current outbreaks and prevention of further ones, you’ll mix your select essential oils into what are called “carrier oils”. The carriers we’ll chose have therapeutic anti-acne properties themselves, and will create an incredibly effective formula when combined with the essential oils. There’s no need to be concerned with clogging of pores, or exacerbating an over-oily condition. Any of these carriers can be used alone, or all can be blended together: tamanu nut, virgin coconut (may need to be warmed before becoming liquid for blending), and grapeseed. You’ll find testimonials for both tamanu and coconut alone for acne treatment; tamanu is also considered to stimulate healing of acne scars too, and grapeseed is simply a light oil with natural astringent properties.

When blending, you simply need to pay attention to the concentration of your essential oils. The total concentration should not exceed five percent. This number varies depending on the source — if you choose to make a stronger formula, be very, very aware that essential oils are highly potent, and too much can result in significant irritation to your skin. It’s almost always the case that more is not better with essential oils — we’re not saying this for your safety, we’re saying it because lower concentrations are found to be more effective than higher ones. Use this formula to find your total essential oil concentration: There are about 20 drops in one milliliter (it actually may be best to measure this with each oil using a graduated eye dropper — droppers vary, as do the thicknesses of each oil), and one milliliter of essential oil in one ounce of carrier is a three percent concentration. So 7 drops or so is 1%, and 35 drops or so = 5%.

On to the recipes! These are the number of drops of essential oil in one ounce of carrier. To make two ounces, simply double the number of drops. So for your base, mix equal parts of virgin coconut, tamanu and grapeseed oils (or just tamanu and coconut, if you don’t mind the thickness). For teenage acne, use 14 drops each tea tree, spike lavender and myrtle. For adult acne with oily skin, use 9 drops each myrtle, tea tree, rosewood and lavender. For adult acne with dry to normal skin, use 7 drops each tea tree, spike lavender, rosewood, myrrh and sandalwood. Please feel free to adjust these recipes, depending on your intuition and the oils you have on hand. Using 3 or more of any of these essential oils together in the carrier oils mentioned should produce effective results for nearly any acne condition.

More information on essential oil news and research is available through The Ananda Apothecary – an online source for therapeutic grade essential oils.

Everybody that knows anything about aromatherapy knows about sandalwood essential oil. And even folks that don’t have a clue about aromatherapy might still really enjoy the aroma of sandalwood. It’s thought it may be the number one “aromatic” plant material in the history of mankind, with a history that dates back over four thousand years. Yet while its sublime aroma may be why most people purchase the oil, its also an impressive medicine. Aromatherapy practitioners think of its skin-care properties first, but there’s a lot more to sandalwood than many folks know.

For those not so familiar with the source of this wondrous material, sandalwood oil is distilled from the the wood of, of course, the sandalwood tree. Sounds simple enough, but the tree is totally unique — its a parasite, growing only on other trees. So harvesting the wood involves cutting down both trees. To make matters more challenging, the wood isn’t really ready to harvest until its at least 30 years old, and really, the older the better.

The harvesting of the wood in India, where the finest specimens are considered to be from, has been halted by the government in order to protect the tropical rainforests. Elsewhere in the world, harvesting is regulated to ensure the demise of the rainforests in India does not happen again for this purpose. In only a very few locales has viable cultivated (human-planted) sandalwood begun to produce essential oil in commercial quantities.

It is clear that for the reasons of rarity alone, the essential oil is something to be cherished. However, the oil has some very impressive and important medicinal qualities that make it even more valuable. One application is a direct derivation of the use of the wood’s paste for skin care: The essential oil has been shown to prevent the occurrence of skin cancer if applied before exposure to UVB light as well as chemo-toxins.

Researchers have gone on to elucidate the ways the oil prevents cancers from forming on a microscopic level, noting the effect is a result of the primary natural chemical constituents of sandalwood essential oil. The important point is that this constituent is found in the essential oil from the three primary commercial sources: India, Australia and certain islands in the South Pacific. There are even sources where trees have been specifically selected for “high santalol content” which you can find from some aromatherapy companies. Including sandalwood essential oil in your skin care formulas is an excellent way to potentially make use of this wonderful benefit.

The aroma is highly regarded for its calming, centering qualities, without being sedating. Researchers in Vienna, Austria published research indicating study participants were positively affected in the areas of alertness, attentiveness, calmness, mood, relaxation and vigor. This correlates to its long-time use as the first choice aromatic in aiding meditation. It is reputed to quiet mental chatter, again while bringing the awareness to a singular focus.

While the aroma is stimulating in certain ways, calming in others, and never considered “sedating”, it has been shown in research to significantly improve sleep for those who may frequently have trouble falling or staying asleep. Sleep-disturbed subjects spent much less time awake, and much more time in dream-sleep when exposed to the oil’s vapor. However, researchers also concluded that the effect was not from the actual scent of the oil, but from action of the oil once in the bloodstream. If using sandalwood for sleep, it’s not necessary to smell it — the feet tend to be an area of the body very receptive to the actions of essential oils, and a gentle foot massage with a dilute sandalwood oil formula may help those who are having sleep difficulties.

These are only a few of the important health benefits available from sandalwood essential oil. It has a host of other wonderful skin-care properties, being used for nearly every skin care condition imaginable. It’s also an excellent fixative for natural perfumery, functioning as the base note in many fine colognes and perfumes. Because the chemical profile of the oil from the three primary sources on the globe are relatively close, you can generally use any of these for the therapeutic effects described here. For perfumery and other aromatic applications, try sampling oils from Australia and the South Pacific island of Vanuatu, in addition to an Indian oil if you can acquire it. This way you can become familiar with the range of aromas — investing in a quantity of the oil once you find your favorite is a great idea. The aroma gets even better as the oil ages, so both the price and your appreciation for your stock will increase over time.

More natural health information is available from the author at Ananda essential oils and at the organic medicinal herb blog.

Oh the mysterious Frankincense — it really holds a special status in the world of natural medicine. What other plant extract has been valued as highly as gold, sought after by kings, and been one of the world’s most recognized birthday presents? There must be something to it too, as university’s around the world have found it important enough to spend significant sums investigating its medicinal effects. What follows is a summary of the great benefits of this nearly magical oil, and how you can make use of it.

The term Frankincense refers to the resin from any one of four trees or shrubs of the Boswellia genus. The most common are Boswellia carteri and Boswellia seratta — and these actually have significantly different chemical (and therapeutic) properties. The carteri species is considered by some to produce the highest grade raw material; the essential oil has lovely, unexpected citrus notes and is very uplifting. The seratta produces an oil with a deeper, richer aroma, considered the finest of the scents by some aromatherapy professionals, and lending itself to meditative and spiritual practices. The resin is collected from the Olibanum trees and shrubs without doing damage to the plants — in this way the highly revered medicine can be harvested in the wild without diminishing the long-term availability of the natural resource.

The most medicinally efficacious essential oil is possibly the “super-critical carbon dioxide” distillation of Boswellia carteri — this fancy new distillation method makes a more complex, thicker, and possibly more healing oil than the classic steam distillation. One of the advantages is that the plant material is not heated nearly as much as it would be if processed with steam, the result being a product closer to the original in chemical formulation. Some prominent aromatherapists who didn’t particularly care for this extraction method with other plants have given it the “thumb’s up” when used with Frankincense.

One of the simplest therapeutic applications is that of skin care. Frankincense is noted in many texts as one of the premier oils for care of mature skin. An extract of the resin had been the subject of scientific investigation to improve skin texture and appearance — and that it did. For study participants, the half of their face receiving Frankincense was smoother, and the fine lines were significantly less noticeable. To easily add this to your routine, you can just add a few drops to any lotion, cream or oil you’re already using: anywhere 4 to 12 drops per fluid ounce of your product is about the right concentration. Want to mix up something special? Here’s an extra fine formula: 12 drops Boswellia carteri, 6 drops Neroli, 4 drops Rose Otto and 8 drops Sandalwood in a base of 20% Rosehip Seed, 20% Evening Primrose, 20% virgin Coconut and 40% Jojoba. Your skin will be smooth as silk!

Resin extracts are finding their way into many pain relieving creams as well, often with the labels indicating the tree genus “Boswellia” on the label. Boswellic acids have potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, specifically by inhibiting the pro-inflammatory enzyme 5-lipoxygenase. Including a CO2-distilled oil in massage formulas for relief of joint pain is an excellent idea. This will blend well with any number of other essential oils with similar effects, including for example, Helichrysum, Plai, and Ginger. These oils could all be formulated together at equal concentrations (1 or 2 percent) in any carrier oil.

One of the most fascinating therapeutic potentials of the CO2 extraction is the much-researched anticancer and anti-tumoral activity of the oil. The resin and the oil have been the subject of University studies which have concluded that Frankincense may be a viable treatment for cancer. It has shown the ability to destroy cancerous cells at concentrations which leave healthy cells unharmed. Some aromatherapy practitioners have started to using the essential oil as a preventative measure, topically applying, or in some cases even ingesting small amounts. The oil is considered very safe — non-toxic and non-sensitizing, so that consumption of a couple of drops daily should not pose any health risk. If this is something which interests you, find a natural health care practitioner to consult with to determine the best protocol for your personal condition.

In terms of “aroma” therapy, Frankincense can be an excellent antidepressant and grounding aromatic. A diffuser or warming lamp can be used to disperse the aroma throughout your environment. Frankincense oil can be applied directly to the forehead where you can both capture the aroma and absorb the oil directly (it is non-irritating or sensitizing, though if you do experience sensitivity, simply dilute to 5-10% in a carrier oil). It is considered deeply calming, and has been noted to have the potential to actually slow the breathing rate — a very interesting effect, considering that some physicians believe our life spans to be governed by the number of breaths we take, and not the number of heartbeats. Our breathing patterns are also directly related to our stress level: under stress, we tend to take shallow, rapid breaths, and while relaxed, breathing is slower and deeper.

As you can see, Frankincense has a very worthy diverse collection of therapeutic activity — so much so that the addition to your collection of oils is very worth considering. Whether for skin care, pain relief, improved immune system function, cancer prevention, or mood and emotional support, using this incredible medicine revered throughout history is a smart choice for the natural health enthusiast.

The author is a regular contributor to natural ezines on essential oils and aromatherapy . She may be contacted through www.anandaapothecary.com/essential-oils.html.

For much of mankind’s history, people have used herbal treatments to reduce pain and inflammation in joints and muscles. The bark of the Willow tree has given us ‘the wonder drug’ for pain reduction, which actually occurs due to a reduction of inflammation. Now, many professional therapists lay-practitioners are turning to essential oils for inflammation reduction and pain relief. Essential oils provide a very simple means of reaping the anti-inflammatory, analgesic potential of natural medicine, as all one need do is put a few drops of essential oil into a base oil and massage in for quick, sometimes long-lasting relief.

A quick look at the current research available on pubmed.gov gives an extensive list of scientific publications confirming the anti-inflammatory action of essential oils. The oils used in today’s therapies have been carefully distilled to retain their medicinal potency. This means that they can have very complex natural chemical structures, and depending on the plant, a powerful inflammation-reducing action. Some obvious oils are distilled from plants that they themselves have long been used for this purpose — particularly Ginger and Turmeric. Carbon-dioxide distillations (a new, cold-process method of making essential oils) of both these plants have been included in patented inflammation-reducing formulas. These CO2 distillations are readily available for any practitioner to employ in their formulas.

Just published in the Journal of Lipid Research are the results of an investigation in Japan confirming the anti-inflammation activity in several essential oils. This supports the selection of many essential oils used in pain relief and anti-inflammation formulas. The oils shown to reduce inflammation through suppression of the COX-2 pro-inflammatory enzyme included herbs, like thyme, clove and fennel; rose; eucalyptus; and even the citrus Bergamot. The oils considered to have the strongest anti-inflammation activity used in aromatherapy were not even examined, which can mean that there are naturally a great many compounds found in essential oils that have an anti-inflammatory effect.

The strongest inflammation-reducing activity was produced by the essential oil of Thyme, a pungent herb long used as a savory flavoring. Thyme essential oil is highly regarded for its immune system boosting and anti-viral / anti-bacterial actions. Interestingly, the study noted that all essential oils tested reduced inflammation in a manner similar to resveratrol, the long-life-enhancing component of red wine. Inflammation itself is oftentimes a symptom of a strained or challenged immune system, as well as a marker of aging. One’s ability to naturally keep inflammation under control is likely to result in fewer illnesses and a slower aging process. Along these lines, it was the single natural component Carvacrol, also found in high concentrations in Oregano essential oil, that had the strongest anti-inflammatory activity of any of the single isolated compounds from any essential oil used in the study. While carvacrol by itself is actually a dangerous chemical in that it can burn our tissues, it seems to have a multitude of beneficial actions including reducing inflammation, being a strong anti-microbial agent, and boosting immune system function.

Many people find relief from painful muscles and joints through the daily self-massage with a pre-made or home-made aromatherapy massage formula. You can find many on the market with high-grade essential oils that can help, or you may be interested in making your own custom recipe. These formulas typically contain a concentration of 2 to 5 percent essential oils in a carrier oil (like Hazelnut or Sesame). Each one percent is made by adding eight drops of an essential oil to one ounce of carrier oil. Thus, a three percent concentration would be twenty-four drops essential oil in each ounce of carrier. An excellent example of an anti-inflammatory blend would be one percent German Chamomile, two percent Helichrysum Italicum and two percent Lavender. A little research can help you find the oils that will work best for you.

Organic and wildcrafted essential oils are truly magic gifts from nature. Essential oils have been used as medicines for thousands of years. For more, visit The Ananda Apothecary Blog.

Cancer in the Headlines

If one were to take survey of the largest concerns in modern America, at the top of the list would be the development of cancer. Headlines from magazines, newspapers and websites denote a rise in cancer among young and old alike. Concerns vary from how to escape this seemingly inevitable disease, and how can one pay for this disease if diagnosed, to what is the most effective method or supplement against developing cancer in the first place.

Another shift in headline news is alternative treatments to often expensive and sometimes invasive forms of health care. More and more individuals are seeking ways to gain freedom from dependence upon pharmaceuticals, intensive scans and often impersonal treatments to both body and soul.

Essential oils are non-invasive and a highly effective method of treating ailments and supporting overall good health. These plant extractions are low in cost compared to often overarching methods of modern medical treatment and can be used safely by all ages.

This paper specifically addresses the rising interest of essential oils in research, specifically on the effectiveness in preventing and treating cancer. It also addresses how essential oils when used in conjunction with conventional cancer treatment can decrease the side effects of these modern methods.

What really is Cancer?

Cancer in general terms is cells growing out of control. The mechanism (found in the mitochondria of the cell) to stop abnormal growth of the cell is interrupted or turned off. Once this process begins, these abnormal cells either invade or replace normal tissue. Such a process can occur within any parts of the body.

There are two main groupings of cancer cells: cancers that form in solid tissues like the liver, bone or brain and cancers that do not form solid structures and proliferate in the blood and lymph systems, such as leukemia and lymphomas.

Causes of cancer formation within the body are variable. Most cancers are now attributed an unhealthy lifestyle, dietary choices – a diet rich in processed foods, genetics and hazardous chemical exposure either though air, water or direct contact.

According to a 2005 paper produced by the American Cancer Society (Cancer Facts and Figures, 2005), over one million new cancer cases were expected to be diagnosed in the United States alone. According to this publication, cancer is the second leading cause of death, taking the lives of 1 in 4 Americans.

Surge in Interest of Essential Oils by American Medical Researchers

Conventional or orthodox medical treatments of cancer currently in use are chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Yet in the last few years, there is a rising interest among American laboratory researchers on the effectiveness of essential oils in preventing as well as treating cancer or combining essential oils with conventional treatments.

European practitioners have been using essential oils to treat various illnesses for years, even centuries. Yet, in the United States, it is now just stirring the interest of medical practitioners and researchers. In the paragraphs below a brief overview of current research on essential oils and cancer is provided.

Current Research on the Effectiveness of Essential Oils Against Cancer

Numerous studies looking at various essential oils on the cytotoxic (killing of cells) properties of cancer cells have been conducted. The results are promising and hopeful. In the last three years alone, studies have found isolated compounds in essential oils to have noticeable cyotoxicity on cancer cells.

In 2007, a study published in the September/October Anticancer Research jounal performed at the University of Calabria, Italy, noted that essential oils from the Lauraceae families inhibit human tumor cell growth in vitro (out of living cells, such as in a test tube or Petri dish) environments. In the January 2006 Journal of Ethnopharmacol, University of Quebec, Canada researchers identified compounds in the leaf essential oil of Croton flavens L. that are cytogentic against tumor cells.

Published in the February 2009 Natural Product Communications, University of Alabama researchers found compounds within the leaf essential oils of Oreopanax nubigenus, and Schefflera rodrigueziana (plants found in Costa Rica) that showed notable in-vitro cytotoxicity. A recent study conducted by Canadian researchers found aromatherapy with essential oils, such as balsam poplar, when combined with Taxol (a chemotherapy drug) increases anti-tumor activity more than four times.

The above studies had similar conclusions – essential oils have effective anti-cancer properties. It is also evident that essential oils can increase the effectiveness of conventional cancer treatments as well as reduce their side effects. Such findings are stirring and of great value to the future of medical research and caner treatment.

Essential oils have a very broad range of uses, from just making a room smell nice, to combating the most challenging bacterial infections. The term ‘aromatherapy’ includes all these uses. To learn more, visit The Ananda Apothecary online.

The right skin care product can do wonders for your skin, but most people aren’t sure exactly how to find that perfection product that does what they want it to. Instead, they bounce around, trying first one product and then another and never really getting the right one. If you are one of these people who simply hasn’t found the perfect skin care product, it’s time to learn just what to look for in the ideal skin care items.

Know Your Skin Type

Do you know what your skin type is:If you have oily or dry skin, it’s probably pretty apparent which you are, but combination skin can be tricky to diagnose. With combination skin, the cheeks tend to be dry and even flaky, while the T-zone (forehead, nose and chin) are oily. If that sounds like your face, then you probably have combination skin.

It’s important to know which skin type you have. If you don’t know and you buy a product meant for oily skin, when yours is dry, you won’t get the desired results. There’s really no point in spending money on a product that won’t help your skin the way you need it to.

Check the Ingredients

Even if you don’t tend to have sensitive skin, there are certain ingredients that can really be harsh on the skin. Many skin care products have a variety of chemicals in them that can be quite damaging to skin if not used properly and even in small amounts, can cause skin problems. In general, it’s better to go with all natural ingredients.

Most people don’t really think to check the full ingredient list on their skin care products. It’s easy to get distracted by the big “Contains Vitamin E” or other large print ingredients on the front of the bottle. When a product claims to contain a certain ingredient, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the main ingredient. It’s a good idea to take a look at what the entire product is made up of, not just the most popular ingredients.

Just because something uses herbs or real fruits doesn’t mean it’s ideal for your skin, though. In fact, many natural ingredients are also covered in pesticides which find their way into your skin care items. Fortunately, by choosing organic skin care products, you can avoid this problem. Organic products will be chemical and pesticide free, allowing the skin to breathe and most people won’t have any adverse reaction to organic items.

Test It

One of the best ways to be sure that a product is really the right one for you is to simply test it. Once you have chosen a skin care products that has organic ingredients and matches your skin type, it’s time to try it out and see how it works for you.

When testing skin care products, you’ll want to give them at least a week before making a decision. 3-4 weeks is even better, since it may take a little time for the product to work with your skin, especially if you have pre-existing conditions. For example, if you have particularly dry skin, it could take a couple of weeks for the lotion you use to really penetrate and take effect. The same thing goes for blemish creams and the like. They do tend to take time to work, so give your trial a proper time restriction so you can be sure.

Natural, organic skin care products that have been selected with your particular skin type in mind will always produce better results than those laden with chemicals. They work with the skin to create a healthy epidermis.

Organic skin care provider offering 100% pure, natural make up, organic products, aromatherapy … beauty products such as Dr. Hauschka products.