Black seed oil is pressed from the seeds of a flowering shrub, Nigella sativa. The plant is packed with thymoquinone, a compound which may have cancer-fighting powers. In rats, it shrank tumors and slowed their growth as well as protected tissue from radiation damage.
Bacopa is a plant that has been used in traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Do not confuse bacopa with gotu kola – both plants are sometimes called Brahmi. Bacopa is commonly used for Alzheimer disease, memory and thinking skills (cognitive function), anxiety, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but there is limited scientific research to support these uses.
Cajeput (Melaleuca leucadendron cajaputi) oil is a versatile antiseptic and clearing essential oil that can also be used effectively as an inhalant during the cold season. Cajeput essential oil has a fresh, camphoraceous-medicinal aroma with a fruity body note and is very similar to eucalyptus, but softer with a hint of herb. This oil has the odor of a mixture of turpentine and camphor. It consists mainly of cineol (see terpenes), from which cajuputene, having a hyacinth-like odor, can be obtained by distillation with phosphorus pentoxide.
Camphor essential oil has antiseptic properties. It is particularly useful for oily skin types or in blends for muscular aches and pains. There are anti-itch gel and cooling gels with camphor as the active ingredient. Camphor is an active ingredient (along with menthol) in vapor-steam products, such as Vicks VapoRub. It is also found in clarifying masks used for skin. Camphor is a waxy, white or transparent solid with a strong, aromatic odor. It is a terpenoid with the chemical formula C10H16O. It is found in wood of the camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora), a large evergreen tree found in Asia (particularly in Borneo and Taiwan, hence its alternate name).
Caralluma is a succulent plant (cactus) from India. In India, it grows wild and is often used as a border in gardens and as a roadside shrub. It is also found in the wild in Africa, Saudi Arabia, Canary Islands, Afghanistan, and Southern Europe. Traditionally, Indian tribes chewed chunks of Caralluma to keep from being hungry during a long hunt. It is also consumed in India as a vegetable with spices or made into chutney or pickles. Nowadays the extract derived from the plant is used to decrease appetite for weight loss. It is also used to quench thirst and to increase endurance. Although not fully characterized, caralluma fimbriata Extract is believed to work via active biomolecules called “pregnane glycosides” that may down-regulate both ghrelin synthesis in the stomach and neuropeptide-Y in the hypothalamus, thereby resulting in appetite suppression.
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.
Carrot essential oil is warming and reviving. It is good for problem skin, including overheated and irritated skin and also the best essential oil known for caring for mature skinmature skin. Carrot seed essential oil does not have an especially pleasant scent and is therefore best blended with other more acceptable oils such as Frankincense or Neroli. It is believed to stimulate the red blood cells, adding tone and elasticity to the skin. It is also known for its regenerative powers after severe burns.
Cedarwood (cedrus atlantica) essential oil is uplifting and reviving. Cedarwood atlas essential oil has a warm, sweet and camphoraceous aroma with a woody-balsamic undertone. It is useful for everyday stresses and strains. It is also known to be an aphrodisiac.
Chamomile essential oil (Anthemis nobilis Flower Oil) is both soothing and for the mind and body. Chamomile essential oil is very relaxing and its anti-bacterial properties make it an excellent essential oil for use in body skincare to soothe sensitive and itchy skin.
Cinnamon BARK essential oil (Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Oil) is a strong antiseptic and has a cleansing effect. It has anti-fungal, anti-viral, bactericidal, warming, stimulating, energising and uplifting properties. Cinnamon BARK essential oil has a warm, spicy, oriental and somewhat harsh odour. Cinnamon BARK essential oil makes a lovely room fragrance, especially at Christmas – cinnamon, clove and orange oil together make a lovely festive fragrance.
Citronella oil has antiseptic, soothing and deodorising properties. Citronella has been used for years in outdoor body sprays and lotions. It has a fresh, powerful, lemony, and grass-like aroma.
Clary sage essential oil has soothing, uplifting, comforting and deeply relaxing properties which make this essential oil balancing for the emotions of everyday life. The europhoric properties of clary sage essential oil induce a sense of well-being and are often used to heighten sensual pleasures. It has a warm and nutty aroma.
Clove bud essential oil (Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil) or oil of the clove as it is often referred to is highly antiseptic and piercing. Clove bud essential oil is both uplifting and stimulating. It soothes and relaxes the digestive system when used to massage the abdomen. It is a natural analgaesic and antiseptic used primarily in dentistry for its main ingredient eugenol. It has a spicy and slightly fruity aroma. The various basils have such different scents because the herb has a number of different essential oils which come together in different proportions for various breeds.
Cocoa butter is a type of fat that comes from cocoa beans.Then they’re roasted, stripped, and pressed to separate out the fat—the cocoa butter. The remnants are then processed into cocoa powder. Cocoa has been used in medicine for around 3,000 years.
Coconut oil is a white solid fat, melting at warmer room temperatures of around 25° C (78° F), in warmer climates during the summer months it is a clear thin liquid oil. Unrefined varieties have a distinct coconut aroma. It is used as a food oil, and in industrial applications for cosmetics and detergent production.
Roasting is a process of converting green coffee beans to brown beans in order to brew aromatic and flavourful coffee. The process is a complete transformation; the beans undergo considerable chemical changes when their internal temperature rises.
Cumin essential oil (Cuminum Cyminum (Cumin) Seed Oil) has stimulating, anti-oxidant and antiseptic properties and is a tonic. Cumin essential oil is also useful as a warming oil (helping to relieve muscular and joint pains) and as an aid for the stresses and strains of everyday life. Cumin essential oil is clear to pale yellow with a characteristic spicy, penetrating scent.
Cypress essential oil is a wonderful essential oil for overheated skin and maintaining a healthy circulation. The astringent and toning properties of Cypress essential oil support areas under constant pressure such as the legs. It is refreshing and a natural deodorant. It is useful for visible veins and cellulite and in optimising a healthy immune system. Cypress essential oil is an excellent womens oil, especially during menstruation and the menopause. It has a sweet, warm and woody aroma.
