"A rose is a rose is a rose” Gertrude Stein

From Essential Oils Desk Reference

Jasmine** (Jasminum officinale) has a warm, exotic, floral fragrance that relaxes, soothes, uplifts, and enhances self-confidence. Jasmine is beneficial for the skin. It has been used throughout history for romance and attraction and for balancing the feminine energy of the body.

Ylang ylang (Cananga odorata) has a sweet, soft, flowery fragrance that has made it a romantic favorite. In Indonesia, the petals are often strewn across a marriage bed. Ylang ylang is extremely effective in calming and bringing about a sense of relaxation, and it may help with releasing feelings of anger, tension, and nervous irritability.

Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) has a wonderfully uplifting, calming, flowery scent. It is excellent for the skin, and its aromatic influence helps release negative memories.

Joy™ is a luxuriously exotic blend with uplifting overtones that creates magnetic energy and brings joy to the heart. When worn as cologne or perfume, Joy exudes an alluring and irresistible fragrance that inspires romance and togetherness. When diffused, it can be refreshing and uplifting.

Ingredients:

Bergamot (Citrus bergamia), ylang ylang (Cananga odorata), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora), lemon (Citrus limon), mandarin (Citrus reticulata), jasmine (Jasminum officinale), Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile), palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii), and rose (Rosa damascena).

Peace and Calming essential oil blend

Peace & Calming® is a gentle, fragrant blend. When diffused, it helps calm tensions and uplift the spirit, promoting relaxation and a deep sense of peace. When massaged on the bottoms of the feet, it can be a wonderful prelude to a peaceful night's rest. Peace & Calming may be especially calming and comforting to young children after an overactive and stressful day.

Ingredients: Tangerine (Citrus nobilis), orange (Citrus aurantium), ylang ylang (Cananga odorata), patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) and blue tansy (Tanacetum annuum).

Tangerine (Citrus reticulata) is a calming essential oil with a sweet, tangy aroma, similar to orange. It helps with occasional nervous irritability. An excellent oil to help uplift the spirit and bring about a sense of security

Orange (Citrus sinensis) essential oil has a rich, fruity scent that lifts the spirit while providing a calming influence on the body. Orange brings peace and happiness to the mind.

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin), sometimes called "the scent of the sixties," has a musky, earthy, exotic aroma. In Eastern cultures, it is commonly used around the house to provide general support for health and to help release negative emotions.

Personalized perfumes : more than 40 recipes for making perfumes with essential oils / Duff, Gail.

Panache - spicy and fruity

Both basil and bergamot can banish shyness and self-doubt, and give you renewed faith in your abilities. Basil has a spicy quality to its scent which blends in well with the spicy freshness of corriander. Pure, stimulating bergamot adds a sunny note, and sweet orange oils softens and mellows the effect. To every 2 teaspoons of base, add the following oils: 5 drops sweet orange, 4 drops bergamot, 2 drops basil, and 1 drop coriander.

Self Assurance - sweet with hints of spice and citrus

The name ylang ylang means "flower of flowers." This starry-flowered plant that is grown in the Far East blossoms all year round, but the best oils are produced in Man and June. It is widely regarded as a confidence booster, and its rich floral scent is both warming and soothing.

Rose brings a gentle touch, warm cinnamon gives that reviving touch of spice, and mellow citrusy lime adds an essential touch of freshness.

Wearing this combination of spice an citrus wil help you to face the day confidently.

To every 2 teaspoon base, add the following oils: 5 drops ylang ylang, 4 drops rose, 3 drops lime, and 2 drops cinnamon.

The best oil to use as a base is jojoba oil. It is not technically an oil but is a liquid wax, It never becomes rancid, so perfumes made with it have a long shelf life. When put onto the skin it soon dries, leaving only the fragrance behind.

Outline

1. What is a plant essential oil; how it is used by plants

2. How essential oils are made; therapeutic vs. synthetic

3. How to use essential oils: diffusing, topically, in baths, breathing, internally (only therapeutic grade)

4. Smell as mood and mind enhancing and stimulating, memory associations;

Essential Oils used by Famous Women through out the History, from past to present

5. Odor Classification

· Odophone

· Floral Clock

· The Gamut of Odors·

6. The Signature Scent - making your own perfume based on Notes - an introduction

7. Grouping based on aromas

8. Blending essential oils based on aromas

9. Testing Fragrance Blends

10. Other uses of essential oils

11 Essential Oils used by Famous Women through out the History, from past to present

12. Suggested reading

1. What is a plant essential oil;

what plants use it for;

how the essential oils are made, standards

"Blood of the plant", volatile oil

What-oils-do-in-living-plants

2. How essential oils are made; therapeutic vs. synthetic

Therapeutic grade essential oils

Undersatanding the grades of oils

Just rub the petals or other parts of the plant on your fingers

Made from flowers, stems, peel of the citrus fruit

3. Using essential oils

• Use in a diffuser

• Apply to your skin

• Internal (only if it is true therapeutic grade)

3. Smell as mood and mind enhancing and stimulating, effect on memory

from Personalized Perfumes by Gail Duff

"A sensory signature, an extension of your personality, an aura that gives you glamor and mystery, and makes you feel utterly feminine - perfume is all of these. A final dab of scent complements your outfit, increases your confidence, and sets you up for the evening you'd feel undressed without it. But as well as giving immense personal pleasure, perfume can also relax you, revive you, enhance a good mood, chase away a bad one, pep you up - or help you go to sleep. It's a lot more than just a nice smell.

Essential oils for emotions

http://www.youngliving.com/en_US/news/videos/Partnerships/rodney.html

4. Odor Classification

( from The Aromatherapy Book by Jeanne Rose - please refer to the page attached)

• "odophone" created by Septimus Piesse in the Art of Perfumery in 1867.

It was designed to be played like a glass harmonica with the fingers rubbing the glass bells, each of which would be scented with a particular odor. The fingers would release the scent and a fragrant symphony would result.

• Floral Clock

Exotic invention in the 1800s, a planting of flowers in the garden designed to incorporate various plants that would release their fragrance during set hours of the day and night.

Women were encouraged to change their scent regularly to correspond with the correct hours. Odors sometimes are better used at certain yours of the day, each hour being indicated by the opening of a particular flower.

• The Gamut of Odors

Septimus Piesse equated odors to sounds, calling the scale "The Gamut of Odors", from the lowest or heavier smells to the higher or sharper smells. Each odor corresponds to a key; a perfect mixture is called a bouquet. Some odors have neither sharps nor flats. To make the bouquet, the odors must be harmonious.

6. The Signature Scent - making your own perfume - an introduction

In the 19th century, a Frenchman called Piesse revolutionized perfumery by working out a way of classifying scents as notes.

Top Notes: Thyme, Cinnamon, Oregano, Clove, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Basil, Bergamot, Chamomile, Cedarwood, Lavender, Anis, Lemon, Mandarin, Berbena

Middle Notes: Geranium, Lavender, Marjoram, Clary Sage, Cardamom, Rose Geranium, Rose, Ylang Ylang, Jasmine, Niroli, Tuberose

Base Notes: Jasmine, Myrrh, Frankincense, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Onycha, Vanilla, Tolu, Peru, and Oakmoss, Rose

Jeanne Rose recommends:

• 5 drops of a base note

• 10 drops of a middle note

• 20 drops of a top note

from Personalized Perfumes by Gail Duff

When you smell a perfume, the top notes are the scents you smell first. However, they soon evaporate, revealing the middle notes, which are the scents that form the true "character" of the blend.

The middle notes consist of most of the floral oils, some of the herbals, and one or two of the lighter woods and spices, such as geranium, lavender, clove, and corriunder. The base notes are warming scents - usually the woods, spices, and resins.

Making perfumes

The best oil to use as a base (carrier), when you're experienced, is jojoba. Otherwise you can use wheatgerm, avocado or almond.

Method

1. Measure 2 teaspoons base (carrier) into your container.

2. Add the essential oils one drop at a time and shake or agitate well after each addition. Test the smell as you go along to make sure you like it.

3. Cover the container with plastic wrap and leave for 12 hours in a cool, dark place for the scents to blend and settle.

from The Chemistry of Essential OIls Made Simple by David Stewart

• Heavier, larger molecules normally produce thicker (more viscous and less volatile) oils that are less aromatic (less volatile). They are absorbed in the body more slowly and are metabolized more slowly, remaining in the body longer periods of time (hours or up to a day or more).

• Smaller, lighter oil molecules (less viscous and more volatile) are absorbed more quickly into the body but are metabolized more readily, remaining in the body for shorter periods of time (minutes and hours).

• When oils with small, light molecules are blended with oils with large, heavy molecules, the fragrance of the oil with the light molecules lasts longer and they remain in the body longer when absorbed. They have relatively strong aromas. An exception to this are the citrus oils, which have relatively mild fragrances-not for lack of volatility on the part of d-limonene, their main constituent, but because d-limonene registers with our olfactory system as being only mildly fragrant to almost odorless. Citrus oils also contain up to 6% in tetraterpenes which have no fragrance because of their large molecular weights. The tetraterpenes in citrus oils extend the half-lives of the monoterpenes and other lighter compounds that largely comprise their makeup..

In other words, the company of larger molecules extends the biological half-lives of smaller molecules so that they last longer as a fragrance and work longer in your body as a therapeutic agent. The term, "half-life" refers to the amount of time for our body to metabolize half of the quantity of oil ingested or applied to the skin. Heavier oils that help extend the working life of a more volatile oil are called "fixatives" or "fixing oils."

Pheylpropanoids, monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes have molecular weight of 136, 136 & 204 respectively, with sesquiterpenes being the heaviest and largest of these molecules .

The fact that fatty oils slow the absorption rates of aromatic ones can come in handy in an emergency. If an essential oil accidentally gets into an eye or on other sensitive areas of the body, don't try to dilute the burning with water. That will only drive the oil in faster and increase the pain because oil and water don't mix.

The oil Blot Test

Put a drop of oil on some absorbent paper. After a time, an essential oil will evaporate without a trace while a fatty oil will leave a grease spot. (except for essential oils with color). Stains left on blotting paper from essential oils will not be greasy.

from Essence and Alchemy/ Mandy Aftel

The base note is the scent that lasts the longest on the skin, and so it mixes most deeply with the wearer's body chemistry. Individual body chemistries react differently with the same perfume elements. Some bring out the florals, some the spices, some the animal notes. The skin is a base under the base, and thus base notes form the most intimate connection between perfume and wearer.

Because base notes are so forceful, added last they tend, at the very least, to alter the character of the scent dramatically, at worst, they may completely overwhelm it. So it makes the most sense to construct perfume from the ground up, like a pyramid, beginning with the strong base note and building the rest of the perfume upon it, layer by layer.

Base notes are combined to form a chord. It is good to start with 2, no more than 5.

Base notes are the deepest, most mysterious, and odest of all perfume ingredients.

With the exception of sandalwood, amber, and vanilla-scented essences such as benzoin, Peru balsam, and tola balsam, however, base notes strike most people as powerful, even overwhelming, sniffed straight from the bottle. They need to be dark green or brown in color and heavy and thick in consistency, syropy liquids gathered from barks (sandalwood), saps (benzoin, Peru balsam), grasses (patchouli, vetiver), or animal secretions (mask, civet). Often they must be melted or tincured - mixed with perfume alcohol - before they can be incorporated into a perfume. Sticky, resinous, treacly, they are intensity incarnate.

They are thorny and difficult. The timid always choose vanilla, the daring sometimes go for costus or blend tobacco or black spruce absolute.... As the hours pass, they smell softer and more pleasant, and this evolution accurately reflects how they will affect a perfume over time.

The base notes not only outlast the other notes, they also make those notes themselves last longer, slowing their evaporation and drawing them into the skin so that the notes are released gradually over the course of hours or even days (fixation).

• First fixation - molecular structure of the base notes retards the evaporation of the other ingredients. These are usually resins and gums, like benzoin and Peru balsam. Consequently, the aroma of the perfume changes more gradually as the ingredients fade away.

• The second kind of fixation occurs with the addition of base notes that have low volatility, such as oakmoss, labdanum, and vetiver. These evaporate at a very slow rate, lending their distincive note to the perfume all the while, but they don't affect the rate of evaporation of the other ingredients.

• Exalting fixatives are the third category, and they are among the most mysterious and magical of all perfume ingredients. They are the animal essences: mask civet, ambergris, and castoreum. It acts by improving, fortifying, or transporting the vapors of the other perfume materials. Exalting fixatives provide life and brilliance, giving what is know as "lift" to the heavier aspects of the perfume and causing it to be more diffusive. The full fragrance of the perfume slowly dissipate from the skin. The exalting fixatives are so strong that a drop of civet is enough to work its magic on several ounces of perfume, and a drop too much will ruin an entire blend.

• Fixation is indefinable, always in transition.

Seven groups of base notes

• • Woody "soft, warm note reminiscent of freshly cut aromatic woods.

  • Sandalwood is an excellent fixative for most perfumes, lending a soft, powdery dryout that is compatible with almost any note. It is useful with less intense middle notes because it will not envelop or overwhelm them, but will simply support them

• Resinous derived from the viscous liquids secreted through the ducts found in the bark of certain trees. They tend to have a rather piney scent. They include galbanum, frankincense, and myrrh.

• Animal not only those derived from animals but also plant essences that have a warm, musky vibrancy, such as costus, ambrette, hay, and tobacco.

• Balsamic have in common a sweet vanilla note with a woody, floral, or spicy undertone.

• Earthy have the musty, stale smell of freshly turned soil. They include vetiver, angelica root, patchouli, oakmoss, and landanum.

For example, Vetiver is a grass whose rootlets have been used for their fragrance since ancient times. The root itself possesses an agreeable aroma and, when dried, has been used to scent linens and clothes. It was also woven into mats that were sprinkled with water and hung like curtains to cool and scent the air in a dwelling. Vetiver is extremely long-lasting and is an excellent fixative. It blends well with other green and herbal notes as well as with patchouli and sandalwood. Vetiver is grounding and strengthening.

• • Green fresh and leafy. They include tarragon, lavender concrete, clary sage concrete, flouve, elderflower, and deertongue.

  • Edible are associated with food. This family includes vanilla, black tea, green tea, cognac, coffee, and cocoa.

Vanilla plants are orchids, vines that climb along tree trunks. Their seed pods exhale one of the finest odors in the vegetable kingdom. The seed pod has no fragrance when it is gathered, but develops ... as it ferments during the curing process, under the sorcery of sun and air. By degrees the color darkens, the flesh softens, and the true odor of vanilla begins to develop as the natural fermentation gradually progresses up the pod, which takes about a month.

Combining - a list of essences and other scents with which they marry well - please see attached files below.

Before adding essences to the alcohol or jojoba, you need to creat chords in a preliminary way. Place one drop each of up to 3 essences (but no more tha that) on a perfume blotter and mix them together by placing one drop on top of another on the strip, then sample the scent.. Place corresponding proportions (1:1:3, for example) on separate blotters and smell.

After adding base notes, gradually add the middle notes, smelling ...rub a drop or two on your hand or arm to see how it will smell on you.

Think about where you want the blend to go next. Sweeter? Lighter? Choose the top notes to finish off the shape of the perfume, to make it brighter, tarter, or simply more sharply defined.

Note. There are some essences that are particularly hard to get along with... like patchouli, ginger.... they interact unpredictably with the other ingredients. These essences can function as accessory notes , term coined by Jean Carles. An accessory note is a head, heart, or base note that, by virtue of its character and intensity, cannot fit into a chord but can add something definite to a fragrance, giving it originality. Accessory notes all possess and are defined by their high odor strength. They are powerful, passionate, and idiosyncratic. Accessory notes can be a point of departure for a blend or a late addition to it.

Middle Notes or Heart Notes

Almost all floral essences are middle notes, or heart notes, and almost all middle notes are florals, although there is a smattering of herbs and spices as well - clary sage, verbena, cloves, and cinnamon bark. Heart notes give body to blends, imparting warmth and fullness. ... When you put them into a blend, you're literally putting the heart into it, they are the tie that binds.

The arabs loved roses even more than we do. They preserved them by gathering the buds and placing them in earthenware jars that they sealed with clay and buried in the earth. When roses were required, they dug up the jar, sprinkled the buds with water, and left them to air until the petals opened. One sultan was so smitten with roses that he forbade anyone else to grow them. He dressed in pink in their honor and had his rugs sprinkled continually with rosewater.

Floral essences are among the most important perfume ingredients - and by far the most expensive. However, not all smells can be captured in perfume; lilies, along with a number of other florals, resist any form of scent harvesting. It is a telltale sign that a perfume is made from synthetics if it contains any of the following flowers, because they cannot be rendered naturally: freesia, honeysuckle, violet, tulip, lily, gardenia, heliotrope, orchid, lilac, and lily of the valley.

The heart notes lend themselves to being grouped in the following ways:

• Light - have buoyant and airy quality, such as linden blossom magnolia, and neroli.

• Spicy - include actual spices as well as florals that posess sharp, spicy notes; they simultaneously stimulate the sense of smell and the sense of taste. They include allspice, ginger absolute, black pepper absolute, clove absolute, and , and kewda, a large Indian flower that smells like a combination of pepper and tuberose.

Clove - every part of the clove tree contains the aromatic essential oil, but its greatest concentration is in the bud. It is a frequent constituent of "oriental" blends. Combined with rose, ylang ylang, and other sweet florals, it produces a unique note of natural richness and body. It can be used, in small doses, in almost any perfume."

Clove is included in Young Living's Thieves blends -one of my favorite.

Cinnamon - it's top note is very fresh, fruity, and candylike, followed at some distance by a dry, dusty, powdery dryout note; should be used sparingly.

• Green - recall the smells of spring: freshly cut grass and dewy leaves. They include clary sage, lavender absolute, lovage, and violet leaf.

• Rose - their essences possess infinite variation.

• Narcotic - have a hypnotic quality.. that is sultry and calming. Jasmine concrete, jasmine absolute, tuberose, ylang ylang absolute, and ylang ylang concrete.

Ylang ylang is one of the most important raw materials used in perfume.... It produces remarkable effects, imparting floral top notes as well as middle notes. It blends well with jasmine and rose, bergamot and vanilla. Ylang ylang is an aphrodisiac that relieves tension and imparts joy.

• • Fruity - Roman chamomile, lemon verbena, litsea cubeba, and tagetes, a kind of marigold from South Africa.

• Precious florals possess a depth, harmony, and full-bodied quality, while at the same time their restrained richness lends an elegance and suavity. Boronia, Orange flower absolute, champa, and oris butter.

The Sublime and the Volatile Head Notes (top notes)

The radiant top notes .. reach our noses first, establishing the scent's initial impression .. vaporize more rapidly. Top notes are easy to like, familiar, uncomplicated, strong but not heavy. They are sharp, penetrating, and extreme, either hot or cold, never warm. Many of them are familiar from cooking herbs and spices such as corriander, spearmint, cardamom, juniper, citruses, black pepper.

Top notes are inexpensive, easy to use, superficial, and spontaneous. They embody the experience of lightness; the least material of the perfume ingredients. They are called essences or spirits. Their role corresponds to sublimaio.

Sublimatio is a culminating process, the final transformation of the spirit from what has been created in time.

For more information on making your own perfumes, please refer to Essence and Alchemy by Mandy Aftel.

A Little Bit Of History

from The Fragrant garden by Julia Lawless

The Arab world and the Orient likewise had different ingredients at their disposal. Perfume materials such as sandalwood, cedar and jasmine, together with a whole army of spices such as cardamom, ginger and clove gave the oriental products a rich and sensual allure.

All early perfumes were made wholly from natural ingredients, using fragrant petals, seeds, roots or bark, together with scented gums and resins, as well as a small number of products derived from animals, such as musk. The first body perfumes were called unguents and were a type of ointment made by simply immersing the aromatic material in an oily or fatty base – a process called “effleurage” Later, fragrant essential oils were extracted from the new material in a variety of ways – by simple pressure (as in the case with most citrus oils), or by steam distillation (most essential oils are still made in this manner). As the formulation and production of perfumes became more sophisticated, they took on a whole range of different forms, including scented powders, flower waters, aromatic infusions and room fresheners, as well as concentrated essences. Then with the discovery of the alcoholic extraction process in the fourteenth century, the art of perfumery assumed a new finesse.

The first books explaining perfumery techniques began to appear at the beginning of the early sixteenth century in Europe and it became common for women to prepare their own perfumes in a special still room – literally a distillation room.

Origin of the still room

The still room was used primarily for making aromatic substances of hygienic and medicinal value, and secondarily for making flavored vinegars or oils and aromatic wines and cordials , as well as for drying culinary herbs. In larger houses there was often another room used solely for the drying of herbs.

Roses were used extensively for making flower waters, while linens, writing paper and clothes were scented with aromatic herbs such as lavender.

Scented woods and herbs were burned to prevent the spread of infection but also to help get rid of musty smells..

Modern perfumes developed from the discovery and use of synthetic fragrances. (150 years ago).

An increasing number of people are developing and adverse reaction to the mass of chemicals.

The classification of scent

A comprehensive classification of scent was made in 1893 by Count von Marilaun, who arranged flower perfumes into 6 main groups based on the main chemical constituents present in their essential oil. – including the indoloid, aminoid, benzoloid, terpenoid and parafinoid groups.. later expanded to include ten separate flower-scent categories, four leaf categories and two main wood or bark categories.

Flowers

1 Indoloid group – generally purple or brownish flowers that all have a meaty smell – Trillum erectum and a number of fritillaries.

2 Arminoid group – generally dingy white or cream flowers that have a fishy smell – Paracantha and Sorbus species

3 Heavy group – mostly white or pale cream flowers containing some aminoids, that smell sweater and more floral at a distance but at close quarters they can take on an overpowering, unpleasant smell of putrefaction – Lillum candidum, Polianthes tuberose, Osmantus, some members of the Syringa, Philadephus and Daphine genuses and types of narcissus and jonquil

4 Aromatic group Mainly white, yellow or pale pink flowers with a pleasing balsamic, vanilla or almond-like fragrance – Cyclamen creticum,Clematis Montana, C. flammula, several Lonicera species, Choisya terrata, heliotrope, sweet peas, pinks and carnations, plus leaves of Liquidarrbar orientals.

5 Violet group – plants that have self-fertilizing flowers with a violet scent, quickly fading to a mossy undertone – Iris reticulate, several Acacia species, plus of course purple violets and orris root (Iris floretina).

6. Rose group - flowers of variable colours having a lovely sweet-floral, almost fruity fragrance that is not cloying - Damask roses, Pelagoniumcapitatum, Iris hoogiana, Paeonia suffruticosa and types of magnolia.

7 Lemon group - citrus scent is more oftn found in leaves than flowers - Rosa bracteata, Oenothera odorata nad Nyphaea odorata; lemon eucalyptus, lemon verbena, lemon balm, and lemon thyme leaves.

8 Fruit-scented group - a wide-ranging class of flowers, some scented like oranges - "Wedding Day" roses; or pinapple - gorse and Cytisus battandient or apples - Rosa wichurana and leaves of R.rubiginosa

9 Animal-scented group - included here are musky-scented flowers - valerian, crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis, Rosa moschata and musk hyacinth (Muscari muscarim) plus the leaves of the burning bush (Dictamnus albus).

10 Honey group - these are sweeter than the musk scents but can be cloying - clover, meadowsweet, honeysuckle and various Buddleja species

Leaves

1 Turpentine group Rosemary

2 Camphor group Sage, wormwood, eucalyptus, thyme, catmint and bay

3 Mint group All mints, some types of eucalyptus, geranium and thyme.

4 Sulphur group Onion, garlic, chives.

Woods

1 Aromatic group Cinnamomum camphora.

2 Turpentine group Pinus sylvestris.

For still-room recipes, the aromatherapy herb garden, the culinary herb garden, aromatic recipes, a perfumery & aromatherapy border, and planting an aromatherapy garden, please read informative and beautifully illustrated ..Julia Lawless's book "The Fragrant Garden".

We have a Burning bush (Rutaceae) in our Arboretum. Here is how its fragrance is described in the book: "Scent – citrus, lemon-peel, balsamic, resinous, minty, astringent, refreshing."

Rosemary (Lamiaceae)

Scent: pungent, fresh, pine-like, herby, woody-balsamic, slightly camphoraceous, stimulating, restorative, purifying.

Rose geranium (Geraniaceae)

Scent - sweet, rosy, floral, slightly green, minty, harmonising, balancing, uplifting, refreshing.

Aromatic herbs for health & cooking

Early herb gardens

Herbs were the first plants to have been cultivated by mankind.

The range of plants that we call herbs has, however, changed over the centuries in Europe. At one time, many familiar flowers such as pinks, peonies, roses and irises were termed herbs, as were most of our common vegetables. In the sixteenth century, for example, carrots and onions were known as pot herbs, whereas lettuces and radishes were called salad herbs..

The medicinal or physic garden

Before the advent of modern drugs, plant medicine was the principal way of combating all kinds diseases, including infections, injury - and witchcraft. The notion of the physic garden began in Europe from the sixth-century onwards, when herb gardens were planted next to the infirmary in monasteries.

4. Smell as mood and mind enhancing and stimulating, memory associations;

5. Essential Oils used by Famous Women throughout the History, from past to present

Let's turn the pages of history to discover how essential oils were used by famous women through out the history.

from Awaken to Healing Fragrance by Elizabeth Anne Jones

The importance of essential oils was not limited to the royal family in Egyptian society, oils were used in toiletry, healing, and ritual observance, as they had been for centuries. In fact, credit for the invention of aromatherapy belongs to the Egyptians, notably Imhotep ("the grandfather of aromatherapy.", the architect and physician of the Third Dynasty (2650-2600 BC) who used fragrant oils in massage and reflexology.

In Hatshepsut's day, the Egyptians considered fragrant body oils a basic necessity. Aromatic oils were added to a base of animal fat or vegetable oil such as olive, almond or sesame, the less affluent used castor or palm oil. Fragrant resins, herbs, and flowers added a sweet scent. These scented oils were then used in baths, massage, anointing, and cosmetics.

The use of oils and ointments was prevalent to protect the face and body from sun, dust, and the dryness of the eastern climate. These perfumed oils were not regarded as luxuries and were used by men and women of all strata of the population.

The Egyptian pantheon included the god of perfume.. The priests knew the importance of the biochemical response the human body and mind achieved by inhaling a scent such as Frankincense. They sought to uplift the citizens, emotionally and spiritually, through the transformational fragrance at large gatherings.

The Egyptians burned Myrrh every day at noon as part of their sun worship ritual. This fragrance had the emotional effect of energizing, overcoming apathy, and grounding, while at the same time enhancing spiritual awareness. The resinoid is also antiviral and hormone-like ,as it balances the thyroid gland. Queen Hatshepsut rubbed Myrrh on the bottom of her feet so she would continually exude a pleasant fragrance for herself and others wherever she went. The oil offered her feet an antiseptic ointment that kept her heels from cracking in the hot sun. As the Myrrh molecules entered her bloodstream, they stimulated the immune system by creating white blood cells or lymphocytes. Energetically, the oil strengthened her spiritually and supported her need to trust those around her... it gave her mind and body vitality.

The following oils were used for mummification: Cedarwood, Myrrh and Casia. Cedarwood would also kill all infection, even fungus. In addition, the living used it as a tonic for any chronic complaints or pain. It was especially helpful for coughs and bronchitis. The use of cedarwood in a bath could bring relief from arthritis and a feeling of comfortable composure. It also strengthens the individual's connection with God and brings a sense of balance and control.

When archaeologists opened the famed King Tutankhamen tomb, the smell of Myrrh and Spikenard permeated the air.

Esther, the Persian Queen Who Saved the Jews, before attending the banquet, bathed in Frankincense, and wore a linen bag around her neck with Patchouli and Myrrh to give her courage to speak to the king.

It was the custom of the women to carry, beneath their clothes, a small linen bag containing Myrrh and other fragrant substances. This was usually suspended from a cord around the neck and lay in the hollow between the breasts. Here, the solidified Myrrh would release its fragrance from the warmth of the body and this would be enjoyed both by the wearer and by those in close contact.

Precedents in Hebrew history for using aromatic oils came from both Moses and Solomon. He had learned about the oils in Egypt. "The Lord said to Moses: take ... liquid myrrh, half as much ...fragrant cinnamon...fragrant cane ...casia and ...olive oil. Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer.

Enfleurage - using animal fat to extract the fragrance.

Esther might have used the stimulating essence of Cinnamon. The pungent essential oil was used to restore heat to the body and increase circulation, and calm spasms of the intestinal tract. The ancient Jews recognized cinnamon's antibacterial qualities; the oil was used to treat a cold, the flu, and other infectious diseases. It helped to overcome feelings of weakness and fragility, and strengthened the central nervous system for stress-related problems.

Cleopatra, the Queen of Kings

Before taking a bath... a cascade of fragrance descends upon you like a shimmering waterfall of Cinnamon, Cardamom, Jasmine, Sandalwood, and Lime.... The total effect makes you feel alert, excited, and sensually awake.

Cleopatra's greatest assets were ... and her poise. The latter was partly the result of her daily extensive bathing and her her use of all the fragrant oils available at that time. She used Rosemary, Lavender, Spikenard, Myrrh, and Jasmine in milk to create a tranquil aromatic moment designed to strengthen her mind, refresh her body, and empower her personality for courageous acts.

Rosemary oil with all its vitality and mind-stimulating qualities, was certainly one of the favorites of this vigorous queen. She could inhale it for enhancement of memory or rub it on her skin for aching joints and painful muscles. She valued its regenerative quality, its boost for the heart and liver, its ability to act as a protector, and its work for clear thinking. ... used it in her bath, her hair since it stimulated her scalp and gave her hair a special luster.

For hundreds of years priests kept the secret formulas of scents, which were prepared in fragrance workshops attached to the back of every temple where only the priests entered.

Scent was often used to bring about an altered state of conscieousness, especially at Alexandrian cafes where people sat discussing philosophy and religion in rooms filled with essential oil fragrance. The Egyptian god Nefertum, the lord of oils and unguents, was known for his transformational, life-giving powers.

For deodorants they put little balls of myrrh or balsam incense where the limbs met the body. They often used an ointment of Frankincense and honey as a moisturizer or for a burn. They chewed fennel seeds for their breath and Frankincense to keep their teeth clean. They used Juniper berry oil to color graying hair and stimulate the scalp.

Caesar found Cleopatra's perfumes to be incredible aphrodisiacs. One of her favorite perfumes was Jasmine, known for its powerful effect on the reproductive organs and its aphrodisiac qualities, especially as a stimulant for transforming the physical act of reproduction into a more spiritual experience. Once labor started, it strengthened the uterine contractions and brought a bonding of mother and child. It was wonderful when diluted as a massage oil in the pelvic area to balance a woman's hormones and create a regular menstrual cycle. Jasmine also boosted Cleopatra's confidence and warmed her emotions when she felt depressed.

In Egypt

In Hatshepsut's day, the Egyptians considered fragrant body oils a basic necessity. Aromatic oils were added to a base of animal fat or vegetable oil such as olive, almond or sesame, the less affluent used castor or palm oil. Fragrant resins, herbs, and flowers added a sweet scent. These scented oils were then used in baths, massage, anointing, and cosmetics.

The Egyptian pantheon included the god of perfume.. The priests knew the importance of the biochemical response the human body and mind achieved by inhaling a scent such as Frankincense. They sought to uplift the citizens, emotionally and spiritually, through the transformational fragrance at large gatherings.

Queen Hatshepsut rubbed Myrrh on the bottom of her feet so she would continually exude a pleasant fragrance for herself and others wherever she went.

Energetically, the oil strengthened her spiritually and supported her need to trust those around her... it gave her mind and body vitality.

Scent was often used to bring about an altered state of conscieousness, especially at Alexandrian cafes where people sat discussing philosophy and religion in rooms filled with essential oil fragrance. The Egyptian god Nefertum, the lord of oils and unguents, was known for his transformational, life-giving powers.

For deodorants they put little balls of myrrh or balsam incense where the limbs met the body.

Mary, the sister of Lazarus, the childhood friend of Jesus

Anointed Jesus’s feet with a pound of costly perfume made of purest Spikenard (sometimes called “mountain nard”) oil. The most sought after oil by the Romans, Spikenard was considered valuable as a perfume for the hair. A desirable aspect of Spikenard is that the longer it is kept, the more potent becomes its odor. In de Materia Medica, the Greek physician Dioscorides described Spikenard as a warming and drying oil, good for treating nausea, indigestion, and inflammation. It was also known to be very calming emotionally, yet it also intensified feelings of devotion toward God or a spiritual teacher. Patricia Davis finds that Spikenard exemplifies the “spirit of generosity”

Of all the audacious things Jesus did during his life, the most astonishing was gathering a group of twelve women to further the work of his ministry. The twelve women surely carried with them the red petals of rose (Rosa gallica) of the Rosaceae family, native to Persia and one of the oldest plants known to humans. Jeanne Rose writes, “In Persia, such large quantities of rose water were produced that canals were filled with it, and on hot, sunny days, an oily scum would rise to the surface and be captured in small vials.Due to the rose’s ability to retain its perfume, even when dried, it later earned the name “the apothecary’s rose” in the Middle Ages and was used to heal lung disease. Emotionally, Rose was soothing for dark feelings like jealousy, depression, and grief. Spiritually, it was believed to open the heart chakra to radiate more love. The heart is the middle ground where the spiritual and physical are united. Appropriately, the heart is associated with Jesus, who was a living example of spiritual energy uniting with physical reality. The Rose, either Rosa gallica or Rosa damasena, is symbolically his scent.The fragrance of Rose is known to enhance the truth, beauty, and goodness of anyone fortunate enough to use the oil or smell the flower.

Fragrant Influence of Rose (Rosa damascene) (from Essential Oils Reference)” Its beautiful fragrance is intoxicating and aphrodisiac-like. It helps bring balance and harmony, allowing one to overcome insecurities. It is stimulating and elevating to the mind, creating a sense of well-being.

These are some of the plants described by Dioscorides and promoted by the Women’s Evangelistic Corps:

• Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis): for respiratory infections, as a laxative, and for purification.

• Marjoram (OriganumMajorana): for rheumatic pains, grief, and toothaches

• Frankincense (Boswelia carteri): for the nervous and endocrine system

• Peppermint (Mentha piperita): for digestive upsets, cooling, and infection.

• Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha): for gum and skin infections, and as an immune stimulant

Zenobia, the Syrian Queen of the Palmyrene Empire

Was born in 241 ad in the city of Palmyra, which was part of the Roman Empire for 200 years. The desert city, located between Roman Syria and Persian Babylonia, was built near an oasis watered by the Efqa spring. Its citizens were a mixture of Aramaic and Arabic stock; most were former Bedouins. Like Cleopatra, Zenobia had a love affair with fragrant oils. One of her favorites was the stimulating, spicy, and penetrating Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) from the Myrtaceae family, which came over the spice route that ran through Palmyra from China. The tree reaches a height of fifty feet and remains in bearing up to one hundred years.

Zуnobia would sprinkled a few drops of Clove oil into her bath water and sometimes on her food. It gave her a tingling feeling of strength and health. She frequented the perfumer's bazaar at a market in Palmyra, where scents of aromatic gums like Frankincense from Oman, Myrrh from Yemen, and balsam from southern Arabia mingled with floral aromas like Rose and Lupine to delight the nose and intoxicate the brain. She loved Cinnamon from Indonesia, Costus and Spikenard from Bactra, Sandalwood from North India, and Nutmeg from Ceylon. As noted in Richard Stoneman’s Palmyra and Its Empire, she also used a renowned Greek perfume called Megaleion, named for its inventor Megallus, who lived in the time of Alexander. His perfume, made with a base of the celebrated oil of Balanos from the date-like fruit of a thorny desert tree, included Myrrh, Cassia, Cinnamon, and burnt resin. Megaleion was a famous unguent for its rejuvenating qualities when applied to the face, which was helpful in the desert air.

Zenobia’s fountains took many fantastic forms … like an enormous elephant of stone disgorges from his uplifted trunk a vast, but graceful shower, sometimes charged with the most exquisite perfumes and which are diffused into the air through every part of the palace. … To fully invoke the presence of Cleopatra, Zenobia filled her rooms with the fragrance of Frankincense, Juniper, and Rose.

The oil of Juniper (Juniperus communis) of the Cupressaceae family seemed to resonate with Zenobia. Derived from the berries of a juniper shrub, the oil gives off a powerful, no-nonsense scent like this queen. It is a diuretic and detoxifying agent for a body laden with too much alcohol or food. It regulates the appetite and is a tonic for the kidneys and liver. Wanda Sellar claims, “tis ability to throw off poisons by purifying the blood.. and eliminating uric acid … in cases of arthritis, rheumatism, and gout” made it a valuable oil. Mentally, Juniper clears and stimulates thoughts, especially in challenging situations, so Zenobia would have enjoyed the effect of the oil in her military and intellectual pursuits.

The city of Damascus was named after the damask rose, which was grown in every garden in Syria. According to Roy Genders, “The country takes its name from the word suri, meaning “land of roses”. Today, in Persia, marketers of roses cry: “Buy my roses. The rose was a thorn; the sweat of the Prophet, it blossomed”. This is a reference to Mohammed, whose sweat, when he was uplifted to heaven, fell back to the earth and from it sprung a rose.. Even today in northern Persia, people deodorize their apartments by burning fragrant woods and gums, and every Friday after bathing, the body is anointed with fine-smelling perfumes.

The tradition of aromatics was intense in Syria from such legends as that of Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria from 175 to 163 bc, as described by Athenaeus: “Antiochus ordered that two hundred women, stripped to the waist, carry golden sprinklers filled with expensive perfumes to disperse over the crowd. Then, boys marched in, dressed in purple tunics, each bearing a golden dish containing very expensive Saffron, frankincense, Spikenard and Cinnamon brought a thousand miles from the Himalayas. Every guest at the games was given a crown of interwoven twigs of frankincense and myrrh.

The most famous member of Zenobia’s court was Cassius Longinus, a Greek philosopher. He was her teacher, “a living library and a walking museum” Even in Greek mythology the concept of fragrance was included in the afterlife. The Greek’s idea of heaven was the elysian fields, a golden city with gates of cinnamon. About the walls flowed a river of perfume deep enough to swim in and with an odorous mist hovering over it. Inside this golden city, over three hundred fountains cascaded the sweetest essences.

Zenobia may have originally hoped for partnership with Rome, but she was guilty of not consulting them first.

She was successful at defending her beloved city until some of her troops deserted Palmyra and joined the Romans.

Learning of this desertion, in the middle of the night, Zenobia bathed in the essential oils of Jasmine, Thyme, and Juniper to give her the extra vigor and power needed to ride through the desert to recruit a supporting army from Persia.

Theodora, empress of the Byzantine Empire

… Hippodrome of Constantinople, about 536 ad. The people are cheering the newly wedded emperor, Justinian, and his lovely wife. She seems so confident and happy, speaking to the crowd about her plan to be an empress for the people’s rights… She sends forth a waft of perfumed incense directly toward the crowd. A sense of joy and hope comes with the smell of Lemongrass (Cymbopogen citrutus) and Sandalwood (Santalum album). People feel her warmth and commitment with every delicious inhalation.

Constantinople was the capital of a dying Roman Empire during Theodora’s life.

The use of essential oils was especially popular at the public baths.

Justinian loved to frequent the baths. The beautiful bath buildings in Constantinople were constructed with guilded and vaulted ceilings, marble walls, and mosaic pavement. They had three large rooms: In the central room, the tepidarium (warm room), bathers warmed themselves in preparation for the caldarium (hot room), and the frigidarium (cold room). Smaller rooms included the sweating room, the oil-anointing room, and the room for wiping and drying off. On entering patrons took off their clothes and proceeded to the unguent shop (unctuarium), where oils were chosen for every part of the body. Some popular unguents, placed in a small jar known as an ampoule, were made from roses, bitter almonds, and narcissus. After being freely anointed with stron oils, he was covered with sand or powder. Then he went to the sphoeristerium, and immense hall where he engaged in gymnastic exercise. The he would go to the various temperature bathing rooms where he took his place on a marble bench, placed below the surface of the water. There were also immense basins for swimming. While here, an attendant scraped the skin with an ivory knife, called a strigilis, by which all impurities were detached. In The Toilet in Ancient and Modern Times, James Cooley describes the scene: “After leaving the bath, he was thoroughly cleansed from head to foot by pails of water poured over him. Then he went to the cold bath (frigidarium) to brace the pores. He was then dried with cotton and linen cloths… The attendant came out of the unctuarium, carrying little alabaster vases full of perfumed oils which they rubbed over every part of his body, even to the soles of his feet.” The baths were extremely popular because they provided an arena for meeting friends, discussing the issues of the day, and being uplifted by the fragrant oils.

The unguents were made with a base of vegetable oil (oilive, almond, sesame) or animal fat. The fragrant plant material was allowed to steep in the oil for days and then strained out. Fixatives of milk, honey and salts were added. Poor people used a castor-oil base. Resins such as Frankincense, Benzoin and Myrr were dissolved directly in the vegetable oil base.

One day after Theodora’s father died and her mother and two sisters lost their home beneath the seats at the hippodrome, the three children were sent out into the arena to beg mercy for themselves.Their mother had bathed them with essential oils and dressed them in their best clothes. The little girls addressed the crowds of the Blue Party with their story, and were so well received that they were given a new home on the Blue side of the hippodrome. This was Theodora’s first experience in how essential oils could elevate her presence at an important moment.

As a young girl of fourteen, Theodora was sold to a brothel of Maxuma and stayed there for two years. In Empress of the Dusk, John Vandercook describes Theodora’s typical routine: “She spent much time bathing and in the long luxuriously pleasant task of anointing, shaving, and tinting her body. She also applied the oils to her legs and feet because she had heard the story of the Greek cynic, Diogenes, who was reputed to have said, “When you anoint your head with perfume… it flies off into the air and only the birds obtain any benefit. But when applied to the legs and feet, the scent envelopes the whole body and gradually ascends to the nose”.

As an actor Theodora became famous playing the lead role in Leda and the Swan… For the first time Theodora could afford to buy expensive essential oil perfumes from Damascus, like Rosa and Sandalwood. Sandalwood (Santalum album) of the Santalaceae family, of the the principlal commodities shipped from India to the Roman world, is distilled from a parasitic evergreen that attaches its roots to other trees and eventually reaches a height of forty feet. In India Sandalwood was used to build temples and entrance gates that still stand today. The highly scented wood is used as incense in Hindu religious ceremonies. Theodora loved the essential oil for its balancing action on dry, sensitive skin. Its relaxing, soothing effect on nerves and hormones helped her remain calm. Sandalwood also acts as an antiseptic for acne and infected wounds, and as an emollient for baby’s skin. It is useful for healing urinary tract and respiratory infections. The young Aphrodite, goddess of love, appreciated its aphrodisiac effect.

… In Alexandria she met a famous religious man, Severus of Antioch, on the Monophsite path. She believed Christ had been pure spirit and all God; in contrast, the belief of the Orthodox Church was that Christ was both man and God. Theodora later influenced Justinian to reconcile the Monophysite path with the Orthodox Church. In this new phase of her life, Theodora probably discovered another aspect of Sandalwood: its spiritually elevating effect on the mid. It opens the crown chakra and helps meditation by quieting the chatter of the mind.

In the fifth year of their reign a rebellion escalated into a full-scale revolt. The Greens nominated a new emperor and Justinian prepared to flee, but Theodora refused to leave the city.

Theodora spent the day in her bath with soft clouds of fragrance filling her chambers, creating psychological rest and contemplation, providing serenity to her body in the fashion followed by the Greeks: Rosemary to her ear lobes, Sandalwood to her forehead, Rose to her chest, Jasmine to her stomach, Lemongrass to her thighs, and Lavender - of which she was so fond – to her hands and feet. Then her attendant rubbed her body, blending the beautiful body fragrances. Kathryn Degraff describes Theodora during this ritual: “… she anticipated and rehearsed the moment ahead and her awareness of herself as a woman reached its height. This feeling of womanhood, carefully nurtured and enhanced by the use of perfume, was the source of her power”.

She chose Lemongrass (Cymbopogen citratus) of the Poaceae family for its invigorating effect on her body and mind. A grass that grows prolifically in Indian and an Indian favorite for hundred of years, lemongrass balances excessive sweating, so it is a natural deodorant. Due to the lemon scent of its aldehyde, citral, it gives a revitalizing yet calming boost to the parasympathetic nerves. It acts as a good tonic for the body, speeding recovery from an illness and encouraging appetite. It is excellent for relieving aching muscles and pain, and for stimulating circulation, so this way a good choice for Theodora’s thighs. Mentally, Lemongrass energizes and gives an exhausted mind new vitality, something she needed at this moment of crisis.

The revolt was put down…

Trota, the Wise Woman of Medicine

“Southern Italy, about 1115 ad; a female healer and teacher; some of her manuscripts are found in museums throughout Europe. She wrote Practical Medicine According to Trota, which includes 71 remedies for everything from gynecological and obstetric conditions to problems of the eye, foot, and spleen. She gives advice on how to treat a fever, a toothache, or hemorrhoids, and, of course, there are recipes for cosmetics.

On the Treatment of Illnesses, a massive book written in the second half of the 12^th century by seven leading Salernitan medical writers, including Trota, also verifies her importance. Her writings reveal considerable expertise on gastrointestinal disorders and ophthalmology.

“Women, on account of medesty, dare not reveal the difficulties of their sicknesses to a male doctor. Therefore I, pitying their misfortunes, began to study carefully the sicknesses which most frequently trouble the female sec.” This is why she chose to focus on gynecology, obstetrics, cosmetics, and skin disease.

If the woman were too cold, Trota suggested that warming oils and plants such as Clovebud (Syzgium aromaticum), Spikenard (Nardostachys grandiflora), Storax (Liquidambar orientalis), and Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) be placed in an eggshell and set upon a few hot coals for fumigation.

…

Page 66 and 67, 71 and 72 have many of Trota’s recipes.

Trota often included sage (Salvia officinallis) in her prescriptions,which was grown in most medieval gardens, either in a monastery or at home. The Romans valued it so highly they called it herba sacra for its use in respiratory infections, digestive complaints, and menstrual difficulties. It is still included in the British Herbal Pharmacepocia as a specific remedy for inflammations, especially of the mouth, tongue, and throat. Sage serves as a source of natural antioxidants, which may be why Trota used it in her cancer treatment.

Most medical ideas in the 11^th century could be traced back to Hippocrates and Galen. Hippocrates, “the father of medicine”, lived from 460 to 361 BC. He was a highly skilled, successful and ethical physician. He conceived of the four humors as the case of disease: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. The four humors are also associated with the four qualities (hot, cold, moist, and dry), the four elements (earth, air, fire, and water) and the four temperaments (sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric, and melancholy). Health is the result of the harmonious balance of the four humors.

Galen (130-215 AD) was a Greek physician who left Asia Minor to practice medicine in Rome.

In the 7^th century, the Arabs overran northern Africa. Avicenna (980-1037), a talented Arab physician from Persia and a devoted student of Galen ,wrote the famous Canon of Medicine, five volumes summarizing all the known medical knowledge of the civilized world – Greeks, Europeans, Arabs, Indians, and Chinese-with mathematical accuracy. He did much to promote the benefits of aromatic oils and wrote a whole book about Rose oil, his favorite. He developed the apparatus and method of alembic (from Arabic al-anbīq الأنبيق, from Greek ἄμβυξ ambyx possibly from Semitic)

( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alembic )distillation with a condenser for the extraction of essential oils.

Hildegard of Bingen, Prophetess of the Rhine

Was the first to present a whole system of botanicals in writing. Was a preacher and a healer.

Born in 1098 into a noble family in Germany; began her visionary life at 5.

She first wrote Phisica (The Book of Simple Medicine), which summarized the natural science of her times; the work was broken into four parts on animals, two parts on herbs and trees, and three parts on gems and metals. In this book she lists about three hundred herbs, relating the best time to pick them and their medicinal uses. A companion book, The Book of Composite Medicine Causes and Cures, analyzes two hundred diseases the their cures, including actual proportions for ingredients used in the formulas.

Most of her remedies are easy to prepare and consist of herbal teas, wines, syrups, herbal oils (similar to the Egyptian method of soaking plant material in olive oil), salves, and powders. She proposed sound principals for a balanced diet as a keystone of her healing system. There are three foods she highly recommends: chestnuts, spelt grain, and fennel. She called fennel God’s greatest gift in the plant world.

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgure) of the Apiaceae family remains an important essential oil in aromatherapy today. Hildegard urged using it daily to promote good digestion. She said it assisted the body in throwing off accumulated toxins and waste products, furnishing good blood circulation. It gives us a healthy skin, a happy disposition, clear eyes, a pleasant body order, and good digestion. As a tonic for the digestive system, Fennel relieves hiccups, nausea, colic, constipation, and vomiting. Rubbing the oil on the stomach or drinking fennel tea can neutralize stomach acid, with the fennel acting as antiacid. The phytoestrogen in Fennelstimulates the hormonal system, which helps prevent PMS in women, slows the aging process, and glides a woman through menopause.

Hildegard especially loved lavender. She is credited with making the first lavender water in her still in the convent garden. She advised using lavender to relieve liver and lung pain and congestion, which she knew too often manifested simultaneously….

The aim of medical practice at that time was to find a balance among the elements of dryness, cold, moistness, and heat, as well as with the corresponding elements of air, earth, water, and the fire…

Hildegard was explicit in describing the relationship between the mind and the body.She saw a direct connection between spiritual protective factors like hope, joy, and affection, and a strong immune system… Worrying, rushing, stress, sadness, and anger can increase black bile, a blood poison.

You can listen to her music on Youtube.

Catherine de Medici, Queen of France

… The smell of Jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum) and Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) floats over their excited voices. The fragrance revelas the sensual frivolity and royal camaraderie of the queen’s children.

Catherine was born in 1519 into the richest nonroyal family in Europe (Italy), but without any emotional security since her mother died soon after her birth.

Catherine loved to heal and had a stock of medicinal herbs and oils for her children and friends.

According to Ralph Roeder, “she imported her gowns from Italy. She patronized Italian artists, humanists and perfumers, such as Nostradamus and Rene le Florentin. The perfumer Rene occupied a shop on the Pont au Change in Paris, which became a meeting place for the fashionably elite. Rene created fragrances, lotions, and balms that enchanted Catherine. When he introduced a new fragrance, the whole court took time to appraise its qualities. His perfumes were made entirely of essential oils unlike today’s commercial perfumes that are 95 percent petrochemicals”.

`In her day, the fountains of Paris on festive occasions had perfume added to their splender. A 1548 receipt was found for six golden crowns, paid by the city of Paris to the perfumer Georges Marteau “for aromatic herbs and plants to perfume the waters of public fountains”.

Catherine made an herbal douche of hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), citronella (Cymbopogan mardus), oregano (Origanum valgare), valerian (Valeriana officinalis), and wormwood (Artemisia absinthium). She took hot baths perfumed with Juniper (Juniperus commuris), Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis), Basil (Ocimum Basilicum), Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis).

She asked Cosimo Ruggieri to make perfumes of aphrodisiacs such as Jasmine (Jasminum grandiforum). Mary Stuart, who later became Queen of Scots, learned the value of fragrant oils from Catherine and later took the knowledge back to the British Isles.

Henry II, Catherine’s husband died of infection (just as Nostradamus had predicted) from a severe blow to his eyes in a jousting match. Then her son, Francis II became ill and died in 1560. Her second son Charles IX, was 10 at the time. Catherine decided to rule. “No-one expected political genius to emerge from the humble, self-effacing woman she was during her first forty years. Perhaps it was the Patchouli oil (Pogostemon cablin) that was imported and distilled from leaves of a bush in India. She constantly used this oil to keep her earthbound, awake, and forceful. She loved it in her daily toilette blended in one of Rene’s perfumes or by itself. It has astringent and diuretic properties that help alleviate water retention and promote weight reduction; both were something Catherine had to watch. The oil has a masculine character that she found useful in solidifying her new sense of political power. She found its grounding effect on the mind and body of vital importance after taking the reins of the French government. She liked its persistent and voluptuous fragrance, which was asin to her own personality. The oil tuned her immune system and balanced her central nervous system, which allowed her to cunningly bring warring forces together for the purposes of peace.

Everyone was amazed at Catherine’s patience and endurance. By the age of sixty-seven she was no longer able to ride a horse, but she took long walks. Her mental energy was still acute, perhaps from the Basil essential oil she used for bathing. The oil of Basil (Ocimum basilicum) of the Lamiaceae family was held in high esteem in Greece. Basil remains “king” in the Greek language. India also considered the oil sacred and used it in ayurvedic medicine. Catherine no doubt loved its stimulating and go-getting effect. She must have appreciated how it sharpens the senses and the concentration, clarifying the intellect while strengthening the nervous system. In her bath it helped to relieve tired, tight, overworked muscles. It is first rate for headaches, especially the migraines she must have endured at some of the difficult impasses in her life. It also has a refreshing, tonic action on congested, sluggish skin, which Catherine had from sometimes overeating. Basil also minimizes uric acid to relieve gout, a condition that plagued Catherine. Catherine kept her mind keen and confident by bathing in the sharp, spicy fragrant oil, even near the end of her life.

Catherine was central to the development of the French perfume industry, which owes her a great deal since she sent Renato Toubarelli from Florence to found the first laboratory of perfume in Grasse.

Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen of England

Elizabeth became one of England’s greatest monarchs and rallied the country into a Renaissance of the arts, legislation, naval supremacy, and essential oil therapy for the average citizen. The later half of the sixteenth century England and Europe is called Elizabethan Age.

She was a Protestant, when she was young. Elizabeth used the scent of Marjoram oil (Origanum majorana), disliking the heavy scents favored by the men and women of the court such as Aloeswood, also called Oud (Aquillaria agallocha), Nutmag (Myristica fragrans), and Styrax (Liquidambar styraciflua), or her father’s inventive perfume of musk, ambergris, and civet.

When Edward (her half brother) became ill with swollen legs and arms, doctors prescribed a stimulating medicine of Spearmint oil (Mentha spicata), Fennel oil (Foeniculum vulgare), liverwort, turnip, dates, raisins, an ounce of mace, and two sticks of celery.

Elizabeth’s love of Marjoram oil of the Lamiaceae family, with its effect of warming comfort along with encouraging a tendency toward celibacy, perhaps helped her stay true to her political values. Marjoram promoted her good health in many ways. It would ease any muscle pain during the winter s spent in cold, drafty castles by dilating the arteries and capillaries, giving a feeling of warmth. It was a good tonic for her heart and lowered her blood pressure. It would relieve any headaches, menstrual cramps, or stuffy head colds due to its warming analgesic action. For Elizabeth, it would steady her nerves and relieve stress at some crisis points. It would strengthen her mind, allowing her to confront issues and make weighty decisions of state. It has been used to numb the sexual drive, yet its warmth offered feelings of comfort in loneliness.

Elizabeth established many industries in England including the perfume industry during the fifteenth year of her reign. The Earl of Oxford brought her perfumes gloves and sweet bags from Italy that totally delighted her Majesty, whose sense of smell was quite developed. Three Italians made scented gloves for her. In Shakespear’s As You Like It, the courtiers’ hands are perfumed with civet. In London milliners who lived and worked alongside the herbalists made scented gloves in the Bucklesbury neighborhood, where the scent of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) was ever present. Roy Genders describes the effect. It was perhaps these delicious smells which persuaded Sir Thomas More to make plantings of lavender and rosemary in his garden when he moved to Chelsea, for rosemary was said to “gladden the spirits” of all who inhaled its perfume. “As for rosemarine,” wrote More, “I let it run over my garden walls, not only because the bees love it, but because it is the herb sacred to remembrance, to love and to friendship.” In Hamlet, Ophelia says, “There’s Rosemary, that’s for remembrance,” and every year on April 23 … the people of Stratford-on-Avon walk in procession through the town, wearing sprigs of rosemary… They make their way to the church where Shakespeare was baptized and where he is buried, and there they place on his grave rosemary…”

Not very extravagant in most ways, Elizabeth indulged her love of scent, according to Roy Genders: “Clothes were kept in coffers made of fragrant wood such as juniper, cedar or sandalwood… Elizabeth’s love of clothes and perfumes was the only feminine weakness she allowed herself for…. Genders also describes how Elizabeth had no alcohol-based perfumes, only perfumes derived from essential oils, as they were made during her time.

The queen’s shoes and cloaks were made of leather and perfumes using a technique called Peau d’Espagne. Charles Piese described this process in the Art of Perfumery (1880), according to Roy Genders: “The skins were first steeped in an otto made up of the oil of neroli, rose, sandalwood, lavender and verbena, to which was added a small quantity of the oils of clove and cinnamon. All this was added to a half pint of spirit in which four ounces of gum benzoin were dissolved…Next, a paste was made by rubbing together … civet and … musk, with gum tragacantha to give a spreading consistency … the skins were then pressed with weights for several days, during which time they became so saturated with the perfume that they retained it permanently.

Castle of the Tudor Dynasty, Hampton Court Palace, had every convenience but one, indoor plumbing. “The stench of the great royal establishment must have been at least as awe-inspiring as its architecture,” according to Erickson. There was no sewage system for the servants’ privies; that, combined with the overpowering odors from the discarded kitchen garbage, the stable sweepings, and the foul-smelling rushes on the floor, made the castle odor excruciatingly bad.

The queen didn’t know how to eradicate the malodorous atmosphere, so her solution was to use fragrant oils. She and her ladies held aromatic pomanders – made in the shape of a ball composed of lavender, ambergris, and benzoin – to their noses as they passed through noxious chambers. Some “pomanders were made of gold or silver and worn as a pendant on a lady’s girdle. They were constructed with a control core around which were grouped six orange-shaped segments held in place by a ring… When the ring was lifted, the segments opened… each one to be filled with a different perfume,” wrote Roy Genders. Elizabeth’s favorite silver pomander can be seen today at Burghley house.

For strewing herbs on the foul floors, Elizabeth used basil, lemon balm, Roman chamomile, lavender, hyssop, sage, thyme, and meadowsweet, her favorite. As the herbs were walked on, the essential oils were released to create a charming smell. She hired a woman with a fixed salary for the sole purpose of always having fragrant plants available. She thought the scent of meadowsweet made the heart joyful and delighted the senses. Lemon balm was used to rub on furniture. Shakespeare wrote in The Merry Wives of Windsor:

The several chairs of order look you scour

With the juice of balm, and every precious flower.

Rue was used for combating the fleas that multiplied on the feasting rats… Dr. Turner, the author of Herbal written in 1531, suggests burning southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) over a low flame in the fireplace, since it will not only make the room fragrant with its pungent smoke but will drive away “serpents” (frogs, rats, and toads). .. Elizabeth also sprinkled Rose water on the floors or had it available in silver bowls for washing.

To establish the perfume industry in England, Elizabeth encouraged her female subjects to cultivate gardens of fragrant plants. “The use of perfumes in every way became so popular that even the smallest country houses had their still rooms,” said Eleanour Sinclair Rohde. All classed used perfumes. Books from the Elizabethan period on gardening and stillromms contain recipes for Rose water, honey of violets, Lavender oils syrup, Lily of the valley spirit, Rosemary oils, Jasmine water and sugar of damask rose. The lady of the house made scented ointments, wash balls, scented waters, pomanders, and sachets for the household. Sachet powders were popular in Elizabethan times to place among clothes. Sir Hugh Platt mixed into powder for the queen’s sachet orrisroot (iris florentina), calamus, clovebud, styorax, and rose petals. This powder retained its perfume for a year or more.

From Wikipedia

Orris root is a term used for the roots Iris germanica, Iris florentina, and Iris pallida. Once important in western herbal medicine, it is now used mainly as a fixative and base note in perfumery, as well as an ingredient in many brands of gin. It's also the most widely-used fixative for potpourri.

Fabienne Pavia, in her book L'univers des Parfums (1995, ed. Solar), states that in the manufacturing of perfumes using orris, the scent of the iris root differs from that of the flower. After preparation the scent is reminiscent of the smell of violets.

from http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/orris-root-powder

"Orris root powder is used mainly to preserve the scent of holiday pomander balls.

The orris root is from a species of iris grown in Dalmatia. It has a scent similar to violets; while a popular flavor in the 1800's, today it's used to scent and preserve pomander balls, spice wreaths, or sachets.

A Pomander ball is a citrus fruit or small apple into which cloves are inserted in even rows. After covering the fruit with cloves, roll it in a mixture of equal parts cinnamon and orris root powder. This adds greatly to the fragrance and, due to the preservative nature of the orris root, the ball will hold its marvelous scent quite a bit longer."

Elizabeth had her own stillroom, as did all the ladies of the court, where she composed her own perfumes. One of her recorded compositions was a pomatum made from apples, the fat of a young dog, and fragrant oils. Ralph Rabbards was Elizabeth’s perfumer. He created her famous “Water of Violets” which she used until the end of her life. Perfumes were never richer, more elaborate, more costly, or more delicate than during the reign of Elizabeth. Arnold Cooley wrote, “Her majesty’s nasal organs were quite fine and sensitive and nothing offended her more than an unpleasant smell. At the end of her reign, Rabbards suggested special floral waters “to cleanse and keep bright the skinner and fleshe and to preserve it in a perfect state” as disclosed by Roy Genders. Perhaps this is why Elizabeth outlived everyone in her court and had an overabundance of energy even at the age of sixty-four. After applying her daily scent – compounded of Violet water, Lavender, Musk, and Rose water – she went for long walks, even up to the age of seventy. She rubbed the sweet hydrosol on her hands. The smell of her toiletries, especially the pungent smell of lemon, permeated her bedroom.

Of all the scents she used, Lemon (Citrus x limon) of the Rutaceae family was her preference due to its strong antibacterial quality as well as is uplifting fragrance. This was the time when plagues ravaged cities with disease and death. There was a horrible plague in London in 1603, the year of Elizabeth’s death, when people intuitively used essential oils and fumigating herbs for protection. Ther perfumers who constantly used essential oils usually survived. In the 19^th century research at the Pasteur Institute in Paris revealed that the microorganisms of yellow nad typhoid fever were killed by essential oils of Cinnamon, Thyme, and Lemon within half an hour. This was the beginning of future European research on the anti-infectious nature of essential oils. No doubt this intelligent queen sensed that Lemon stimulated her white blood cells against infection. Lemon also offered her a heart tonic to keep her blood pressure low. If she did contract a cold, Lemon would relieve a sore throat and a cough. It made her whole digestive system more alkaline, allowing the kidneys and liver to function better. She liked Lemon since it brightened her pale complexion by cleansing away dead skin cells. She felt more alert and queenly after using lemon because it was elevating and produced clarity of thought. She chose oils that calmed her passionate nature and gave her the balance to rule with wisdom.

Marguerite Maury, the Holistic Healer

Marguerite Maury has been very important in the modern development of essential oil therapy by giving it a connection to the ancient healing philosophies of India, China, and Tibet while reemphasizing a personal, holistic approach through massage…[she] is a bridge from the past to opportunities of the present. She was born Marguerite Konig in Austria in 1895 and was raised in Vienna… received degrees in nurse and surgical as assistance…book Les Grandes Possibilities of Odoriforous Materials by Dr.Chabenes published in 1838 became Marguerite’s bible, as did studies by Rene-Maurice Gattefosse.

Marguerite met Dr.E.A.Maury in 1930s …they shared a desire to heal through alternative, natural methods. “They explored homeopathy, naturopahy, acupuncture, osteopathy, meditation, Zen, yoga, macrobiology, and radiesthesia. They formed a remarkable team, working, researching, and writing books together.

The pivotal point in Marguerite’s career was in the 1940’s, when she began research on the effects of essential oils on the nervous system and how they created rejuvenation. Dr. Maury became a specialist in homeopathic medicine and acupuncture treatments that were still on the fringes of established Western medicine. Marguerite borrowed two concepts from homeopathy: First, essential oils like homeopathic granules create vibration in cells of the body, even though imperceptible to human senses. And second, the prescribed remedy relates to the individual, not the illness. Marguerite invented the extremely important concept of the “individual prescription” for aromatherapy, where the blend of oils is custom-=created for the individual in a holistic sense: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

The individual prescription (IP) consists of a thorough examination of the client from observation, questions of past health history, and even what Marguerite called “blood spectrography” (the study of intracellular hemoglobin). It is strange to discover the similarity between the impression produced by the composition of the perfume and that given by the living person. The IP blend needs to compensate for the deficiencies and reduce the excesses of the person’s persona. It serves to balance the rhythms and life force of the individual.

For example, Marguerite used a blend of Elemi, Galbanum, Violet leaves, and Lemongrass for a woman who had gray skin, gray hair, and a joyless attitude. The first two oils are reminiscent of advanced age since they were employed in impregnating the bandages of Egyptian mummies. These oils are revivify lifeless skin and bring the user more into the present moment, letting go of the past and enjoying the creativity of the now. Violet leaves dissolve rheumatic toxins and bring back an elasticity of tissues and muscles. Elemi of the Bruseraceae family from the Philippine Islands is a wonderful oil for rejuvenating aged skin and relieving chronic health problems. It is very helpful for nervous exhaustion and the stress-related conditions that Marguerite’s client experienced. Elemi is expectorant for bronchial congestion and strengthens the immune system. On a psychic level it balances our spiritual practices with worldly responsibilities. Mentally it has a grounding yet joyous effect, making it good for meditation and visualization. Results: after two months of treatment with these oils, the woman’s gray skin became olive and pink, and her behavior was youthful. She slept better and had even fallen in love!

Marguerite developed a special massage technique of applying essential oils along the nerve centers of the spine as well as to the face. Her wealthy women clients reported dramatic improvements in their complexions. Christine Wildwood writes, “To their amazement, there were also some interesting “side-effect”; many experienced relief from rheumatic pain, deeper sleep, and a generally improved mental state.” The development of holistic aromatherapy massage as it is practiced in the UK today is deeply indebted to Marguerite.

Daniele Ryman, her most famous student, wrote a book about essential oils and her mentor, The Aromatherapy Handbook.

The Royal College of Nursing insurance policy has helped to make essential oils used by thousands of British nurses for improved patient care.

Marguerite’s favorite oil was the lively Ginger. She loved the warm woody-spicy scent that brought balance to the digestive system for problems like indigestion, cramps, and nausea. She also found it useful for colds and coughs and great in steams. She enjoyed how it warmed her emotions and gave her mental energy for her many projects. She appreciated how it sharpened her senses and stimulated her memory.

Daniele Ryman wrote,”In France, she single-handedly reestablished the reputation of aromatherapy”. Marguerite wrote Le Capital Jeanesse in 1961, which was translated and republished in 1987 by C.W.Daniel Co. under the English subtitle The Secret of Life and Youth. Her work eventually led to the establishment of more than 80 aromatherapy colleges in the UK with thousands of practicing aromatherapists abiding by the decisions of a standards council for the quality of the oils and educational certification. Patricia Davis, who established the first school, London School of Aromatherapy, was inspired by Marguerite’s fine work. Patricia wrote the world’s bestselling aromatherapy book, Aromatherapy, An A-Z.

Essential Oil Blending Basics

Essential oils can be categorized into broad groups based on their aromas. An example categorical system is as follows:

• • Floral

  • (i.e. Lavender, Neroli, Jasmine)

  • Woodsy

  • (i.e. Sandalwood, Pine, Cedar)

• Resins (derived from the viscous liquids secreted through the ducts found in the bark of certain trees).

Piney scent

(i.e. Galbanum,

From Young Living Essential Oils Reference

Galbanum (Ferula gummosa) has an earthy aroma. It was used in ancient temple ritual incense anointings associated with springtime

• • Earthy

  • (i.e. Oakmoss, Vetiver, Patchouli)

  • Herbaceous

  • (i.e. Marjoram, Rosemary, Basil)

  • Minty

  • (i.e. Peppermint, Spearmint)

  • Medicinal/Camphorous

  • (i.e. Eucalyptus, Cajuput, Tea Tree)

  • Spicy

  • (i.e. Nutmeg, Clove, Cinnamon)

  • Oriental

  • (i.e. Ginger, Patchouli)

  • Citrus

  • (i.e. Orange, Lemon, Lime)

Oils in the same category generally blend well together. I hesitate specifying that particular categories blend well with other specific categories because it can limit your creativity and experimentation. Additionally, there are always exceptions. But to get you started, below are some categories that generally blend well together:

• • Florals blend well with spicy, citrusy and woodsy oils.

  • Woodsy oils generally blend well with all categories.

  • Spicy and oriental oils blend well with florals, oriental and citrus oils. Be careful not to overpower the blend with the spicy or oriental oils.

• Minty oils blend well with citrus, woodsy, herbaceous and earthy oils.

Testing Fragrance Blends

from Perfumes, scented gifts & other fragrances : make beautiful gifts to give (or keep) / Reno, Kelly. (668.54 REN)

1. Dip the flat end of a wooden toothpick into an oil and stick it into an inverted foam cup

(Toothpicks that are flat on one end and pointed on the other end work best)

2.Once you have samples of each oil, tilt the cups so that the tips of the scented toothpicks are close together. Use your hand to waft the fragrance toward your nose.

To experiment with different proportions of oils you can dip more than 1 toothpick in the oil.

To clear the nose, perfume testers in Europe routinely sniff freshly ground coffee beans in between sniffing fragrance samples.

How To Smell Essential Oils

Nancy Sanderson

When you were at the convention or other training's of Gary's, and he is

talking about what constituents are in the

essential oils and what they do, you are wondering what is that? A lot of

us don't understand and what they mean,

so I am going to help by giving a description of the Constituents and which

oils have them so it will help you

to understand why they work the way the do.

These notes are taken from classes I have had and one is from the class that

a 100 of us were able to take

at the Edge University in Ismir, Turkey. Turkey had asked Gary to teach

their students at the University

so they could learn about the constituents and the essential oils. Man what

an opportunity that was.

There are professions that are called the NOSE'S and what does that means?

It's people who are trained

to be able to smell all the constituents in the essential oils, and be able

to tell you the exact percentage of each

constituents that are in the Essential oils and if the oil is pure or not

and etc.

Now if you would like to learn in how to smell the oils correctly this is

how to start:

When you are wanting to learn to train your nose to detect the chemical

constituents you'll need to prepare

yourself first.

You shouldn't wear clothes that has been washed with perfume fabric softener

or wear any perfume or eat

any artificial foods. Because your nose will pick up the synethic

fragrances. Now you need neutralize the fragrance

to the olfactory first before you begin. Get some coffee, plug one nostril

and breath in the fragrance then plug the

other nostril and breath in, then breath in with both nostrils to neutralize

the fragrance to the olfactory. With

that done the best oil to start out with is oregano. You can also work with

lavender, thyme and basil. Never

smell more than one oil at a time when training your nose.

There is also a correct way to smell your oil. Never just bring it up to

the nose and smell it. You have to

start at the navel. Even if your not interested in becoming a Nose it is

fun to learn how to smell the oils and

pick up some of the constituents and why your nose is feeling the way it is

when you smell the oil.

Starting at the navel is where you pick up the base notes--(Linalyl Acetate)

Chest, middle notes--

(Monoterpenes), and the nose, top note--(Carvacrol and Phenols). As you

begin, with your essential oil

bottle going around in a circle, inhale deep closing one nostril at a time,

then breath with both opened. You

make begin to pick up some keytone's and you may loose them as you come up

the body. When you loose

the keytone's, it's telling you that the keytone's in that oil, are low. At

the chest you will feel a calming feeling

and as you breath in you will feel the harmony and a balance when you breath

through both nostrils as it goes in

and over the head. Now at this point this is here a NOSE can tell if the

essential oil has been cut or diluted. If

it's cut, the fragrance will go to the side of the head and if the feeling

doesn't come and to together than you know

that something is not right.

In the perfume industry they are trying to get all distillers to use Co2

which is a liquefied gas to distill the oils

with. What this does is that they distill the oils at a very low

temperature to extract more oils out of the plant but

you loose the Phenols. For instant our Oregano has 72-75% Phenol and if it

was distilled with Co2, it would only

have 40% phenol which makes it more of a perfume, cut with Co2. So we loose

the important part of the oregano

oil. That is why Gary always checks the oils and make sure that they have

the right chemical constituents.

I remember Gary telling us in the beginning, he went to check a broker that

was selling oils. Gary asked to

smell it and as he was smelling it he said that it just wasn't right and

asked if he had another one. They brought

another oil and it just wasn't right. Not wanting to tick of the gentleman,

he asked for one more. He brought in

another one and as Gary smelt that one , "He said, Now that is what I am

looking for." The guy stopped and

looked at Gary and said, "you are an American aren't you?" "Yes, Gary said,

why?" "Well American's don't

know the difference and you are the first one I have met that knows what he

wants" "We sell the lower constituents

to Americans because they don't know that there is a difference."

So you can see why Gary travels around the world in making sure we are

getting 100% plus pure essential

oils. Thank God Gary know's what he is doing.

In Turkey there was a field that was growing oregano and in that field it

grew one species of oregano, but there was 3

different oregano. All three had different constituents . Gary had us

smell them so we could learn how people who

don't know, would not get the oil they want. The first one had 72%Phenol

and the second one had 87% Linalol and

the third one 13% Eugenol and 62% carvacol. That was a great learning

lesson to be right there to see and smell

the difference.

Now if Gary didn't know the difference we could be stuck with one of the

other two and we wouldn't receive the

same benefits as we do with our Oregano with 72-75%% Phenols. Which

eliminate viruses, as antibacterial, anti-

fungal, anti-inflammatory, Immune stimulant, Anti-parasitic, Anti-aging. As

we smelled the oils you could really

tell the difference. The oils can change because of the weather conditions,

such as no rain, or too wet, too hot,

too cold, and even the soil can change the constituents. The second oil

had changed because of the soil and the

third oil they hadn't detected what caused the cause in the change at that

time. It was a real eye opener to us all.

So you can see how important it is to have a President that knows what he is

doing.

10. Other uses of essential oils

· Sachets –

Beeswax pastilles - ¼ lb beeswax, ¼ teaspoon any essential oil, ¼ teaspoon jojoba oil, 1 to 2 tablespoons dried flowers, herbs, or spices (a mixture of lavender and cinnamon is nice), small candy molds, tissue paper or thin cloth

· Cooking

· Candles

· Potpourri

· Air Fresheners, scented room sprays

· Aroma Lamps

· Baths (slippers, scented nail polish, fragrant bath toiletries (after bath splash, basic bath powder, bath & massage oil, bath salts)

· Breath Fresheners

· Carpet Fresheners

· Closet and Drawer Scents

· Deodorants

· Jacuzzi Oils

· Laundry Scents

Books

Essential flavors : the simple art of cooking with infused oils, flavored vinegars, essences, and elixirs / Brenner, Leslie. (641.6 BRE)

Perfumes, scented gifts & other fragrances : make beautiful gifts to give (or keep) / Reno, Kelly. (668.54 REN)

500 formulas for aromatherapy : mixing essential oils for every use / Schiller, Carol. (615.321 SCH)

The secret life of plants / Tompkins, Peter. (581 TOM)

Awaken to healing fragrance : the power of essential oil therapy / Jones, Elizabeth Anne, 1941- (615 JON)

The fragrant garden : growing and using scented plants / Lawless, Julia. (712 LAW)

Aromaterapia de la A a la Z / Davis, Patricia. (SP 635 DAV)

Personalized perfumes : more than 40 recipes for making perfumes with essential oils / Duff, Gail. (668.542 DUFF)

Essence and Alchemy/ Mandy Aftel

Use of synthetic essential oils in orange juice

From http://christinescottcheng.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/tropicana-orange-juice-flavor-packs-and-food-industry-lies/

Tropicana Orange Juice, Flavor Packs, and the Food Industry

May 19, 2010

There is something delicious about a glass of Tropicana orange juice– it always tastes so sweet, and so perfect, and so, well, so perfect. No matter where you are in the world, it always tastes the same. Hmmmmm…. I had always wondered how they managed to achieve that– but I just chalked it up to modern transportation. I guess if I had really thought about it, I would have realized that it wouldn’t make any sense to airfreight orange juice around the world, but I have to say that I didn’t think much about it. I just assumed that somehow, they made it work.

After all, the label was pretty clear about what was inside the carton: 100% Pure Squeezed Orange Juice. Not from concentrate. That doesn’t leave much room for anything else. Or so you would think.

Well, it turns out that our tasty glass of Tropicana orange juice is not all that it appears to be. Alissa Hamilton let the cat out of the bag with her book, Squeezed: What You Don’t Know About Orange Juice.

What they don’t tell us on the carton is that Tropicana actually uses “flavor packs” in its “100% pure squeezed orange juice” in order to achieve its consistently yummy taste.

The Making of OJ and Flavor Packs

Making OJ should be pretty simple. Pick oranges. Squeeze them. Put the juice in a carton and voilà!

But actually, there is an important stage in between that is an open secret in the OJ industry. After the oranges are squeezed, the juice is stored in giant holding tanks and, critically, the oxygen is removed from them. That essentially allows the liquid to keep (for up to a year) without spoiling– but that liquid that we think of as orange juice tastes nothing like the Tropicana OJ that comes out of the carton. To bring the flavor back in, the company adds “flavor packs“:

When the juice is stripped of oxygen it is also stripped of flavor providing chemicals. Juice companies therefore hire flavor and fragrance companies, the same ones that formulate perfumes for Dior and Calvin Klein, to engineer flavor packs to add back to the juice to make it taste fresh. Flavor packs aren’t listed as an ingredient on the label because technically they are derived from orange essence and oil. Yet those in the industry will tell you that the flavor packs, whether made for reconstituted or pasteurized orange juice, resemble nothing found in nature. The packs added to juice earmarked for the North American market tend to contain high amounts of ethyl butyrate, a chemical in the fragrance of fresh squeezed orange juice that, juice companies have discovered, Americans favor. Mexicans and Brazilians have a different palate. Flavor packs fabricated for juice geared to these markets therefore highlight different chemicals, the decanals say, or terpene compounds such as valencine.

What about that distinctive Tropicana taste?

Well, it turns out that it is entirely engineered. It tastes more or less the same around the world because it’s chemically created.

The formulas vary to give a brand’s trademark taste. If you’re discerning you may have noticed Minute Maid has a candy like orange flavor. That’s largely due to the flavor pack Coca-Cola has chosen for it. Some companies have even been known to request a flavor pack that mimics the taste of a popular competitor, creating a “hall of mirrors” of flavor packs. Despite the multiple interpretations of a freshly squeezed orange on the market, most flavor packs have a shared source of inspiration: a Florida Valencia orange in spring.

Why does it cost more?

So if “Not from concentrate” OJ isn’t a superior product, then why is it more expensive? Alissa gives an answer here for Civil Eats.

In fact, “not from concentrate,” a.k.a pasteurized orange juice, is not more expensive than “from concentrate” because it is closer to fresh squeezed. Rather, it is because storing full strength pasteurized orange juice is more costly and elaborate than storing the space saving concentrate from which “from concentrate” is made. The technology of choice at the moment is aseptic storage, which involves stripping the juice of oxygen, a process known as “deaeration,” so it doesn’t oxidize in the million gallon tanks in which it can be kept for upwards of a year.

Food Industry Power

If this is all true, then the question remains: Why doesn’t it say anything about this on the carton? And just as importantly, how can they get away with “100% Pure Squeezed Orange Juice” on their carton?

The answer to these befuddling questions is that the food industry doesn’t have to say anything about it because the flavor packs are made from orange by-products– even though these “by-products” are so chemically manipulated that they hardly qualify as “by-products” any more. In any case, it turns out that manipulative labelling of this sort is not high on the FDA’s list of priorities.

We, the public, are being duped. If Tropicana (owned by PepsiCo) and all of the other “not from concentrate” companies can get away with claiming that flavor-packed orange juice is “100% pure squeezed orange juice”, then we really need to ask ourselves: What else is the food industry misleading us about?

Update: A previous version of this post used stronger language, but given the ridiculousness of UK libel laws, I have been advised to tone down the language to avoid the possibility of financial ruin. More on UK libel laws later.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ffj.1888/abstract

Abstract

Thresholds for flavour volatiles have been traditionally calculated in water or air but they may vary widely in more complex matrices such as milk, gels or fruit slurries. The data presented are part of a continuing study to provide the industry with threshold guidelines more adequate for the use of flavours in citrus juices. Thresholds of aroma compounds of orange juice (OJ) were determined in reconstituted pump-out (RPO), approaching a deodorized OJ matrix and served at 10–12 °C, the temperature at which OJ is consumed. The three-alternative forced choice (3-AFC) method was used (ASTM: E-679). Sixteen to twenty panelists were presented with RPO samples arranged in five rows of three samples corresponding to five spiking levels, each separated by a factor of 3, with a 3-AFC presentation at each level. For each compound, the test was repeated four times. Compounds tested were verified for purity by GC–MS and GC–O. Orthonasal and retronasal thresholds for esters were twice (methyl butanoate) to 30 times (ethyl propanoate) higher in the orange juice matrix than published values in water. The odour activity values (OAVs) of volatile compounds were calculated for two OJs; nine compounds had an orthonasal OAV < 1 when using thresholds determined in RPO, while in contrast, these compounds had an OAV > 1 when calculated with published thresholds determined in water. The relative OAV of some compounds had changed with respect to each other, indicating a different contribution of these compounds to OJ flavour when their OAV was calculated in RPO. These results show the importance of non-water-soluble compounds on odour and flavour perception. The threshold values provided herein are directly usable by the industry, in comparison with the current values published in water, and will help in developing models that would explain OJ flavour based on interactions with the matrix. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.