Essential oils
An essential oil is not a plant extract but a distillate: the volatile fraction of the plant, concentrated many times over. A litre of rose oil takes several tonnes of blossom. That concentration is the reason for the effect — and the reason essential oils are the form of application with the most incidents.
How it is done
- Never undiluted on the skin. For adults, one to three percent in a carrier oil: roughly one to six drops per ten millilitres of almond, jojoba or olive oil.
- For children from three years, at most half to one percent, and only with mild oils such as lavender or Roman chamomile.
- To scent a room, three to five drops in a diffuser with water. Do not run it continuously — twenty minutes is enough, then air the room.
- Before first use, do a tolerance test on the inner forearm and wait 24 hours.
- When buying, look for the full botanical statement: Latin name, plant part, method of extraction. “Nature-identical” and “fragrance oil” are not essential oils.
What this form suits
Peppermint externally for tension headache, lavender for calming, tea tree and thyme as antimicrobial additions, eucalyptus and spruce for inhalation with a cold.
Where it ends
Essential oils do not belong in or near the eyes. Menthol- and camphor-containing oils and eucalyptus oil must not be applied to the face of infants and toddlers — they can trigger laryngospasm. Cold-pressed citrus oils make the skin light-sensitive; keep out of the sun for at least twelve hours after applying. Taking essential oils internally is not a home remedy: a few millilitres of some oils are toxic, and less than that in children. Anyone using them internally should do so only on the instruction of a qualified practice or pharmacy, and people with asthma or epilepsy, and anyone pregnant, should clear every application beforehand.
Storing it
Dark glass, cool, tightly closed. Citrus oils keep about a year, most others two to three. Oils past their best irritate the skin more than fresh ones.
Plants used this way
34 plants in this database have at least one documented use in this form. Not on this list: toxic and legally controlled species — and, for plants carrying a caution, any internal use resting on folklore alone. Everything remains reachable through the search and the plant index.
The essential oil (main components: geranial 18–21 %, neral 15–16 %) is used in aromatherapy for relaxation.
External application of diluted anise essential oil for cough and bronchial complaints.
In traditional Chinese medicine, dried leaves and stems are compressed into moxa sticks and burned for thermoacupuncture (moxibustion) to stimulate…
The essential oil (main constituents linalool and eugenol) shows pronounced antibacterial and antifungal activity in vitro.
For the constituent 1,8-cineole, some clinical studies exist on respiratory complaints such as bronchitis and rhinosinusitis.
Concentrated use for bloating and cramps.
Essential oil obtained by steam distillation contains nepetalactone and acts as insect repellent against mosquitoes, cockroaches, and termites.
The essential oil of cinnamon bark contains approx.
Clove oil (1–2 drops on a cotton swab) acts as a local analgesic and antiseptic for toothache.
The essential oil from leaves and calyx glands contains camphor, cineole, and other monoterpenes.
The essential oil from coriander seeds (linalool-dominated) shows antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria in vitro.
The essential oil from cumin seeds shows antibacterial and antifungal activity in vitro.
The essential oil (main constituent citral 65–85 %) shows pronounced antifungal activity in the lab against Candida albicans, C.
Dill essential oil (fruit oil) — carminative, diluted only; externally useful as abdominal massage oil for flatulence.
Hyacinth absolute (Absolue de jacinthe): high-grade, very expensive perfumery component obtained from fresh hyacinth flowers by solvent extraction…
Juniper berry essential oil (Juniperi aetheroleum) — traditionally used internally at medical dose for dyspeptic complaints; externally diluted for…
Bay laurel oil (expressed from fruits and leaves) for external massage in rheumatic complaints, bruises, and sprains.
Standardised lavender oil (Silexan, 80–160 mg/day) for subsyndromal anxiety and stress-related restlessness — the only lavender application with cl…
Lovage essential oil from root — phthalide-rich, diuretic and spasmolytic; phototoxic risk from furanocoumarins, use only under professional superv…
Blue chamomile essential oil (rich in chamazulene and alpha-bisabolol oxides) — anti-inflammatory and skin-soothing externally; Kommission E positi…
The essential oil of Mentha × villosa (limonene/carvone chemotype) is used diluted (1–2% in carrier oil or via inhalation) for respiratory infectio…
Tulsi essential oil (methyl-eugenol or eugenol chemotype) is used topically in diluted form (1–2% in carrier oil) for skin infections, insect bites…
Oregano essential oil (Oleum origani) is traditionally used for its antimicrobial properties due to its high carvacrol and thymol content — applied…
Folk aromatherapy use: crushed fresh leaves or a homemade infused-oil maceration emit a citrus-rosy scent considered relaxing and mood-lifting in h…
Aromatherapy use of rose geranium essential oil (geranium Bourbon oil) for relaxation, stress, irritability and nervous tension.
Aromatherapy use of apple geranium essential oil for relaxation, nervous tension and stress.
Peppermint oil in enteric-coated capsules (EMA well-established use) — leading herbal preparation for irritable bowel syndrome with solid clinical…
Externally applied pine needle oil (diluted in fatty carrier oil) is traditionally rubbed in for mild muscle and nerve pain and rheumatic complaints.
Inhalation of rosemary essential oil for catarrhs of the upper respiratory tract.
Essential spearmint oil (externally diluted) for headaches, muscle tension and aromatherapy — carvone profile milder than peppermint menthol.
The essential oil (0.5–2% in flowering herb) with lead compounds carvacrol and thymol shows strong antimicrobial and antifungal activity in laborat…
Tagetes essential oil: spot-applied, strongly diluted on calluses, corns or fungal nails.
Tarragon essential oil shows antibacterial and antifungal activity in laboratory studies, due to high levels of estragole and methyl eugenol.
A true vanilla essential oil in the strict sense barely exists, as vanillin is not steam-distillable.