Valerian essential oil has soothing, relaxing and balancing properties. Valerian is a powerful essential oil and can be used in massage to subdue restlessness and over-excitability. Valerian essential oil is a light coloured oil with a pleasant woody, balsamic odour with more pleasant notes typical of the earthy / musty / bitter sweet character of valerian (similar to spikenard).
Ajwain seeds have a small amount of oil in them known as ajwain oil. The oil contains thymol, a phenol that gives the fruit its thyme-like smell. Thymol is commonly used to treat digestive problems. It also has antifungal and antibacterial properties.
Cardamom oil has a spicy, fruity, warm and balsamic aroma. It is clear to pale yellow in color and slightly watery in viscosity. A perennial, reed-like herb, Cardamom grows wild and is cultivated in India and Ceylon. It grows up to 4 meters (13 feet) high and has long, green silky blades, small yellowy flowers with a violet tip and a large fleshy rhizome, similar to ginger. Oblong gray fruits follow the flowers, each containing many seeds. Cardamom was well known in ancient times and the Egyptians used it in perfumes and incense and chewed it to whiten their teeth, while the Romans used it for their stomachs when they over-indulged. The Arabs ground it to use their coffee and It is an important ingredient in Asian cooking.
Eucalyptus essential is antibacterial, refreshing and stimulating. The penetrating qualities of eucalyptus essential oil make it useful in massage oil blends for muscular fatigue and ideal for normal to oily skins. Eucalyptus essential oil is useful in inhalations, it is head-clearing and promotes a natural sense of well-being. It has a woody, sweet, camphoraceous and fresh aroma.
Anise star (or star anise as it is otherwise known) has stimulating and energising properties having a particularly refreshing and stimulating action on the digestive and respiratory system when used in massage. It also has emotionally uplifting properties. Anise star essential oil has a strong, sweet, and powerful scent, which smells just like black licorice. Star anise contains anethole, the same ingredient which gives the unrelated anise its flavour.
Fennel oil has cleansing, toning, purifying and stimulating properties. Fennel oil is ideal for use with cellulite, especially when used in massage. It makes a refreshing mouthwash. Fennel oil has a sweet, aniseed aroma with an earthy tone.
Ginger essential oil has a powerful scent. A drop or two of ginger essential oil will add an interesting tone to mixtures, especially those containing other spicy oils. Inhaling a few drops of ginger essential oil in hot water may help to ease spasmodic coughing. In massage, the warming properties of ginger essential oil can be particularly useful for people who always feel cold. Ginger essential oil has a warm, fresh, fiery and woody-spicy aroma.
