Spotlight : "Jasmine Aromatherapy"

Discover jasmine and how its use in aromatherapy can enhance your well-being. If this is your favorite oil, don't miss its complete report.

CONTENTS:

1. The History
2. Medicinal Uses
3. Cultivation
4. Jasmine Enfleurage
5. Reference

1. The History

This plant was introduced to Britain then Europe from ancient trade routers in around 1584. The Chinese first use this flower as a flavoring in tea and then in perfumery.

Nowadays, there are about 300 species of Jasmine throughout the tropical and sub tropical region around the world.

Among all the species, Jasminum officinalis is the best for perfumery industry and medicinal uses.

2. Medicinal Uses of Jasmine Aromatherapy

The scent of Jasmine oil is heavy, musky, romantic, somewhat reminiscent of flower oil with a touch of honey,beeswax and green herbs thrown in.

Jasmine oil is used to lift depression and ease stress, and has a calming and soothing effect.

Ancient Indian and Chinese doctors, use Jasmine oil as a sedative to treat number of ailments and as a muscle relaxer, usually in a form of tea or added the oil for massage.

Later, the jasmine infusion were added to the bath to relieve the tension and to oils and creams for dry and sensitive skins.

Because Jasmine is so remarkable as an antidepressant and for anxiety related sexual problems between man and woman, it is superb as an aromatherapy oil. To make oil massage using jasmine, add 12 drops of jasmine to 3 ounces of sweet almond oil.

A few crushed of jasmine flowers rubbed in the temple will ease a tight throbbing headache or you can just put a drop in your temple.

Caution: Do not use Jasmine oil if you're pregnant as it is a uterine stimulant.

3. Cultivation

Growing your own jasmine is very easy. You don't need a garden to do so. All jasmine take full sun to partial shade and require not more than twice watering a week and a dressing of compost twice a year.

Tidying and pruning off the spent flower is essential to prevent new growth from climbing over the old wood, forming untidy nest.

You just need three flowers in a room to impart a soothing and calming scent.

4. How to make Jasmine Enfleurage

1. Simply put a layer of jojoba oil or olive oil - soaked cotton wool in a flat white enamel pan
2. Flowers are handpicked in the evening and then place on the cotton
3. Left it for several days
4. Flowers are removed and replaced it with new flower several times
5. The Cotton then wrung out and the oils collected in a new container
6. You use the oil directly or you can mix it with pure alcohol, letting it stand for a few weeks with shaking the container daily
7. Then the alcohol and the oil are separated by pouring off the jasmine colored and scented alcohol (and the otto or perfume is filtered off)

5. Reference

M. Roberts Edible & Medicinal Flowers (New Africa Books, 2000)

J. Rose The Aromatherapy Book (North Atlantic Books,1993)